finance analyst jobs

Film Tax credit financing for film, animation, and digital media productions continues to be a sought after financing by Canadian entrepreneurs.

Canadian entrepreneurs are fortunate in that a number of recent changes have been made to enhance the overall viability of Film and Television credits in Canada.

Using Ontario as an example in March 2010 the government enacted legislation that increased Ontario Computer Animation credits. Therefore financing of such projects simply brings in additional capital. As an example labour expenditures which are qualified and vetted increase to 100% for arms length employees who don’t have incorporation status – for example ‘freelancers’.

In the animation and visual effects area there was a government focus to remove the requirement that effects had to ‘ primarily ‘ be completed with digital technologies.

How can these film tax, TV, and digital media credits be financed. Financing these tax credits is a very boutique business in Canada. Entrepreneurs and their advisors are cautioned and advised to work with credible, experienced specialists in this niche financing area.

The film tax credit financing (as well as animation, TV, etc) is essentially a bridge loan when your production entity has a financing need.. The amount financed can be a combination of federal and provincial claims, and it generally recommended that the total value of our claim be in the 200, 00.00$ range, which would be a combination of both the federal and provincial portions of your credit.

We meet with many firms who also have needs for other types of financing, which would include separate SR ED (SR&ED) credits, equipment financing, etc. It would sometime make prudent sense to consider a financing that satisfied the complete needs of the company or production.

The hottest new sectors of financing in this area are the popular animation, virtual reality and of course gaming areas of consumer entertainment.

Naturally to be able to finance a claim it must be reviewed and processed by the appropriate tax credit office, for example the Ontario ‘ OMDC ‘ tax credits & Financing Programs Dept ‘.

In our work with clients we advise that it typically takes 2-3 weeks, sometimes longer to finance a tax credit. This process should not be daunting for the entrepreneur or your production company, as it mirrors any other financing business might undertake- for example an application form, due diligence, legal documentation of the financing, etc.

We would point out though that the main emphasis on the financeability of your claim is the actual tax credit itself, as in many cases the product has not ‘gone to market ‘so to speak.

Financing your film, multimedia, and TV tax credits is a great way to access bridge capital and allow our entity to immediately access funds, as opposed to waiting for funds until post production and commercialization.

Whilst buying a car is without doubt an exciting time, it can also be stressful and costly. Most people (at least 80%) cannot afford to buy a new car outright. Therefore, most car buyers acquire a new car using a deposit as down payment and obtain car finance to fund the rest. The following five tips are valuable for people considering obtaining a new car as they give different options on how to best to fund the transaction.

1. Sell your current car privately instead of a part exchange – Whilst it is much more convenient to ‘trade in’ an existing vehicle as a part exchange on a new vehicle this will not maximise the money you get for your car. Done primarily for ease and convenience (if you put your car in as part exchange against a newer model you remove the whole selling process, advertising costs, people calling around your home to view the car and being annoyed by phone calls for weeks after the car has been sold), it is a known fact that a part exchange is the least profitable way to sell your car. Therefore, if you have the time and patience, it is advised that you opt for a private sale. Perhaps the best way to determine whether you should part exchange or sell is to determine the market value for your vehicle and compare this with some part exchange values. Whatever the difference between the two can be considered your payment for the hassle of private sale and therefore you can make an informed decision.

2. Car Finance From A Dealership – This is the most popular way to finance a car. Dealers provide approximately 65% of all car finance. The reason for this is that people shop for cars based on the price of the car and because 80% of all new car buyers need finance they end up taking finance from the same dealer that provides the best price on the car.

Dealers typically offer hire purchase or car leasing. Hire purchase is an arrangement where people sign a contract to make monthly payments across 3 – 5 years and they end up owning the car at the end of that payment period. Leasing is slightly different because it is often much, much cheaper you can have the option to buy the car at the end of the period or simply return it to the dealer. However, you must be careful with dealer finance (or any car finance for that matter) and you should always shop around and compare the monthly deal that you have been offered. Just because you negotiated a good price on the car doesn’t always mean that you are getting a good monthly price on the finance. In some cases the monthly payment could have a premium hidden in it with a high APR and therefore the calculation of your monthly payment may not relate to the ‘good price’ that you think you negotiated on your car. Therefore, shop around and compare the monthly payment, the total payment ensuring that you are comparing the same contract period etc with different dealers and finance providers irrespective of the price that you have negotiated on the car.

3. Car loans from a bank – Personal car loans account for only 13% of all new car finance. This is surprising because other than using cash, this is the only form of finance that enables the borrower to own the car from the point of purchase. Therefore, whilst most people think they own the car that they are driving, if they bought the car with finance and are still making monthly payments, then approximately 87% of all new cars are not actually owned by the drivers.

If you are thinking of purchasing a car using a car loan of some form you should always shop around based on APR. There are various comparison websites that enable you to compare car loans but you should always be careful about two things:

(i) the Apr that the website quotes to you is unlikely to be the one that you get. This is most likely the best APR you could get and it is often adjusted to meet how much of a ‘risk’ that bank may think you are;
(ii) do not submit too many applications for finance. If you submit three or four applications to different banks and you are refused by all of them, you might damage your credit record and make it difficult for you to obtain finance in the future. Some finance websites enable you to apply for a loan and they can advise you whether or not you are likely to succeed and this can be a safer way to apply

4. Lease your new car – As discussed above, car leasing is most often the cheapest way to finance your new car. In fact, according to the Finance & Leasing Association, in the first 6 months of this year it was the most popular form or finance provided by dealers. When making a decision on car finance, be sure that you actually need to own your next car? If so, then the only form of finance that permits this immediately is a personal loan from a bank – remember, with hire purchase you will not own the car. If ownership is not so important, then leasing is a cheap form of finance – but you must have a good credit rating. There are many benefits with car leasing as it allows you to receive a new car every few years (although this can change, depending on the lease agreement) without the hassle of a part exchange. However, make sure that you are familiar with the disadvantages (you need to agree an annual mileage limit) and as always be sure to shop around and compare like with like on all alternative car leasing deals.

Fun Casino Hire is a great way to entertain guests at a party and make your event memorable.

A Casino party will not only add color to an event but also provide glitz, glamour, and entertainment that guests will never forget, be it for a wedding reception, birthday party, corporate event, bachelor party, or staff function.

Most people haven’t the first idea of how to play Casino games. Don’t despair, the croupiers from the Fun Casino Hire company will quickly explain the games, and the great news is, these Casino nights are just for fun, no actual money changes hands in a fun casino event so nobody will go home a loser at the end of the night.

A Fun Casino party can be hosted in your home (subject to space requirements), a function room or marquee, and most venues can be transformed within 30 minutes into a fully operational Casino complete with professional equipment and croupiers.

Upon arrival at the Casino event, guests receive personalized fun money. (This can be personalized with company logos, photo of the newlyweds, or the person you are honoring with the celebration) The play money is exchanged at the gaming tables for playing chips. Guests compete against each other to see who can accumulate the most chips.

Fun casino games serve as icebreakers and get guests mingling with each other. These events usually enjoy a 90% (or higher) participation rate from the guests. From the time the guests arrive and the casino games start until the closing of the games, the guests are on their feet, moving from table to table, enjoying different games. Guests enjoy a level of interaction you will not achieve with other forms of entertainment.

There’s nothing like beating the banker in Blackjack or watching the ball drop into your winning number on an eye-catching roulette wheel, the thrill of the brightly colored heavy casino-grade chips as they move back and forth between the dealer and players, and means that there will be plenty to talk about long after the event.

Extra excitement can be added to your fun casino night by offering prizes to whoever has the most “Fun money” at the end of the night. Gifts or prizes can be allocated to the winners of each game. With the added incentive of prizes, the guests will play with more enthusiasm to see who is crowned the King or Queen of the Casino party.

By hiring a Fun casino hire company you’re providing a unique form of entertainment that guests can enjoy and will remember for a long time after your event.