Credit scores are an integral part of the financial portfolio for Americans. The score wields power on everything from employment opportunities to auto insurance rates and deposits on cell phones to qualifying for a home. Below are four of the most common problems and solutions credit counselors with American Financial Solutions see when contacted by people trying to improve their credit score. Remember that while a score can drop in a relatively quick period of time, it takes longer to bring it back up. There is no quick fix for credit reports and credit scores.

[1Pay down balances. Next to missing payments, the best way to damage a credit score is to use more than 30% of the credit limit. If someone is using a credit card like a debit card and charging all purchases (usually to earn reward points or miles), paying the balance down before a major purchase using credit is a must. The card should be paid down to 30% of the credit limit at least 30 days before making the loan application.

As a general rule, it is best to keep credit card charges to a level you can comfortably pay back, in full, each month. If the credit score on your credit report seems stuck in a rut, look at those balances. Work to get them to 30% of the available limit and you will probably see that score increase.

[2]Add positive information. Adding positive information to your credit report can also improve your credit score. The most efficient way to do this is to open a new credit card. The new account can be an unsecured card or a secured card (a credit card backed by your money). Remember when using this card, the 30% rule from above still applies.

Also note that this method does not work if you already have four or more credit cards and the act of applying for credit cards could bring your credit score down.

[3]Another way to potential increase your credit score is to monitor your credit report. According to a study of consumer credit reports conducted by the U.S. Public Research Interest Group (U.S.PIRG), Twenty-five percent (25%) of the credit reports surveyed contained serious errors that could result in the denial of credit, such as false delinquencies or accounts that did not belong to the consumer When reviewing the credit report, look for anything you do not recognize or that appears incorrect. For a complete list of what to review use American Financial Solutions Credit Report Checklist.

[4] Pay bills on time. Missing payments can bring down a credit score very quickly, but it takes time to recover from late payments. In general, a the score considers the last 24 months the most relevant in your payment history. If you got behind, get current and keep making those payments. If you do not have any bills that show on a credit report, continue to pay so nothing gets sent to collections and then reported to your credit report.

Managing credit reports and credit scores can be daunting. There are no quick fixes for problems with credit. It takes time, hard work, and dedication to overcome the credit obstacles. There are other options that may also help people bounce back from damaged credit. These include debt consolidation plans, debt management plans, credit counseling services and more. To learn about all of the options and get help organizing, contact a certified credit counselor today.

American Financial Solutions (AFS) is a non-profit 501(c)3 financial education and credit counseling agency that helps people find solutions for managing their money and changing their financial lives for the better. Since 1999, AFS has helped over 750,000 individuals across the United States through one-on-one counseling, financial education classes, or the use of debt management plans. AFS is a member of the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) as well as the Association for Independent Consumer Credit Counseling Agencies (AICCCA). AFS is also accredited by the Council on Accreditation (COA) and has an A+ rating by the Better Business Bureau. For more information, please visit http://www.myfinancialgoals.org. Find us and like us on Facebook (facebook.com/AmericanFinancialSolutions) or follow us on Twitter (twitter.com/MoneyTips4You)

Having your credit card report explained to you is essential in our current economic times. With banks being more cautious about who they lend to and what they lend on, you have to be prepared or you will miss out on things you want and need. In addition, if your report isn’t great, you will also likely pay a lot more for the credit you do get.

An example of this would be the following:

Say you borrowed $10,000 over 60 months and because your credit wasn’t very good, you had to pay 17% in interest. Your monthly payment would be $249.00 for a total payment of $14,940.

If you had a better credit rating and you were able to get an interest rate of say 6%, now your payment would be only $194 for a total of payments of $11,640.

If you subtract the $14,940 from $11,640, you will find that the interest rate difference would have saved you $3,300. Thus giving you a heck of an incentive to get your credit reports explained.

So now that you know how important a good credit score is, what are the factors that go into it?

” Past Delinquency: If you have failed to make payments in the past, creditors are going to be worried that you will have the same problem in the future.
” The Age of Your Credit: If you have had credit for a longer time, especially without deliquencies you are likely to continue to be a good credit risk.
” The Number of Times You Ask For Credit: It is not just the number of times but also how close together those times are. If you are trying to get a lot of credit cards in a short window of time, it may have a detrimental effect on your credit score.
” Maxing Your Line: If you tend to be a person who maximizes your lines or comes close to it on a regular basis, you will likely be seen as riskier then someone who has a higher line and only uses part of your credit.
” What Type Of Credit Do You Have: Having a mortgage or installment payment loan is more likely to help you credit then credit cards, or revolving credit lines. Have a mix of both is also usually better then just having one or the other.

So now that you understand the impact and the factors that affect your score, it’s time to explain your credit score itself:

Your credit worthiness is established by a number, that number is called a FICO score (Fair Issac Corporation). The scores range from 300 to 900 with the majority of Americans in the 600 to 700 range. This is the tool that your lenders use to give you a quick and easy snapshot of your credit strength.

This score is then used in different ways depending on what type of credit you are applying for. While a lot of things are changing given the current economic times, historically if you were applying for a home mortgage you would be more likely to get a better rate if you were in the mid 700′s or above. If you were in the high 600′s you would likely still be able to get a loan, but not at a great rate and if you were in the low 600′s or below you would be considered high risk (as a disclaimer, this is just my experience from reviewing history and the numbers may and have changed depending on circumstances, economic conditions, the community, the value of the house and government specific programs).

Other types of lenders have other standards that drive their decision making process. But it is always a safe bet that if you have a solid income and are in the high 600′s or above your chances of getting a better rate and getting your loan in the first place will usually increase.

So, given what you now know about credit scores and what the impact, having your credit score explained, show cause you to want to take action, to both save you money and increase the likelihood of getting the loan you want. But to be successful, you also need to know specifically what things you personally do that will impact your credit before you do them, and what types of planning you can take to reduce the risk associated with bad credit decisions.

Getting the right and most complete tools can make all the difference and are worth their weight in gold if they can help you save money. Remember in our example above, by getting the best interest rate based on the best possible credit rating could save you thousands of dollars.

Competitive Work Environment
Medical assistants or MAs who wish to work in hospitals generally work 40 hours per week. This may or may not include weekends. Normally, work is very pleasant since hospitals have clean and air-conditioned offices. MAs are often required to wear uniforms like ordinary hospital staffs. But a stipend may be paid for them.

By and large, hospital workers receive an option to work days and nights, or nights only. Work schedules are often flexible depending on the area where the MA is assigned. This is very helpful if the MA is studying or working part time in another field. For many newly-hired hospital workers, the night shift is unavoidable. This is due to the lack of job openings for day time employees. Don’t fret. There are advantages to taking the night shift. Night shift workers have higher salaries for working such odd hours. This is a major motivating factor to earn extra income. The night shift differential varies from one employer to another. This could be a dollar amount assigned to all night shift workers or it can be based on a percentage of the base pay.

Cutthroat Training
For competitive individuals, they prefer to work in hospitals because they are challenged by the high level of standards set by the institution. Yes, there are no perfect institutions and hospitals can vary in styles of management. If proper team work regulations are implemented to meet the demands of health care, better patient care will result and the hospital as a whole will be a less taxing. Team work among the hospital staffs can result in better patient care. Being able to meet the demands of the hospital work setting can be very fulfilling.

Becoming a certified medical assistant can give you a way into the fast-paced and high-demand medical field. With growth in the field comes increased opportunity for medical assistants and those with similar skills. Working as an MA can provide you with the chance to help others on a daily basis.

Fringe Benefits
The medical assistant professionals are very in demand. Because they are highly needed, they look for institutions that will provide better benefits. Fringe benefits are good to have. Fringe benefits are privileges provided by the institution in addition to the salary. The common fringe benefits offer by hospital institutions are health coverage or vision plan, dental insurance, paid vacation leaves, pension and retirement plan, 401k matching and tuition reimbursement.

The things mentioned above are just some of the common advantages provided by hospital institutions to their medical assistant staffs. The demand for this kind of career is soaring each year. Employers are even paying just to recruit medical assistant professionals. Remember that as the need for MAs grow, so does their value in the career work pool.

Pinnacle Career Institute (PCI) announced today that the school has donated $10,000 to Imagine America Foundations 21st Century Workforce Fund.

The Imagine America Foundation provides scholarships for education with a focus on career schools. The Foundations 21st Century Workforce Fund was established to conduct research that elevates the publics understanding of the vital role of career colleges and their students nationwide. An example of this is their recently released study, Financial Planning Made Simple.

PCIs contribution takes us closer to accomplishing our goals with our 21st Century Workforce Fund, said Bob Martin, president of Imagine America Foundation. Research findings are essential to bringing attention to the vital role of career colleges on peoples lives.

The 21st Century Workforce Fund is in the midst of a multi-year fundraising campaign to raise $5 million. The Foundation has raised $3.4 million so far, with contributions like PCIs moving it steadily higher.

I truly believe in the mission of the 21st Century Workforce Fund, and Im proud that PCI has taken this step to support it, said Jeffrey C. Freeman, CEO of Pinnacle Career Institute.

With the recent release of the gainful employment rule and high-profile media stories on admissions practices at career colleges, its more important than ever that career schools join PCI in contributing to Imagine America Foundations 21st Century Workforce Fund.

About Pinnacle Career Institute
For more than 50 years, Pinnacle Career Institute has provided quality career education in competitive fields such as Alternative Energy, Business, Health & Fitness, Medical, and Trades & Technical. Along with Pinnacle Career Institute Online Education, Pinnacle Career Institute has two campuses in the Kansas City, MO, area and one campus in Lawrence, KS. Pinnacle Career Institute offers flexible scheduling options and quality skill education.

About the Imagine America Foundation
The Imagine America Foundation (IAF), established in 1982, is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing scholarship, research and training support for the career college sector. Since its inception, the Foundation has provided over $37 million in scholarship and award support for graduating high school seniors, adult learners and U.S. military personnel attending career colleges nationwide through its award-winning Imagine America programs. The Foundation also publishes vital research publications for the higher education sector, honors achievement in career education and offers faculty development training. For more information about the Imagine America Foundations programs, please visit http://www.imagine-america.org.

When you have no friends or family to turn to, you might consider taking out a bad credit personal loan. But wait, you got your free copy of your credit scores and you rate below 550 on all of them. Not good, especially if you have considered going to a traditional lender such as a bank or credit union. Do not even bother to take that route. See a non-traditional lender.

Other Standards Beyond Credit Standing

If you need cash fast, $100 to $1500, you need to approach a non-traditional lender about a bad credit personal loan. These loans can be had as secured or non-secured. Secured loans have some property to back them up, such as a late model automobile. With these you can usually get more cash and maybe better interest rates. You do not need valuable property to back an unsecured personal loan.

Whichever way you choose, these lenders rarely consider your credit scores. What they will look at is your debt-to-income ratio. That is, after you meet all your regular monthly obligations, whether you have enough discretionary income left over to cover another payment. As you successfully pay off smaller loans, lenders will be willing to lend you more the next time you need cash.

Finding Non-Traditional Lenders

When you need one of these non-traditional lenders, your best venue would be the world wide web. Just punch BAD CREDIT LOAN into your browser and you will immediately have scores of lenders who may be willing to give you a bad credit loan. You will even find brokers who will provide you with a list of lenders most likely to grant you a loan based on financial information you have give the broker.

Just be sure that any page where you give out personal or financial information is secure. You should also check your lender to be sure of reputation. You can start this by checking the Better Business Bureau online listings. They should have a grade and customer feed back for each. You could also check online personal finance forums to see if anyone has a had a bad experience with any of the brokers.

What Non-Traditional Lenders Will Need

Of course, you just cannot walk in and walk out with cash. You are going to need up to two bona fide government-issued forms of identification such as a driving license, passport, state identification, etc. You will need proof of employment and salary; this can be pay stubs or direct deposit bank statements. You will need an active bank account, preferably checking with direct deposit. You will need proof of residency, this could be a utility bill that has an address that is the same as on your identification or bank statement. And, of course, you will need to give your social security number.

Obey Your Contract

Before you sign any contract, be sure to read all the fine print. You have always heard this and you may sigh, but the reason you always hear it is because all kinds of little charges and fees could be stuck in there unseen by you. Once you have read the fine print and sign the contract, be sure to pay back the loan as specified. If you do not, you will add another smudge to your already-damaged credit history. Paying it back on time, or even early, will start your credit report on the road to recovery.

Interested in starting a personal training business? Pursuing a personal fitness trainer certification? Or simply marketing your existing personal training services and programs? A brand-new website, http://www.PERSONAL-TRAINERS.ME, helps new, experienced and master personal trainers expand their business and services, increase personal training clients and earnings, and enjoy a flexible and fun career path.

The new site offers a variety of personal training career resources, links, trainings and more, all in one convenient location.

The personal training industry is booming today, and there has never been a better time to become a certified personal trainer, to develop or grow a personal fitness training business or to focus on more outreach for your personal training business, said John Spencer Ellis, founder of John Spencer Ellis Enterprises, a fitness and personal development solutions company, and the personal training site. When you invest in yourself and your personal training education, the sky is the limit when it comes to your clients, your business and your success.

In particular, the new personal fitness training site offers information on:
Personal training certification through the National Exercise and Sports Trainers Association (NESTA), which is 100 percent online and self-paced;
Personal trainer business coaching and successful business models;
Marketing events and programs to increase clientele and business effectiveness;
Personal trainer nutrition certification;
Personal fitness trainer business development resources, including tools and technologies;
Boot camp business options for personal trainers;
Mixed martial arts training and business strategies for personal trainers;
Group and individual personal training;
And more

In addition, the site includes information on Wexford University, which offers associate through doctorate degrees in health, fitness, nutrition and applied sports psychology in an accelerated online format.

Whether you are just getting started in the personal training industry or need some new business ideas and tools to take your career to the next level, we can offer you solutions, strategies and services to help your personal training career soar, Ellis added.

About John Spencer Ellis Enterprises and Personal Training Career Resources
John Spencer Ellis Enterprises is a solutions provider for fitness and coaching professionals around the world, providing education, turn-key business programs, coaching and resources for new and advanced fitness and coaching professionals. For more information about John Spencer Ellis Enterprises or personal training career resources, certifications and training, please visit http://www.PERSONAL-TRAINERS.ME/

Covestor, an investment management company that enables individuals to mirror the transactions of experienced investors, announced Next Investa first-of-its-kind virtual conference. During this online event on March 20 and 21, attendees can connect with top investors, learn how theyre positioning their portfolios and obtain actionable ideas from the convenience of their computers and mobile devices.

Covestor is a financial marketplace that lets clients:

• see what 135 experienced investors are buying and selling in their own portfolios;
• select from nearly 200 investment models;
• and copy proven investors trades in real time.

The cost and time involved in travel makes attending conferences difficult, said Covestor CEO Asheesh Advani. By hosting the Next Investconference online, Covestor is continuing with its mission of providing people with both online convenience and first-hand financial content.

The online conference features panels on the latest investing tools and technologies and insight into global markets and investment strategies.

Simulating the look and feel of a traditional conference, the online environment includes:

• a lounge for networking and collaboration
• an exhibit hall, where attendees can learn about products and services;
• a game room, featuring online financial games; and
• a resource center, where visitors can fill a virtual briefcase with white papers, eBooks and speaker presentations.

Covestor plans to host presentations by:

• Ian Ayres: Professor, Yale University; Author, Lifecycle Investing
• Lee Hull: Founder, Hull Capital; Author, Less Risk, More Return
• Pat Huddleston: Founder, Investors Watchdog; Author, The Vigilant Investor
• Jeff Towson: Investor; Author, What Would Ben Graham Do Now
• Tadas Viskanta: Founder, Abnormal Returns
• Bruce Carton: Founder, Securities Docket
• Andrew Hallam: Author, The Millionaire Teacher
• Mebane Faber: Cofounder, Cambria Investments; Author, The Ivy Portfolio
• Asheesh Advani: CEO, Covestor

This January, Covestor launched a new website http://covestor.com/, which enhances the quality of active portfolio management by increasing client access to Model Manager strategies through improved metrics, visual infographics and augmented search capabilities that ease model selection and target results.

About Covestor

Covestor brings the clarity and efficiency of an online marketplace to the world of money management. Investors can compare and select from a transparent marketplace of money management talent that includes top performing portfolio managers and successful investors. Covestors Portfolio Sync technology automatically replicates trades, providing clients the convenience of set and forget functionality and the protection of Covestors proprietary trade filtering.

Covestor is widely regarded as a pioneer in bringing separately managed accounts (SMAs) online in a transparent marketplace. Founded in 2006, the company has offices in New York City and London and is funded by leading VC firms including Union Square Ventures, Spark Capital and Amadeus Capital Partners.

Covestor is an investment adviser registered with the US Securities and Exchange Commission under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. Additional information can be accessed directly from our Form ADV document, available at http://www.covestor.com.

It should not be assumed that any information discussed herein will prove to be profitable or that decisions in the future will be profitable or provide similar results. While Covestor does provide limited investment advice to its clients, the content herein is provided as general and impersonalized investment information and is not a recommendation or solicitation to buy or sell any security or subscribe to any particular investment model. Please take appropriate professional advice in any investment decisions.

For additional information contact:

Kalen Holliday, Covestor Communications Director 866-825-3005 x4 or kalen(at)covestor(dot)com

Given the recent volatility in the market, investors are looking for ways to more effectively generate income with less risk. Weekly options provide another choice for income investors in this unsure market, while reducing the time required to hold short call options.

As of February 2012, there are now 130 stocks, ETF’s, and indexes permitted to trade Weekly options. From the data analysis done by the financial education service CoveredCalls.com, 55 of these Weekly positions were returning covered call premiums of over 1.0 percent (per week), as of the 2-2-2012 data analysis update for clients.

The pool of available Weekly vehicles continues to grow, with ten (10) new positions added most recently. The Weekly options list can be found at the CBOE.com website under the “Available Weeklys” section.

The “seatbelt investing (TM)” (SBI) service at CoveredCalls.com helps investors find, research, and analyze Weekly investments. The SBI list shows the Weekly call bid, the premium percentage return, and important technical indicator values such as the RSI (Relative Strength Index) to help investors make informed decisions.

Weekly options can give investors increased granularity and more expiration periods (one expiration per week; every Friday), which can help create income-producing events more frequently when selling options. New Weekly options series are posted each Thursday, except the Thursday prior to the week of the third Friday of each month (which is the standard monthly options expiration day). During this week of the normal monthly options expiration, the last week of the monthly option is used as the Weekly option surrogate.

Premium returns from selling covered calls on Weekly options varies from about 0.5 percent per week, up to 6 percent per week, depending on market volatility. Risk can be controlled by purchasing put options as insurance on the underlying stock or ETF, and the SBI service shows these “insurance policies” on the Weekly options table at CoveredCalls.com.

CoveredCalls.com will be hosting a LIVE WEBINAR on Saturday, February 11, 2012, at 12:00 noon (Eastern Time) where a preview of the “seatbelt investing (TM)” service will be shown, and the Weekly options data table will be demonstrated live.

WEBINAR DATE: Saturday, February 11th, 2012

WEBINAR TIME: 12:00 noon (Eastern Time)

Register for the Live Webinar: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/754471361

ABOUT:
CoveredCalls.com, founded in 1997 to help investors generate income through selling covered calls, provides data, education, and live coaching to the self-directed trader. CoveredCalls.com is one of the first option education services to provide data for the new Weekly options. Weekly options are part of the premium “seatbelt investing (TM)” service, available at CoveredCalls.com.

If you have yet to find that career there are a few steps you can take towards discovering it. First, don’t be afraid to ask for others’ advice. By networking with others and discussing what interests you and what they find enjoyable about their career, you may find yourself able to narrow your options. A great way to do this is to set up informational interviews. If you think a certain job may suit your interests and talents, contact somebody who currently holds that job. Inquire if they would be willing to sit down and talk with you about their career.

You may be surprised how willing people are to talk about themselves and their lives. Second, apply for jobs you may not have otherwise considered. Perhaps the pay isn’t quite right or the location is a little further than desired, if the job is right for you it’s worth the extra expense. If you currently have a job but you aren’t enjoying the work you’re doing consider what it is that you feel like you are missing. If you feel that your position can be tailored to better suit your interests plan to meet with your employer, if not don’t be afraid to look for other opportunities, even if you are comfortable in the position you are in. Lack of passion is enough to constitute a re-evaluation of your career.

If however you are lucky enough to have found a career where your passions and talent collide, think very carefully before leaving such a position. Chances are that if you have found this job you’re doing well at work and that could mean other offers, including offers to move up the corporate ladder. This is not to say that you should reject every opportunity that comes your way, perhaps these opportunities will continue to utilize your passion and talents and offer you a chance to grow. The most important lesson to be learned is that interest in your career is important to your overall happiness and subsequently should not be overlooked.

Working with people over the years, I have come to learn that desiring a change is a normal part of life. Although we may dislike it because it requires us to step outside our comfort zone and make an effort which can seem like hard work but the reality is that we grow and change as people all the time.

Go ahead and reflect a little, ask yourself – Are you the same person you were 10 years ago or has something changed?How about your aspirations, goals, priorities, parts of your personality and what you want out of life? Is your current work aligned with who you are today and expressing your inner Truth?

People outgrow their career all the time and that’s okay. Perhaps you are feeling something isn’t quiet right off late but just aren’t sure what exactly is it that you are sensing. Here are 8 common signs that will bring you some clarity -

1. You feel restless in your soul – You go to work because you have to but you feel restless being at work and in your office. It’s not the people you work with or the environment but the work in itself that makes you feel irritated and unhappy.

2. Your gut tells you it’s time to go - So many ignore their gut feelings as something they are feeling temporarily. Is that feeble inner voice telling you something?

3. You find yourself disinterested in the tasks of your job – Okay even if you love your job there maybe tasks that you may not be fond off, but when you are engaged in a career where every part feels like it’s dragging you down and isn’t holding your interest for months on end, you know that is a problem.

4. Your job brings you good money but it doesn’t make your heart sing – You know what that feels like right, where you go to a job, it is comfortable and takes care of you financially but when it comes to making you feel joyful inside, it just doesn’t do it for you.

5.There is no room for you to grow – Maybe you worked really hard and did really well, climbed up the corporate ladder quickly and found yourself in that perfect position you always dreamed off. But now that you are there, what’s next? You are stuck because there is no room for you to grow.

6. Dreadful Monday Syndrome – So many dread sunday evenings and monday mornings because it means preparing for the week ahead and that includes going back to work. Do you find yourself in this place?

7. Lack of energy and enthusiasm – Do you find your work draining? Where it leaves you tired and exhausted? It doesn’t stimulate you in anyway, intellectually or energetically?

8. Your goals are achieved and objectives are met – Perhaps you chose a career with certain objectives in mind and now your work is done. For example you always wanted to start a business in publishing but you didn’t have any experience, so you decided to get a job in order to learn. Now that you’ve learnt everything there is, you feel your work is done and its time to make a change.

A brand new year is right around the corner, if you know in your heart that it is time to move forward in your career, seize the opportunity and don’t delay making the change.