Artificial Intelligence in Indian banking: Challenges and Opportunities

Artificial Intelligence in Indian banking Segment

Artificial Intelligence is speeding up as the latest technology for companies all across the globe to distinguish understanding for the individuals. Artificial Intelligence goes much beyond chat bots and banks in India need to consider adopting this technology. The technology has been making amazing progress each day enabling businesses inaccepting the Artificial Intelligence for most of the numerous applications. Banking segment has been making headway in Artificial Intelligence and has been exploring and implementing this technology in numerous ways. The basic application that Artificial Intelligence comprises of is bringing in smart chat bots to support the customers, initialling services for the customers as well as having a robot for self service at the banks. Banks can utilise Artificial Intelligence in Indian banking to bringing in additional efficiency in their system of operation, thereby reducing security risks and fraud that occur in the banks.

AI function with Humans – Future

Research firms seem to be confident of Artificial Intelligence in Indian banking sector. According to the report of Fintech India by PwC in the year 2017, worldwide expenses on AI applications had reached $5.1 billion, an increase from $4 in 2015. Interest is being diverted towards the banking sectors too.

As per the latest Accenture Banking Technology Vision 2018 report it is said that about 83% of the bankers in India are of the opinion that Artificial Intelligence in Indian banking would be functioning together with humans in the years ahead which is on the higher side than the 79% average of the world.

According to a report, “93% bankers in India stated that they utilise data to drive critical and automated decision-making. More partner-supplied customer data means a higher degree of responsibility for banks. Yet 77% Indian bankers agree that most firms are not prepared to confront impending waves of corrupted insights from falsified data”

Artificial Intelligence in Indian banking- Enhance Economy

Rishi Aurora, managing director, financial services of Accenture commented that “Artificial Intelligence in India is not something new. For ages the universities and research institutions have been functioning in the capacity of social transformation. With the assistance of technologies, it has now become accessible and economical.

Huge businesses and start-upsnow perceive various opportunities since Artificial Intelligence has now become conventional. According to study, it has been shown that with the implementation of this technology, Artificial Intelligence in Indian banking has the capabilities of enhancing the billion to almost $1 trillion to the economy in India towards 2035. Implementation of Artificial Intelligence is presently at its developing level with plenty of hard work to be put for its total accomplishment.

According to Darshan Shah, MD, South Asia, LenddoEFL, a Singapore-based fintech company, stated that with the application of Artificial Intelligence and machine learning to the various segments in the banking sector, it has supported them in providing a much more personalised as well as efficient services to their customers. Through this, banks now have the potentials of comprehending the preferences and expectations of their customers.

Robots – Service of Customers

Consequently, there is an improved result in computerization of back-end workflows. Over 36% of huge financial institutions, as per several industry reports have been investing in these technologies and almost 70% have plans for the same in the near future. Last year, State Bank of India, which is one of the largest banks in India, had conducted `Code for Bank’ hackathon.

This was with the intention of motivating developers in buildingresult leveraging innovative technologies like Artificial Intelligence in Indian banking together with Blockchain in the banking segment. The other banks in the private sectors such as HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank have gone ahead in introducing chat-bots in servicing their customers. Some have also moved ahead in placing robots for the service of their customers. Canara Bank had installed Mitra and Candi robots, last year at some of their places of work.

Personal Payment Experience

Varun Rathi, cofounder and COO, Happay, which is a Bangalore based start-up, targeting digital payment solutions commented that, `Artificial Intelligence are being utilised by disbursement companies to provide personalised payment experience to the consumers. With the use of AI and scrutinizing payment history patterns, the system of payment can prompt the desired payment instrument suitable for purchase at checkout.

These personalised consumer experiences tend to increase expenditure thereby creating stickiness to product, consumers tend to utilise. Chief architect, of Pune based Persistent Systems, corporate CTO; Abhay Pendsehas conveyed some of the common usages of Artificial Intelligence in Indian banking:

• Detection of Fraud – irregularity exposure can be done in increasing the accuracy of credit card, scam detection together with anti-money laundering.
• Helpdesk & Customer Service – Interfaces of Humanoid Chatbot could be utilised in enhancing efficiency thereby decreasing charges for customer interactions.
• Risk Management –Personalised products could be provided to consumers by scrutinizing their data perform risk analysis and eradicating errors.
• Security –unauthentic emails, suspicious behaviour, logs analysis can be traced to avoid securitybreaks
• Digitization & automation – back office processing – Using document data with the help of OCR and thereafter utilising machine learning or AI in creation of perceptions from data text would assist in bring down the processing time in back office.
• Wealth management for multitudes – Tailored folders could be done by Bot Advisors for customers taking in consideration lifestyle of account, appetite for risk, likely returns on investment etc.
• ATMs – to detect and prevent crimes and frauds, image or face recognition could be utilised for real time camera images and enhanced AI techniques like deep learning to be used at ATMs.

<

How to Invest in StartUps

How Start-ups Investment Works

A group of investors tend to get together with a concept to an innovative solution weighing all the pros and cons to their new innovation. They come with some concept which would work and provide the revenue with their concept. The innovative idea then goes to the next level of turning it into a business and then goes to fulfill their goal of that idea. Here the need to obtain advice is essential from experienced entrepreneurs who have met success in the same field. To invest in initial stage startups there are two options:

• To invest in a priced equity round, wherein the investor purchases shares in startups at a fixed price 
• To invest in convertible securities wherein the amount of investment ultimately gets converted into equity. Capital – Needed Element

In the initial stage of startups, investors tend to depend on family, their colleagues or close acquaintances. However there could be some restrictions as to the number of individuals who could invest in these startups. This is due to legal limitations according to Legal Zoom. To start a business, capital is the much needed element and personal savings and personal borrowing are said to be the most two common possibilities for the same.

Personal savings are of two types namely cash and cash equivalent saving and retirement account. While personal savings could be utilised, the need of borrowed fund does not arise since the funds are already available for the start-ups. However there is a risk here since very often investor may not have the necessary subsidy for the startups. Moreover it could also be a gamble on investing their entire savings which may or may not succeed. The said funds could at a later stage in life,be utilised during retirement, or for any other purpose.

Personal borrowings could be beneficial for businessmen with good credit scores together with high personal disposable worth. Funds for the business can be obtained by way of personal loan or by applying for a new credit card. Here the possibility of the risk could be delay on payments, lowering the credit score and getting into further debt.

Crowdfund Capital Advisors – Crowdfund Investing Company 

As per Crowdfund Capital Advisors a crowdfund investing company, over 1,000 companies had registered with the SEC to raise subsidy on online portals where $137 million had been dedicated to such start-ups. Several start-ups had been subsidized in 80 various industries extending from restaurants to salons to logistics businesses. Some new portals such as Microventures, NextSeed, Republic, Seedinvest, StartEngine together with Wefunder, assist distinct investments in start-ups.

Progress Prudently & Cautiously

Some startups could generate disruptive novel products which could improve the economy. And an investor could face some risk by investing if he does not progress prudently and cautiously in the investment. Recent research has portrayed that more than 94% of fresh businesses tend to flop in its first year of startups. One of the common reasons is the deficiency of subsidy wherein money tends to play an important role in any business. Capital is the essential element which moves from a given idea to revenue generating business. Most of the entrepreneurs tend to get stuck due to this deficiency in their business. In startups, investment could be worthwhile personally as well as financially wherein there is a contribution in capital formation and creation of a job.

Concerns While Investing 

The following concerns need to be considered while making an investment in any startups business:

1. Investment should be done in an area one is familiar with. It is the best option of reducing the risk and one should have an understanding of the market that the start-ups functions in. One must have a better insight while projecting the probable success of the business. One should also ensure that the business in question tends to have a mountable model enabling it to grow to a point which would provide the revenue back that had been pooled in investing. A couple of years back, Securities and Exchange Commission had employed certain procedures in enabling businesses to raise funds by means of crowdfunding for those interested in making an investment for start-ups. 
2. You should do your own research in obtaining information and conduct your own diligence by scrutinizing the main documents, and ask questions regarding the management team.This will enable the investor in influencing your decision on the startups. 
3. In order to consider which entity one should use in making the investment, the investor needs to consider certain factors like the tax structure, its investment portfolio, personal conditions. Funding in startups can be done by sole person or through family trust or Individual Retirement Account – IRA. 
4. Before making an investment in any start-ups businesses, one should ensure to complete some of the paperwork needed like an ascribed investor questionnaire together with verification of the investor’s identity prior to investing into the company. 
5. While investing, the procedure is to get into a signed agreement with the party concerned, which set out the terms of the agreement. The document in some cases are held in bond till certain criteria are fulfilled 
6. Based on the arrangement of the deal, the investor can transfer the resources to an escrow account for security that is held by a third party till the release of the fund to the company when some of the conditions are completed. 
7. The documents and/or funds are released to the company when the conditions of the bond are fulfilled. Take Stock of Expertise & Expectations

Opting for an investor is more important than obtaining the required subsidy. It needs a certain amount of commitment. According to Entrepreneur, one needs to take stock of the much needed expertise together with the expectations before approaching a certain investor. One should consider the recent dealings, together with the services provided, the expectation they may have for the leaders of the company and the level of involvement required in the overall operation of the company. It is also essential to have a definite exit strategy in order, for any kind of investment, especially in the case of start-ups. Investors need to be transparent on how and when they would be in a position to withdraw their initial investment together with the related gains.

Filing Your Taxes- Watch Out for Phishing Scams

Online Phishing

For a long time, taxpayers had been notified by the Internal Revenue Services – IRS, to be cautious of online phishing where in crooks impersonate the organization utilising fake emails, websites or text messages to get hold of sensitive information. Online phishing had beaten an agency’s `dirty dozen’ list with the most predominant scams, last month.

However scammers tend to do much more than deception as the Internal Revenue Services. Designing fake online accounting tools such as QuickBooks have been done by some and still others pretend to be tech support agents.

Over 100 websites have been discovered by cyber-security firm `Lookout’which had been registered and designed to trick people attempting to file their taxes. The objective of the domain is to hook enormous groups of potential victims. As per the Internal Revenue Services, over 135 million Americans had filed their taxes electronically last year.

Domains Created to Gain Login Credentials 

It was also observed by Lookout that online phishing by the tax scammers had begun early and in December dozens of the websites had been designed from the time people had started receiving their W-2 forms. It is said that some were also tricked in the United Kingdom.

Several of the domains seemed to be created to get hold of login details or sensitive information such as passport number through online phishing. While the other types persuaded users to download malicious software.

A basic scam which was discovered by Lookout, were sites which would copy accounting tools from the company Intuit. They design popular software such as Quickbooks and TurboTax. It is said that these sites tend to utilise similar domain names like the real ones, namely `quickbook ltd.com’ or `accounts-quickbooks.com’ Most of the time these domains are created with the intention online phishing and stealing the login details of the users for the genuine sites.

 

Approach of Attack – SEO Optimization

It was also discovered that a type of site appeared to fit a classic online scam during the tax term, posing to be tech support. Most of the users do not tend to use tax software often and hence it was useful for most of the users to use it for assistance while navigating through it. Online phishing sites, such as `quickbooksupport.com and `quickbooks-helpline.com, unfortunately tend to wait for them.

According to security intelligence researcher at Lookout, Jeremy Richards, had stated that the approach of attack is an SEO optimization thing which means that the scams tend to catch users who could be navigating sites such as Google or Bing for assistance.

Support service posing as `support’ technicians at the 1-800 number listed at these sites usually ask for remote access to user’s system with the intention of stealing important information. Other tricks are to utilise the number to sell fake and unwanted software. Identical sites have also been created to imitate the technical support of Apple and the podcast Reply All did an examination in 2017, on similar tech support fraud.

Malevolent Marketing Network

Richard also found more than 50 tax connected domains belonging to the same malevolent marketing network. The modus operandi of the scam is not certain. However when the users visit the site, they are then directed to download malware concealed in the guise of software updates. This is a clever way of online phishing and getting hold of login details or sensitive information.

According to Richard, online phishing sites redirects the user to Google if they don’t arrive at the correct phishing trap, else they present a 404 error. Lookout utilised AI too designed in 2017 in order to get to know about the tax scams. This tool monitored the internet infrastructure organizations such as the companies offering free web hosting, for suspicious types of domains. With the help of this tool, Lookout located thousands of new online phishing sites daily and regularly cautioned companies whose websites were being hacked by the scammers.

Utilise Password Manager 

The tool was unable to provide clear information on the working of the same since it only watched for the websites. For instance if the scammer would send an email prompting the user to click on a fake IRS link, the same could be detected by Lookout though not the email. Richard commented saying `it’s like we see blood on the floor but do not know where the knife is’.

Some of the other scams reported, were found using social media in targeting users providing fabrication of fake tax breaks to gain sensitive information.According to IRS, these scammers tend to get in touch with users through mail and not through email. If one has not received a letter then it is uncertain of any electronic communication coming from the agency is genuine. Sincere tech support agents need not see the user’s screen or gain login information to assist the users.

It is always a good suggestion to utilise password manager rather than reusing the same password for various accounts. There is plenty to learn on the various operations of the scammers. However in the meanwhile users need to be cautious and alert with these scammers and be free from online phishing.

This is how the Bloomberg Terminal is becoming the backbone to financial businesses of the future

Bloomberg Terminal – Precise & Quick Delivery

Calculating the next movement considering the volatility of market all across the world seems to be a difficult task. It seems a challenge for those working in the finance segment in maintaining out-sized profits for their investors. For topmost financial professionals such as CEOs, CXOs, and CIOs together with high level executives, they require access to the news on the market movement and analytics in order to remain completive.

Bloomberg Terminal is beneficial in this competition to get exclusive statistics, analytics together with breaking news with regards to financial market and in-depth study from experts in the finance segments, all with a click of the mouse. Most of the financial experts can acquire the information from Bloomberg Terminal. For several years, Bloomberg Terminal had a status for its quick and precise delivery of unparalleled market information over various benefit modules. The portal supports businesses in catering to several types of tools like custom desktop applications, market alerts, portfolio monitors, together with charting potentials which could optimize the workflow of the user.

Accommodated Niche-Investors & Financial Experts

The Bloomberg Terminal had hit the market in December 1982 and is different from the PC or Mac. It has always accommodated niche-investors and the other finance experts. Presently, the Bloomberg Terminal is a service which is considered as Bloomberg It has been professional catering to over 325,000 subscribers, right from array of information pertaining to financial issues to chat system to the possibility of actually executing trades.

The strange thing regarding `Bloomberg Terminal’, is that people generally refer to the Bloomberg Terminal, as the Bloomberg Professional service, as commented at the Bloomberg website. Each day it tends to process 60 billion sections of information from the market. Bloomberg Terminal is a controlling platform meant for important technology requirements like the Order and Execution Management, Financial Data Management, Data and Content, Integration and Distribution.

Valuable Statistics

The Bloomberg Terminal has been developed to provide valued statistics right from equities execution – EMSX to fixed income trading, FIT to electronic foreign exchange trading, FXGO computer system has the potential of providing information necessary over various asset segment. The device also has the capabilities of delivering most of the trade and order management. It also supports in bringing about transparency regarding financial markets bringing together in a rising community of over 320,000, the most significant resolution makers in the world. The device now has the potentials of making the most of the order and trade management.

Suitably All-inclusive Suit of Solutions 

 

The OMS solutions of the Bloomberg Terminal had been developed in such a manner that it has been pre-integrated with the total enterprise service of Bloomberg. Owing to this the system is capable of offering a suitably all-inclusive suit of solutions from back to front office. Besides this it also tends to cover the buying and selling side, where its Assetand Investment Manager for the buy-side firms offers solutions like global, , multi-asset solutions of the management portfolio, compliance, trading and operations.

Moreover, it also includes Bloomberg’s Sell-Side Execution together with Order Management Solutions. – SSEOMS. Data is considered to be one of the most valuable assets for most of the financial companies. Handling high-value, high-volume data with precise intelligence is needed for the success of any business. The device collects all the details needed to stay forward namely as data utility, surveillance tools and supervision, cutting-edge investigative functionality, advanced reporting, record keeping and immutable storage.

Brexit: US-China trade spat and its possible fallout in an uncertain global economy

The exit of the United Kingdom from the European Union (EU) known as Brexit and the trade war between the United States and China are today among the top issues concerning the global economy.
Brexit and its aftermath

The sole question of 'Brexit' has consumed the United Kingdom for two and a half years. The yes, how and when of its impending exit from the European Union, after decades of belonging, has displaced any other debate and does not augur well for the global economy. The economic consequences will be felt more sharply in the UK than in the EU. Even so, political and economic systems are undergoing profound structural changes driven mainly by technology as well as trade and climate change. We can also find examples of high inequality leading to growing political unrest.

In addressing these crucial issues, politicians around the world should understand the lessons learned from 'Brexit.' Since you cannot replace something for nothing, there was no immediate break in trade between the UK and the EU. In the absence of any clear idea about what kind of 'Brexit' would end up materializing, the economic and trading relationship simply followed the previous model and any disruption was avoided.

Soft Brexit or short term? 

In making macroeconomic and market forecasts for the 'Brexit' and its effect on the global economy so far, short term versus long term has been far more important than soft or hard Brexit. Hard option is the total withdrawal of the UK from the European common market and customs union. The question being asked is not if the UK will face a significant economic reckoning, but at which point in time. Anyway, UK economy is already undergoing a structural change at a slow pace. There is evidence of fall in foreign investment in the British economy in general. This trend has brought the challenges associated with less than notable productivity growth, and there are signs that companies with operations in the UK have started implementing their contingency plans for the 'Brexit' after a prolonged period of waiting for clear signals from the political establishment.

Possible implications

Businesses will not only shift investments out of the UK, but they will also begin relocating jobs to mainland Europe. This will probably accelerate even if British Prime Minister Theresa May succeeds in getting the exit agreement she proposed passed in some way with few amendments. The exit of the United Kingdom from EU will be a poignant moment in the global economy. Earlier this months the British Prime Minister, Theresa May’s plan failed to pass the Parliament, and she faced a vote of no confidence.

Investors are focusing attention on the Davos World Economic Forum which is ongoing in Switzerland. It is hoped that the US presidents, Donald Trump, and Chinese, Xi Jinping will smoothen out trade frictions between two global giants. On the whole, it is hoped that the world economy will be on track during the rest of 2019, but issues remain that need careful attention from policymakers.

Overlooked Small-Business Features

Running your own small business is a dream come true, but it's not without its challenges. In fact, there are several key items that are often overlooked by the new owners. Get to know these details and why they matter to both employees and customers. Your business can thrive with every detail in its proper place.

Lighting Matters 

Walk into a dimly lit showroom, and you notice the lighting almost immediately. It's not exactly inviting, which causes you to turn around and visit another store. Pay attention to the level of lighting in your facility. It should highlight products along the shelves while offering enough light for patrons to enjoy the space. Try natural-light fixtures whenever possible.

Noise Factors 

You may like your music loud, but your patrons might not feel the same. Offer ambient music that's appealing to most people. It should evoke positive feelings, which makes the patrons stay even longer than they intended. Other noises, such as production sounds, should also be kept to a subtle level. Upsetting anyone with a loud "bang" will drive customers out the door.

Overworked Employees 

When it comes to your employees, small businesses tend to have only a handful of workers with dedicated hearts. Don't overlook their needs, however, while focusing on practical matters, including payroll services Florida. Remember that each worker is a human being with a home life. Offer reasonable time off on a regular basis. Your workers will have a better mindset at work as a result.

Anticipating Ups and Downs 

Study your receivables as the business moves through the fiscal quarters. Be aware of when you have influxes of customers or a quiet time. These patterns will help you with ordering and financial stability. Ignoring the trends may put you in a difficult situation in the future.

Patience must be your virtue as your business gains its footing in its respective industry. There will be both good and bad days. Focus on your main goal so that challenges aren't so overwhelming. A thriving business can turn into a legacy in little time.

Finding An Office That Works For Your Business

If you're trying to expand your business or you're developing a business and need somewhere to perform your work, then consider renting an office. Make a plan for how much space you'll need to rent. Some offices have divisions in them, which would be ideal if you have a few people working with you. However, if it's only you and another person or two, then you can usually find office space for rent MA offers that features an open layout. You can create sections in the office space using dividers or by positioning your desks so that they don't face each other, giving each of you the privacy that you need to complete your work during the day.

Aside from your employees, you need to think about your customers. If you don't plan on customers visiting the office that much, then you might not want to have a space with a waiting area. However, if your customers will interact with your business at the office, then you want to find a building that has a waiting area that is large enough for several chairs. The waiting area should be warm and inviting as well. It should also feature a few details that indicate what your business sells and the goals behind your company.

Set a budget so that you know what you can afford to pay for the office each month. Include utilities, moving expenses, and new office furniture and equipment in your budget so that you have enough money to spend without going in debt. Internet and phone services along with power and cable are also things that you should consider when making your budget. Find an area that is convenient for your customers, for your employees, and that will give you an opportunity to grow your business when you begin looking for an office to rent.

Facts About AS/400 Modernization

In the world of business, it is widely known among AS/400 users that some of the applications simply feel outdated and modernization efforts were underway. This is why it is a good idea to stay ahead of the game and start the modernization process right now. Here are some of the many benefits currently known that users will receive from modernizing their AS/400 systems.

Certainly, the biggest benefit of being gleaned from the upgrade is the increase in employee work productivity. Any time an interface is modernized, it is a direct result of providing a much more streamlined and useful experience. While veteran users of the system still claim that as far as sheer work capability, there is no comparison to the old 5250 AS/400 system, they are actually kind of kidding themselves by ignoring the sheer processing power that can come from the far more modern Windows-based system.

A Window-based system that is purpose-built can outperform a standard 5250 system simply by being able to instantly respond to the keystrokes of the user instead of having to block out entry fields to input data.

One unheralded benefit is that the cost of training employees is significantly reduced. Almost anyone who uses a computer can use a Windows interface and is very comfortable with it. There are very few people who know how to use the 5250 and those who do must have gone through very specialized training.

An unspoken of "hard truth" in the realm of those who use the 5250 system is that it suffers from a definite image problem when looked at in comparison to a Windows-based as400 modernization companies platform. When trying to retain current clients or when trying to garner new ones, you will want an application which is appealing to look at, not one which is antiquated in its graphics and "look".

As you can see there are some great reasons to perform a modernization on the AS/400 system. You will still get the solid and rugged reliability that the AS/400 is known for but you will also receive the sleek modern look of the Windows platform that so many of today's AveriSource computer users find appealing. There is no sense in segregating the portion of your customer base who is up and coming by trying to sell them on technology which is antiquated in both look and function.

Is homeowner’s insurance even necessary?

In an effort to save money, you may wonder whether you need homeowners insurance. Even if your home is paid for and you’re not required to have a policy, it’s still important to have one. When it comes to the protection offered by homeowners insurance Sacramento homeowners know that a policy can do a lot.

Protect Your Home

You never know when something could happen to your home. There could be a fire, a storm or even a break-in. If you don’t have sufficient coverage, you would not be able to make repairs or replacements. However, with the policy, you can file a claim and have the insurance company pay for the majority of what was damaged or stolen.

Avoid Paying for Lawsuits

A homeowners insurance policy will provide you with liability protection. Liability provides you with the knowledge that if someone gets hurt on your property, your insurance company is going to protect you. Someone could easily sue you because they fell while walking up your stairs or sprained her ankle walking across your yard. Without the coverage, you could end up spending a fortune as a result of their lawsuit.

Fix Someone’s Property

You can also have homeowners insurance as a way of fixing someone else’s property. For example, if your kid throws a baseball while standing in your yard and it breaks the neighbor’s window, you want to know that it will get fixed. Your homeowner's policy will cover replacing that person’s window so that it isn’t your financial responsibility.

Knowing why having a homeowners insurance policy is so important will allow you to have the necessary protection on your home. You can get a comprehensive policy that is customized to meet your needs so that you have less to worry about throughout the year.

8 Tips for Choosing Insurance

If you're in the market for insurance, you might be a little overwhelmed by all of the providers out there. How do you know which ones are worth your time? How can you be sure that they'll protect your interests in your hour of need? Instead of taking a wild guess, make an informed decision with these eight tips.

1. Consider the Type The first step to choosing insurance is to figure out which type of insurance that you actually need. Travel insurance isn't the same as medical insurance, and car insurance will have different terms and prices than home and contents insurance. You'll need to do your research to determine which kind of policy is right for you.

2. Stick to Your Budget You'll have a certain amount of flexibility when it comes to monthly rates; depending on your insurance provider, you should be able to negotiate a higher or lower bill in conjunction with your deductible and policy type. There might also be measures that you can take to lower your liability rating as an individual policy holder. Regardless of how you work out your pricing, however, you'll want to make sure that you don't go over-budget.

3. Ask for Recommendations There are people in your life who have already grappled with the same insurance questions that you're asking yourself. Maybe it's a parent or grandparent with a life insurance policy; maybe it's a co-worker who has recently switched auto insurance providers. Don't be afraid to reach out to them and ask for their opinion.

 4. Compare and Contrast Brands While there's nothing wrong with choosing a lesser-known insurance company, you'll want to do your homework about all brands, including the most famous ones. You won't be able to make a truly informed purchase decision unless you have all of the facts. Get a notebook; start jotting down names, rates and coverage types; make lists of pros and cons.


5. Look at Different Insurance Packages A good insurance company will offer multiple "packages" for the same kind of coverage. For example, a car insurance company might offer collision coverage in every one of their packages, but the only way to get a no-fault guarantee is to sign up for a premium package. You'll need to look carefully at terms and conditions before you make your final decision.

 6. Test Their Customer Service Pretend that you're a customer of a particular insurance company. Is it easy to use their website? Do they offer things like online billing and online claim reporting? Is their customer service desk open 24/7, or will you need to wait for general business hours? The ideal insurance company will make it convenient for you to get in contact with them.

7. Read Reviews and Ratings Let's say that you've found a potential insurance company. What does the general public think about them? Do they have good reviews from third-party websites? Are there any complaints or scam alerts against them? Have they been vetted by the insurance industry as a whole? Don't put your assets into the hands of a company without a solid support system.

 8. Talk to Insurance Agents At the end of the day, the best way to gauge the worth of a potential insurance company is to get on the phone with them. If their agents are rude, unprofessional, unskilled or lacking in general knowledge, you'll know that they aren't the right provider for you. On the flip side, if their agents are able to answer all of your questions and make you feel good about your decision to come to them, they might be worth the effort.

 These are just a few tips for choosing insurance. Whether you're protecting your home or your health, it's important that you take your time and evaluate all of your options. Don't rush into anything. Make a decision that inspires confidence in the coverage that you've chosen.

The Future of Cryptocurrency

Cryptocurrency and its future

When it comes to cryptocurrency the first thing we think of is Bitcoin. Bitcoin is a cryptocurrency which launched back in 2008 as a response to the world’s financial crisis. It was developed by Satoshi Nakamoto. The whole idea behind its development was to remove dependence on financial institutions and their ilk, the very persons who led to the financial collapse back in 2008.

But for most of us the whole concept of digital currency just does not sink in. I mean it is not something you can hold in your hand, it does not have any symbol like the Dollar attached to it, then what is it? Will it mean something when you hold it or is it nothing much than an idea? There are nearly 1,800 to 3,000 cryptocurrencies out there depending on the type and day of week it is. The vast majority of us as well as businesses do not know what to do when it comes to this form of currency.

The Wild Wild West of Cryptocurrency: 

Cryptocurrency is like the Wild West for many people. They just do not know what to make of it. To take it seriously or accept it as something of a passing fad?

But cryptocurrency may well be a part of our future. The traditional forms of currency have not undergone a change since the early 1900’s. only the laws and policies governing currencies have changed.

Just like everything in this world, change will happen maybe not now, but maybe in the future. The only constant is change.

For cryptocurrency to happen everything is already lined up. The technology, the networking is all there, the only thing not there is awareness and whole- hearted adoption which may not be so easy to achieve of the two.

Launch of a new type of Cryptocurrency: 

Recently a new form of cryptocurrency was launched which goes by the name LightPay Coin.

When it comes to Bitcoin, the first two things people are really worried about are the speed of verifying the transaction and the anonymity of people behind those transactions, which LightPay Coin seems to clarify.

Two months after LightPay Coin cryptocurrency launched, it was being used internationally with a market value of 8 million. You may be thinking 8 million what, well there is no real answer to that because cryptocurrency’s don’t really have any denomination.

A new masters programme to make you cryptocurrency savvy? 

When cryptocurrency is launched a new form of skill that will be high in demand is for people to know how to use it and this has led UCF’s College of Business and College of Engineering and computer Science to develop a 30- credit hour masters of Science in Financial technology.

What happens when Cryptocurrencies are used? 

The most important purpose of cryptocurrency is to remove the need of a third party. But that will not be totally possible as the Securities and Exchange Commission will need to regulate volatility to a certain extent.

New Tesla Bull Sees Case for Sixfold Surge to $300 Billion Value

Investors are alarmed with sounding off Tesla bull after a conference call

Tesla has been building slowly but strong. Its subsequent rise as a major tech firm with multiple interests has not just surprised a number of sceptics, critics but even its fans. It has risen over a number of fully documented and embarrassing failures but the last quarter has been extremely better for Tesla. However, the behaviour of its CEO during one conference call has simply changed the whole dynamic and sounded off the Tesla Bull. The behaviour shown by the Elon Musk during the conference call has emerged as a huge issue even though the performance of the firm has been acceptable and within the expectation set forth earlier. This has resulted in adversely affecting the performance of the Tesla shares in the open market.

Tesla: Shying away from questions

While taking on the conference call Musk had interrupted two analysts from asking questions. These questions were specifically targeted on the first quarter loss which happens to beat the expectations. Musk didn't take these question in his usual calm and simplistic stride rather termed the query raised by the analyst as boring bonehead and even suggested that the dry discussion is simply killing him. After which he went in his usual rhythm spent a large portion of his time joyfully interacting with the Tesla shareholder and the bloggers on a wide range of topics.

Tesla bull has been specifically sounded by his sheepish attitude in dealing with the queries raised by the analysts. It is worth noting that Tesla only allows one question per person but after sounding off the Tesla bull its CEO was more interested in getting the queries answered by the bloggers and shareholders rather than analysts.

Maligning the good days

So far Tesla was having a good quarter to shown in quite some time and it brought a wide range of positive signs. This has helped in building trust and credibility among the public, shareholders but criticism is always there. Upon hearing the queries from the analysts Musk appeared to be quite frustrated and this gave a sign to the Tesla haters of showcasing him as an unhinged or unglued person. One of the trade experts has stated that it is high time that Musk starts understating the basic thing that he is working for the shareholders. And it is own interest and company that he interacts with analysts in the best possible manner rather than running away from it which eventually will lead to more sounding of Tesla bull in future.

Shares are down

The frustrated and visibly shaken behaviour shown by Musk after the conference has not sounded Tesla bull but it has even given the dreaded 'red flag' to the company on the stock market. Tesla share is being sold on the stock market at a massive price tag of $385 and the consistent positive behaviour in the recent past made it stronger. But his behaviour has brought disaster for the firm as one of the premier analysts has given it a red flag and he is re-evaluating the stance on the company. The effect of Tesla bull can be easily seen on the stock market where its shares went down by 7% and traded at a low $280.

An Introduction to Popular Digital Payment Platforms

Digital Payment – Useful System of Transaction

The digital payment platforms have now become the most useful system of transaction in the Indian economy, particularly post demonetisation. When the announcement of doing away of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes had been made by the government, people had to move to digital payment method in a hurry for daily requirement on daily living for making payments on shopping to the payment of bills as well as to send funds to their family members. This situation had created a huge chaos among the citizens driving them to frustration.

The digital payment method though well-known now has its quotient of advantages and disadvantage. Its main benefit is the convenience of digital platform which can be utilised with ease. With several of the merchants now accepting the digital payment method, it gets easier in making transaction for, sending and receiving money in the digital mode.

The government is also encouraging such platforms with exemption from service tax when digital payment is done up to Rs. 2000 and 0.75% discount on fuel transactions. Moreover, users also benefit with referral bonus and cashback to merchants who tend to utilise the UPI platform BHIM by the National Payments Corporation of India.

Utilise – Safe Manner

Though digital payment is well known, it is essential that the same should be utilised with caution. Users need to know how to utilise the digital manner is a safe manner. Users could also get mixed up in choosing from the several digital system of payment in the market since there are many options to choose from. Some of the well-known digital modes of payments are mentioned below for ready reference:

UPI

Unified Payment Interface – UPI assists in sending and receiving money directly to one’s bank account. It enables the transfer of funds on utilising the UPI ID or the account numbers. Several popular UPI apps like BHIM, SBI UPI, HDFC, UPI, Tez, iMobile apps and much more are available in the market.

E-Wallets

E-wallets were beneficial when demonetisation had come up and the ATMs were not functioning. Since then people opted for it as a part of their daily activity. E-wallets can be utilised in the payment of utility bills, payment to be done at local stores, in sending and receiving money anywhere etc. Users need to be aware that KYC is compulsory in utilising e-wallets according to the instructions of RBI

Aadhaar Enabled Payment Service -AEPS

AEPS is said to be a digital paymentsystem that utilises the Aadhar number while paying the creditors. AEPS, unlike the other types of payment charges for the transactions that are made by the user or on behalf of the user. It tends to use your fingerprint as a password and the need of a signature is not essential, or an account number or any alphabetic or numeric password. It can be utilised in making interbank transfers also.

Unstructured Supplementary Service Data – USSD

USSD is unlike the other types since the use of internet is not needed. Users can check into their account send money or even alter MPIN with only a feature phone known as *99# since it utilises *99# as its code for transactions. Rs 5000, is the limit for each individual on the platform where a maximum charge of Rs 2.5 is charged for each transaction.

GST, demonetisation having desired impact?

GST/Demonetisation/Swachha Bharat – Anticipated Influence
 
According to Finance Minister, Arun Jaitley, the initiatives of the Modi government such as Swachh Bharat, Goods and Services Tax – GST, together with the demonetisation seems to be having the anticipated influence wherein GST and demonetisation have been causing increasing tax amenability and pressing significant of cash in the economy. Jaitley in his key note speech through video conference to the Berkeley India Conference had stated that public support to the reforms has been undertaken by the governments of the day at the centre as well as the state levels. He commented that he expects India would be capable of retaining its growth rate and live up to the aspiration of its people since it must not be overlooked that they not only belong to a huge population to service but have a very young population to service. He had informed that if India has to accept a challenge for moving into a higher economic group country, in the next one or two decades, the need to grow was essential at a much faster pace. In response to a query, Jaitley had contested that the transformation initiatives such as Swachh Bharat, GST together with demonetisation has not been the cause of any alterations on the ground.
 
Short-Term/Long-Term Impact
 
The finance minister was questioned as to `would you say there are long term benefits and the country would have to wait for those? Or is there any way to mitigate the issue being faced by the country?’ He debated that a much more serious analysis would be portrayed that even in the matter of months would show a short term positive impact on most of these projects. Though demonetisation as well as GST have been showing the desired impacts with regards to tax compliances and pressing the significant of cash in the economy, Jaitley for the first time had stated that Swachha Bharat campaign had brought to the forefront the importance of sanitation as well as cleanliness. H informed that adequate progress has been done considering sanitation and cleanliness for the first time in Indian history which has become the centre stage agenda and is making headway. The campaign of GST and demonetisation is said to be having short term as well as long-term impact.
 
Shake the System
 
Jaitley has informed that the campaign has become way beyond the administrative program and is a mass movement. He further stated that before demonetisation, Indian normal was to live with a high cash economy and not paying taxes, `you purchase a property, transact partially in cash and in business you maintain two sets of accounts. He debates on how could a country aiming to be the fastest growing major economy in the world, that aspires to grow from a developing to a developed economy continue with the normal of this kind. His observation was that one needs to shake the system in order to decrease the quantum of cash in India and hence apparently make it a more tax complaint society. Jaitley had commented that there has been sharp reduction in insurgent as well as terror activities in states such as Jammu and Kashmir as well as Chhattisgarh, in the instant repercussion of demonetisation.

3 Months with GST -Where does India Stand Today

GST – Non-Debatable Fact

GST, the largest tax reform in the country post-Independence, is presently the non-debatable fact wherein the main advantage that have been enhanced are the incorporating of various state together with central-level taxes in organization, simplification of compliances, continuous flow of Input Tax credits together with alleviation of surging effect of taxation and probable decrease in tax rates for the majority of goods and services.

GST has been considered as not merely a tax reform but something which is much more as a technological reform and GST with GSTN has been received as a different perspective of working of government portals. GSTN had introduced open-headed architecture thus empowering circulated flow of returns as well as improvements from private sectors.

The chairman of GSTN had quoted hat while the filing due dates for GSTR-3B, would be about 80,000 returns filed onto the GSTN portal and with these vast reform in carrying out, the challenges in its roll-out together with implementation would definitely be there. GST encountered some challenges with the infrastructure and awareness with the pre-fixed due dates in July. In order to bring about the awareness on GST in the industry, the government together

with the CBEC had proactively engaged for level transition in GST.
 

Supported with Workshops

 
The concerns of agreements with regards to Indian business had been talked with the support of workshops, GST awareness programmes, Seva Kendra, CBEC Mitra Helpdesk together with various other initiatives. The GST Portal with the provision of interactive and user friendly website has offered comprehensive user manuals, FAQs in order to make the tax payers familiar with every related compliances and returns, related to GST.

Besides this, tax payers are also made aware on the important announcements together with the activities with provisions of their queries being resolved through the official social media channels. The last few months also showed the overflow of queries from the traders as well as manufacturers on the stock in position with them from the pre-GST period while some of the queries were on the transitional credits. The government, in the midst of all these queries and chaos, had come up with strong explanations on these queries. Moreover they had also bestowed the tax payer with a choice of carrying forward tax or duty on any prevailing law or on goods that were in stock as on 30th June 2017 to GST via the transitional forms.
 

One Time Revision

 
Due date for filing of TRAN 1 had been extended to 31st October 2017. Besides this the tax payers had also been provided with a choice of a onetime revision to this type of return should any errors or omissions arise. GST is said to strengthen tax compliance through reconciliation as well as authentication of invoices thereby reducing the likelihood of back-dating invoices and deceitful tax credits. The lower tax burden along with Input Tax Credit is said to be alleged in reducing the cost of materials as well as logistics thereby enhancing the economy. The operational implementation of GST now depends on the precision of Invoices.

However it was seen that businesses had been modifying their Invoice formats to accommodate with GST, the registration under GST that had been made completely digital and transparent, was also considered. Around 7 million businesses had migrated to GST with the addition of another 2.5 million renewed registrations. Though GSTN has been permitted through its portal, the amendment in core as well as non-core fields filled in by the registered companies, cancellation of registration for these units freely registered under GST tends to be one-sided questions.
 

Extension of Due Dates – Confusion with Tax Payers

 
The government has provided extensive support for the extension of due dates but these extensions of due dates over and over again has also brought about confusion with the Tax payers of the due dates against the month wherein the returns need to be filed. Due date for July had been extended till 10th, 31st October and November 10th respectively to permit the tax payers in filing their returns without much trouble.

 Presently 50 lakh tax payers had filed in July GSTR 3B and about 31 lakh had filed July GSTR 1 and 24.33 crores invoices had been uploaded in the GSTN Portal. In order to make provision to this extensive filing mechanism, it is obvious that GSTN needs additional few months to settle the same. But the main test for GSTN would be the filings for GSTR-2A where several challenges will be seen with the pull and push of data for the purpose of filings.

A recently held 22nd Council Meeting of GST had been programmed on the completion of three months of GST which brought about various relaxation filled for the tax payers. This type of relaxation would definitely be a comfortable move of the Government which would also make the campaign with the provision of GST as a Good and Simple tax.

Interesting Tips for Protecting Your Assets

No one wants to see all of their hard work collapse due to unfortunate circumstances. Regardless of whether you own your own business or are simply a hard worker just trying to make a living, you probably have something that you want to protect in the event of an emergency. No one deserves to see all of their hard work turn into nothing, and that's exactly what this guide hopes to avoid. With that in mind, here's a quick look at a few interesting ways for people to ensure that their family is insulated from any financially damaging circumstances.

Cryptocurrency

Although it's quickly becoming a hot topic in the news, the reality is that cryptocurrencies have grown considerably in popularity over the past few years. With new markets emerging constantly, there's never been a better time to get involved in the industry. Unlike traditional banking institutions, cryptocurrency provides a speculative market for investors that don't want to worry about their money disappearing due to bad decisions from someone else. Instead, the cryptocurrency market is truly built on the enthusiasm of its investors and can provide a much more stable alternative to traditional currency investments.

Insurance Policies 

Although it may seem strange to think about, guaranteed acceptance term life insurance can be an effective means of protecting your family in the event of an untimely accident. By finding the policy that's right for you, you can invest into it without worrying about it backfiring and leaving your family to foot the bill. Instead, you can rest easy knowing that your policy will keep them taken care of well after you've moved on. In addition to giving you peace of mind, an effective insurance policy can also help you to keep track of your assets, so that you'll be more conscious of what you're leaving behind in the future. If you haven't already invested in a life insurance policy, then you might want to consider doing so before your family really needs one.

While these are just a few ways to protect your assets in the event of an emergency, this list is by no means exhaustive. Hopefully though, by following along with this guide, you've been inspired to come up with some new ideas of your own. In the end, there's more to life than just hoarding money, but that doesn't mean you should leave your family to fend for themselves after you've passed on.

Estonia's Crypto Currency Concept

Estcoins – e-residency Scheme

The anticipation with regards to Estonia’s crypto-currency existing online which are not controlled by any central bank or government has gained new heights since the value of bitcoin had reached above $4,000 (£3,100). Estonia desires to issue its own virtual currency with the support of Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin.

Estonia which is a country that takes pride on being at the cutting edge of digital technology has been speculating with the idea of a currency known as estcoins which would be connected to its successful e-residency scheme giving foreigners with an opportunity of starting business in the digital identity of Estonia.

The same had been successful wherein Kaspar Korjus Managing director at e-Residency, Enterprise, Estonia and the one in charge of the scheme had disclosed recently that the numbers signing up had crossed the birth-rate of Estonia.

He wished to take advantage of this opportunity of interest by providing e-residents digital tokens which could be utilised when they would access several services or engage in transfers between businesses. He acknowledged that this seems to be a fantastic idea and that it would involve discussions with all kinds of government bodies.

He was of the opinion that the central bank of Estonia could be doubtful with regards to having a complete new currency running beside the euro.
 

Evade Tax/Money Laundering

 
The supporters of crypto-currency could also be cautious of a scheme which tends to run counter to the entire liberal character behind bitcoin together with its followers. Mr Korjus however informs that the government cannot only sit back and watch the new financial technology being implemented. On the contrary rather than attempting in stopping things as usual, government needs to explore ways of regulating and improving systems which would work and which individuals would prefer.

One of the reasons for bringing it in was that crypto-currency can be utilised in evading tax or for money laundering. By securing estcoins to a digital identity, Estonia expects to avoid that issue. Recently, Izabella Kaminska, the special guest of the Financial Times had pointed out that this did not sound different from conventional currency and what would be the need of reinventing the wheel.

The crypto-currency would be launched through the version of crowdfunding of digital coin community which is an initial coin offering – ICO that permits start-ups in raising funds by selling off cryptocoins like bitcoins and ether in exchange for cash. They are said to be identical to initial public offerings – IPOs though tend to differ wherein in dealing with supporters of a project they make the investment more personal.
 

E-Residency Ecosystem – Generating Strong Incentive Alignment

 
The small eastern country is not new to the digital innovation and had been the first country in offering citizens of the world `e-residency’ which is a digital ID for non-Estonians with the provision of access to services such as banking, payment processing together with taxation.

Korjus had mentioned in a blog post that `a government-supported ICO would be giving more people with a bigger stake in the future of the country providing not just investment but also more expertise together with ideas in assisting them to grow exponentially’. Korjus had informed that Vitalik Buterin the founder of the blockchain network Ethereum in 2014, is a strong supporter of the digital innovation of Estonia and has offered feedback on its estcoin proposal.

Buterin had mentioned that `an ICO within the e-residency ecosystem would be generating strong incentive alignment between e-residents and this fund as well as beyond the economic aspects, would make the e-residents feel more of a community as there are more things they could perform together’.
 

Easy & Convenient for Use

 
Buterin had also mentioned in his blog post that besides this, if the crypto-currency is allotted on top of a blockchain, they would probably be issued in numerous formats at the same time, and nothing would be erroneous with this. It would then be easy as well as convenient in utilising them within smart contracts together with the other applications.

Blockchains are said to be distributed legers which tend to function as the foundation for digital coin business deal. Korjus had mentioned that over 22,000 e-residents from `138 countries had signed up for the initiative making a huge contribution to the economy of Estonia.

The President of Estonian, Kersti Kaljulaid, last month had informed that her nation had been the only truly digital society, strengthened by the state. She had mentioned in an article for the Telegraph that nearly all the interactions of the citizens with the government, inclusive of voting could be done securely online and that their e-residents could incorporate as well as run their businesses in Estonia without the need of having to set foot there. She further added that seeing this digital revolution up close has made her query whether the state that they know today is fit for the 21st century.

Flatbed Trucking Facilities

There are excellent service providers offering proficient transport midway equivalent freight for shipper in the form of trucks through partner carrier network. The provider for trucking denver has been catering to transportation service to various industries since 1986 having their focus in forging long-term business relationship which is based on mutual respect and trust. Their company has been constructed on a sturdy foundation of principles and reliability. They tend to operate with shippers as well as carriers from shore to shore with the potentials of resources to transport truck freight all over the U.S. Canada and Mexico.

Their business is mainly directed in offering flatbed trucking facilities and are specialised in truck freight with shipping expertise together with knowledge which is par excellent. Perfect for hauling heavy or bulky industrial freight, which may be huge for a box truck, flatbed trucks tend to be suitable when a loading dock is not available for loading or unloading. The flatbed trucking company has now developed in serving several customers all over North America and has invested in information technology in offering the finest service to their clients, vendors together with carriers.

Modern Operation Software

The foundation of their success is due to being self-critical together with the power of teamwork. They tend to use the modern operation software that enables their employees to process efficiently the route as well as the track flatbed truck orders. Moreover their clients as well as carriers tend to have access through their website to vital information that may berequired with regards to their freight shipments. Being flatbed shipping specialists they tend to manage all sorts of flatbed, stepdeck together with double-drop trailer freight – full trucks load, LTL or partial loads, over-size and over-weight dedicated consignments. Some of the services offered are:

Flatbed and step-deck shipping 

Their core business as well as customers can use the open flatbeds for the purpose of hard to load items, longer items, jobsite deliveries etc. wherein a box trailer does not tend to work. They also ship partial loads or full load all across North America.

Partial Flatbed Loads

Small items can be shipped on open flatbed or step-deck without any charge for full trailer. They are specialized in matching up freight together with other items going in the same direction.

Hot-Shot Services 

They tend to offer hot-shot trucks for smaller necessities which are generally 40’ gooseneck trailers pulled by a 1-ton pick-up truck and can manage several loads which a flatbed is capable of, though it tends to come in a scaled down form.

LTL Van Freight 

They offer volume discounts with many main LTL providers which is economical. The freight can be packaged well to avert damage since these carriers tend to move the freight from one trailer to another all through the trip. If it tends to work, you are at an advantage on saving on the transport.

Van & Refrigerated 

They tend to provide refrigerated service for anything which may need a temperature controlled atmosphere. Besides that they also provide standard box van service for most palletized cargo from port to port all over North America.

How software technology can be leveraged to deliver sustainable GST solutions

Goods & Services Tax – Controversial Topic
The switchover of the Goods and Services tax – GST after being rolled on July 1 by the Government of India, has become a controversial topic for corporate of all denominations. Together with its submission, the same is under microscope leading business to take assistance from technology and tax software providers with the skills in their field of work, the software industries have begun rolling out GST specific products.

 The tools that are provided are being utilised by businesses for enhanced conformity of the newly revised tax regime. With regards to the corporate, companies are having issues of rapid reaction to GST. However, their lack of knowledge together with experience has made it a tiresome job for them in making a choice of which among the various option to exercise, which has resulted in confusion and disorder in the unskilled companies.

Several of them are also not aware with what tax-solution providing software tends to do. These software products are said to be total business management software assisting a company in keeping track of all departments as well as maintaining an account of everything in the business. The following tips are guidelines by Pavan Peechara, director at Udyog Software on how software technology can be leveraged in delivering sustainable GST solution:

1. HSN – An Interesting Feature 

A tool to offer a supportable GST solution should comprise of the HSN loop up feature wherein this type of feature enables the user to navigate products with a HSN code via a HSN lookup. This is turn assists in simple identification as well as categorizing of business together with their goods or services.

2. Cost Effectiveness for Enhanced Efficiency 

Similar to most of the software, the GST software needs to also facilitate cost effectiveness by offering the users with an economical cost quotation which tends to take more care of the complete cost effectiveness of implementation and meeting submissions.

3. Easy billing through automated filing 

Software providing HSN look up tends to make it simple for calculating tax classification and percentage of it which needs to be levied mechanically. Features such as these tend to make it easy in processing bills thus reducing human errors.

4. User friendly software guarantees optimum adaptation 

One of the most significant characteristics of employing software in a business is the level of user friendliness it provides in its easy operations. The outcome is in quick learning and operational ease and hence the software should be user friendly for easy variation.

5. Filing of complex tax forms with one click

Mechanization features need to be delivered by these software since it reduces the hassle of paperwork together with filing as it is taken care of by direct uploading of online tax filing procedures.

6. Innovation & technology as main organizers 

Technology has been a segment wherein the innovation is its livelihood and tends to be a priority. It tends to go through various R&D in order to outspace the outdating. A company should be aware of adapting to the software which seems best in meeting the requirements of the company and itself. It means that it should be capable of meeting new tax slab incorporation or changing of slabs.

Before the selection of a GST submission solution, one needs to use the time to take stock of one’s business together with its operation

Why is the US Dollar Falling

The US Dollar – Steadily Fallen

The US dollar, the symbol of American economic strength seems to have steadily fallen this year and since January, the index value of the dollar that tends to track the dollar against six main global currencies is said to drop by around 10%. It had pushed lower recently as demand for other safe-haven assets usually a category comprising of the US dollar, rising amid sabre-rattling between North Korea and the US.

The dollar which had rushed in 2014 while the economy of the US had gained strength is hardly in risk territory. The index has been running only a bit lower than it had been a year back. However last year, key US economic date seemed weak and it is left to be seen what lies behind the decline this year.

Driven by an improved economy in Europe, this seems to be good news story in some ways. In 2014, the euro had lost ground against the dollar when central bankers had accepted a stimulus program when the US had begun to move away from the stimulus policies.

 As the Eurozone economy tends to improve now and the European Central Bank views an end to the stimulus, the currencies have begun to move closer together and in June the election of pro-EU Emmanuel Macron in France had made its contribution to confidence in the Euro.

Dollar’s Loss/Euro’s Gain

The dollars’ loss is the Euro’s gain which is now worth over $1.17, up more than 10 cents since the end of last year. The dollar seemed to have lost ground against several other currencies inclusive of the Japanese Yen, the Mexican peso as well as the Swedish Krona.

 The British pound also had rushed after the Brexit vote had in recent months regained some of its power against the dollar which is now valued at around $1.30 up from $1.22 in March. Sameer Samana, a global quantitative and technical strategist at Wells Fargo based in St. Louis, Missouri, had commented that this kind of broad based decline portrayed that it is really people moving away from the dollar instead of just moving towards these other currencies and the one reason for the same was Donald Trump.

Analysts have traced the surge of the dollar in the final months of 2016 in his victory that had fuelled expectations of tax reductions or infrastructure investment, spending estimated, to drive demand for the dollar.

Retreat Portrays Recalculating

They have now stated that the retreat portrays traders recalculating since Mr Trump’s economic agenda tends to stand. An enduring investigation into ties between Russia and the Trump campaign tends to cast a shadow over his administration and the apprehension over Mr Trumps’ erratic statements together with foreign policy clashed including with North Korea has added to it.

Mr Samana had stated that if people feel like, there is greater political uncertainty, they tend to vote with their dollars. Increase in interest rates tends to be traditionally connected to stronger currencies since the higher rates are said to draw investment.

 Since December 2015, the US central bank has elevated the interest rates four times and predictable understanding calls for another in December. However, Janet Yellen, Federal Reserve Chair had recently commented that even supposing future hikes, the interest rates would probably remain historically low for some time.

Making Good Financial Choices

Learning how to manage money can be difficult. Expenses often stack up quickly, and your household income may not be enough to pay for every bill that is due. While keeping up with a budget can be tricky, there are several ways that you can make smart financial choices. Here are some ideas to help you manage money effectively.

Track Your Spending 

You should consider tracking your spending for a few months to determine realistic goals for a savings account. If you set your goal too high and are not able to meet it, then you may feel discouraged. Try to set realistic goals. Reaching your smaller goals will give you an extra bit of motivation and keep you on track toward larger goals. You can also set daily spending limits to keep yourself on track toward monthly goals.

Use Debt Wisely 

Acquiring debt can be overwhelming, but debt is sometimes a necessity. If you have been spending money on expensive car repairs, then upgrading to a newer car can lead to substantial savings. Using car loans to purchase a reliable vehicle can prevent you from having to pay for repairs. Saving money to purchase a vehicle without a loan can take several months or years, but obtaining a loan may help you purchase a better vehicle more quickly.

Consider Safe Investments 

Investing your money can be an ideal way to increase your wealth. Be sure to so some research to calculate the potential risks and rewards of each investment that you make. If an investment in the stock market has great potential for rewards, then it typically will involve a greater risk as well. There are several investments that offer stable growth with a smaller amount of risk. These investments, such as mutual funds, can be good choices for novice investors. Real estate investments can also provide incredible rewards.

Taking control of your finances can help you make choices with peace of mind. Having an emergency fund or a savings account can help you stay prepared in case an unexpected expense occurs. Choosing wise investments can help your money grow quickly.

Tips for Restaurants Partnering with New Companies to Increase Profits

Owning a restaurant is a potentially risky investment because of many of those restaurants fail within the first few years. You generally need to pick a theme that no other restaurant in town has, which lets you appeal to diners in your city. It's often helpful to narrow down your menu to your most popular dishes instead of offering so many dishes that you overwhelm customers. You can also partner with other companies in your area and find ways for both of you to increase your profits.

Pick a Similar Company

One of the most important tips for restaurant owners who want to partner with other local companies is that they should pick a company within the same industry. If you do not sell desserts, you might partner with an ice cream shop down the street. Partnering with a hotel that caters to out of town guests is another great idea. You can also look for ways to reach those coming through your town on a regular basis. Partnering with a lubrication systems company can help you market your restaurant to its employees and visitors.

Offer Specials

Partnerships work best when both companies get something out of that arrangement. A simple way to make your restaurant appealing to that company's customers is with exclusive specials that are only available to those customers. You can give the company a stack of coupons that they hand out to those who spend a certain amount. Some restaurants offer discounts for customers of local theaters. When a customer brings in a ticket stub from that day, they receive a discount on the meal or a free item. The theater may even agree to hang a sign that advertises this deal in the lobby.

Find Ways to Advertise

The most successful partnerships exist between company owners who understand the importance of advertising and how they can use their partners to advertise their companies. You may opt for something simple like a sign exchange and agree to hang that company's sign in your restaurant if the company hangs up one of your own signs. Other advertising methods include combined ads that you run on television or radio. These ads are a simple way to let customers know about your partnership and the combined deals that you offer. When picking a partner to increase the profits of your restaurant, find a similar but not competing company.

How Can I Make My Online Business More Profitable?

If you've recently developed an online business and want to do everything you can to make it thrive, now is the time to get the optimization process underway. Below you'll find just three of multiple techniques that you can deploy to make your online business more profitable:

1. Utilize Sales Optimization Strategies. 

One great way to make your online business more profitable is through the use of sales optimization strategies. These strategies are important because they empower you to access and implement sales techniques that will improve your sales and customer retention rates. Luckily, there are hundreds of customized sales strategies you can deploy to increase the likelihood that your online business becomes a revenue-generating machine. One is the use of customer relationship management (CRM) software that helps you keep close track of all interactions with both prospects and current clients. You might also consider utilizing professional sales services offered by companies such as Saleslink. Click here to learn more about what they have to offer.

2. Focus On Continually Cultivating Incredible Content. 

Another great strategy you can deploy to increase the likelihood that your online business becomes a smashing success is focusing on the continual cultivation of incredible content. This technique is important because it provides business owners with a tool that will empower them to regularly communicate with the target audience. Also note that content functions as one of the primary mediums through which the business owner can start and/or optimize the brand recognition process that gets the audience interested in the product or service line. Some forms of content you might be interested in producing include blog posts, videos, and web articles. Note that unless you're a content marketing maven, you should hire a team of digital advertising experts to take care of this process for you.

3. Consider The Value Of Marketing Offline.

While it's almost always advantageous for business owners to market their product or service line via internet, it's important to remember that advertising offline might prove equally advantageous. This is the case because some or many of your target market members might not be attuned to the cultural norm of ongoing internet use. Some forms of traditional marketing you may want to implement include direct mail marketing, print ads, and radio commercials.

Start Growing Your Online Business Now!

Building your business online can be an incredibly rewarding process. To ensure that it will be, try implementing some or all of the business-building techniques delineated above!

How to Select an Insurance Company

Insurance is one of the most important things that you can have in life. It will protect you from being wiped out financially in the event that there is a disaster in your life. Therefore, you need to be certain that you are dealing with a good insurance provider. It can sometimes be difficult to choose a provider because there are so many. It all comes down to knowing the right things to look for when you are comparing insurance providers. You need to educate yourself so that you will make a decision you will be happy with. Here are some good tips that will allow you to find an insurance company that will help you in your time of need.

1. Does the insurance provider offer many types of policies to choose from?

You should never deal with an insurance company that only offers a very limited number of policies. You should be able to customize an insurance policy so that it is perfect for the needs of you and your family. Otherwise, you will end up paying too much money for coverage that you do not need.

2. Does the insurance provider have many positive online reviews written by past and current customers?

You would be wise to see what people are saying about all of the various insurance providers that are out there. This will help you to avoid doing business with providers that will not pay as much as they should when a claim is filed. Some providers have a bad reputation for doing this sort of thing. This is why it is so important for you to find honest appraisals of many different insurance providers. These reviews will help you separate the good and bad insurance providers.

3. How much are the premiums charged by the various insurance providers?

The price of your monthly premiums will obviously be a major concern when you are looking for a Florida automobile insurance company. Shopping around and getting price quotes from as many insurance providers as possible is the smart thing to do. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain by comparing prices. You should never make the mistake of assuming that most insurance providers charge basically the same amount for their premiums. Nothing could be further from the truth. You should also find out which providers offer the best introductory discounts.

Chinese Money Has Changed the Face Of Hong Kong's Skyline

China’s Wealth & Power

Italian fashion house is said to be one of the several top firms in Western countries to have found themselves on the other side of shaky real estate boom in Hong Kong. In prime locations of the city, the price of commercial property seems to have almost doubled up since U.K. had handed it over to China two years back, being the most expensive across the globe. Since several changes have taken place in Hong Kong after the historic handover in 1997, China’s increasing wealth and power is said to be at the core of confusion.

 Chinese companies, level with cash seemed to have given way to trophy office space in central districts, motivating up prices. According to brokers and developers, firms like Burberry –BBRYF and Gucci have resorted to cheaper office location in distant areas. No comments have been provided by the two fashion brands.

 Inflow of firms from the Chinese mainland tends to reveal a wider move in the role of Hong Kong as a business hub. The head of research for Hong Kong, Denis Ma had commented at a property brokerage JLL that `at the time of the handover, Hong Kong was seen as a stepping stone for multinationals looking to tap in the China market’.

Government Policies Progressively Opened Mainland Firms

He further added that in a sense it is still true though we have seen over the last few years is that (mainland Chinese) firms had begun to take a same view of Hong Kong as a stepping stone to engage with the wider world.

According to real estate services firm CBRE, the growing supremacy of China Inc. over Hong Kong seems difficult to go unnoticed and there are presently around 1,123 Chinese companies in the territory which is almost thrice the number 20 years back. This tends to account for 64% of the stock market capitalization of the city, up from 16% in 1997.

The government policies have progressively opened up mainland firms for Hong. Chinese businesses have been encouraged by Beijing to grow abroad with large sums of money being flooded out of China since its economy tends to have dropped in recent years. The persistent rush of Chinese money has increased in the real estate market.

Hong Kong Ranks Least Affordable City

According to CBRE, landlord tend to collect $264 on an average per square foot each year by way of rent for prime office space in central Hong Kong, which is quite high than the West End of London - $146 or Midtown Manhattan in new York - $144.

Being a property holder in Hong Kong tends to be a lot difficult since prices have increased by 89% since 1997, according to CBRE. Hong Kong tends to rank as the least affordable city for seven years in succession, as per Demographia, a public policy firm. The mounting prices have compelled some of the multination companies to move to other areas of Hong Kong though few have been quitting the region completely.

The numbers have actually doubled more over the past two decades from 3,069 to 6,863 according to CBRE. The president of the American Chamber of commerce in Hong Kong, Tara Joseph, considered the fall as comparatively small and put it down to the cost of rent and a recession in some industries, especially retail.

Five Mistakes Mutual Fund Investors Should Avoid In This Market

Spare Cash – Equity Schemes – Long-Term Prospects

Several investors of mutual fund, particularly the new ones tend to be apprehensive since the market seems to be suspended around past pea. Discussions of expensive valuating, liquidity driven rally etc. tend to make them anxious with regard to their investments. Several of them have been probing with their advisors of mutual fund regarding their investments.

 As per the advisors, they have been cautioning their clients from engaging in certain errors which they state could occur in a risking market such as the prevailing one. When the market is said to be on an upsurge, several investors of mutual fund seem to get excited and if in a position to do so, would not hesitate to put their money in equity mutual funds particularly in the group that tends to offer the highest returns.

However, this could rebound greatly. It is advisable to stick to ones goals and allocation. If one tends to have allocated money to equity schemes for long-term financial goals, they should stick to it. It is not necessary to change your investment plan because the stock market has been crushed. You could invest spare cash in equity schemes which tend to have long-term prospects. You could also make planned allocation when the need for big correction arises.

Reversal Trends – Investor Panic

However, one should refrain from making huge changes to their original investment plan and go heavy on equity schemes. One need not get apprehensive when there is excitement in the stock market. Some of the investors seem to get anxious when there are talks regarding the performance of the market.

Even the smallest indication of reversal trend in the market tends to make these investors to panic from the market which is not the appropriate attitude for investment. If one intends to invest with a long prospect, they tend to go through several phases in the market scenario which cannot be avoided. One needs to be firm and stick to one’s financial plan.

The treat to Fed rate cut is expensive valuations, imminent correction and liquidity-driven rally. Market is never short of talking points and experts enjoy discussing every frayed topic. But an investor of mutual fund does not have to be perturbed by all this topics provided by experts. Most of the issues are relevant to clients only who tend to build position daily in order to en-cash on these types of news.

Essential Information Forming Knowledgeable Opinion

Most of these earth shattering events seem like minor problems when they are considered after a long period of time. Buying and selling should never been undertaken in an impulsive manner. Several of the investors tend to make it a habit of indulging in it immediately after an event or news breaks out and believes that it would change the luck of their investments.

These types of errors should be refrained. One needs to step back, consider the topic and get into discussion with your advisor, friends or colleagues with those who could be familiar with these sorts of issues. One should not involve in anything till you have all the essential information in forming a knowledgeable opinion.

Buying and holding is the only strategy which tends to work though it could also be a boring one for some and a segment of the market is always on the lookout for some fancy ideas which could be helpful. At times it tends to get difficult to resist from betting on the theme since it could be widely hyped as being the magic formula in multiplying money and one should refrain for the same.