Monthly Archives: March 2010

Collateral Management Tips

Have you ever wondered about collateral management or do you work with collateral management in your job? This article is designed to help you understand more about collateral management techniques and how to implement them more effectively.

First, you need to understand that collateral is the items, or assets you are using to secure obligations for yourself or your business. Obviously, you want to wisely manage these assets because they will be repossessed if you default on your obligations. In today’s market, a variety of types of securities are often the collateral. Another type of collateral that is often used is cash. Carefully managing collateral is always a wise business practice. With the complexity of hedge funds, it can be hard to keep your finger on the pulse of what is happening with your collateral.

In this new economy, everyone is being more vigilant about verifying existing trading relationships, evaluating all counterparties’ creditworthiness, and examining the rational of all trading relationships. Companies focus on improving risk-management policies and procedures.

Your collateral is important to you. It is what makes it possible to obtain loans and other money services. Poor management can result in loss of assets, loss of money, and even the collapse of a business. If you are in a position in your job to work with collateral management for your company, you are responsible to your company to make wise management choices in order to increase your companies credibility as well as their bottom line. Efficient collateral management can provide a competitive advantage in the marketplace.

It isn’t very feasible to manage collateral just using spreadsheet any more. Most companies are turning to banking software to meet their growing needs. Banking software can assist you by giving you access to marketing expertise and resources necessary to meet your collateral management requirements. Banking software allows you to retrieve information on a variety of types of transactions, which is important when working with collateral management. Some of the services that can be offered through banking software are custodizing assets listed as collateral, handling income and margin calls, processing income, clearance and collateral management services for your cash transactions, and assurance of collateral eligibility.

As you can see, researching the available banking software for collateral management could be a big step toward maximizing your business practices.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/banking-articles/collateral-management-tips-1386847.html

Banking and Financial Services – Essential Part of Everyone’s Life

Banking and Financial Services

Nowadays, Banking and Financial Services are an essential part of everyone’s life. Every day people use different types of banking and various financial services. Some examples include paying utility bills or insurance premiums, shopping online or through Debit/Credit Cards. These technology driven banking and financial services have simplified transactions and made life easier.

Why Banking and Financial Services?

No one is left untouched by the impact of money. We all have to rely on banking and financial service providers for effective use of our money. Be it lending, investment, or insurance, people need to depend on banking and financial service providers.

Life in the digital age has become somewhat more secure and simpler through the implementation of beneficial banking and finance practices. Different banking services provided by major banks like personal banking, enterprise banking solutions, and investment consultancy help investors properly utilize their money with the aim to grow and gain future financial benefits. There is protection which consumers may be able to obtain to ensure that your investments are protected. Insurance companies provide protection from several uncertainties that may come without notice. Life and non-life insurance covering all kinds of emergencies give people peace of mind.

Apart from that, several financial institutions provide consultancy for the right of investment so that your money is invested in the right place and your can enjoy the maximum possible benefits on your invested money. Your investments may also help in tax savings and other economic benefits.

Credit Services – Economic Relief When You Are in Need

Credit/lending services are among the most popular segment of modern banking and finance industry. We come across several situations in life when we face some sort of cash crunch at a crucial moment in life. Its times like these when banks and lending institutions come to the rescue by offering various credit schemes and loans. In addition to this consumers may also need credit to turn their dreams into reality (like buying a luxury vehicle or a dream house). This is where banking institutions can also assist us.

Credit services may help people by increasing our quality of living. Banks and lending agencies provides credit for almost every need. You can get loans not only to purchase a dream house, or luxury vehicles, but also for emergency medical treatments, higher education, or even a loan for a wedding.

In summary, different types of banking and financial services are an essential need for everyone. One cannot expect to live a comfortable financial life without the right banking and financial services assistance and security.

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Credit Risk Management

The active management of credit risk has been receiving increasing regulator attention and strategic focus at many financial institutions. Regulators cite poor credit risk management at the portfolio level, weak credit standards for borrowers and counterparties, and insufficient attention to changes in economic and other circumstances affecting the capacity of borrowers and counterparties as the highest contributors to inadequate credit risk management. Regulators have changed capital charges to make financial institutions more responsive to actual credit exposure and have set new rules for how much capital banks must set aside to cover potential losses.

The basic principles for an effective credit risk management process were outlined in the consultative paper “Principles for the Management of Credit Risk,” issued by the Basle Committee on Banking Supervision. We consider it appropriate to underscore these principles in view of the current regulatory and credit market influences.

Definition of Credit Risk

Credit risk is the risk of loss arising from a borrower’s or counterparty’s inability to meet its obligations. The majority of a financial institution’s credit risk arises from its lending activities – outstanding loans and leases, trading account assets, derivative assets, and unfunded lending commitments that include loan commitments, letters of credit, and financial guarantees. It also exists in other activities such as acceptances, interbank transactions, trade finance, and retail and investment settlements.

Managing Credit Risk

It is important to formulate and implement a structured credit policy and related processes to manage credit risk. Strategies for credit risk management, including credit policy development and risk monitoring, is the responsibility of business unit and senior management, and the board of directors.

Financial institutions should establish credit limits to control the risk in all credit-related activity. Limits by industry sector, geographical region, product, customer, and country should be specified, along with the approaches to be used for calculating exposures against those limits, and made part of credit policy. Consideration should also be given to the spread across industries or regions as the default of one firm or industry may also affect others. Larger financial institutions might also consider multiple limits for each borrower or borrower group, by product, operational unit, and borrower member so that banking and trading activities of those borrowers or borrower groups creating credit risk can be more adequately monitored. While the trend has been that many financial institutions monitor total exposures in those categories, most have not set maximum limits on those exposures.

Commercial Portfolio Credit Risk Management

Credit risk in the commercial portfolio can be managed based on the risk profile of the borrower, repayment source, and the nature of underlying collateral given current events and conditions. Commercial credit risk management should begin with an assessment of the credit risk profile of an individual borrower or counterparty based on current analysis of the borrower’s financial position in conjunction with current industry, economic, and macro geopolitical trends. As part of the overall credit risk assessment of an obligor, each commercial credit exposure or transaction should be assigned a risk rating and be subject to approval based on approval standards defined in credit policy. Subsequent to loan origination, risk ratings should be adjusted on an ongoing basis as necessary to reflect changes in the obligor’s financial condition, cash flow, or ongoing financial viability. The regular monitoring of a borrower’s or counterparty’s ability to perform under its obligations allows for adjustments to be made that will affect the credit exposure measurement.

Risk rating aggregations should be considered for measurement and evaluation of concentrations within portfolios. Risk ratings are also a factor in determining the level of assigned economic capital and the allowance for credit losses.

To manage the relative risk within the commercial portfolio, many financial institutions utilize participation or syndication of exposure to other financial institutions or entities, loan sales and securitizations, and credit derivatives to manage the size of the loan portfolio and the relative associated credit risk. These activities can play an important role in reducing credit exposures for risk mitigation purposes or where it has been determined that credit risk concentrations are undesirable.

Consumer Portfolio Credit Risk Management

Credit risk management for consumer credit should begin with initial underwriting and continue throughout a borrower’s credit cycle. Consumer and other common attributes to evaluate credit risk. Statistical techniques may be used to establish product pricing, risk appetite, operating processes, and metrics to balance risks and rewards appropriately. Statistical models can be purchased or created that use detailed behavioral information from external sources such as credit bureaus, along with internal historical experience. These models should be validated periodically to assure they continue to be statistically valid and reflect performance of the institution’s customer base, particularly if used for credit scoring. When used, these models will form the foundation of an effective consumer credit risk management process and may be used in determining approve/decline credit decisions, collections management procedures, portfolio management decisions, adequacy of the allowance for loan and lease losses, and economic capital allocation for credit risk.

Accurate Calculations of Exposures

Assuring accurate calculations of exposures against limits is critical to managing credit risk. Methodologies will vary according to product types. For lending products and current accounts, the book balance is considered an appropriate measure, with related accruals included as part of the exposure as default of a counterparty on the primary exposure would also likely lead to loss of interest income. The current market value should be used for issuer exposures on bonds and equities, with replacement cost of the trade used as measure for any unsettled trades. For foreign exchange and derivatives, exposure should be measured at the replacement cost of the trades plus an add-on value based on the nominal value to reflect potential future adverse movements in the replacement cost.

Concentrations of Credit Risk

Portfolio credit risk should be evaluated to assure that concentrations of credit exposure do not result in undesirable levels of risk or in violations of regulatory requirements. Regular review and measure of concentrations of credit exposure against established limits by product, industry, geography, and customer relationship should be performed. For specialized industries, additional measurement categories may be appropriate, such as geographic location and property type for commercial real estate loans. When exposures exceed established limits, an escalation process should be triggered to avoid potential conflicts and to assure senior management is aware of all excesses. Periodic revalidation of established limits would be appropriate to assure that the limits continue to match the strategic risk appetite, provide for targeted asset mix, and recognize potential exposures as anticipated.

Examination of Credit Risk Management

Regulatory examination activities use a variety of techniques to assess a financial institution’s credit risk, including a sampling of loans and review of the institution’s credit management processes. Consideration is given to the complexity of the financial institution’s products and activities, and overall risk management practices. Designing, implementing, and adjusting processes and practices to effectively manage credit risk will limit unanticipated exposures.

For more information about credit risk management, please visit <a target=”_blank” href=”http://www.younginc.com”>www.younginc.com</a>

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/banking-articles/credit-risk-management-1355173.html

How Are Banks and Credit Unions Different?

So, you are about to embark upon the fun task of switching banks, opening an account for the first time or perhaps just looking around to see what is out there. Think about what you need and then look into your choices.

Consider how fast you can get results. Does the bank or credit union utilize <a title=”Learn More About Automated Decsioning at Zoot!” Href=http://www.zootweb.com/additional_information/automated_decisioning.html>automated decisioning</a> so that you can get results in an instant? Automated decisioning is a way that financial institutions can get you answers regarding loans, credit card approvals and line of credit increases right away.

Are you thinking about starting a business? Consider <a title=”Learn More About Small Business Lending at Zoot!” Href=http://www.zootweb.com/additional_information/small_business_lending.html>small business lending</a> program. Look to see if you would qualify for the loan and perhaps all the hoops through which you will need to jump.

A simple thing to ask yourself is how convenient is the institution’s location. Maybe you don’t drive so you’ll want to make sure they are on your bus route or within walking distance of your home. If not, maybe there is a satellite location close to you or an ATM where you can do your deposits. Ask yourself how much you will need to visit the bank so you can choose one that is convenient.

Next, think about the difference between banks and credit unions. There are several key differences when f figuring out which way you should go. First, credit unions are owned by its members. The members are often limited to a certain select group of people, depending on the credit union. Investors, on the other hand, own banks. Second, credit unions are not-for-profit. Banks, since they are investor owned are out to make a profit for their investors. So, when a credit union reaps profits it is coming back to the members in the form of lower interest rates and higher dividends.

Think about the type of service you’d like to receive. So far I haven’t met anyone who would choose a bank if they were choosing purely because of customer service. Generally speaking, since credit unions are smaller they get to know their customers better. This may mean that they will look out for you a bit more than a bank. However, there are many people that swear by the bank they use and don’t really care about the customer service as long as there are no errors. It is up to you.

Maybe online banking and bill pay is important to you. If so, check out their web site and maybe their news releases to find out what they offer and if there is a fee for their services. Those little fees can really add up rather quickly if you are not watching out for them. And, make sure they are compatible with your budget software or be prepared to invest in some new software. You may also want to keep in mind whether or not you want the option of having a safety deposit box and if they are offered.

A bank or a credit union? The choice is yours. But, ask around. Find out from friends and family what kind of experiences they’ve had and you’ll be on your way to finding a good fit.

About the author: Jason Ausmus is a web content producer for Innuity. For more information regardingautomated decisioning or small business lending go to Zoot

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/banking-articles/how-are-banks-and-credit-unions-different-1364543.html

Bad Credit Loans: Civilizing Bad Debt Condition

Credit runs into our lives and has effect on almost every decision we make. Bad credit runs in our credit application and has effects on every loan we borrow. A recent survey has shown that one fifth of the adult population cannot qualify for regular loans. For such a huge loan borrowing population there are specific loan programmes called bad credit loans.

With bad credit loans you can borrow loan amounts of the likes of £5000-£75,000. Repayment term will vary from 5-25 years. Both secured and unsecured options are available for bad credit loans. Unsecured bad credit loans will require no collateral and will suit if you want to borrow smaller amounts. For larger amounts secured bad credit loans are appropriate and would require collateral like home, real estate or car etc.

Start with your credit report and credit score – that will give you a clear idea about how ‘bad’ your bad credit is. Credit score has statistical information which can be used by loan lenders to assess the risk accompanied while lending you money. Different credit score structures are used by loan lenders – however the most common is fico credit score. Fico score ranges from 300-900. Anything below 620 will mean you have bad credit score and will qualify for such loans only.

Bankruptcy, arrears, late payments, CCJs, defaults, foreclosure and any court case are seen as bad credit cases. None of these things on your credit report can prevent you from having bad credit loans, unless you have pretty bad credit condition like multiple bankruptcies. In worst case scenario there will fewer lender ready to take this sort of risk.

Bad credit loans differ only with respect to interest rates. If you have bad credit then interest rates will be high. However, you may not qualify for high interest rates if you care take care of other aspects of bad credit loans. It is true that bad credit score is important while deciding on interest rates but they are not the ‘only’ deciding factors. Collateral, equity, income, current debts, recent credit history – these should be your strong points.

It depends on lender to lender about the risk they are ready to take with you. These lenders are usually referred to as “high risk lenders”. Terms will vary with lenders and you will have to check how strict or relaxed they are with bad credit loans. Documentation required with bad credit loans will include income tax returns, bank statements, estimate of property and title of the property (in case loan is secured), documents to see that there are no legal disputes relating to collateral. Requirements for documents can also increase or decrease with different lenders.

Banks, financial institutions, private lenders have options for those looking for bad credit loans. Online option is by far the one that has the most extensive range of lenders offering bad credit loans. Go to lender, ask for quote, compare loans and then decide on which loan to settle on. Look for hidden fee and ask questions if you are not sure. Proceed if you are satisfied.

Bad Credit Loans are meant for every loan lending purpose. There are bad credit loans for wedding, home improvement, debt consolidation etc. Bad credit loans usually are not much concerned about the purpose. Try to take Bad credit loans for smaller amounts, This way it will be easier for borrowers to repay bad credit loans in due time. Make sure you can repay bad credit loans for you do not want more negative information on your credit report.

Bad credit loans can be a starting point to building up good credit. Regaining good credit takes time. With a respectable performance with bad credit loans you can help build credit.

Finding Bad credit loans is not a mathematical algorithm that you need some special skills to find them. Nor they are on sale that you will find them easily. But loans for bad credit are possible – which means you are getting the ideal loan for your not so ideal credit situation. You can hardly miss such convenient assortment of circumstance.

Author: Amanda Thompson
Article Source: EzineArticles.com