Ifs and VATs of Taxation in Macedonia - Should VAT be Applied in Macedonia?
To be justified, taxes should satisfy a few conditions:Above all, they should encourage economic activity by providing incentives to save and to invest. Savings - transformed into investments- enhance productivity and growth of the economy as a whole.A tax should be simple - to administer and to ... more...

Exotic Mortgage
With real estate prices ever on the rise, first-time home buyers are facing more difficulties in buying a home. Who ever thought they'd buy a $500,000 starter home?Mortgage lenders have acknowledged the problem by creating new and innovative mortgage products, mostly designed to lower the ... more...

The Red Flags of Getting a Home Loan
Red flags are indicators that there may be a current or future problem with the borrower or transaction. They help Underwriters isolate pertinent issues that are part of the overall loan evaluation. They are questionable items, and when there are several, they usually indicate that something is ... more...

Home Based Business: Your Ultimate Tax Shelter
Starting and operating your own home based business is the ultimate tax shelter.Although this article has been written from a Canadian income tax perspective, the principles should be practical in other tax jurisdictions.1. Non-Deductible Personal Living ExpensesAll of us have expenses that we ... more...

8 Tips for Keeping More of Your Hard Earned Money
Masters degree not required...just a little common sense, a $5.00 calculator and a realistic plan is all youll need.Theres got to be a better way resonates with many of us, when contemplating how frustrated weve become with our investment decisions. Too many Canadians are spending far too much on ... more...

Glossary of Common Terms Used During the Mortgage Process
APR - This stands for Annual Percentage Rate. It enables you to compare the full cost of the mortgage. Rather than just being an interest rate, it includes up front and ongoing costs of taking out a mortgage. The formula for calculating APR is set by Government Regulations and therefore enables ... more...

Are You An Innocent Victim of These Popular Myths?
Misconceptions, misinterpretations and just plain untruths are floating about income taxes. Believing them could be costing thousands of tax dollars!Myth: A Professional Tax Preparer knows all there is to know about taxes so you don't have to know anything them.Truth: Tax ... more...

Offset Mortgages: A Dream for Well Off Homeowners
Offset mortgages represent one of the biggest mortgage innovations seen in recent years. Six years ago there was hardly an offset mortgage to be seen. Now they and the current account mortgage, to which they are closely related, account for 10 out of every 100 of new lending.Whats more, one of the ... more...

Mortgage Loan Basics: Interest Only Loans, Pay Option ARM
Mortgage Loan BasicsTo understand loans and mortgages we need to understand loan limits first. If your loan amount exceeds the amount below, you will qualify for a Jumbo Loan, which carries higher interest rate.One-Family (single family homes) $417,000 Two-Family(duplex) $533,850 Three-Family ... more...