Peach State Problems: All About Car Accident Settlements Georgia-Style

Car AccidentWhen you’re traveling through Georgia, be on the lookout for drivers. If you’re in a car accident here, you may be surprised to learn that car accidents are handled a little bit differently than in some states you might be used to driving through.

Georgia’s At-Fault Rules

Georgia has unique at-fault rules. At-fault drivers are liable for any personal injury or any property damage that is the result of a auto crash or accident. The insurer will first try to pay the claim out of the policy before assigning liability to the individual personally. In Georgia, an injured person can either file a claim with his or her insurer, file with the other drivers’ insurer directly, or file a personal injury lawsuit in civil court.

The Minimum Requirements In Georgia

In Georgia, all drivers must carry at least $25,000 in personal injury for the injury or death of another person. While this is the state minimum, this is usually insufficient if injury or death actually occurs. A $50,000 minimum limit for injury or death of more than one person is also required. Finally, all drivers must carry $25,000 in liability coverage for property damage.

These limits might seem low, and they are. Most accidents, unless they are very minor, can easily exceed these minimum dollar amounts. Any amount not covered by insurance will be covered by the individual, personally.

Time Limits

Generally speaking, you have two years after a car accident to file a personal injury lawsuit in Georgia. You have four years after a car accident for filing a lawsuit for property damage. But, you should always speak with an Atlanta car accident lawyer before you make any final decisions about whether or not you’re still able to file suit. Some circumstances may alter the way you file or your time limits.

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Life Insurance Myths – The Truth About Getting the Best Coverage

Some consumers avoid thinking about their family’s need for life insurance because it requires them to consider their own mortality, and unfortunately, that prevents them from educating themselves on the topic. There are certain life insurance myths that lead many to misunderstand its purpose, cost and availability. There is also a healthy amount of distrust regarding the insurance industry as a whole. This may be because, in exchange for your hard-earned cash (premiums), consumers simply get a promise. Insurance is not tangible – it is a financial instrument with an “if-then” statement. If something bad happens, then you get a payout. If nothing bad happens, then you got peace of mind and not much else. This “trust” issue isn’t helped … Read more

The Pros and Cons of Trading Forex

Trading ForexEvery good investor knows that before you take on a new investment, you need to weigh your options carefully.  It isn’t enough to just do good research on the market.  You really need to make an active decision about whether the foreign exchange market for currency is right for you.  To help you make that decision, consider these important points.

Understand That You Are Speculating When Trading Forex

In a sense, you are selling one currency against another and betting that the currency you buy is going to increase in value while you hold it so that you can sell it for a profit.  That’s the basic principle.  But that means one of two things.

Either you have to have a watchful eye on your investments and pay close attention to the markets as they move, or you need to become familiar with the stop loss order so that you don’t lose more than you bargained for in the end.  If you do not understand the risk associated with Forex trading and only focus on the potential payout, you are making a grave mistake.

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Cost Cutting Classroom: Supplies, Software, and Tax Tips for Teachers

Tax Tips For TeachersBeing a teacher is incredibly rewarding, but it costs when it comes to supplies and in-class needs.  School systems watch their dollars and cents closely, and so teachers get left needing to cut corners to provide the same amount of efficiency.

Supplies, software, and taxes don’t have to amount to as much when you know how to cut costs.  Get smart and learn how to avoid full price and empty wallets.

Here are supplies, software, and tax tips for teachers…

Keep Track

Saving can be as simple as keeping track of expenses and out of pocket buys for your classroom and students.  Speak to other teachers, your principal, or financial planner about tracking costs and filing for reimbursements at the end of the quarter or year.

Consider Claiming a Home Office

If you qualify, you can claim a portion of your home as an office.  Those who tutor after school, at night, and on weekends may qualify as a ‘business’ owner, saving on taxes.  It may even create a greater incentive to spend more time making a supplemental income!

Track Mileage

Expenses are not books and supplies alone.  If you coach or manage a school-affiliated team and use your own vehicle, you can get compensated for gas and vehicle maintenance.  It’s small savings if you live in the same town as the school, but if you live over twenty miles and go to and from multiple times per day, the mileage and stress on your car adds up.

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Trade Forex: A Decidedly Directional Strategy for Success

The trend is your friend when you trade forex“The trend is your friend.” You’ve heard that before, right? When you trade forex, many traders live and die by that rule. There’s a reason why. Trend following is a major trading strategy employed by even expert traders. But, it’s not the only trading strategy or methodology out there. Forex is primarily a directional-driven market where traders must decide how they will exploit movements in the market. A static or “sideways” market is nobody’s friend.

At the same time, directional trading can easily turn against even the most experienced trader. These trading strategies exploit small movements in currency pairs. If the trader is correct, he wins money. If he’s wrong, the losses could be catastrophic. It’s a high-stakes game. If you’re ready to play, here are the major sub-strategies that will get you off the ground.

Trend Following When You Trade Forex

The idea of trend-trading or trend-following is that an established trend will continue in the same direction rather than reverse course. The strategy uses technical analysis to try to spot trends or patterns in the market, and then it exploits those patterns for profit. It’s a form of data mining and analysis. To trade on a trend, you can either trade in a general direction with unlimited upside potential or trade within a range.

For example, a general trend-trading strategy might have you find a trend and then take a long or short position on it. You may then place your stop loss at a conservative point given the volatility of the market.

Trading within a range means that you attempt to find a pattern of movement within the daily trend and then enter and exit within that range. So, you profit on the daily oscillations of the market, rather than a long-term trend that lasts either all day in one direction or multiple days.

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How To Prepare Your Diamonds For Sale

Prepare Your Diamonds For SaleWhenever you’re selling a big ticket item, it’s usually a good idea to put in a little prep work before you show it to prospective buyers. There are ways that you can prepare your diamonds for sale. In the same way that you might repaint a house or clean out a car before selling it, there are some steps you can take before you sell your diamond.

These three steps can help a buyer see the full value of your diamond and hopefully will help you get a better offer:

1) Gather Documentation – Many people don’t realize that documentation might help get them a higher price for their diamond. Even though it doesn’t change the intrinsic value of the diamond itself, it can help make sure that buyers are aware of the diamond’s size and quality.

Documents that can help support your sale include appraisals, original receipts, and certifications from gemological laboratories. At the very least they will help the process go faster and smoother – and they might get you a little extra cash too!

2) Clean the Ring – You’d be amazed how much a difference a quick cleaning can make when trying to sell a diamond. Diamonds can get pretty dirty just from hand soap, lotion, and other effects of everyday wear. You don’t want a buyer confusing a smudge or dirt with an imperfection in the diamond itself. Giving it a quick clean can make its quality more readily apparent to a prospective buyer.

At the very least, purchase some over-the-counter jewelry cleaner and give it a quick rub with a soft brush or cloth. Or you can go one step further by bringing it to a jeweler and having them give it a professional clean with ultrasonic baths and steam cleaners. Most buyers will want to see how well a diamond shines, so cleaning it could really help you.

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