Personal loan, debt consolidation, refinancing

4 Factors To Consider When Choosing Between A Public Defender And Private Attorney

 Personal Finance  Comments Off
May 172013
 

An important decision to make in a criminal case is choosing between a public defender and a private attorney to represent you in court. The attorney you choose may make a huge difference between having your case dismissed versus a conviction. The reliable attorney you need must be well experienced and able to allocate sufficient time to review and investigate your case for a strong defense. When you are arrested on criminal charges and faced with financial strain, choosing a reliable attorney that you can afford is a necessity. Here are some factors to help you decide between hiring a private attorney and accepting the public defender that the court provides you with.

1. The Cost Of Their Legal Services

Public Defenders

Before you assume that all public defenders offer their services for free, you need to check the state laws and regulations with your local court. This is essential as some states require that you pay back your public defender based on what you can afford.

Private Attorneys

Many private attorneys or law firms understand that a large number of people do not have enough funds to finance their legal needs most especially when cases suddenly occur. This is why many offer their first consultation for free to discuss the case and then offer payment plans suited for their clients. You can also retain them by paying a small deposit along with an affordable monthly payment arrangement.

2. Years Of Their Experience

Public Defenders

Public defenders are underpaid and overworked as they handle a variety of cases in one time. This indicates that they do not have the specialization and sufficient time to spend on each case due to their given workloads. Nevertheless, quite a number of public defendants can produce good results for their clients within a short time frame with the help of their broad experience in various types of criminal cases.

Private Attorneys

Reputation is everything to private attorneys and it says a lot about their years of experience in court. Their experience also makes them flawless in communicating and precise when negotiating with prosecutors and judges. Since a law firm will be made of several attorneys, each one of them will have their own specialization which makes it an advantage to you. In fact, if your attorney has a feared reputation, the chances of being offered a favorable plea-deal is higher because prosecutors do not often take a case to trial if they do not believe that they will win.

3. Availability Of Resources

Public Defenders

Sadly, public defenders do not always have all the necessary resources they need at their disposal. Since they work for the state, the state provides them with the resources they may need which are often limited.

Private Attorneys

They will have an existing network of private investigators, private chemical testing laboratories, expert witnesses, paralegals and associate lawyers that can be called up to provide their expertise on your case.

4. Length Of Time For Case To Be Resolved

Public Defenders

Considering the fact that public defenders manage several cases simultaneously, court appearance may conflict with client schedules. Serious criminal cases handled by public defenders will be given higher priority compared to simple DUI cases so low priority cases court dates are sometimes pushed back to make way for other cases. This is time consuming and you will not get enough time to discuss the case with your attorney except for a few minutes before trial.

Private Attorneys

You can always consult with your attorney over the phone or at their office. They can also attend court on your behalf when it is not necessary for you to appear. This allows you to stay on track with the latest developments of your case. Criminal cases which are usually handled by private attorneys do not take too much time in court to reach a resolution.

Citations:
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Valerie Gordon is a freelance writer specializing in well being and legal issues. She also blogs for ActionLegalGroupWA.com about DUI prevention and why choosing a reliable private attorney is better than having a public defender handle criminal cases.

7 Things You Need To Know About Getting Pre-approved For A Mortgage

 Personal Finance  Comments Off
May 172013
 

There was a time when getting pre-approved for a mortgage was quite simple. Then the economy fell apart and banks tightened the belt. The good news is that while it may be harder to get pre-approval, it’s not impossible. The key is having all your ducks in a row so that when you do apply, your finances are in order.

Recent Loans Can Hurt Your Chances

You may be tempted to go out and buy a new car. After all, you just landed that big raise at work. The only problem is that taking on a large loan can kill your chances of getting a mortgage. Banks think that you’ll have a hard time paying both bills without getting behind so think before you buy.

Debt to Credit Ratio Needs to Be Small

Your debt to credit ratio can have a big impact on obtaining pre-approval for a mortgage. It’s best to keep your debt to credit ratio at 10% or less. What this means is that if you have $10,000 in credit, you do not want to have over $1,000 charged to your accounts.

Debt to Income Ratio Will Determine What You Can Afford

Lenders will also look at your salary to determine how much of a house you can afford. This is referred to as debt to income ratio. Most banks will not let your payment exceed 28% of your salary. To determine what that payment will be, multiple your salary by 0.28 and then divide by 12. For example, if you make $40,000, the bank would want your monthly payments to be lower than $933.

Credit Reports Can Have Mistakes

Before you apply, you need to check your credit reports to make sure it is free of errors. If you notice errors on any of the three credit reports, you need to contact the credit bureau and have the error fixed. It can take a few weeks for the information to be updated. Do not wait until the last minutes to complete this step.

A 20% Down Payment Is Important

Long gone are the days of no money down. Most banks want to see at least 20% down at the time of signing. Having the 20% before you apply for the mortgage will make it much easier to qualify for pre-approval.

Employment History Counts

Job hoppers are often frowned upon by the bank. That’s not to say that a new job that led to a bigger salary is a problem. If you were with your previous company for a number of years, this will count as having a good employment history.

Self-Employed Workers Need to Work Harder

Last, but not least, if you’re self-employed, you’re going to need to follow all these steps plus have a number of documents available for the lender. Lenders want to see at least four years of previous tax returns to determine whether or not you have a consistent income and can afford a mortgage.

Getting a mortgage isn’t as easy as walking into a bank and asking for one. You need to have all your ducks in a row or you could risk not getting the best rate. Take the time to do your homework.

About the Author: Darlene Barton is self-employed and just went through quite a bit to get pre-approved for her first mortgage. She found a lot of great information on lendingexpertblog.com and other finance sites.

Debt Settlement Companies – How To Find The Best One For You

 Personal Finance  Comments Off
May 172013
 

The debt collection industry has grown into a multi-billion dollar business, and in order to remain profitable, collection companies are buying collection account portfolios from companies willing to sell them or commission them to collect on their behalf. This includes auto and mortgage lenders, credit card issuers, cell phone companies, utility companies, and public libraries – even video stores.

Despite the post-economic crises, many consumers are still in debt

If you are struggling with debt, then it may help to know that you are not alone. Unfortunately, there are many American’s still experiencing tough economic times and seeking out debt settlement companies in order to negotiate and/or settle their debts. From 2006-2012, about 3.9 million homeowners were forced into foreclosure, and thirty-five percent of American’s have consolidated debt at the advice of debt settlement companies and/or attorneys.

Do your homework

find the right debt settlement company by doing your homework

Before deciding which debt settlement company is right for you, it is prudent that you do your homework; there are many companies out there who claim they can wipe your debt clean for a small fee. Do not believe them. Why, because unless you file for bankruptcy, (which should always be the final recourse) debt does not just disappear. Debt, however, can be successfully consolidated, reduced, and its repayment terms negotiated if you use the right company to assist you.

With so many companies offering their own unique debt settlement program, deciding which company to use can be daunting and often confusing. Companies such as Golden Financial Services offer sound debt settlement solutions to help determine which relief options best suit your individual circumstance.

A trustworthy debt settlement company should always educate the consumer

The first thing a consumer needs to do is determine how much debt they owe and to whom; the IRS; bank credit cards; student loans etc. as one program may differ from the other. Know your credit score beforehand; some debt settlement companies offer a free credit report as part of their service. From here, start researching companies via the internet. You want to look at how many years the company has been in business, their track record; do a search on the company to check if there are any unresolved customer complaints. Do they offer consumer credit counseling, in addition to their debt negotiation, and settlement services? A trustworthy debt settlement company should always educate the consumer on all their debt relief options. You should never feel pressured into a program that does not feel right. If a company is pressuring you into a program you do not feel comfortable with, then that company may not be the right choice in helping you take hold of your financial situation. The right debt relief company will be personal, and be considerate to try and make sure all of your financial needs are met; they will look at the big picture, and see how decisions will affect your overall lifestyle.

Thousands of people have been able to improve their credit score after debt settlement and negotiation, and so can you.

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Paul Paquin is a Christian and family-oriented CEO who started Golden Financial Services, a debt relief and small business loans company, in 2004.  Paul has expertise in marketing, debt relief, credit and business growth related areas, and has an exceptional work ethic.  Follow Paul on Twitter, Google Plus and at the GFS blog where Paul writes frequently. 

What Medical Expenses May Be Covered by Worker’s Compensation

 Personal Finance  Comments Off
May 172013
 

Hospital do Subúrbio

Worker’s compensation can provide you with essential benefits if you are injured on the job, but it is important to make sure that you fully understand the program. For example, if you are injured while you are off work and at home, you will not be eligible to make a claim. There are also certain workplace injuries that may not be covered, especially if you do not follow your company’s guidelines for reporting an injury. Fortunately, you can utilize the services of a personal injury attorney to help you determine exactly which aspects of your injury should be covered, and they can help you take legal action if eligible expenses are declined.

Will My Medical Expenses be Covered?

Even if you have been approved for worker’s compensation, you may still have to take care of some of your medical expenses. However, most employers understand that they are responsible for paying for all of the reasonable medical expenses that you incur as a result of the injury. The question of which expenses are considered to be reasonable can sometimes force an employee to file a lawsuit. Fortunately, most judges have a very broad interpretation of the term reasonable expenses. For example, if your workplace injury causes you to become disfigured, you will most likely be able to get plastic or reconstructive surgery without paying for it.

How Does a Judge Define Reasonable Expenses?

Although there is no standard guideline to define reasonable expenses, your employer is generally expected to cover the cost of medication, necessary reconstructive surgery, prosthetic devices, physical rehabilitation and a wide variety of other medical services. Therefore, if you develop an anxiety disorder as a result of your injury, it is likely that all of your therapy sessions would be covered, and you might also be able to recoup the expenses of a service animal. Of course, having representation like a California or North Carolina personal injury law firm on your side might help in creating a viable case.

What Will Make Me Ineligible?

There are several situations that can make an individual ineligible for worker’s compensation. As previously mentioned, you will not be able to make a claim if you are not on the clock when the injury occurs. Your claim can also be denied if your employer has proof that you were intoxicated at the time that you were injured. Additionally, it is essential to always follow your employer’s safety and injury reporting guidelines. For example, if you are required to wear a hard hat at all times, you might not be able to receive worker’s compensation if you suffer a head injury while your hard hat is off. Even if the incident happened on the clock while you were following all of the applicable safety procedures, you could still be denied if you fail to meet your company’s minimum reporting standards. In other words, if your employee handbook stipulates that you must report an injury immediately, you could lose your right to draw benefits if you wait 24 hours to tell anyone about what happened.

Receiving Proper Compensation

No employer wants to pay a lot of money to cover your medical expenses, but they are legally required to do so in most instances. Even if you are not on work property when the incident happens, your expenses could still be eligible for coverage. For example, if you are driving for work and you are in a car accident that causes you to have a limb amputated, your employer’s workers’ comp policy should be responsible for paying for a prosthetic replacement.

If you have issues getting your employer to live up to their financial responsibility, you should contact a personal injury attorney. They will be able to help you sort through all of the applicable guidelines to make sure that you have a viable case, and their presence can help convince many employers to do the right thing before they end up in court.

Saam Banai is a freelance writer and editor who works from the safety of his dining room table. The North Carolina personal injury law firm, Powers McCartan, is a team of professional associations whose aim it is to provide thoughtful legal representation in the event of your personal injury. If you are injured on the job and think that you might be eligible for compensation, consult the professionals that you know will help with your case.

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