Article 1. Debt Consolidation - The Pros and Cons

Debt Consolidation is one of the debt solutions for people who are bearing the brunt of onerous amount of debt repayments every month. If your debts have gone completely out of your hands then debt solutions like debt settlement, debt consolidation and Debt management plans can save you from filing bankruptcy. No doubt, bankruptcy assists you in starting start afresh but there are many long-term and far reaching consequences that can have extremely harmful effects on your financial standing. Therefore, it is advisable not to file for bankruptcy at the very first go, look for different options and consolidation of debts is definitely one of the viable solutions.

Debt consolidation is a process where you can merge all your debts into one manageable monthly payment. In other words, you take out a single debt to pay off several other debts.

Given below are some of the advantages of debt consolidation:

A debt consolidation is an efficient solution if you have several loans or different credit cards at different interest rates. With the help of consolidation you will be able to roll several high interest debts into one monthly manageable payment.

You would have an easier time in managing your payments. After combining your debts you do not have to other about dealing with different creditors thus reducing the chances of late or missed payments.

Another advantage is waiving off or lowering of accrued interest rate and penalties. When a person misses payment on any account, the interest and financial charges get accumulated over the principal debt amount. Debt consolidation eliminates that portion of your total debt amount that built up by stacked up interest, late fees and other financial charges.

Your creditors will stop contacting you directly after you enroll in a debt consolidation program. The creditors will start communicating with the consolidation company you are working with. The company will communicate with your creditors and collection agencies on your behalf and inform them that they will be representing you from then on.

The debt consolidation firm will also offer you an effective repayment plan with some viable budgeting tips to manage your financial life.

Disadvantages of debt consolidation:

Sometimes it can be difficult finding favorable interest rates. Usually for secured debt consolidation the interest rates are favorable; however, for unsecured loans shopping for a fair interest rate is a headache.

Sometimes, it can also take longer to pay the debts off. It is seen that the debtors usually end up paying more.

Article 2. How To Reduce Your Homeowners Insurance Rates

The Problem. After the hurricanes of 2005, Florida's insurance companies raised premiums to un-precidented levels. Even after the relatively calm 2006-2007 hurricane seasons, rates continued to soar. In response, the Office of Insurance Regulations promulgated Rule 69O-170.017 in December 2006. This required all Florida property insurers to provide maximum discounts to policyholders. The catch was that a General Contractor had to prove to the state that the inspected home was built with certain wind damage prevention features.

The Solution. So, if you want a practical way to reduce your insurance premiums, you can order an inspection with the Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Insurance Form. With this Insurance Form, many homeowners are able to save over $500 off of their home insurance premiums.

As one of Florida's most experienced and qualified home inspection companies, Dickson Construction Consulting, Inc. can provide this new Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection insurance form as part of their newly expanded Standard Home Inspection services. You may order a Wind Inspection through their website, at Dickson Construction Consulting, Inc.

Article 3. Test Your Knowledge -- Green Houses

Any green-building program should be followed, documented, measured, and verified. It should also include a resource center for the builder and the consumer.

1. What is a green-building certification?

Answer: Sustainable Home Seal of Approval. The Energy Star Qualified Home certification is awarded to any home that meets strict guidelines for energy efficiency set by the U.S. EPA; Energy Star houses are typically 20 percent to 30 percent more energy-efficient than standard homes. The National Green Building Certification, which is operated by the National Association of Home Builders, covers environmentally friendly building products and practices for residential design, development, and construction. The Environments for Living Certified Green program relates to the level of energy used to heat and cool homes as well as efficiency in such categories as indoor water use and lighting and appliances.

2. Which major metropolis was named America's greenest large city in the National Resources Defense Council's 2009 ranking?

Answer: Seattle. Seattle's first-place ranking was attributed to factors such as it gets 90 percent of its power from hydroelectric plants, its incentives for reduced use of automobiles, and the amount of existing and under-construction LEED-certified public buildings in the city. The other large green cities rounding out the top 5: San Francisco; Portland, Ore.; Oakland, Calif.; and San Jose, Calif.

3. What construction shortcut is a frequent source of energy loss?

Answer: The absence of external building wrap around the joists between the floor and walls, improperly insulated attics and improperly insulated basements and crawl spaces. New homes are more likely to have building wrap and well-insulated attics and basements than old ones. They are also more likely to have efficient double-paned windows and heating and air conditioning systems than those that are more than 40 years old. However, both old and new homes typically have unsealed holes where pipes and wires come into them, which can cause energy loss.

4. What is the current deadline for energy-efficient home improvements in order to qualify for a federal tax credit?

Answer: Dec. 31, 2010. Energy improvements must be installed in a residence between Jan. 1, 2009, and Dec. 31, 2010, to be eligible for tax credits. When filing for these credits, be sure to use IRS Tax Form 5695.

5. When building a new home, which of the following projects is not eligible for a federal tax credit?

Answer: Energy-efficient windows and doors. In addition to photovoltaics, geothermal heat pumps, solar water heaters, wind energy systems, and fuel cells qualify for federal tax credits for a new home. However, windows, doors, insulation, roofs, HVAC, or non-solar water heaters do not.

6. Which of the following institutions trades in energy-efficient mortgages?

Answer: Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, FHA along with the VA, buy EEMs that meet certain energy-efficiency criteria. Also, Energy Star has launched a pilot program to encourage comprehensive energy-efficiency improvements in new and existing homes.