| Good Grievance: Your Emails And My Replies
Ok, I want to take a little space here to respond to a number of complaints you readers have been sending to the RealtyCheck mailbox. Don't get me wrong, I love it that you're riled up, I love it that you disagree, most of all I just love it that you read all this stuff, so here goes: “Mortgage Meltdown"
In our ever-undying efforts to make TV oh-so-fun and viewer friendly, we at the RealtyCheck are always looking for ways to brand whatever the topic-du-jour is in the market. Problems in the subprime mortgage sector have plagued the beat for several weeks now, and in the headlining we've referred to it as the “Subprime Mortgage Meltdown." You get it…mmm…a lot of alliteration from anxious anchors in powerful posts (I stole that from Albert Brooks in “Broadcast News.") Anyway, one of you wrote in that we are using the term “meltdown" for all mortgage sectors, and while that is entirely possible, I do want to put it here in writing that I try only to use it to refer to subprimes, which, like it are not, are in something of a meltdown.
Pension 'sparked hostage drama'
Cape Town - A gripe about pension legislation favouring women appears to have led to Thursday's hostage drama at the Human Rights Commission's (HRC) Cape Town office. HRC chief executive Tseliso Thipanyane said the hostage-taker earlier had lodged a complaint with the commission about the legislation. "He had previously asked the commission to intervene as he thought the legislation was a violation of the right to equality on the basis of age." The 61-year-old man was arrested by police after holding up the commission's Western Cape chairperson Ashraf Mohammed at gunpoint. The hostage-taker was said to have been protesting against the fact that women qualified for state pensions from the age of 60 while men had to be 65. Thipanyane said the commission believed his grievance was valid, although it strongly condemned the man's conduct.
Housing Slump Shifts Attention from Home Equity to 401(k) Loans
Until recently, rising home prices and easy credit made it convenient for small business owners to tap their home equity to meet their financing needs. But, with the housing market now in a slump and stricter credit requirements some people are looking at the 401K loan as an alternative source for cash. Alexandria, VA (PRWEB) April 5, 2007 -- Until recently, rising home prices and easy credit made it convenient for start up business owners to tap their home equity for debt consolidation or expansion capital. But, with the housing market now in a slump and credit standards being tightened more people are starting to research other means to raise cash in a lump sum. "We are receiving a lot more inquiries about the 401(k) loan," says Daniel Lamaute retirement plan advisor at Lamaute Capital, Inc.
I'm getting a nice raise this year. What should I do with the money?
You just received a raise as a reward for your hard work. How should you spend that extra money? Should it go into a fund to save for retirement or for college? Should it be used to pay off credit-card debt? Or should you spend it on a much-needed vacation? Let members of the Financial Planning Association of Greater Indiana help you sort out the details. Visit the group's Web site at www.fpagrindiana.org. .
Pension fund set to lead world's largest leveraged buyout
Bell Canada is set to become the largest leveraged buyout target in history with Canada's largest pension fund preparing the ground for a $45 billion (23 billion pounds) takeover of the telecom giant, reported The Independent yesterday. The Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan has entered talks with other pension funds and private-equity partners with the intention of leading a buyout of Canada's main telecom company.As a result of the takeover news, shares of Bell Canada Enterprises Inc., which is listed in New York and Toronto, surged 7 per cent on Tuesday, reported Agence France-Presse. Citing unnamed sources, Canada's two national dailies and the New York Times said the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan was "frustrated" by the company's stagnant stock value and would lead a consortium to privatize Canada's largest telecom.
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