Category Archives: Financial

Hiring Financial Services to Plan Your Retirement Smartly

Ensuring financial freedom after retirement is a crucial factor in a financial plan. Most individuals have several plans to realize after retirement. Some people plan to buy a villa on a beach; while others dream of a world tour. Even if you do not have such ambitious dreams, you need money to be readily available after retirement for your daily expenses. This requires smart planning from early years. Taking a small step towards financial planning at an early age can guarantee financial security for a lifetime. If you do not begin early, the pace at which you would need to save would accelerate and the cost of the financial instruments at your disposal would increase.

One can hire financial services to demystify pension options and retirement saving plans. These service providers will answer your questions on how to sponsor your retirement plans and will help you to make an informed investment decision.

Financial Services: How Much Do You Need to Retire?
Consult financial services to determine the right time to start planning for retirement. Remember, retirement planning is not only about finance, it also involves mental preparation to get accustomed to a changed pattern of life. For some people, it is very hard to stop working altogether and spent time at home. In such a case, financial consultant may advise him/her to start working part time for a few years prior to full retirement. Alternatively, one can consider a home-based business after retiring from regular services.

Coming back to finances, it is important to analyze your monetary requirements in the long run. Prepare an estimate of monthly expenses in consultation with a financial expert. Now consider different investment options that align with your long-term financial goals. Pension funds are an important source of income post retirement. Thus, one should give due consideration to different types of pension plans available and understand how one can monetize them. Other instruments that blend well with retirement planning are:

Savings
Property
Investments in stocks
Individual Savings Account (ISA)

Ask the Financial Service Provider about Types of Pension Plans
Financial service providers focus on three basic types of pension plans:

State pension
Personal pension
Company pension

State pension is probably the most reliable foundation for your retirement. An individual who has attained the state pension age can claim it. According to UK Government data, the state pension age for men is 65. However, the state pension age for women will increase from 60 to 65 between 2010 and 2020. Usually, the contributions to National Insurance (NI) are accumulated over the years to provide pension to individuals. Additional state pension is rendered to individuals who are taking care of a child or are employed.

Personal pension schemes, which can include Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP)for higher earners, are an important investment option for better control over retirement planning. It involves investment into HM Revenues and Customs (HMRC) approved financial products. Some of the financial products covered under SIPP are:
Stocks listed on recognized exchange markets
Investment trusts regulated by the Financial Services Authority (FSA)
Commercial property
Bullion market
Authorised unit trusts
Futures and options traded in recognized markets
One can seek expert SIPP advice to leverage these investment options and secure financial freedom after retirement. Remember, state pension guarantees only sustainable income to every individual. To maintain a good lifestyle and make your ends meet, personal pensions (including SIPPs) are an important element in your long term financial planning strategy.

Company pensions are set by employers and vary between organizations. Usually, the company pension fund is deducted from an employee’s salary or deposited by the employer or both.

Since April 2006, the government has simplified regulations governing personal and company pension. Tax relief has been increased on investment into retirement instruments. With investment planning, it is possible to invest into a homogenous mix of different types of pension instruments. Consult financial services providers to make the best of the available retirement options.

Athersys, Inc. (athx) – Financial And Strategic Swot Analysis Review

Aug, 2, 2014 : Company Profiles and Conferences presents a Company Report on “Athersys, Inc. (ATHX) – Financial and Strategic SWOT Analysis Review”, which helps you formulate strategies that augment your business by enabling you to understand your partners, customers and competitors better.

Athersys, Inc. (ATHX) – Financial and Strategic SWOT Analysis Review provides you an in-depth strategic SWOT analysis of the companys businesses and operations. The profile is bring to you a clear and an unbiased view of the companys key strengths and weaknesses and the potential opportunities and threats. The profile helps you formulate strategies that augment your business by enabling you to understand your partners, customers and competitors better.

The profile contains critical company information including:

– Business description A detailed description of the companys operations and business divisions.
– Corporate strategy Analysts summarization of the companys business strategy.
– SWOT Analysis A detailed analysis of the companys strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats.
– Company history Progression of key events associated with the company.
– Major products and services A list of major products, services and brands of the company.
– Key competitors A list of key competitors to the company.
– Key employees A list of the key executives of the company.
– Executive biographies A brief summary of the executives employment history.
– Key operational heads A list of personnel heading key departments/functions.
– Important locations and subsidiaries A list and contact details of key locations and subsidiaries of the company.
– Key manufacturing facilities A list of key manufacturing facilities of the company.
– Detailed financial ratios for the past five years The latest financial ratios derived from the annual financial statements published by the company with 5 years history.
– Interim ratios for the last five interim periods The latest financial ratios derived from the quarterly/semi-annual financial statements published by the company for 5 interims history.

Highlights

Athersys, Inc. (Athersys) is a biotechnology company. It carries out the discovery and development of therapeutic product candidates focused in the field of regenerative medicine. Its lead platform, MultiStem, is a patented stem cell product, developed for treating multiple disease indications such as cardiovascular diseases, inflammatory and immune disorders, neurological conditions and others. The company is also developing new drugs for treating obesity, cognition, attention and wakefulness.

Athersys, Inc. Key Recent Developments

May 08, 2014: Athersys Reports First Quarter 2014 Results
Mar 13, 2014: Athersys Reports Fourth Quarter and 2013 Annual Results
Jan 09, 2014: Athersys Announces New Patents in Japan for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Technology
Nov 27, 2013: Athersys prices registered direct offering of common stock and warrants
Nov 25, 2013: Athersys to Present at 25th Annual Piper Jaffray Healthcare Conference

Beta Analytic Launches Mobile App

Beta Analytic’s mobile app for Android and Apple devices is now available for download. The free app will allow all users to consult with the lab, access results, and receive up-to-date prices and other information. With the BETA App, clients can have their radiocarbon results and the lab’s expertise in their pocket, whether they are on the field, in the lab, or attending a conference. BETA App users can now consult their carbon-14 results and quality assurance reports, access sample collection and submittal advice, and contact the company’s global team for prices and technical support directly from the app.

The app is free to download onto a smartphone and other mobile devices. It is optimized for iOS 7.0 and Android 4.0 and higher. The user’s device requires a PDF viewer to access the lab reports. The number of reports that can be downloaded depends on the device’s available storage.

Why Download the BETA App

Clients can get their radiocarbon results straight to their smartphone or tablet AMS dating results are reported directly to the clients’ online account in 2-14 business days depending on the service selected. All lab results are ISO/IEC 17025:2005 accredited.

Offline Reports: Clients can take their Carbon-14 results to the field Beta Analytic clients can log into their secure portal when connected to the internet and download technical, quality and calibration reports onto the BETA app and consult them in offline mode wherever they may be.

Sending samples for radiocarbon dating is easier than ever With the simple step-by-step guide, Beta App users can consult sample size requirements, access customs and shipping information, and find a local forwarding address in minutes, even in offline mode. Questions about the lab’s sample submittal procedure can be emailed through the BETA App. With a 3G or Wi-fi connection, users can contact the lab via the BETA app to obtain a quote for samples or get technical assistance before, during, or after the analysis. The lab will respond to inquiries within 24 hours.

About Beta Analytic

Beta Analytic is the world leader in radiocarbon dating with more than 30 years in business. All analyses and measurements are performed in-house by full-time professionals at the ISO/IEC 17025:2005 accredited radiocarbon dating laboratory in Miami, Florida. Founded in 1979, Beta Analytic’s commitment to meet the scientific community’s demand for accurate radiocarbon dating led to immediate success.

Dedication to accuracy and rapid delivery of results are at the core of its policies. AMS results are reported within 2-14 business days, depending on the service chosen. The company caters to a global clientele with rapid customer service in 10 languages, billing in major world currencies, and multiple sample forwarding facilities. By innovating new techniques, keeping abreast of the latest technology, and training qualified scientists to stay ahead of demand, Beta Analytic has maintained its firm commitment to quality AMS dating over the years. For more details, visit www.radiocarbon.com.

Contact: Florencia Goren Beta Analytic Global Operations Manager Tel. No. – +(1) 305-667-5167 Email –

How To Measure Hotel Loyalty Programs Performance

Very often hotel owners or managers start loyalty programs with the aim of attracting new customers and retaining existing ones. These programs offer discounts, free and additional services for customers. For example, if a guest books a suite for three nights he gets free dinners. This is just a simple example, and the best customer loyalty programs can offer great services. However, the time comes to evaluate efficiency of loyalty programs. Many hotel owners and top managers make a mistake of evaluation program results after the end of the program. Its something goes wrong from the very beginning the hotel managers will learn about that only in the end when it will be too late to do anything. Of course, ongoing financial results can tell much but not everything about efficiency of a particular loyalty program. This is where performance evaluation tools come into play. Being armed with knowledge on current performance of a hotel and efficiency of loyalty program, top managers can introduce amendment
s and changes to the program to achieve even better results. It is very difficult to make 100% correct forecasts. Markets change all the time and customers change their preferences. Thus, loyalty programs have to follow these changes.

An increasing number of hotel owners and hotel managers use Balanced Scorecard. This revolutionary performance evaluation and strategic management tool proved its efficiency in hotel business which is characterized by intense competition. Balanced Scorecard does not only evaluate financial indicators (results) but also nonfinancial measures that can tell much about what is going to happen in the near future. Balanced Scorecard consists of four categories: financial, customer, internal business processes, learning and growth. Each category contains key performance indicators which provide top managers with correct and timely information on performance on the loyalty program and its outcomes for business.

Imagine that hotel management has launched customer loyalty program by offering discounts for regular customers and free gifts and services for new ones. As some time passes by, Balanced Scorecard begins to display the first results which are not only financial results. For example, the number of hotel customers may increase and customer satisfaction improves. This means that in the long term the hotel will see and increasing revenue because customers who have participated in loyalty program will most likely come back again. If Balanced Scorecard shows warning signs the loyalty program needs to be changed. For instance it may turn out that providing new customers with free dinners is not profitable at all. Thus, the hotel managers have to look for another way to attract customers.

Loyalty programs have one goal to increase revenue by improving loyalty of existing customers and attracting new customers. At the same time loyalty programs have to be profitable in financial terms. Balanced Scorecard will help optimize costs and improve efficiency of loyalty programs.

Introduction of Balanced Scorecard to the hotel should be supported by the majority of personnel who should participate in discussion of key performance indicators and everyday use of BSC.

Effective Business Card Design For Financial Advisors

Financial Advisors have a certain image that they need to portray, and that really comes across in the business cards that they hand out. Financial advisors need to show their conservativeness, formality, and stability, along with the reputation of the company they represent.

The business card design is so important in this field because you are dealing with money, and people are very concerned about where their money will go and what kind of profit they can make with it. This is a huge business, and there are thousand of financial advisors to choose from, so the first impression can be a huge factor in whether they choose you. The design should be both bold, and traditional. You want to show them that you can invest their money wisely while taking a little risk to ensure more profit. There shouldnt be any bright colors or pictures, just confident lettering and possibly a small clip art design. A financial advisor wants his or her business card to say they do the job with self-belief and reliability.

If you do have a picture, it should be of the company logo. The brand name of the company is what many people look for when choosing a financial advisor. The larger the company the more trust consumers tend to have. Color business cards are the way to show off your style and innovation without deterring from your position of investing their money. The colors should be strong but not bright. A deep blue, or forest green shows status and importance without seeming arrogant or trendy. When investing money consumers arent looking for new trends over the long run, they are looking for permanence.

When putting information on your business card design take into account what type of financial advising you offer, and whom you are giving the card to. For the most part financial advisors are looking for more people to invest with them. Include the words of the company logo, and the company name and address. Dont put information that you dont need. Although it should be full, you dont want the business card to be overwhelming. Fonts are also important on a financial advisors business card. Again, they should show reserve in your business, but they should portray the type of investing that you do.

More important in the financial world then even the business card design, is the way you hand out your business card. In this day and age people tend to give out business cards like a deck of cards, by flipping them across tables. The correct etiquette is to hand them out before business meetings. Hand the person the card with the readable side up, with a thumb on the upper corner so that they can immediately read the card. When receiving the card, have the respect to read it in front of them, so that not only can you see what it says, but also you can put the card with the face. This may be your only chance to earn their business, so make your business card count.