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For many, receiving shares or options from your employer is a welcome benefit. There are usually no immediate tax or cash flow implications and you simply get access to a new investment that, hopefully, will grow in value.

The May 2009 budget proposed changes to the treatment of these benefits which are likely to affect both the issuance and immediate implications of employee share schemes in the future.

Currently, as a recipient of shares or options under an employee share scheme , you get the choice on when to pay tax on the benefit you receive. If you do nothing, you will be deemed to defer the tax until a later date (the “cessation time”). Alternatively, you can elect to pay tax on the discounted benefit upfront by making an election in your tax return.

Under the new rules the tax treatment will flow from the structure of the scheme rather than from a choice made by the employee. Based on the terms of most current schemes, many recipients will be required to pay the tax upfront from now on.

While this may seem like bad news, it may not be as bad as you think. In addition, those who received employee shares or options prior to the announcement have a last chance opportunity to exercise their right to make an election that will affect the taxation of these securities.

Employee Share Scheme tax deferral not always a good thing …

The ability to defer tax is an alluring proposition. However, you need to consider the consequences associated with the deferment.

The best way to understand the benefits of an employee share scheme is to consider what you forgo in exchange.

Imagine you are are offered a cash bonus of $100,000. You take the benefit as cash and are left with $53,500 as disposable cash (after PAYG tax). You choose to invest the $53,500 in the shares of your employer.

Now consider an employee share scheme. In this case, instead of the $100,000 bonus, you receive $100,000 worth of your employer’s shares at no cost. Prior to the proposed changes, you could defer the tax on this benefit for up to 10 years and you get almost twice the number of employer shares that you could have voluntarily purchased from the after tax bonus proceeds.

It sounds like a far better proposition, but is it?

Under the employee share scheme you have not eliminated the tax liability, you have simply deferred it. You need to add this liability to the equation.

By accepting the employee share scheme you are effectively investing the deferred tax liability in your employer’s shares. While this may pay off handsomely, many fail to realise that they are contributing some of their own capital to the investment.

Another consideration that is often overlooked is the level of concentration risk you are accumulating in relation to your employer. Becoming increasingly reliant on the prospects of your employer, for both income and investment growth, can be a recipe for disaster.

But, why pay tax upfront when you can defer it?

A consequence of deferring the tax is that any subsequent growth on your investment is taxed at your marginal tax rate. Electing to pay the tax upfront means that future growth can be taxed under the discounted capital gains tax (CGT) regime .

Electing to pay tax upfront can therefore result in lower overall tax.

Generally, as the investment growth rate increases, the benefits of paying tax upfront increase – i.e. the higher the growth rate, the greater the benefit.

If you’re interested in a detailed comparison of deferring tax versus paying tax upfront for both shares and options, please click here.

While on the surface, deferring tax seems like a great option, in some circumstances it may be better to make the election to pay the tax upfront. On this basis, the new rules, which require you to pay tax upfront, may not be as bad as you think.

Immediate opportunities … 2008/09 Employee Share Schemes

Those who received employee shares and/or options during 2008/09 may find that this is their last chance to have a choice over when to pay the tax. If you were fortunate enough to be issued with these securities during the lows of the global financial crisis, you may consider that 2008/09 is a good year to opt for the tax election.

However, there are a number of issues you will need to consider, not least of which is your ability to fund the tax upfront from your own resources. Investing the time in a review of your options may prove to be well worth the effort.

Please be aware that this is a complex area in which you should seek advice from a competent expert.

Wealth Foundations is an independently owned personal financial advisory firm that offers wealth management and strategic financial planning services. For more information, visit Wealth Management.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/wealth-building-articles/employee-share-schemes-are-the-proposed-changes-all-bad-news-1534510.html

”I added this section to the site mainly because I believe men get a pretty rough deal when it comes to grooming and I want to make sure you all get the best advice I can find. I constantly find that women pick on men for either being too rough or taking care of themselves too much, and it adds just as much pressure for a man to look good as it does for women when they look at skinny models in magazines and feel they need to diet, so if you are a woman reading this (which you shouldn’t be) then ease up on your man he has feelings too. OK so shaving is a pretty standard task that takes place normally before work when you really cant be arsed, you splash some warm water on your face, slap some foam on your face and rip yourself to shreds with a Bic and end up sore and blotchy, but do you care? no of course you don’t you only woke up half an hour ago. I think most men including me need to go back to school when it comes to shaving and learn to do it properly because if its done right the results are far better and a bit of after care goes a long way.

Preparation:

I strongly believe that you should shave at night before bed just as you would wash and brush your teeth, the reason is that your face is more relaxed than first thing in the morning, and your concentration is better also shaving at night means you wont need to do it in the morning which means more time in bed. Before you reach for the razor it is worth prepping the face before a shave, use a pre shave wash like king of shaves, this helps cleanse the skin and get rid of any dirt before a shave.

Applying Foam or Gel:

It’s time to go back to how your grandad did it, using a shave brush is a brilliant way to shave, the brush acts as a mild exfoliant and brings the hairs up ready for shaving. Use a good gel or foam such as loreal for men or nivea and apply a good amount using the brush, work it into the face in a circular motion to help raise the hairs. Once you have a good even coating your ready for shaving.

The Shave:

By far the best way to shave is to use a cutthroat style razor they give an exceptionally close shave, but unless you visit a specialist barber that can do this for you it’s not very practical for everyday use, so instead use a good quality single blade razor, these fancy razors that offer 4 blades are in my opinion a waste of time and money. When shaving always go with the hair growth and never against it as this is what causes razor burn, going with the growth means you wont get sore and if your razor is of good quality you will get a very close shave.

AfterCare:

After you have finished shaving the aftercare is just as important as the shave itself, a good quality non fragranced moisturiser should be used on the face and neck, never use alcohol based liquids such as aftershave this will just inflame the skin. Below is a selection of products available on amazon which I think work well when shaving, try out shaving this way and i’m sure you will find it much better.

blokebuddy.com

Blokebuddy is a male interest blog providing daily posts on hot women,cars, footy news and more. Visit us at www.blokebuddy.com

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/men’s-issues-articles/shaving-tips-1363215.html

Back in the 1980’s there was no one in the world that influenced the budding Generation ‘X’ like that of Michael Jackson. Yes, there was President Ronald Regan, Bo Jackson, MTV, Boy George, Madonna and those funky heavy metal hair bands. But no one topped the power of Michael Jackson.

He was not just a star; he was phenomenon.  He commanded your attention, weather you were a music fan or not. Where he went, legions of fans followed, screaming for a glimpse. The world had not seen that since the Beatles and Elvis.

Now deceased, Michael Jackson is more powerful than ever before. This story has made frontline news in all the world’s paper for 3 days straight now. No other news is seemingly is so captivating; not Jon and Kate, not US economic woes, not even the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Michaels’ death has suddenly revived his career. Yes, revived. In all likelihood, he may generate more money then he ever did alive. Already record stores, iTunes, and Amazon have experience enormous demands.   Elvis, John Lennon, Jim Morrison all experienced the same.

Michael’s legacy will most likely focus on the days he produced Off the Wall and Thriller. Those two albums alone produced more hits then most musicians have in their entire careers. His music videos ‘Beat It’, ‘Billie Jean’, and ‘Thriller’ transformed music videos from a mere promotional tool to an art. It helped ignite MTV. His career in a nutshell: 2 time inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (as a solo artist and member of the Jackson 5), 13 Grammy Awards, 13 Number one singles, over 750 million albums sold worldwide, and billions of dollars generated.

The Lost Childhood
As the world learned, however, was that Michael Jackson had a dark side that involved child abuse, neglect, and accusations of child molestation. You find can an entire populace of people with similar history in prison.

It wasn’t enough that Michael suffered a lost childhood. He was never allowed to be own person. His spirit was never free. Instead, his life became a tool for others to make profit of his enormous talent. His father, Joe Jackson, was not a successful man on his own by any means. He was a steel worker during the day, hardly carrying enough change in his pockets for lunch.

To his credit, however, Joe Jackson was a driven man. He played in a band and was a talented guitarist. Perhaps he had dreams playing for record label, but fell victim to the circumstances in his day: poverty, racism, and missed opportunities.

To some, growing old and not fulfilling your lifelong dream is intolerable. Joe Jackson may not have wanted any of that. So, his kids became the pawns for his success. According the Michael and his sister LaToya, Joe Jackson was a tyrant with an iron fist. He ran the household with fear, intimidation, and complete lack of concern about his children’s feelings. 

In addition, Michael had to endure the challenge of being in a one-income household with ten kids.  Normally with large families siblings would play and fight with each other. In the Jackson household, it seemed that band practice took precedence to growing up and living a normal childhood. 

Despite the hardship, Michael was born to be an entertainer. For years the Jackson 5 played in local venues and won numerous competitions. It was not till Michael joined the band did MoTown Records take notice.

The Baton is Passed
Smokey Robinson said, “Michael had the talent of someone years his age.” Which Michael at the realm, the Jackson 5 attracted television and record deals. Like many child stars, however, Michael was forced into world that God never meant for children.  Michael never experienced a childhood. He was busy making money for his family and for the record labels. He was a moneymaker. Despite the claims from those who say they loved him and showed genuine concern, he was a music moneymaking machine. The self-worth was solely based on that. If he stopped producing, they stopped caring.

In 1979, the record ‘Off the Wall’ was a solo act without Michael’s tyrant father or his brothers. Quincy Jones was the man behind the project. Together, Jones and the 20 year old Jackson produced the first ever album to generate US top 10 hits including blockbuster songs like “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough” and “Rock with You”.

The man was only 20!

At 20 years old most people are in college, partying, studying for college exams, or thinking of their careers. Michael remained what he was since he was 10, a money making machine. Not a man with feelings, not a man with a spirit, and a human being. He was money making machine, the darling of the media, a man with billions of dollars, yet no life.

At 24, Thriller was released.  It’s the greatest album I have ever purchased. For Michael, the arrow had reached its peak and is now failing.

Energy Released – His deal with Children
It’s little wonder why Michael had that special relationship with children. He wanted to be around them, especially young male boys. Why? Because he was never allowed to experience having a ‘best friend’, or play outside with friends after school, like normal kids do. 

It’s just human nature to make up for lost experience. It not unusual for teenage moms, as soon as their children are grown, to dress up in sexy garbs, hang out at bars, and date younger men.

Michael’s inner demons were not demons. They were yearnings. Yearnings to have the God given right to a normal childhood.

Did he molest young boys? I’m not sure, but then I wonder why an innocent man would pay the family of one of his so-called victims $20 million to keep their mouth shut. I don’t know the details, nor will I speculate.

His Career Revived in Death
In years to come there will be speculations if Michael did actually die?  The same theories floated around about Elvis and Jim Morrison. Elvis and Jim Morrison made more money in death then they did alive.

Will that happen to Michael? Most likely yes.

The greatest gifts Michael left us his music. He is the ‘King of Pop’ and the greatest entertainer since Elvis and the Beatles. More important, for those who wish to live their successful through their children, look at Michael’s life and where it went.

He became a lost soul with billions of dollars. As it was mentioned in the Bible,

What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? – Matthew 16:26

Rest in Peace Michael and thanks for the music and the lessons learned.

Jim Hague is an author, lecturer, owner of Crystal Digital Images LLC, has no party affiliation and is a moderate. He is the author of ‘Abandoned Son: Roe vs. Wade is overturned.’

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/men’s-issues-articles/michael-jackson-the-lost-childhood-1289240.html

The sad death of Bruce Wasserstein is a popular news that shocked the business industry. Popular Bruce Wasserstein is a Wall Street investment banker. He helped establish the hostile takeover in the 1980s and reform the mergers and achievements business into a high art. But sad to say he past away, last Wednesday.

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Bruce Wasserstein, chairman and chief executive of Lazard died at 61. The cause of death of Mr. Wasserstein is until now not undetermined. Though Mr. Wasserstein was hospitalized earlier this week for irregular heartbeat. The company explained that Mr. Wasserstein’s condition was serious, but he was recovering and stable.

Bruce Wassertein started his career as a lawyer but quickly he shifted into investment banking and worked on some of the major deals for the past three decades. The Kohlberg Kravis Robert’s takeover of RJR Nabisco was his famous achievements. Mr. Wasserstein’s thinking in deal making is like a game of chess – one move ripe for complex tactic and frequently came at high cost. On his deals he always advocated win-win conditions and encouraged his clients also to do so in other deals. To date, Mr. Wasserstein is dubbed by his friends and colleagues as a great tactician.

Before, Mr. Wasserstein became a Lazard CEO he was hired first to run an investment bank. From there he influenced many of the firm’s dealmakers to support one of the largest deals of his profession. As a result he took Lazard public and ending more than a century of private ownership. From then on, Mr. Wassserstein became popular that he even made a surprise bid for New York Magazine, beating some of the city’s richest businessman.

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Charlie Davies an American soccer player had a fatal car accident in Virginia last early Tuesday. The accident causes a great impact to the United States hope for achieving prominent awards in soccer’s 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

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The American forward Charlie Davies is amongst the top and most promising soccer player for the past few years.  He got a fatal accident that severely injured him. The incident happened around 3:15 in the morning, and crashed along George Washington Memorial Parkway. The other passenger namely Ashley J. Roberta, 22 years old of Phoenix, Md., was killed in the crash. According to the police, the driver that they did not identify lost control of the car, which hit a guardrail and split in half.

Charlie Davies underwent five hours of surgery and describes as “serious condition” at Washington Hospital Center. The spokeperson of the United States Soccer Team Neil Buethe said the Davies injuries are not life threatening but will eventually affects Davies future games. Davies plays a great role for the FC Sochaux in French League and paves way to the debut of his team in June 2007 and played in 17 major games for U.S scoring four goals. The team felt sad when they learned the news and felt sorry for Charlie and his family.

Charlie Davies is great player, he will be a great lost for the team. His partnership with Jozy Altidore is the best dual combination in the game that makes Davies’ speed matches the opponent, and they surely do great in the coming league in South Africa.

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The study of the economy of Cuba can be divided into four phases. The first phase consists of the occupation of the island by the Spanish, which led to the extinction of the aboriginals and the bringing of African slaves to work on the sugar plantations. At this point of time, Cuba provided for the highly profitable business of sugar cultivation and its exports. Sugar industry was the crux of Cuba’s economy and Cuba rose to become one of the largest producers of sugar in the world.

The second phase pertains to the years following the wars of independence against the Spanish and also the invasion of Cuba by the US. It is marked by the sweeping powers of intervention obtained by the US in 1902, with the Cuban economy being controlled by the growing investment of the US citizens in the sugar plantations of Cuba. Now, again, money and profits from the sugar plantation, sugar refineries and subsidiary sugar products such as rum went to the many American investors and a few Cuban elite. The other major industries also included tourism, tobacco, transportation, mining and the communication industry.

The third phase begins with the Cuban revolution and the beginning of Fidel Castro’s rule in the year 1959. All plantations that were more than 400 hectares became state owned and all industries including the petroleum and the telephones became nationalized. This lead to the US trade embargo towards Cuba. Cuba lost its traditional international market. However, Cuba found a trade and political ally in the USSR when the Cuban-sugar for Russian-oil package worked well. Cuba reoriented itself to the Russian and pro-Russian market and did over 80% of its international trade with them. The next 30 years saw tremendous improvement in health care, education and social welfare. Cuba boasts of a 97% literacy rate and the life expectancy increased to 76%. There was an egalitarian distribution of income and Cuba’s income inequality index became the lowest in the world.

All was well until 1989 when it became clear to Cuba that sooner or later Cuba would have to learn to do without any subsidies or trade relations with the USSR and the eastern European countries. The fourth phase begins here with the government dubbing it as the ‘Special Period in Peacetime’. The economic reforms include:

(i) the opening and gearing up of tourism as an industry

(ii) diversification of the agricultural sector by producing fruits and vegetables and rice along with live stock for local consumption that include the visiting tourists.

(iii) production of more of citrus food and less of sugar

(iv) focusing on that sector of fisheries which sent its fleets to nearby seas and exporting spiny lobsters to Japan

(v) State-owned lands have been converted to agricultural cooperatives that are managed to a certain degree by the workers. Retail outlets at a small scale have been allowed for the food market. In the field of food production, allowing the sale of excess production (which is above the state-fixed production quota) in the free market has brought down black markets, in addition to enhancing production

(vi) Foreign investments in various industries such as tourism, mining, telecommunication, construction and manufacturing sectors have been allowed

(vii) Self employment has been legalized for around 150 occupations.

Investment into biotechnology and pharmaceuticals during the third phase reaped returns when products of this industry were available for export now at the fourth phase.

The other Cuban industries include cement, steel, agricultural machinery and construction.

Fisheries, nickel and ore production, growing agricultural products such as fruits, tobacco are some areas that have shown growth in the export sector. Cuba now exports to European countries (50%), Canada and Latin America (20%), and Asia (20%).

Spain, France, and United Kingdom have invested in the tobacco and cigar production. Spain and Canada have invested in the exploration of oil off the shores of Cuba. Mexico, Canada, Australia, South-Africa, Netherlands, Brazil, and Chile are the other major countries that have invested in the various industries of Cuba.

Cuba has entered into an agreement with Venezuela whereby thousands of Cubans who are doctors, teachers and sports trainers, and engineers would move in to Venezuela to assist their development program in return for 53,000 barrels of oil per day being shipped to Cuba for the next five years.

“Energy revolution” where apart form changing the entire system of power generation and distribution, energy conservation is also aimed at, has been in vogue in Cuba for the last two years. The quality of life of the Cubans are improving with the volunteers of the government replacing on a door-to-door campaign, the existing electric stoves and lights with the ones that are more efficient and less energy consuming. Energy efficient refrigerators and television sets have been distributed and would be installed in all the thousands of housing units that the government is building. Energy efficient buses from China would soon be available for the Cuban public transport. It is just a matter of some time when power generation would take place at hundreds of units that are well synchronized, thus avoiding wastage of power while distributing it through very long distances. Generation of natural gas while exploring for oil at oil rigs is also considered.

Cuba has also legalized the US dollars. Further, the Venezuelan inputs for domestic oil production and upgradation of existing power stations have raised the level of optimism. Cuba is also hoping to find oil off its shores. Apart from the sugar industry and its related products, there are various industries such as tourism (also called the lung of the Cuban economy), fisheries, nickel and ore production, production of tobacco, Cuban cigar, citrus fruits, pharmaceuticals, coffee, besides basic manufacturing industries which have earned Cuba foreign exchange. Cuba has learned to manage its post-USSR economic condition and is steering towards a more prosperous economy.

The man behind the 601 line of cigars explains why he’s zagging while the rest of the market zigs, and is only focusing on his existing products this year. Interesting insight into the cigar business.