Insta Finance

Bank of Queensland Ltd. has offered $1.9 billion in cash and stock to acquire Australian rival Bendigo Bank Ltd. The decision was mainly motivated to double its branches in a nation where lenders are posting record profits. Australian share prices shot up as investors turned their attention to merger and acquisition activity within the banking and insurance sector after Bank of Queensland’s proposed merger with Bendigo Bank. The prospective takeover would create a regional-based financial group worth more than $4 billion and the seventh biggest bank in Australia.

The bid represents 36 percent premium on the closing price last week. The bid values Bendigo shares at A$17.92 each, Brisbane- based Bank of Queensland said in a statement. On the other hand, Directors of Bendigo have said that they are taking into consideration the offer. Experts have said that the bid is a smart but defensive move by Bank of Queensland.

Under the proposed arrangements the shareholders will own 60 per cent of a merged entity, which will combine BoQ’s franchised-based and community-based banking models of Bendigo. The surprised takeover bid by BoQ comes in the midst of forecasts by financial sector chief executives that the sector is ripe for a round of consolidation, which could swallow up some of Australia’s smaller banking institutions.

Bank of Queensland Chief Executive David Liddy said, ‘with more than 1.5 million customers, the combined lender may be able to compete more aggressively with the four biggest banks, which reported record operating earnings in the past six months.’

Read

Customers tend to prefer debit card due to the convenience offered by them as people like to spend their own money rather than borrowing it but thieves have got smarter and they are coming up with novel methods for stealing their information and even hard earned money too. In case of debit cards customers are at a greater risk since it offers less protection when compared with credit cards. In case of money lost from a debit card it might be difficult to trace it.

Thieves could target you at unsuspecting places such as convenience stores where they could place unbranded machines which are a copy of the original machine therefore customers must try and protect their PIN and even shield their hands while punching in the number since even hidden cameras could be used for giving you a setback.

Skimming technique is being recently put to use for stealing debit card details where the account data from magnetic strip of the card is copied and later used for creating duplicate cards. Due to all this a number of banks have started zero liability protection for promoting debit cards in order to increase the confidence of customers in it.

Via azcentral

New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo has said that an investigation by his office has revealed widespread, questionable financial arrangements among student-loan providers and a number of colleges and universities, including kickbacks to some schools. The Attorney General went on to allege that dozens of colleges and universities across the country have accepted a variety of financial enticement from student loan companies to maneuver student business their way.

The investigation further revealed that the deals include cash payments based on loan volume, donations of computers, and expense-paid trips to resorts for financial aid officers and even managing call centers on behalf of colleges to tackle students’ questions about financial aid. The probe showed that many schools, as trusted middlemen, that frequently recommend lenders that do not necessarily offer the best deal to students.

Cuomo has further informed that some two-thirds of college students take student loans and around 90 percent choose their lender from a list of preferred providers drawn up by the school. While making the shocking revelation at a press conference he said, ‘we have found that these school-lender relationships are often highly tainted by conflicts of interest and, we believe, illegal, deceptive business practices’.

Investigations are still in process, and lawsuits against lenders and schools remain an option, he said. His office has not yet announced any legal action.

Read

An Ohio representative has recently released an e-mail that he said suggests Wal-Mart Stores Inc.’s ambitious plans to enter into consumer banking may extend beyond what the retail giant had previously revealed to regulators. The information, in the form of an e- mail message sent by an employee of Wal-Mart Stores, suggested that the company was preparing to offer its own banking products.

The e-mail suggested that the retailer has included in tenant leases letting it reserve the right to offer a variety of financial services, including mortgages and home equity loans. The information indicates a clear shift from Wal-Mart’s earlier insistence that it was not concerned in branch banking, but was aiming to use the bank as a way to save money by internalizing credit-card and check transactions.

Wal-Mart has submitted an application to the US regulators for approval, and if regulators clear the application it would allow the company to operate a specialty bank known as an industrial loan company. However, Wal-Mart has said that the e-mail was nothing new and reflected similar language it has used in leases with outside banks for at least five years.

Nevertheless, Wall Street Journal has reported, ‘Wal-Mart Stores Inc., underscoring its continuing push into financial services, has quietly renegotiated the terms of leases with a number of banks operating in its stores, giving Wal-Mart itself the explicit right to offer mortgages, home-equity lines of credit and consumer loans.’

Read

The corporate world hunger for money can never be fulfilled and this can be judged from the recent example of Bank of America. The bank has been testing a new credit card in California which customers can avail without requiring social security number. This has resulted in a controversy where some feel that this may give an excuse to illegal migrants to stay over in the country.

Mary Murset, an eighty year old customer of Bank of America states:

This is another example of corporate greed run amok at the expense of the rest of us. Ms. Murset worries that legal and illegal immigrants will run up charges on the new card then leave the country without paying - increasing her cost of banking.

Kenneth Lewis, CEO of the bank states that they were not targeting illegal migrants but had introduced these cards for helping Bank of America customers build their credit history.

Whatever be the case to me it seems to be a ploy by the bank to fulfill its hunger for more money no matter in what manner they are able to achieve it.

Via csmonitor

You might have encountered ads regarding prepaid credit cards for kids aimed at your children and parents can keep a tab on the child’s spending and even deposit the money into the account when required. The reason behind introducing credit cards for kids stated by the card companies is that it can teach them responsible spending and budgeting too. These cards can be blocked from purchasing restricted items and parents can also manage the allowances online.

To me it seems to be dirty ploy by the credit card companies to make children a credit card addict from a young age and probably they might learn nothing but at least they may learn overspending which is one of the vice associated with credit cards. Exposing children to credit cards at such a young age could do more harm than good.

Via buffalonews

Having your own house is a dream and executing you dream can be pretty difficult since it involves lot of investment and sometimes debt too. This can turn into a complex situation since a number of documents are required to be reviewed and signed. With so much complexity involved there is a chance housing transactions might involve fraud or overcharging. Even though you might be dealing with learned professionals but there is no harm in getting hold of the process on your own as much as possible.

While making a purchase always get the details in writing so that you can see the clear picture. As compared to other transactions real estate should be in writing so that it can be enforced by law. There is always a chance that you might fall prey to a real estate fraud.

Some people also appoint their agent as a loan officer for them and this may further aggravate the problem therefore whenever you go for a property always keep the legal tangle in mind because one wrong step can wreak havoc for you. Only trust yourself and the legal papers while going for a property since this can help you to avoid any mind boggling tensions.

Via nctimes

This is something really interesting which I came across. As per published reports an IRS pilot project us asking the people responsible for creation of shelters and benefiting from the tax code loopholes i.e. accountants and tax lawyers and are seeking assistance for drafting of new tax rules.

Some say that it has become a common practice for federal government to ask outsiders to undertake work in drafting tax rules which could result in conflicting interest since they might take into account their personal or client’s interest.

Reacting to all this Donald L. Korb, IRS general counsel stated that they were not downplaying the traditional process and only non controversial and technical issues would be taken into account and all the rules framed would have to seek the final approval of IRS attorneys before being brought into practice. I was just wondering whether this law would backfire because biased opinions are bound to be included and this could have a negative effect on the tax system.

Via webcpa

In an interesting development the Internal Revenue Service in the United States has asked tax lawyers and accountants who create tax shelters and take advantage of loopholes to take the lead in writing some of its new tax rules. The project is just an extension of federal government’s practice of outsourcing their jobs. However, the project is drawing criticism from several quarters including academics and other critics on the ground that the government is traveling some extra miles.

The argument forwarded by the critics hold that allowing private lawyers to help with the creation of the new regulations and laws could allow them to create rules that might benefit their clients. Even officials in Bush administration are learnt to be shocked with the latest decision of the agency.

On the other hand agency too struggles to cope with its duties with the limited number of employees entrusted with it. The New York Times reported that the I.R.S. staff has been reduced by a fifth in the last decade while the tax code has grown vastly more complex over the years. In the meantime, according to an IRS estimates the tax gap, the difference between what taxpayers owe and what actually gets paid to the federal government, has swelled to around $290 billion.

Many regulation and law experts and tax lawyers have warned of vulnerability if the tax police must put into effect rules written by those skilled at devising tax-free paths through the labyrinth of the Internal Revenue Code. However, earlier the government had appointed contractors to provide research and technical advice on regulations, which can be regarded as a better option than allowing private lawyers to create rules.

Read

How would you feel that the exotic pet which you purchased with your hard earned money has been stolen? Certainly you would feel bad and probably you won’t even be compensated for that since you never opted for insurance for your pet. As per a latest survey a number of Brits do not buy insurance for their pets.

As a result this leaves them at high risk of their pet getting stolen or falling prey to some disease. Most of the people treat their pets as a part of the family and if that is so then probably they too need to be covered under the umbrella of insurance under which the other members of the family have found a space.

As per Diane Jackson, Debenhams Personal Finance:

Pets are family members too. We insure our valuable possessions, we should be insuring our pets as well.

Probably you should also cover your pet under insurance since they cost a lot and above all you have an emotional attachment with them.

Via gotravelinsurance