9 Best Personal Finance Apps of 2019
Personal money management can be a formidable task. Tracking expenses while keeping up your bank balance is just one item. Bill payments, saving, investments, and credit score all comprise our personal finances. Personal finance apps to the rescue! The best of them provide several different features for finance management. You may have to experiment to […]
“Fail State:” A Study of American Higher Education
Produced by Dan Rather, the 2018 documentary Fail State takes a look at American higher education, student loans, and for-profit colleges. Here are some key takeaways from the film. A bit of history The Higher Education Act of 1965 created student loans backed by the federal government, work study, and access to student grants. As […]
A Day Late and a Dollar Short
Creditors expect not only to be paid, but to be paid on time. Mortgage companies are no different. When it comes to your mortgage, you can’t be a day late and a dollar short. When you’re dealing with your home, the stakes are too high to risk otherwise. Credit bureau reporting Mortgage companies report religiously […]
What to Look For When You Hire a Lawyer
When you hire a lawyer, it’s a bit different than hiring other kinds of professionals. There are many different aspects of the practice of law that you will want to take into account before you sign a retainer agreement. Here are some key characteristics to consider when you hire a lawyer to represent you. Legal […]
Bankruptcy Discharge of Student Loans Would Boost U.S. Economy
When the Great Recession officially ended in June 2009, the total outstanding amount of student loan debt in the U.S. was $675 billion. Today, total U.S. student loan debt has more than doubled to $1.465 trillion. If allowed to do so, not every student will declare bankruptcy to discharge student loans. But for those who […]
Will a Loan Modification Hurt My Credit Score?
If you fall behind on your mortgage, you have options, but you must be proactive. One of the best ways to get back on track with your mortgage is loan modification. But will a loan modification hurt your credit score? Loan modification can hurt your credit score The biggest negative effect to your credit from […]
Retain or Surrender Secured Debt in Bankruptcy?
Secured debt in bankruptcy is treated differently than unsecured debt. In a Chapter 7 bankruptcy, loans securing property may exempt that property from liquidation. Chapter 13 bankruptcy, on the other hand, allows you to repay over time any defaulted amounts on secured loans. Often the most important question revolves around whether to retain or surrender […]
Six Common Foreclosure Mistakes
If your mortgage lender commences foreclosure proceedings, educate yourself about the process so you can chart the best way forward for you. You have options — but do your best to avoid the most common foreclosure mistakes. Believing that once the foreclosure process starts, you will lose the property. Not so fast. Your lender must […]
How Much of My Paycheck Can a Creditor Garnish?
Sometimes an employee doesn’t even know that a creditor is seeking to garnish until they see a change in their paycheck. At that point, you should seek advice of legal counsel. So how much of my paycheck can a creditor garnish? The garnishment process Before a creditor can garnish your wages, that creditor must obtain […]