It is essential that all parties involved in a workers’ compensation claim—the employer, injured worker, nurse case manager, insurance carrier and medical provider—share a strong commitment to restoring the injured worker to wellness and productivity. Your cooperation and support will help to achieve positive outcomes for all parties involved.

What is ecovery?

ecovery is Eastern’s innovative, holistic program to help return injured workers back to wellness and productivity by using work as a therapeutic tool. This section will provide you with the documents you need to assist an injured worker in their return to wellness journey.

How does it benefit the injured worker?

Programs that use work as therapy ("return to work,” or RTW, programs) have been demonstrated to help injured workers recover up to 3 times faster1, 2. The sooner a worker is placed on modified duty, the sooner he or she returns to work.

[1]

Andersen, L. P., Kines, P., & Hasle, P. (2007). Owner attitudes and self reported behavior towards modified work after occupational injury absence in small enterprises: a qualitative study. Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation, 17, 107-121.

[2]

Shaw, L, Domanski, S., Freeman, A., & Hoffele, C. (2008). An investigation of a workplace-based return-to-work program for shoulder injuries. Work, 30(3), 267-275.

When we look around we are amazed at the speed with which the world is changing. Online fraud techniques such as Pharming and other cyber-crime attacks are at all time high. To overcome such challenges, we need to at least have some basic understanding of these terms. The intention of this informational document is to approach the problem with a solution.

What is Pharming

Pharming redirects Internet users from legitimate websites to malicious ones using a strategy called DNS Cache Poisoning – where corrupt data is inserted into the cache database of a DNS.

The attacker uses several ways to carry out pharming attacks, one of the most popular way is to modify the Host file. The Pharmer covertly hijacks your computer and takes you to a forged website. Your browser may display the legitimate URL, but you will not be on the legitimate server. This, in most cases, is a page that looks identical to that of your bank, financial institution or online shopping websites like, eBay, or Amazon. Here, the attacker seeks your confidential information like credit card numbers, account passwords, etc.

The Hosts fi­le allows storing IP & domain names to speed up sur­fing and avoid consulting a DNS server. So, every time a user enters the address into the browser, the PC accesses the Hosts fi­le fi­rst and, if it ­finds this domain name, it takes up the IP address of a website. Now if the Hosts file is modified, the user will be redirected to the wrong website, where the attacker will be waiting to steals the credentials.

To carry out a pharming attack, the attacker typically makes use of the following:

1.       A Batch Script to write the malicious IP and domain names onto the Hosts ­files.

2.      A Joiner to join the batch ­file onto another fi­le

3.      A Code Obfuscator to help the executable escape detection from anti-virus software.

Phishing vs Pharming

You need to be clear about the difference between Pharming and Phishing. Phishing attacks start with the receipt of an e-mail asking you to visit a website where you may get compromised. Pharming attacks start at the DNS server level where you are redirected to a malicious website.

How to mitigate Pharming attack

Use an anti-virus program which protects you from unauthorized alterations of the Host file is one way. Also, you should regularly patch your operating system and the installed software.

More sophisticated pharming attacks target the DNS server which is usually handled by Internet Service Providers (ISPs). In such a scenario, a user has few options at hand to handle the risk and he can do little against it, except using trustworthy DNS servers.

An email pops up in your inbox, saying you have a date in court. And it uses your first name. Pretty alarming, no? Not to worry — courts don’t communicate that way. It’s a scam — a variant of one that apparently has spread from Australia and the UK. But the purpose isn’t to bilk you out of money — it’s to steal your identity and get you to click on malicious links.

Welcome to the new spam, a phenomenon that threatens consumers and companies alike. Such schemes have long existed, but they are now more insidious, thanks to improved technology and the boundless creativity of the perpetrators.  

For example, the Internal Revenue Service warned this week that thousands of taxpayers’ W-2 records have been compromised. 

“This particular scam, sometimes referred to as business email spoofing (BES), reportedly first appeared last year, said the IRS,” PYMNTS.com reports. “Cybercriminals send emails to employees in payroll and human resources (HR) using slightly modified email addresses to make it appear as if the emails are coming from an organization executive, said the IRS. The email requests a list of all employees and their W-2 forms.”

PYMNTS.com continues that the scam has “evolved beyond affecting just the corporate world and has spread to other sectors, including school districts, the health care sector, temp agencies and nonprofits, among others.”

It used to be that fraud artists rented an email sucker’s list: Many still do. But it’s expensive, and not as reliable as it once was. Anyway, why risk the liability to both sender and vendor? There are better ways.

Take the “snowshoe spamming” allegedly conducted by Michael A. Persaud. Persaud was indicted on federal charges this week, according to Krebs on Security.

“The Justice Department says Persaud sent well over a million spam emails to recipients in the United States and abroad,” Krebs on Security writes. “Prosecutors charge that Persaud often used false names to register the domains, and he created fraudulent “From:” address fields to conceal that he was the true sender of the emails. The government also accuses Persaud of “illegally transferring and selling millions of email addresses for the purpose of transmitting spam.”

It gets worse.ZDNet reported yesterday that spammers can spoof Gmail accounts, and that Gmail can’t stop them. Renato Marinho, a researcher from Brazilian security firm Morphus Labs, claims that Gmail “doesn't filter or indeed even warn users about dodgy messages from a spoofed @gmail.com address,” according to ZDNet. “That is, the email appears to have come from a Gmail account, but actually came from a non-Gmail server. It's not hard to imagine the fun that hackers and spammers could have with this behavior.”

 The solution? Stronger cyber security at companies and institutions of all kinds — to protect customers, employees, and everyone. 

There is a multitude of tyres available on the market today and it might seem difficult to choose the right tyre for your vehicle. Tyre&Auto Southbourne Group, as a company committed to taking care of your car, can help you choose the best tyre for your car with their knowledge and skills in car servicing.

But first, just a short introduction to Tyre&Auto Southbourne Group - it is a family run company that offers services such as helping you look for good tyres without getting scammed, car servicing, MOTs, brake checks and free seasonal checks. For more than a decade, it has also been trading on the South Coast of Hampshire.

If you’re planning to renew the tyres of your vehicle and you need help in choosing the right one, Tyre&Auto can assist you. There are certain elements that should be taken into consideration regarding this matter, and it includes the size, climate and how you drive your vehicle.

You’ll not have a hard time knowing the size of the tyre because it is already indicated in its wall. There are also different types of important information that the sidewall of a tyre holds wherein you can determine the following:

- Date and place of production

- Speed

- Load capacity

- Size

Other significant details that you can find on the wall of the tyre include its section width, aspect ratio or profile, as well as its radius.

There are particular factors that could affect the life of your tyre and it involves when your mileage per annum is high or low, or when you drive in inner city conditions instead of motorways. Based on the criteria you gave, Tyre&Auto Southbourne Group can help you with your choice even if you drive in a sportier manner that could also affect the life of your tyre.

For further inquiries, give them a call today or visit their local depots, and their team will be happy to help you.

News & Media

May, 2014

Lectured for tax accountants who want to start up their business.

“How to hire an ideal staffs for your firm.”

December 2013

Introduced as an Japanese tax professional who can communicate in English in “Japan Startup Guide 2013”

October 2013

Lectured in Tokyo on behalf of ESSAM KK for tax accountants.

“How to set up your business as an tax accountant.”

September 2013 – August 2014

Serialized an essay for readers who want to be an tax accountant.

September,2013

Lectured in Osaka on behalf of ESSAM KK.

“Let’s become a winner as an tax accountant.”

September, 2013

Interviewed by Nikkei newspaper.

“Tax saving for investment of foreign real estate.”

August, 2013

Lectured in Sendai on behalf of ESSAM KK.

“Let’s become a winner as an tax accountant.”

July, 2013

Lectured in Tokyo on behalf of ESSAM KK.

“Let’s become a winner as an tax accountant.”

June, 2013

Lectured at Tokyo CPA Association’s Shibuya Block Conference.

“Tax Treatments for expats who Work Overseas.”

June, 2013

Interviewed by popular women’s magazine, “DRESS,” for their feature on Female Entrepreneurs in Japan.

January, 2013

Featured in Kansai University of Foreign Languages website.

December, 2012

DVD, produced by BIZUP SOKEN KK, goes on sale.

“Salaries for Expatriates.”

December, 2012

Lectured at ESSAM KK.

“Basics for International Tax Accounting.”

October, 2012

DVD, produced by ACCS Consulting Co. Ltd., goes on sale.

“International Tax for Tax Accountants.”

September 2012

Interviewed for issue 26 of Tax Accounting Industry News published by ACCS Consulting Co. Ltd.

“Tax Accountant specializing in international taxation matters”\

August 2012

The Tax Accountant Blog (written by Kaori Fuchi) was presented in Taxation Institute of Japan's website Zei-no-machi (Town taxation).

In its Internet Organized Crime Threat Assessment (IOCTA) report released today, Europol has detailed today's top 8 most prevalent cybercrime trends, for which investigators have seen a rise in detected incidents since the start of the year.

The report, which highlights an upward trend for volume, scope and material cost of cybercrime, comes on the heels of UK authorities announcing earlier in the year that cybercrime has surpassed traditional crime for the first time in their country's history.

#1: Crime-as-a-Service

Europol says that the digital underground is shifting towards a Crime-as-a-Service business model, with various individuals and groups specializing in a niche crime and providing technical support and service for that crime alone using online services.

From illegal weapons sales to on-demand hacks, and from DDoS-for-Hire services to exploit kit packages, you can buy online almost any type of cybercrime service these days.

#2: Ransomware

If you read Softpedia's Security News section, you can hardly go one day without reading a report on ransomware-related topics. Besides ransomware, Europol also says that banking trojans have been a popular form of malware this year as well.

#3: The criminal use of data

Recent hacks and data breaches have thrust troves of data in the public eye, which crooks are leveraging for other hacks, fraud, and even extortion.

#4: Payment fraud

Europol says it received a large number of fraud complaints, which were traced back to organized crime groups hacking ATMs, EMV, and contactless (NFC) cards.

#5: Online child sexual abuse

The large number of online tools and services providing complex and unbreakable end-to-end encryption, along with anonymous payments supported via crypto-currencies has resulted in "an escalation in the live streaming of child abuse."

#6: Abuse of the Darknet

More and more crime-related activities have now moved to the Darknet (or Dark Web), a portion of the Internet for which you need special software like Tor and I2P to access. Criminals are taking advantage of the anonymity these networks provide to go about their business unabated.

#7: Social engineering

Europol says that spear-phishing incidents aimed at high-value targets have gone up in 2016, and it highlights the increase in CEO fraud (BEC scams) attacks.

#8: Virtual currencies

Europol says Bitcoin has become the de-facto standard currency for extortion payments. This is also the reason why Europol established a Bitcoin Money Laundering Division earlier this month.

SAN FRANCISCO – Apple on Friday urged iPhone owners to install a security update after a sophisticated attack on an Emirati dissident exposed vulnerabilities targeted by malware dealers.

Researchers at the Lookout mobile security firm and Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto said they had uncovered a three-pronged attack targeting the dissident’s phone “that subverts even Apple’s strong security environment.”

Lookout and Citizen Lab worked with Apple on an iOS patch to defend against the attack, called Trident because of its triad of methods, the researchers said in a joint blog post.

“We were made aware of this vulnerability and immediately fixed it with iOS 9.3.5,” Apple said in a released statement.

Trident is used in spyware referred to as Pegasus, which a Citizen Lab investigation showed was made by an Israel-based organization called NSO Group. NSO was acquired by the U.S. firm Francisco Partners Management six years ago.

Lookout referred to Pegasus as the most sophisticated attack it has seen, accessing calls, cameras, email, passwords, apps and more.

The spyware was detected when used against Ahmed Mansoor, a human rights activist who has been repeatedly targeted using spyware.

After receiving a suspicious text with a link, he reported the matter to Citizen Lab, which worked in conjunction with San Francisco-based Lookout to research the affair.

“The attack sequence, boiled down, is a classic phishing scheme: send text message, open web browser, load page, exploit vulnerabilities, install persistent software to gather information,” the joint blog post said. “This, however, happens invisibly and silently, such that victims do not know they’ve been compromised.”

Mansoor received text messages on Aug. 10 and 11 promising that secrets about detainees being tortured in United Arab Emirates jails could be accessed by clicking on an enclosed link, researchers said.

Had he fallen for the ruse, the Trident chain of heretofore unknown “zero-day exploits” would have broken into his iPhone and installed snooping software.

Once infected, Mansoor’s iPhone would have been turned into a “spy in his pocket” capable of tracking his whereabouts and conversations, Citizen Lab said.

Mansoor was targeted five years ago with FinFisher spyware and again the following year with Hacking Team spyware, according to Citizen Lab research.

“The use of such expensive tools against Mansoor shows the lengths that governments are willing to go to target activists,” the researchers said.

Although the cyberattack on Mansoor was not linked to a specific government, Citizen Lab said indicators pointed to the UAE.

UAE authorities did not comment on the matter.

Lookout and Citizen believe the spyware has been “in the wild for a significant amount of time.”

“It is also being used to attack high-value targets for multiple purposes, including high-level corporate espionage on iOS, Android and Blackberry.”

Citizen Lab has also found evidence that “state-sponsored actors” used NSO weapons against a Mexican journalist who reported on high-level corruption in that country and on an unknown target in Kenya.

The NSO tactics included impersonating sites such as the International Committee of the Red Cross, the British government’s visa application processing website and a wide range of news organizations and major technology companies, the researchers said.

Mansoor’s decision to enlist Citizen Lab instead of falling into the trap gave researchers a rare chance to expose the work of “shady cyber arms dealers” who command high prices for morally questionable services, said Lookout’s vice president of security research, Mike Murray.

Invoices posted online have shown that hackers can charge tens of thousands of dollars per target hit with their software.

“The smartphone is a valuable target, and breaking into it is a valuable skill set,” Murray said. “People who can do this, and with wiggle room in their moral code, have realized the business opportunity.”

NSO Group has been around since 2010, and the capture of one of its weapons was billed as a first.

Studying Trident has helped cyberdefenders find ways to spot spyware that had been operating unseen, and they are “actively catching it in the wild now,” Murray said.

He declined to reveal anything about other targets, saying that they were people likely to be under surveillance in other ways by local authorities.

Citizen Lab saw the attack on Mansoor as further evidence that “lawful intercept” spyware has significant abuse potential, and that some governments can’t resist the temptation to use such tools against political opponents, journalists and human rights defenders.

Residents who use Yahoo Mail are being encouraged by the S.C. Department of Consumer Affairs to take action to secure their online accounts following the announcement last month of a massive breach.

During the last two weeks of September, Yahoo announced that at least 500 million user accounts had been compromised.

An investigation by Yahoo following suspicions of an attack in July uncovered a far larger, allegedly state-sponsored attack in recent weeks, according to the Associated Press.

“We take these types of breaches very seriously and will determine how this occurred and who is responsible,” the FBI said in a statement last week.

Given the importance most people place on protecting personal information, the Department of Consumer Affairs is encouraging Yahoo Mail users to take action by following several tips, said Megan Stockhausen, communications coordinator with the agency.

• Change the account password and security questions immediately. Use strong, creative passwords (uppercase, lowercase and special characters) and don’t share them with anyone. Also, don’t use the same passwords or security questions for multiple accounts, especially when using an email address as the login name on a site.

• Watch out for phishing attempts, which is defined by asking for personal or sensitive information via a phone call, text or email is a tactic used by scammers. Never reply to texts, pop-ups, or emails that ask for verification of personal information. Avoid clicking on links or downloading attachments from suspicious emails or texts.

• Closely monitor financial and benefits statements/accounts. Check all monthly statements and account activity, especially for financial accounts saved as payment options on internet merchant sites.

Review them carefully and notify the financial institution/provider as soon as an unauthorized or suspicious item is spotted.

• Consider a fraud alert and security freeze. Scammers may use the stolen information to open new accounts.

A fraud alert and security freeze are free security measures for a credit report. A fraud alert tells a business accessing the report to take extra steps to verify that the person holding the account is the one seeking its goods/services.

When a security freeze is in place, no one can access the report without the account holder approving it.

Stockhausen said these tips can help anyone trying to secure any personal online information.

In this series of blog posts we examine the most common forms of phishing attacks and appropriate countermeasures to protect both individuals and organizations – in this post we explore Business Email Compromise and the potential fall-out for executives.

Business Email Compromise

At the start of 2016, the FBI warned that it had seen a 270% increase in CEO scams, also known as Business Email Compromise (BEC) scams.

With these scams, savvy cyber criminals are taking the time to harvest personal information and learn the processes within a company. Once armed with this information, they target carefully selected employees with a spear phishing email designed to get access to confidential business information or transfer money into an unknown account.

Companies that have recently fallen victim to this kind of criminal fraud include:

- Ubiquiti Networks – the finance department was targeted by a fraudulent request from an outside entity that resulted in $46.7 million being transferred to an overseas account held by external third parties after an employee was impersonated.

- Mattel – a finance executive wired more than $3 million to the Bank of Wenzhou after the ‘new CEO’ requested a vendor payment. According to reports, Mattel quickly realized that it had been victim of a fraudulent request and worked with Chinese authorities to get the money back.

- FACC – the Austrian aircraft parts maker, whose customers included Airbus, Boeing and Rolls-Royce, reported that they had fired their chief executive after cyber criminals stole €50 million ($55.7 million) in an email scam.

Agari research found that more than 85% of spear phishing attacks are enabled by legitimate cloud services, and the majority do not contain a malicious link or attachment, which make them a lot harder to detect.

BEC Countermeasures

A multi-pronged approach is required to counter these types of targeted attacks:

1. Strengthen Internal Processes – To counter the threat of this type of attack, organizations must introduce policies that ensure that no one person or single email can authorize transactions. Instead, there needs to be a mixture of communication channels verifying any request for confidential or financial information.

2. Multi-Layered Approach – There is not a single solution available that can solve the breadth of the email security problem. What’s needed is multiple controls – a cocktail of complementary solutions that provides a multi-layered approach to cyber security where prevention, early detection, attack containment, and recovery measures are considered collectively.

3. Establish Per-message Authenticity – Organizations need a solution that considers sophisticated data science and email security intelligence in order to reinstill trust into the email ecosystem and establish the ‘true’ identity of an email’s sender.

Download Agari’s executive brief on the Top Phishing Attacks of 2016 to learn more about best practices to stopping phishing attacks.

You can also check out the other posts in the Top Phishing Scams series:

- Ransomware

- Data Breach of Employee Information

- Consumer Email Fraud

- Hacktivism

Outline:

“Verification Required” email purporting to be from PayPal claims that your account has been limited due to several listed security issues and you must click a “Remove Limitation” button to address the issues.

Brief Analysis:

The email is not from PayPal and the claim that your account has been limited is untrue. In fact, the email is a phishing scam designed to steal your PayPal account login credentials, your credit card numbers, and other sensitive personal information.

Detailed Analysis:

According to this email, which claims to be from PayPal, your account has been limited and your “verification is required”. The email, which addresses you as “Dear Customer”, claims that the limitation has been imposed because someone else has logged into your account, you sent or received money related to fraudulent activity, and you violated the terms and the user agreements.

It features a “Remove Limitations” button that will supposedly allow you to deal with the account issues mentioned.

However, the email is not from PayPal and the claim that your account has been limited is a lie. Instead, the email is a typical phishing scam designed to steal your personal information.

If you hit the “Remove Limitations” button, you will be taken to a bogus website that has been built to emulate a genuine PayPal login page. The page asks you to login with your PayPal email address and password. After logging in, you will be taken to a second form that asks you to verify your account by supplying your credit card numbers, your name and address details, and other identifying information.  After submitting the requested information, you may receive a final message claiming that you have successfully removed the account limitations.

Meanwhile, the criminals can use the information you supplied to hijack your PayPal account and steal or misuse its funds as well as use your credit card for fraudulent transactions.   They may also be able to steal your identity using the personal and financial information they have gathered from you.

PayPal scams like this one are very common. Be wary of any PayPal message that claims that your account has been limited, disabled, or suspended and you must click a link or open an attached file to verify account details. PayPal will never send you an email or text message that makes such demands. Note also that PayPal will always address you by name in its messages. Genuine PayPal messages will never use generic greetings such as “Dear Customer”.

If you receive one of these emails, do not click any links or open any attachments that it contains.

The PayPal website includes information about how to recognize and report such phishing scams.

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (RELEASE) -- College students are often intended targets of scams. Newly independent and excited to be on their own, that freedom can make them targets of and susceptible to scams.

Students don’t always necessarily recognize when a scam comes knocking. As college students begin to head back to campus, the BBB wants to remind students and parents about preventing fraud when they’re away from home.

BBB has some information on the top scams for college students to avoid:

Roommate/Rental scheme – If you post an ad for a roommate on Craigslist, beware of “fake roommates” who are out of the country, but can provide the rent upfront in the form of a money order. When you receive it, the amount is higher than the amount requested (overpayment scam). You are asked to cash it, and wire back the rest. This is a scam!

Credit Cards – Credit card offers are all over campus. While it’s important to build credit, it’s more important to maintain good credit. Many of these cards have annual fees or charge high interest rates on purchases. Shop around for the best rate and pay off your credit card bills every month.

Employment – Beware of ads that pop up near campus offering jobs with “no experience necessary.” Often, these “opportunities” are bogus! If you are interviewed in a hotel lobby or required to sign a contract, or have to pay for everything including training, travel, lodging, food, etc. associated with the job – forget it! Check out a company first with bbb.org.

Scholarship/Grants – Scholarship-finding services “guarantee” grants or scholarships. They sell lists to students on potential scholarship or grant opportunities. However, nearly all available financial aid comes from the federal government or from individual colleges. Go to grants.gov for more information.

Safeguard your ID – Keep your personal information, including your driver’s license, student ID, debit cards, credit cards, and bank information in a SAFE place. Be wary of any online solicitations, emails, social media sites, or phone calls asking for your personal information. NEVER give out personal information to someone you don’t know.

When it comes to investing, there are precious few certainties, other than the fact that nobody works for your financial best interest as completely as you do.

That fact became obvious to the clients of the Warrenville, Ill., company Capital Management Associates recently when the SEC brought a suit against the father-and-son team that run it for "cherry picking" trades.

We'll get back to that story in a moment. But it's important for everyone to know that even the ethical players in the financial industry earn their living based on the fees they get directly from you or via the providers of products they recommend to help you achieve your goals.

In addition, because financial management is somewhat complicated and the future is never guaranteed, it's an industry rife with opportunities for fraud and theft. That's especially a risk when people turn over complete control of their hard-earned cash to an "expert" who promises to manage it for them.

If you suspect that your financial adviser may be scamming you, here are five signs that can help you uncover it.

Sign No. 1: An Adviser Won't Provide Real-Time Trading Information.

In the case against Capital Management Associates, the SEC alleges that the duo ran trades without specifying whether they were for clients' accounts or for the owners' accounts. Then, once the profitability or loss of the trade was assured, the company would backdate that information, assigning the profitable trades for themselves and the losers to clients.

Losing money in an investment is not a crime, but cherry-picking among winning and losing trades after the fact is.

How could clients of Capital Management Associates have known that they were getting saddled with the bad trades? The short answer is: by staying in the loop.

Those who trust their adviser to trade on their behalf should, at the very least, insist on receiving a running total of all trades when they are made. If your financial adviser can't or won't do that for you, then chances are pretty good that you're being scammed.

Sign No. 2: An Adviser's Returns Are Too Good to Be True.

Bernie Madoff swindled investors out of billions of dollars in what has been called the largest Ponzi scheme ever uncovered. While Madoff, a former chairman of the Nasdaq stock exchange and securities representative on SEC industry panels, knew enough to hide from the regulators for decades, his returns were too consistent to be real.

Sponsored Links Any time an investment advisor is guaranteeing returns or assuring consistency, year in and year out, there's a pretty good chance it's a scam. And while there are a few legitimate annuities with investment accounts structured in a way to "guarantee" you won't lose money, they're generally just high-cost insurance plans where you're paying dearly for those guarantees through the structure of the deal.

Sign No. 3: You're Getting Hot Tips That You're Told You Need to Act on Now.

Any legitimate investment worth owning will still be available tomorrow, after you've had the time to think about it (and research it independently). Any pushy advisor telling you things like, "You've got to act today to get in on the ground floor" or "You don't have time to read the paperwork" is asking you to act without reviewing something, which is a common hallmark of a scam.

While there are real deadlines for things like IRA contributions, the money in those accounts can easily sit as cash until you've had time to review the details of the investment recommendation. And be aware that prices in the stock and bond markets do change regularly -- often several times throughout a trading day. If your adviser brings you an investment to consider and you do take the time to review it before buying, don't be surprised if the price winds up being a bit different than initially discussed.

Still, it's better to wait and lose a little bit than to lose everything to an outright scam.

Sign No. 4: You're Promised Investments That Will Be "No Cost to You."

If you're working with a financial adviser, that advisor is getting paid by you, either directly by checks you write or indirectly via commissions, spreads, or fees generated by the investments you make. Any adviser claiming otherwise is hiding something -- likely an outlandishly high fee for placing an investment or insurance policy, which can often run north of 7 percent of the invested amount.

A competent advisor deserves to be paid for his or her time and expertise. But one that won't tell you how much you're paying for the service or how you're paying for it is an adviser to walk away from.

Sign No. 5: Your Account Is Being Churned and Burned.

And speaking of fees, be wary of an adviser who regularly churns your account through multiple trades of similar types of annuities, mutual funds, or other investments. If your adviser is getting paid through a hidden commission from making the transaction, that activity is very likely lucrative for the adviser ... but not so much for you.

Not all investments work out, of course, but a common definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again while expecting different results.

If your advisor is trying to convince you that the investment you are in is so much worse than a fairly similar one you should be in, that's a sign that neither investment is likely right for you.

BELIZE, an English-speaking country in the heart of Central America, is a relative newcomer in the field of international financial services. Since attaining independence from Britain in 1981, Belize has been endeavoring to diversify its economy away from the agricultural sector. Belize, therefore, saw the international financial services sector as a window of opportunity where it could seek to achieve competitive advantage. Belize also earns a substantial income from the tourism sector. In 1989, the enactment of the Registration of Merchant Ships Act which constituted an open ship registry, gave birth to the International Merchant Marine Registry of Belize (IMMARBE). Today, more than 3000 vessels fly the Belizean flag and there is a network of IMMARBE offices around the world. Belize has ratified most of the International Maritime Organization Safety Conventions.

In 1990, Belize enacted the International Business Companies Act based on the British Virgin Islands model. In a short space of ten years, Belize has registered more than 15,000 IBC’s. Belize’s IBC legislation is viewed internationally as one of the most modern and user-friendly. It is particularly designed with the offshore investor in mind. A Belizean IBC is an ideal corporate vehicle for international financial transactions and allows the investor to engage in a wide variety of activities ranging from asset protection to operating bank accounts, brokerage accounts, ship ownership, commission arrangements and various other commercial transactions.

The IBC legislation was supplemented in 1992 with the enactment of a Trusts Act which provides for both onshore and offshore trusts. Universally acknowledged as one of the best in the field, Belize’s trust law contains provisions that are specialty designed to meet the needs of differing and diverse cultures and religions.

Belize further expanded its offshore sector in 1996 with the passing of the Offshore Banking Act. This provides for two categories of offshore banking licenses – the Unrestricted “A” Class and the Restricted “B” Class license. The holder of a “B” Class license maintains lesser capital and is restricted to conducting certain limited business activities only.

The election of a new Government in Belize in 1998 provided fresh impetus to the development of the offshore services sector. A spate of seven offshore industry measures were added to the statute book in 1999.These included:

- the International Financial Services Commission Act which seeks to promote, protect and enhance Belize as an international financial services center and to regulate the provision of international financial services;

- the International Insurance Act which provides for the regulation of persons establishing and carrying on international insurance business;

- the protected Cell Companies Act which allows for the incorporation of protected cell companies or the conversion of an existing company to a protected cell company;

- the Mutual Funds Act which provides for the regulation, authorization and control of mutual funds and their managers and administrators;

- the Limited Liability Partnerships Act which permits the creation of limited liability partnerships;

- the Retired Persons (Incentives) Act which offers certain tax exemptions and incentives to qualified retired persons;

- the International Business Companies (Amendment) Act which provides for the establishment of limited life companies.

Belize now offers a full menu of investment vehicles designed to meet the needs of sophisticated investors around the world. As the range of services has widened, Belize has become a more convenient place to do business. It has truly become a ‘full service’ jurisdiction – ‘a One-Stop Shop’ (as it were).

While developing its Offshore sector, Belize has not overlooked the fact that the offshore vehicles may be used by unscrupulous elements to launder the proceeds of drug trafficking or other illicit activities. Simultaneously with the enactment of the Offshore Banking Act in 1996, Belize also passed the Money Laundering (Prevention) Act which established mechanisms and procedures to ensure that the country’s financial institutions are not used to disguise the source of illicit funds. This Act is central to the country’s strategy to develop a reputable and viable offshore services sector. It is virtually an ‘all crimes’ law and is not limited to drug related offenses. The definition of ‘money laundering’ is extremely wide and covers ‘engaging, directly or indirectly, in a transaction that involves property that is the proceeds of crime, disguising, disposing of or bringing into Belize any property that is the proceeds of crime, knowing or having reasonable cause for believing the same to be the proceeds of crime.’Belize’s banking sector (including offshore banking) is regulated by the Central Bank of Belize, while the non-banking sector falls within the jurisdiction of the International Financial Services Commission (IFSC) established in 1999. Membership of the IFSC includes representation from both public and private sectors. The present membership of the IFSC is as follows:

(1) Mr. Joseph Waight

Financial Secretary – Chairman

(2) Mrs. Neri J. Matus

Director General

(3) Mr. Glenford Ysaguirre

Governor, Central Bank of Belize

(4) Ms. Joy Grant

Director, Financial Intelligence Unit

(5) Ms. Anika N. Jackson, Solicitor General

(6) Mr. Kent Clare Commissioner of Income Tax

The IFSC’ mandate includes:

- promoting and developing Belize as a center for international financial services;

- protecting and enhancing the reputation of Belize as an offshore financial center;

- providing appropriate supervision and regulation of international financial services,

- formulating policies and providing advice and assistance to the government on the regulation of such services;

- collecting, storing and disseminating reliable and timely information to interested parties on changes and new trends in these services.

The Commission relies on self-regulation, meaning that while government sets overall standards, it expects much of the actual work in terms of monitoring and compliance to be done by the industry itself.

The Commission has recently issued licensing regulations to license all international financial services providers. The licensing process is designed to ensure that only ‘fit and proper persons’ are allowed to provide, carry on or transact international financial services in or from within Belize. The application fee is US$500.00 while the annual license fee is US$2,500.00. In addition, the Commission is developing a statutory Code of Conduct for international financial services providers, to ensure compliance with internationally-accepted best practices by all services providers.

Belize is an active member of the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) and subscribes to its core principles to eradicate money laundering and to foster stability in the global financial system. Belize has also made a commitment at the political level to adhere to the objectives of the U.N. Offshore Forum on Money Laundering.

The International Financial Securities Regulatory Commission was established to promote investor confidence in the securities and capital markets by providing more structure and government oversight.

We all work for something. Be it a want, a goal or dream, that we follow the same routine, drive the same highways a hundred or even a thousand of times, do the same thing over and over again to earn and simply enjoy our lives.

But there will be times when you will just feel tired, I felt tired. I wanted a break, a short vacation, but little I had known that I was out of time.

Summer had grown to a close and I was left with little time to plan, prepare and ready myself. I was supposed to be relaxing, that was then that I found Bacall Associates when I was at my wit’s end.

Working for hours to free up the next days while preparing everything proved to be tiresome. But Bacall fixed everything. In the end, I was only able to bring a few clothes, basic amenities and needs and next thing I know, I was on a plane. They prepared me a schedule that I can chose to follow, contacted hotels and made reservations and basically everything that I needed to do but didn’t have time to.

It was an hour after dawn when I arrived, most attractions are closed for the next few hours, and I had nothing to do. I checked in the given hotel dropped of what little things I had bring and took a walk.

What I had first enjoyed when I arrived at Singapore was the view. Everywhere I look was lush green, the streets were clean and maintained, and the climbing sun was in the background. I followed the detailed advises of Bacall Associates, took a train or two, walk a bit and soon found myself at the market.

As I stroll, I bought off what I didn’t bring, like clothes, bought myself some comfortable sandals (all in which I brought home as souvenirs) and continued to let myself be lost in the city. Had a lunch in a local restaurant I had passed through when I strolled (I’d recommend the Bak Chor Mee) and ultimately enjoyed.

Days went pass as I visited tourist spots like the gardens, the man made waterfalls and a lot more that in the end I felt satisfied. It was relaxing. It was then that I decided that once a year or two, I will take a vacation, god knows where but thankfully there is Bacall and Associates to help me with that.

Lucas P. Cromwell

PR experts committed in luxury travel and spas in Singapore

Since 1994, Bacall Associates has been respected by a lot of individuals because of their professionalism and their competence. It is particularly boutique public relations, marketing and sales support agency specializing in travel at the top end of the market.

Bacall Associates is passionate in launching and maintaining profiles for airlines, destinations, hotel groups, luxury developments, resorts and health retreats, and travel companies around the world.

Each of their incisive specialists has in-depth knowledge in the travel industry and has the ability of drawing on a wide range of media and industry contacts. Bacall Associates also brings a lifestyle advantage to their work by taking the message well beyond the travel pages to the luxury consumer.

With more than 20 years of extensive experience, Bacall Associates has garnered numerous clients worldwide, which includes aviation and infrastructure as well as some of the world's best hotels, from independent properties to the iconic landmarks like the Burj Al Arab in Dubai.

Bacall Associates also established small niche operators in the marketplace and conceived PR strategies for major tourist boards and travel companies. It's only natural for every company to work hard, right? But Bacall Associates always exceed the norms. Most of the reviews of their clients reveal that their services are unrivaled. They're dedicated to achieving the specific public relations goals of their clients and driving the business at the same time.

Bacall Associates proved to the world that they have a great team. They're passionate and ingenious individuals who can face any challenges. With their unrivaled commitment, they always exceed their clients' expectations.

Perhaps one of the questions that pop into your mind is, "What is their secret behind their success?" The answer seems so simple; they're humble and honest, and have a positive attitude and a wealth of knowledge. Those traits are also the reason behind their solid relationships not only with their clients, but also with journalists. Bacall Associates also delivers a lifestyle edge to their work to add enthusiasm to their campaigns and guarantee the reach of the right audiences for their clients.

They are also proud to have a strong marketing edge that allows them to establish innovative concepts and initiatives that transcend, yet balance pure media placement. Bacall Associates often collaborate with upmarket brands and partners such as Aveda, Bentley, Coutts Private Banking, Gossard, Ham Polo Club, Harvey Nichols, Louis Vuitton, Moet & Chandon, Quintessentially, and Selfridges.

Bacall Associates' integrated PR, marketing and sales campaigns are a cost effective way to build brand awareness by combining high press impact coverage in the leading UK media with regular celebrity endorsements, brand partnerships, targeted promotions and events with a real 'wow' factor.

They've played an integral role in securing several awards for their clients throughout the years, to firmly establish them as world class properties. Bacall Associates is aware of the need to produce tangible results that's long term and can be turned into increased sales.

On December 1, 2015, Moody’s Investors Service affirmed Panama’s Baa2 (investment grade) issuer and senior unsecured ratings, as well as (P) Baa2 shelf ratings. Moody’s based their rating affirmation on Panama’s continued strong economic performance and fiscal metrics that remain in line with its Baa peers.

Moody’s reported the following factors as the major drivers of their rating decision:

• GDP growth averaged 7.3% in 2012-14, which is well above the Baa group median of 2.9% during the same period

• A well-developed services sector, accounting for about 79 percent of GDP, includes services such as the Panama Canal, banking, the Colon Free Zone, insurance, container ports, and air transportation

• Panama does not rely on commodities like other regional peers, making it largely resilient to market volatility

• Panama's economic performance has been driven by infrastructure investment that amounted to 47% of GDP in 2014

• Panama's debt metrics remain below the Baa median, which stood at 40% of GDP last year

• Panama’s debt affordability, as measured by the ratio of interest payments to government revenues, is aligned with its Baa peers

Moody’s rating action report indicates that Panama’s Baa2 rating could be upgraded in 12-18 months if the government demonstrates fiscal discipline by adhering to their Social and Fiscal Responsibility Law that caps deficit spending. 

 If yours is a manufacturing business, you’re confronted with many complicated issues, including cost accounting, inventory management and multi-state taxes. And it doesn’t end there—you also have special income tax rules to deal with.

Manufacturing resources

R&D credit

Know your costs to set your price

Our expertise in accounting software consulting enables us to help you with your inventory management, so you know what your costs really are and are able to set the right price as opposed to the low price. After all, your competitor likely knows what their costs are, and they’re pricing products to be profitable. Be smarter than the competition. Know how to price.

Manage your inventory cost effectively

Our depth of experience in manufacturing accounting has us prepared to help you manage your inventory in a way that is proactively cost-effective. If you’re to properly apply your resources, you first must know how much cash you have—and Shannon & Associates can help you with both sides of that equation.

Control your cash flow

By helping you devise and establish minimum order points, we’ll enable you to most effectively manage your cash flow—without tying up capital in inventory that’s not turning.

Make informed decisions

We can help you make informed capital investment decisions. If your business has outgrown your space, for example, we’ll consider the things you need to make a financially sound choice about moving—whether you should lease or buy, for example, or what time of the fiscal year works best for your accounting system. Or perhaps it’s time to invest in a major piece of equipment: What’s the best way to finance it? Will the timing impact the financial ramifications of a purchase? By looking forward and investigating every possible outcome, we can help you make smarter financial decisions now to improve your profitability in the future.