5 Ways to Destroy your Credit Rating

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A credit rating is a tool used by banks to determine whether to loan money to you or not. Your credit rating is calculated based on your credit history, which is contained on your credit file. Your will have a credit file if you have applied for anything involving credit in the past such as: credit cards, mobile phone or internet plans, personal loans, mortgages or interest-free store loans. In order to keep your credit rating high, to increase the likelihood of loans you should avoid these five things.

Credit Defaults

Credit defaults occur when payments for loaned money are not payed back on time or at all. The most commonly credit defaults are: missed mobile phone bills, missed credit card payments, and missed personal loan payments. All missed payments are listed as defaults on your credit file and result in a lower credit rating.

Self-Employment

Unfortunately, people who are self-employed can have a hard time winning favour with banks and other money lending organisations. This is due to the fact self-employment is viewed by these organisations as unstable and risky. If you are self-employed it is important that you keep track of your tax returns and profit-and-loss statements, so when the time comes you can prove that you have sufficient income to make payments.

Discharged Bankruptcy

Discharged bankruptcy is the term used to describe an individual after they have paid off, otherwise settled, all previous debt. After settlement has been agreed upon, the bankrupt individual should then apply for a discharge certificate ordained by the court to prove their freedom from bankruptcy. Technically, a person who is classified as having a discharged bankruptcy, is allowed to take out loans again, very few institutions will take the risk for several years after the bankruptcy.

Being on a Debt Agreement

A debt agreement is legally binding agreement between a debtor (the loaner) and their creditors. In this agreement, creditors will accept a sum of money, which the debtor can afford in order to make up for an unmanageable debt. Proposing a debt agreement is considered an act of bankruptcy and will severely lower your credit rating.

Getting Declined by Banks and Other Creditors

Often an institutions willingness to give loans is influenced by past creditors opinions if the individual in question. If past creditors have deemed the individual to be reliable, then they are more likely to agree to a loan. Alternatively, if past creditors view you as a credit risk, then you are less likely to get a loan in the future, so it’s best to leave a good impression from the start.

Although it is important to avoid doing damage to your credit rating, sometimes it is inevitable. Getting a car loan while you are struggling with a bad credit rating can be difficult, but it’s not impossible. Nowadays there are many options for those searching for bad credit car loans.

Debt Management: 5 Tips For Concurring Your Debt In A Set Amount Of Time

No one intentionally gets themselves into debt. Debt is something that can happen quickly, and eliminating that debt can be difficult. Eliminating debt before it gets out of control is necessary to eliminate stress in our lives. Using a payday advance loan, cutting up credit cards, budgeting and common sense are just a few of the ways you can begin eliminating debt. Below are five ways you can start the process of eliminating debt in a short amount of time.

1. Common Sense

Everyone wants nice things, and we want to buy nice things for our loved ones, but sometimes we need to tell ourselves “that’s enough!” Listen to your common sense to help eliminate debt. If you know that you don’t have the money to buy something, don’t buy it. Don’t swipe your credit card as an answer. Always use cash to keep your high interest credit cards from putting you further in debt.

2. Budgeting

The only way to get a grip on finances is to budget. Take the time necessary to set out a budget plan you can follow. Sit down with your partner and think about what you can cut spending on to help eliminate debt faster. Use coupons for groceries. Eat at home more often and stop going out to dinner. Check the cost of your cellular and television cable plans to see if you can cut some costs. Set realistic goals and follow them. A good budget can get you out of debt fast.

3. Cut Credit Cards

Getting out of debt fast is about paying off old debt and avoiding new debt. It’s time to prepare for emergencies like medical bills, car repairs and time off work unexpected. Try to build a cushion for these things so if they do happen, you don’t resort to the credit cards. Set aside something every paycheck, even if it’s only $10 for these things.

4. Payday Loans

Payday loans are great to take out if you can’t pay your bills on time, but you want to avoid late fees and unnecessary charges. If you find you can’t pay a bill on time, investigate taking out a payday loan to get your bill paid so that you don’t have rising interest fees or late fees on your bill.

5. Eliminate Debt

Now that you are saving a little money, apply that money to your debt. If you can pay just $5 more on every credit card or $15 more on your car loan each month, you will eventually eliminate that debt. Keep going until all of your debt is eliminated.

Give yourself a time line and follow that time line. If you want to be out of debt in a year, make every effort to follow the steps above. Make an effort to pay all you can towards your debt to become debt-free.



Brionna Kennedy is native to the Pacific Northwest, growing up in Washington, then moving down to Oregon for college. She enjoys writing on fashion and business, but any subject will do, she loves to learn about new topics. When she isn't writing, she lives for the outdoors. Oregon has been the perfect setting to indulge her love of kayaking, rock climbing, and hiking.

How Debt Consolidation Service Providers Help

Wipe our Debt (Photo credit: Images_of_Money)

As we all know, the global economic situation is going through one of the toughest times. As a result, it is only obvious that people are willing to tighten their purses. However, there are some people who would find it extremely difficult to save money as they have already built up a large amount of debt. The primary culprit of debts today is the credit cards. However, loans can also be a fiscal burden on people. When the economic atmosphere is not good, debts will be rising quick, more so when payments are missed and rate of interests are unfixed. There are over a million people who wish their debts to be paid off as easily and affordably as possible. 

Debt Consolidation Service Providers: Who are they and How to select them?

In such a situation debt consolidation services are gaining fast popularity as more numbers of people are being introduced to them. Several debt consolidation companies operate in the market and people can choose any of them. All you have to do is Google for a reliable debt consolidator, and a thousand of results will come up. One would need to research about a company before finalizing upon it and thus visit debt consolidation service website. Similar to any other case, there are several debt consolidation companies who have been reviewed badly and who don’t support their services. Researching for the right company can be a time consuming affair, but down the line, you will be free from any trouble. After the selection of the company is over, one can start the process of gaining control over his debt. The earlier one realizes the need to consolidate his debts, the better for him. One shouldn’t wait for the debt level to go way beyond his reaches, otherwise it would become extremely difficult the consolidated amount. 

Defining Debt Consolidation services in Simple Terms

To define debt consolidation, one can say that it is the process of combining all debts in a single one. Then the individual will be sanctioned loan, with which he can pay his dents off and then pay back the loan. Generally the interest rates on repayment of the loan are low or are fixed. Also the amount one has to pay every month will be lesser than what he had to pay previously. Once all the debts are consolidated into one single debt, it becomes easier for the people to meet their monthly obligations. The days of different due dates and varied amounts to be kept track of, will be over. Every single customer will be too delighted to follow this process of paying off their debts. 

On a Concluding Note

However, even when the debt consolidation processes have become highly popular, consumers must realize that it is not a quick solution for the debt problems. At the first place, one must be able to address the problems that lead to the debt. In general these services are meant to offer the consumers a certain kind of credit counseling, which aims at making them realize that one shouldn’t get their debt under control, just to start acquiring new ones. There is no doubt that debt can be a vicious cycle, especially if it is a credit card debt. If one falls into the deadly trap of this vicious cycle, the situation for him would be out of control forever. One can start living a debt free life very quickly, if they strictly follow the payment and debt control plan.

How Debt Consolidation Can Help You?

English: Day 3 of the protest Occupy Wall Street in Manhattan's Zuccotti Park. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

What it Means

When dealing with debt consolidation, you’re taking out a big loan in order to pay off other loans of various proportions. Often enough this is done in order to help provide a smaller interest rate or help bring security to a fixed rate of interest. Consolidation can often occur in situations where:

• A company is about to go bankrupt
• Credit card debt needs to be paid off
• Student loans are required 

Most of the time it’s done simply to service a single loan entirely because multiple loans can lead to complications that most people tend to avoid. In addition, debt consolidation can also originate from the creation of unsecured loans that might go into yet another unsecured loan. Usually it takes place when secured loans go up against assets that may serve as a form of collateral (i.e. a house, a car, etc.) The loan’s collateralization give it much lower interest rate meaning the asset owner will then agree to follow foreclosure of the assets to help pay off the loan. 

Bankruptcy Savior

Another good reason to choose debt consolidation, especially if you’re part of a big company that handles a ton of finances, is for the amount of discount that can be gained towards the loan. When a severe situation such as bankruptcy occurs, debt consolidators will more often than not purchase the loan at a far greater discount than the usual base price. If a debtor is looking to be prudent with his or her loans, they can feel free to look around and shop for various consolidators across the countries that are able to pass these savings along. Debt consolidation can ultimately affect the abilities of the debtors and can go on to discharge these very debts while in bankruptcy. These are major business decisions that need to be thought out and considered before making any attempts at an execution. 

Credit Cards

Some people consider debt consolidation as the best choice for when it comes time to pay off a large credit card debt. Credit cards often have carried a very large interest rate, larger even than most unsecured loans that come from a local bank. The ones in debt who have large property such as a house or a car might be able to get lower rates from their loans as long as they are secured and are using a property as a measure of collateral. In this case, the gross interest and cash flow that gets paid towards the debt will be at a lower price. This allows debts to be paid off much sooner which also means less interest for the debtors to pay off over time.

Student Consolidation

Debt consolidation can also be a part of student federal loans. Existing loans are first bought by the Department of Education. Then, after consolidation, fixed interest is set based on the current rate of interest. If a student puts two or more loan types together into one consolidation loan, weighted average will establish the approximate rate in accordance with the current interest rates.

How Long Does Settlement Funding Take Now that The Judge Has Awarded My Money?

There is no easy answer to the question of how long settlement funding can take. But there are some basic things that you can know to help you get your money as fast as possible. Once your court case is decided, the judge will award your damages. This award will be stated as a lump sum, however, if you are reading this article then most likely the judge also determined that you should receive your settlement through a structured settlement, paid out over some lengthy term. This type of settlement funding can take weeks or months to complete. 

Understand the Basic Process

While the exact method of settlement funding can vary from case to case, jurisdiction to jurisdiction, and even change based upon the parties involved, the basics are relatively simple. It all starts when the judge makes the award and determines that the damages should be paid out with a structured settlement. From there the judge will likely set terms under which the defendant must fund an annuity in the name of the plaintiff. This judgment can include restricting the time that the annuity must be funded within. You should talk to your lawyer prior to this point and ask him if his recommendations to the judge can include some time frame for this decision within his judgment.

Once the order for a structured settlement is made, the defendant and his lawyer will find an annuity company to work with. This is where it is best if the judge ordered this to be done within a set period of time, because as you can imagine the defendant could really drag their feet and stretch this out. Likely, you can count on them to take up the full amount of time that the judge allows them. This will probably take anywhere from four to twelve weeks, but it could go much longer. Of course, if the defendant appeals the judge’s original decision, this can take years.

Settlement Funding in the Hands of the Annuity Company

After the defendant chooses an annuity company they will have a lot of paperwork to fill out, and then they have to actually fund the annuity account with the amount of money ordered by the judge. This can take time depending upon the internal processes of the annuity provider. By the time they mail you your first check it could now be a number of months since your original award by the judge.

Accessing Your Lump Sum

Now if you decide that your settlement funding plan is not working out for you, that is you want a large lump sum of money instead of the smaller monthly payments, you can call an annuity settlement company who can purchase your annuity payments in exchange for a single, large payment. In this way you can cash in your entire settlement funding amount, or just a portion of it – whatever suits your financial needs at the time.

You can work with a settlement funding company, like. Here, we do all the footwork, including handling legal issues and paperwork; all you do is answer a few simple questions and sign some papers when the time comes. And, of course, you must decide how best to use that lump sum of cash that we can deliver to your door or bank account in four to six weeks.

So call Strategic Capital now. We are happy to answer all your settlement funding questions, even if you are not quite sure what decision to make yet.

Developing A Financial Plan for Getting Out of Debt

Although the average person does tend to have some debt, ridding yourself of debt is the best way to achieve financial prosperity. For many people, getting out of debt can seem very challenging. One of the best ways to help eliminate your debt is to develop a financial plan that addresses the personal problems that you may face along the way. By learning how to develop such a plan, ridding yourself of debt and starting fresh should be achievable in no time at all.

Prepare A Physical Budget on Paper or Your Computer

The reason that many people end up in debt in the first place is because they didn't take the time to sit down and prepare a budget. It is all too easy to let yourself fall into debt without giving yourself a reality check on the true numbers. Add up all of your debts, money in the bank and investments to see where you truly are financially. Once you have all your ducks in a row, it is time to develop a strategy that helps you go from the red to the black.

Snowball Your Debt Into A Lower Interest Rate

While many people may question the logic of trading one debt for another, paying off a debt with a high interest rate in trade for a debt with a low interest rate is one of the best moves you can make when you are in debt. Many people will complain that they are unable to get out of debt because of the excessive interest rates. The best way to set yourself on a course towards repayment is to simply pay off excessively high interest rate debts.

Consolidate What You Can't Afford To Pay Now

Consolidation can cause you to pay more over the long-term, but in times when your income is low, it is the perfect way to avoid more drastic measures such as bankruptcy or a lower credit ranking. This process extends the period of time that you have to pay off your debt, making the monthly payments smaller and more manageable. Combined with the above process of snowballing your debt, consolidation can put you into a position where it is possible to start saving up the required money to pay off what you owe.

Pay Down Your Smallest Debt First

In some instances, you may not be able to consolidate or snowball your debts. The best strategy in such a situation is to pay off your smallest debts firsts. According to All Womens Talk, "Instead of trying to tackle the biggest debt you have since it is hanging over your head the most, switch your focus to paying down the smallest debt first. Why so? It is eating up interest just like the larger debt, yet because it is a smaller bill, you'll be able to pay it off quicker, freeing up some money per month, and freeing up an extra interest rate."

Loans With Private Entities Should Be Dealt With First

Loans with private organizations can often be hazardous to say the least. If you are unable to keep up with payments, private lenders can easily take the money straight out of your paycheck. This situation occurs most frequently with those who have student loan debt. Always focus on eliminating the debt that can cause the most financial problems first.

Peter Smith is a professional blogger that provides financial advice and tips to consumers. He writes for TitleMax, a title loan company.

4 Signs That You Need Professional Debt Help

Wipe our Debt (Photo credit: Images_of_Money)

When you are struggling with your finances, it can be hard to know the right time to get help. Debt is not just a financial issue, it is one which can affect your entire life. Feelings of frustration and helplessness are commonly associated with debt, and can be overwhelming if you don’t start to seek external assistance. 

 Here are 4 common signs that suggest you need to get some professional debt help.

Struggling to Meet Deadlines

You know when your bills are due and when your loan repayments need to be made, yet you still feel like there just isn’t enough time to get the money together. If this is the case, and you find yourself struggling to meet your financial deadlines, it’s time to get some help. Having difficulty paying your bills is one of the first signs that your finances need attention, so it’s best to address the problem now before it becomes anything more serious.

Missing Repayments

The next step is when you simply don’t have the money on the due date, and find yourself missing repayments or becoming overdue on your bills. This is a dangerous practice, as you can be doing serious damage to your credit rating. A bad credit rating can take years of hard work and dedication to undo, so it’s essential to take action as soon as you can. A professional debt help provider such as Fox Symes will not only help you to sort out your finances, they will alleviate the pressure by negotiating better terms with your creditors to help you get back on track with repayments.

Relying on Credit for Assistance

Using your credit card to bail you out of a difficult financial situation is definitely a danger sign that your debt could be spiralling out of control. Credit card debt can really sneak up on you and quickly lead to seemingly insurmountable financial difficulty. If you have to use your credit card to buy groceries or other everyday necessities, it signifies that your current budget is not coping with your expenses, and that you need to get some help.

Your Budget Doesn’t Add Up

When you evaluate your budget, you should have enough for all of your expected expenses, bills and repayments. If you have calculated your budget and found that you are running at a loss, you should seek professional financial advice immediately. It is only a matter of time before your savings run out and you are left with debts that you simply cannot pay.

Professional help is a great way to get back on track and in control of your finances, even if you aren’t experiencing any of these tell-tale signs. It is never too early to seek help, and in fact the sooner you get help the better chance you have of success. A professional debt solutions agency such as Fox Symes can give you the strategies you need to beat debt for good. As a leading Australian firm specialising in debt reduction, their expertise and professionalism is assured. You can read a review of their services by clicking here. Don’t let debt dictate your life, be proactive and seek out expert help today!

Should I Try to Save While I'm Still in Debt?

There are two schools of thought on this subject. I am largely in the camp that believes debt should be retired before beginning a serious investment strategy. There are three exceptions and I will begin by addressing these.

Exception 1—Your Mortgage

The typical mortgage has at least a ten-year term and often a twenty-year or thirty-year term. I do not believe it is practical to wait that long to begin investing. 

Exception 2—Employer Matching 401k

If you are fortunate enough to work for an employer that offers matching contributions to a 401k plan, I cannot recommend that you wait to an investment in that plan. You would be leaving free money on the table and that makes no fiscal sense whatsoever.

Exception 3—Small Business Owners

If you are a small business owner, you should invest in growing your business. After all, it is be the wellspring of your present and future income.

These exceptions noted ...

I believe in the time value of money and by extension the value, indeed the necessity, of eliminating the interest expense associated with most if not all debt.

The Time Value of Money

The time value of money is the most persuasive argument available for retiring debt and for investing. You see, saving differs from investing. If you have a piggy bank and save ten dollars, you empty out the piggy bank in ten years and guess what—you still have but ten dollars. Conversely, if you invest ten dollars, in ten years you will have more than ten dollars because whatever you invested in (stock, bonds, certificate of deposit etc.) will have grown in value.

Debt also exemplifies the time value of money. However, with debt, the value accrues to the lender not to you, the borrower. Think about it … instead of you earning money on an investment, the lender is earning money from you. Why? Because you have debt and the interest expense that is a result of that debt finds its way into the corporate coffers.

Sample Scenario

In this example, imagine you have a credit card debt of $5000 with an annual rate of 10%. You would have to pay $126.81 every year for four years to pay this debt in full. That means for $5000 you will pay a total of $6086.88 over a four year period. Obviously, you are paying the credit card company $1086.88 for the privilege of using their money. The time value of money is working for the credit card company, not for you.

Now, I want you to consider this. If you elect to invest before retiring this credit card obligation, what investment can you make that will provide you a safe return exceeding the 10 percent rate you are paying the credit card company? Can you think of even one? I can’t!

If you are lucky and find a reasonably safe investment that pays even 5 percent, this is only half of what you are paying out in interest to the credit card company! This is not a rational course of action.

Conclusion

Apart from the exceptions noted above, it is clearly counterproductive to invest before you have retired your debt.

For you small business owners, the principle applies equally with respect to business debt. Look to your accounts receivable for cash flow and/or debt relief. Take advantage of free invoice factoring calculator to see if your accounts receivable can help you retire business debt early.

About Author:Andrew Cravenho is the CEO of CBAC LLC, an innovative invoice financing exchange. As a serial entrepreneur, Andrew focuses on helping both small and medium sized businesses take control of their cash flow. Prior to CBAC, Andrew founded an annuity financing company relieving tort victims of financial hardship.

Debt Settlement and Credit Counseling Can Solve Your Financial Problems

Wipe our Debt (Photo credit: Images_of_Money)

Most of all Americans are in debt, but that’s not always a bad thing. There’s a saying that goes you need to spend money to make money. It’s when you are in debt that you did not intend to acquire and you don’t know what to do – then it becomes a problem. Whether it’s for your mortgage or overuse on credit cards, many debt counseling services exist to help guide you through these issues. 

So what are the factors you should take into account before looking into these organizations for help? What data points should you use to compare debt settlement and credit counseling services?

Compare Debt Settlement & Credit Counseling

1. Location – though communication via e-mail or by phone is easy, nothing beats an in person meeting when it comes to learning how to deal with financial issues.
2. Services – Are you looking into debt management programs or just counseling? You should also look into specific information like housing counseling or pre-discharge debtor education.
3. Agency Type – Both for profit and not for profit agencies exist, but not for profit ones generally rank higher and charge less.
4. Affiliations – This is just more for credibility, but that’s how you know whether an agency can be trusted. 5. Price – even not for profits have to earn revenue to stay afloat. The average debt management plan is about $65 per month.

Bankruptcy Is Not the Only Way to Fix Your Credit Problems

Wipe our Debt (Photo credit: Images_of_Money)

Many people mistakenly believe that bankruptcy is their only option once they get into deep financial trouble. There is an entire industry of bankruptcy lawyers, auctioneers, real estate vultures and bankers who would have you believe this; however, the truth is that you have many other credit repair options. 

Bankruptcy should be a last resort - a little research will prove that you can find a better solution without all of the negative long term financial ramifications. The first step is to determine the best professional help that you can get in your area. 

For instance, funnewjersey.com has a listing of the top ten credit repair companies in its area. Borrowers who are in trouble can go directly to those listings for a choice of reputable companies with years of experience helping people out of debt. 

After choosing a company, a borrower will be able to pick between the different sorts of plans that company has available. Most companies have a variety of plans including debt management, debt consolidation and professional budget accounting services. 

Determining the best course of action is a shared effort between you and the debt relief company. New Jersey is no place to live if you are in debt. 

Find and contact a professional debt company today and give yourself the leverage that you need to get back on your financial feet.

Five reasons you should use a mortgage broker

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When it comes time to shop for a home loan, individuals and families are not always sure where to start. Should they start looking for a home first and then worry about financing? When should they start looking into a home loan? In order to make the process a little easier, many potential homeowners are looking to mortgage brokers for advice and assistance. They want guidance from someone experienced in the industry. There are five major reasons to consider mortgage brokers when searching for the perfect home loan.

Saving Time Searching for a Home Loan

There are so many different lenders to choose from and shopping around can take days or even weeks. Once a consumer has all of the different information from the lender, it isn't always easy to make comparisons to determine which one is offering the best deal. One might require less closing costs but provide a higher interest rate.

Mortgage brokers save individuals time. The brokers know about all of the available loans, lenders and programs available. These professionals can do all the legwork and research in order to provide the client with a few of the best options available. There is no need for the customer to make multiple phone calls or visit several different locations. 

Specialization

Mortgage brokers focus on one type of loan. They don't research car loans or debt consolidation loans. Because of this, they keep up with the latest information revolving around a mortgage. Banks work with a variety of different loans and a variety of different customers. Instead of specializing, banks attempt to offer many different products to help the most customers. Customers benefit from the focus that mortgage brokers have and the time they invest in researching home loans only.

Large Network of Lenders

With so many lenders working with mortgage brokers, there is a lot of competition to get a person's home loan. It is possible for a broker to get multiple offers for the same loan with different lenders attempting to provide the best deal. The more lenders a mortgage broker works with, the better options their client will have when it comes to a home loan.

One on One Attention for Customers

Getting financial advice from mortgage brokers tends to be easy because of the one on one attention that customers receive. A broker takes the time to research the best option for each potential homeowner. There is less of a chance that a person will get lost in the shuffle when it comes to a mortgage broker when compared to working directly with a lender or banker. 

Motivated to Find the Best Deal

Finally, one of the most important reasons to use a mortgage broker centers on the fact that they are motivated to provide customers with the best deal. If they can't provide a loan that a family can live with, they don't get paid. In order to help the customer and ensure that the loan works out, a broker keeps an eye on the process.

Dane Smith has been presenting financial solutions to readers for the past 10 years. He strives to take financial advice from mortgage brokers and turn it into clear and understandable steps that any potential homeowner can use.

Will My Family Have To Pay My Debts When I Pass?

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As we get older, we tend to think of things that we never found ourselves thinking about in the past. Questions like “Will my family have to pay my debts when I pass?” are often asked as we reach retirement. Unfortunately however, the answer isn't quite that clear when we do a search online. Some articles say yes and some say no. Another unfortunate part of this is that many articles I've read on this topic have misinformation all through them. So, without further ado, here is the REAL answer you've been looking for... 

Will My Family Have To Pay My Debts When I Pass? 

The bottom line is that you and you alone own and owe your debts. However, the topic gets a bit interesting when an estate is taken into consideration. If you have anything of monetary value to your name when all is said and done, this is also something that you own. Because you own your debts, your estate may be used to pay our debts before it is passed on to your family. Therefore, when you pass, if you have more debt than you do monetary value in your estate, chances are, nothing will be left for your family. However, this is a topic that is best addressed with an estate planning attorney or another estate planning expert. 

How To Pay Your Debts Quickly And Protect Your Estate 

Chances are, if you are reading this article, you may not have too much time left to plan for leaving something behind for your family. However, it's never too late to protect your estate by paying off your debts. Here are a couple ways that you can do that while avoiding debt scams... 

Option #1 – Financial Hardship Programs 

Due to recent economic hard times, many lenders have started to offer financial hardship programs. When it comes to credit cards, these programs are often called balance liquidation programs. When it comes to mortgages, these programs can be referred to as mortgage modifications. No matter what type of debt you are dealing with, chances are, your lender has an option that will help. All you will need to do is give your lender a call to find out if they are willing to help and how much they will help. However, it's important to remember that financial hardship programs may take years to pay off. Therefore, if you feel as though you don't have this time, you may want to consider debt settlement. 

Option #2 – Debt Settlements 

Although, I don't generally advise debt settlement because of the incredibly negative repercussions it can have on credit scores, in cases where consumers only have a year or two to pay their debts off completely, this is a viable option. When you enroll into a debt settlement program, your representative will help to create a payment plan that will meet your goals. As you make payments, they will not be given to the lender. Instead, they are held in a special purpose savings account until there is enough money to settle a debt. At that point, the debt settlement company you choose will negotiate the amount of debt owed with the lender and settle it for a lesser amount. 

The Bottom Line 

Although your family will not be held liable for your debts, it's important to remember that your estate will pay your debts before anything will be left for your family. With that said, if you feel as though you don't have much time left, it's always best to start aggressively paying down your debts. This way, your estate will be left to your family and not to pay your financial obligations! 

About The Author – Joshua Rodriguez 
This article was written by Joshua Rodriguez, proud owner and founder of CNA Finance and avid personal finance writer. Joshua's most recent work online has been his balance transfer credit card series. Join the discussion about this article, Joshua's series or any personal finance topic of your choice on Google+!

3 Easy Ways To Stay Away From Debt

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We live in a tough economy when lots of people use lending services and borrow money to cover their expenses. Latest reports say that almost a third of Americans don’t have emergency funds or savings for a rainy day. Living without a debt is impossible. Take a look around and see how many people use credit cards and then struggle with credit card debt. 

But debt free living can be a reality if you really want it and your ready to make the effort. It’s necessary to work on your your financial habits and then finally be able to say goodbye to your financial stress. 

Start At Cutting Expenses 

There’s a simple rule for those who want to avoid financial problems: “You should spend less money than you earn”. Isl it one of the principles you follow? If no then it’s time to review your expenses and set a budget. Take a pen and a paper and write down all the purchases you make during a week. That will let you see a picture of your spending and understand if all the things you buy are really necessary. 

Sometimes it’s hard to understand the difference between our wants and needs. But if you want to be debt free it’s important to set a realistic budget and buy only things you really can afford. It’s not right when a person who has a small income buys luxury products with a help of a credit card or takes out a quick loan to go to a fancy restaurant. That’s why cutting unnecessary expenses will help you to increase your income. 

Build an Emergency Fund 

A bigger income will make you feel financially secure. It’s clear that if you can earn enough money - it will be easier for you to cover all the expenses and put some money away for the emergency fund. An emergency fund is a necessity for those who want to be debt free. 

Quite often people borrow money for emergency situations. Anything can happen and you never know what may happen to you. Unexpected financial problems make us vulnerable but if you have an emergency fund then there will be no need to borrow money or apply for payday loans from Island Loans provider because you will be able to fix all these problems on your own. Saving money for a rainy day should be the rule if you really want to be debt free. To motivate yourself to save, think of the benefits. For example, there will be no need to ask relatives or friends to lend you money ever again. 

Live Within Your Means 

If you have made a decision to change your life, then learn from your own mistakes and use the experience of other people. There are lots of occasions when consumers can’t afford to buy a home or a car, but they do anyway. They think that borrowing money is easy and their credit score is not bad so, probably, the loan application will be approved. But getting money from someone is always easier than paying back. 

You work hard to make money and need to cover different expenses and pay bills on time. If you have debt  there should be a place to make payments on this loan in your budget. That’s why it’s better to live frugally and stay realistic about your earnings and expenses.

Make Credit Card Debt Disappear, Even If You're Retired!

Retirement isn't supposed to be a debt riddled way of life. It should be a worry free, enjoyable time. Unfortunately, for many consumers debt has ruined their retirement. But what if I told you that, you could still pay your debts off? What if I told you that you could do it paying no more than your minimum payments right now? Well, you'd probably think I was trying to sell you something. Good news, I'm not, you can do it on your own! No need to pay that debt consolidation company $3,000 to do it for you. It's actually pretty simple, here's how:

Step #1: Make A List Of Your Debts: 

I've seen the smartest people I know make stupid mistakes because they forgot to prepare before doing something. When you do anything as important as working your way out of debt, it's vital that you get prepared. To do so, you will need to understand your debts. Start by making a list of all of your credit cards with a balance. Make sure to order your list from highest interest rate to lowest. Also, it should include the lender name, interest rate, balance, minimum payment, customer service phone number and pay to address for each of your credit card debts.

Step #2: Decide How To Go About Reducing Your Interest Rates: 

There are 2 different options that you can chose from for DIY interest rate reduction, first is interest rate negotiations and balance transfers, the second is financial hardship programs. Either of these options coupled with solid, aggressive payment plans, which I will go over later can prove to be a dream come true for you and your family. So, how do you decide? It takes a bit more than one paragraph so, I'm going to separate this step into sub-steps:

1. Check Your Debt To Income Ration – Add all of your credit card balances up. Do they add up to more than 15% of your annual income? This plays a crucial role in your decision because if your debts add up to more than 15% of your annual income, chances are, you will not qualify for enough of a credit line to transfer your balances via balance transfer credit cards. Also, you may be in the midst of a financial hardship.
2. Add Up All Of Your Minimum Payments – Can you afford to pay at least that amount of money every month? If not, you are dealing with a financial hardship and your lender has assistance for you.
3. Figure Out Your Credit Scores – If you have poor to fair credit scores, the truth is, you will not qualify for any balance transfer credit cards that are worth applying for. This however is often a sign of financial hardship!
4. Make Your Decision – If your debt to income ratio is too high, you can't afford to send at least your minimum payment comfortably and you have bad credit scores, financial hardship programs will be a better option for you than balance transfer credit cards. However, if you do have a low debt to income ratio, good credit scores and can afford to pay make your payments with a little extra comfortably, balance transfer credit cards are going to be your best option.

Step #3: Reduce Your Interest Rates: 

I have written several publications on both options for reducing your interest rates. If you decide on financial hardship programs, I suggest reading, “Understanding And Applying For Credit Card Hardship Programs”. If you decide that you would rather use balance transfer credit cards for interest rate reduction, please read “Do It Yourself Credit Card Debt Consolidation”.

Step #4: Decide On A Constant Payment: 

Have you ever noticed that as you pay your credit card bills, every month or two, the payments get a few cents or even a buck lower? This is because your minimum payment is based on your credit card balance. Therefore, if you can commit to sending no less than your minimum payments this month, you can commit to sending more than your minimum payments in the future. Every extra penny going to your principle balance saves you money in the long run. So, to decide on a constant payment, add all of your minimum payments together. Can you afford to send more than the total? If so, write down the total payment you can afford. Now, commit to sending no less than this every month until your debts are completely paid off. If you do so, you stand to save thousands of dollars in interest and years of time paying off your debts!

Step #5: Stack Your Debts: 

The debt stacking payment method is one that attacks your highest interest rate first. To do so, send minimum payments to all of your credit cards with the exception of the highest interest rate each month. All extra funds left within your constant payment should be directed to your highest interest rate. When your highest interest rate credit card is paid off, don't go back to making small payments and keeping the rest! Now, send all extra funds to your next highest. This aggressive payment method will really get you paid off fast!

My Conclusion

Even if you're retired, you don't have to live with credit card debts. If you follow this plan, you will be free in just a few years and finally be able to enjoy your retirement. I hope you've enjoyed my article and hope you come back to read more to come!

About The Author – Joshua Rodriguez

This article was written by Joshua Rodriguez, proud owner and founder of CNA Finance and avid personal finance author. This article was inspired by his most recent series, “Balance Transfer Credit Cards – A 7 Step Guide To Understanding This Option”. Join the discussion about this article, Joshua's series or any personal finance topic of your choice on Google+!

Managing your Bill Payments

Finance (Photo credit: Tax Credits)

Obtaining any loan is not a bad thing at all as long as you are aware of the rules and deadlines. The tricky side of the loans is that people usually take them and they are too careless to consider the loans to be a serious obstacle for being on the top of the financial aspect of the life.

Let us begin with the personal finances

Set up a budget and try to follow every step of it. The budget will show you where you spend your money and the amount of money itself that you may spend for this month. You will be able to save more funds for something bigger and more pleasant than just a simple pair of shoes or any new car tool. Compare the expenses with your salary. Are they the same or do you even waste more than earn?

Check your statement of account every month before posting your payment. The mistakes may occur everywhere. The payment bills are not an exception. That is why it is so important to check all your bills and figure out the exact sum of money you owe. It may happen that you will pay for something you did not buy. If you found a mistake, contact your issues at once for figuring out the situation.

The managing of your finances does take a bit of time but it is better to spend a little time checking everything, than to fall behind with all the payments later. At least you will be calm about your credit score.

Home loans: how to cope with them

Do not miss any of your loan payment as it may get you into a trouble. If you do not pay for all your bills and loans during several months, the debt collection notice may arrive and then you will find yourself in a big trouble. 

If an unforeseen situation has occurred to you, do not wait till your debt collector or a bank employee will contact you and remind that you have not paid back yet. Let them know about your difficulties and maybe they will give you some more time for coping with all the issues you have got.

In such situation there is an easy way-out - Canada payday loans for bad credit. They have become very popular among the consumers as they do not require a lot of efforts and time for sending a request for a loan. You will be able to get the required funds within 24 hours just sitting with your lap-top at home.

Do not forget about credit card debt

If you have got more then one credit card, focus on every card bill. You can save much money if you pay back the full balance, and will not keep a revolving one.

While buying something, ask yourself whether you will be able to pay the full price for this purchase and if you are not quite sure, then just pay with cash.

The Do-It-Yourself Debt Management Plan

English: First 4 digits of a credit card (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Establishing your own debt management plan requires some time and energy, but it can be an effective and inexpensive solution to getting your finances under control. The following are some guidelines to help you get your plan up and running.

1) Figure out exactly how much your debt costs. To do this, you'll need to gather all the information you have about your debt and monthly finances, including your the total debt, interest rates, payments, living expenses, bills, and income, in one place, such as an Excel spreadsheet or other data management program. One of the easiest ways to get information about your debts is to check your credit report, which lists your complete credit history, including outstanding debts and those that have been paid. (Everyone is to a free annual credit report from the three major credit reporting bureaus -- TransUnion, Experian, and Equifax.) When you review your report, make sure you check for inaccuracies and false information since incorrect information could be hurting your credit score. Once you've determined how much money you're earning in ratio to how much your spending, you can determine a monthly debt payment that fits within your budget.

2) Understand how your credit cards work. To effectively reduce and eventually pay off all your credit card debts, you need to understand how the little pieces of plastic work. This means analyzing the terms of your card, including the annual percentage rate (also known as APR) and late fees, and your monthly billing statement. Once you have a grasp on how your card works and you can call your creditor and ask if they are willing to negotiate your rate. If the company values your business, it will likely try to work with you to establish a rate. If not, take your business to another company that will.

3) Prioritize your bills. Once you understand how your credit cards work, and you've examined your other debts, determine which ones you need to pay off first, such as those with high interest rates. By paying off these debts you will increase you credit score, which in turn will give you more leverage to negotiate the rates on other cards.

4) Create a budget. Determine how much money you need for your monthly living expenses and bills, and then track all your expenses to figure out exactly how much you're spending. Make sure to account for each and every transaction so you can get an accurate picture of your spending habits. Often, just seeing how much money you're spending each month can help you figure out where you can save money that can be put towards your debt. For instance, say you get a weekly manicure that costs $30. If you opted to go every other week or do you own nails, you could save up to $120 per month that can be put towards your debts.

5) Pay your bills on time. If you've been making your payments late, getting back on schedule is one of the most important parts of your debt management plan since numerous late payments can lead to a negative mark on your credit report. You should also always try to pay more than the minimum amount due -- otherwise the majority of your payments will likely going towards the interest that's collecting on the debt.

About Zantrio.com
Zantrio was founded in November 2007. Our aim is to inform and educate the world about trading, investing, and personal finance. Whether you're an active day trader, a casual investor, or a college student looking to learn the basics of personal finance, Zantrio was built for you!

6 Tips to Clear Your Debt Before You Retire

retirement (Photo credit: 401(K) 2013)

Many people have big plans in mind for their retirement. In the UK there are thousands of over 50’s in debt, and many of them will retire with debts. Debt can be a hard habit to break in our consumer culture, even for those over 50. It’s important to deal with your debt before you retire and have a fixed income. You’ll need to create a retirement plan to clear your debts before you retire. If you’re in debt and would like to clear those debts before you retire the following steps could help you get control of your debts: 

1. Don’t pile on the debt.

If you have debts, don’t start piling it on with more debts. It’s simple advice; if you have debt you should avoid getting deeper into debt. Avoid taking out any more loans, especially incising payday loans. Even a very small loan can start a vicious cycle of debt that could hinder your chances of clearing your debt. You should also avoid buying things on credit cards, that’s a sure way to build your debts. 

2. Calculate your income

Add up your regular monthly bills. So add up your monthly expenses, this includes food, gas, the cost of running a car and other necessities. Then subtract this amount you earn to calculate how much money you have left to cover and payback your debts. You can then find out how long it will take to clear your debts. 

3. Pay the lenders

Make sure you pay all your creditors in full and on time. It’s always best to avoid any extra unnecessary debts due to late fees from creditors. 

4. Consider consolidation

If you have many multiple debts you should consider a consolidation loan. Even if you have a bad credit score you could get a bad credit consolidation loan to pay off all your debts and put them into on monthly payment. Having just one monthly repayment makes paying back your debts much easier and you should be able to get lower rates. 

5. Save Money

You can pay off your debt quickly if you stop spending money on things that you don’t necessarily need. If you save money, you could put that extra money toward paying back your debt before you retire. Sure it will be extremely tough to cut your spending, but you’ll be better off in the long run and at least then you could retire debt free.

6. Use extra money wisely

When you get extra money, you should use it to clear your debts. So if you have an unexpected amount of money, like a bonus at work or some kind of inheritance, use it wisely. Be clever and avoid the common mistake of using the extra money to treat yourself; use the money to pay off your debts.

Get started today and hopefully these six tips help you become stress free and clear of debts before you finally retire.

How to Pay Off Credit Card Debt in 2013

English: First 4 digits of a credit card (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

With 2013 just around the corner many will be making new year’s resolutions about how they are going to join the gym, stop eating chocolate or fix their finances. While these pacts are all made with the best intentions, come Mid-February the majority of people will revert back to their old ways and forget about their resolution.

The one resolution that we are going to focus on throughout this article is the one regarding finances; and the various ways you can go about consolidating debt.

Debt can come in many forms, however arguable the most common is credit card debt; whether you've slowly amounted debt or have maxed it out in a matter of one purchase; getting it off your back is not that easy. Making minimum payments will chip away at the amount however depending on the amount owed and the interest rates attached; this method can take a number of years.

Arguably the best way to get rid of credit card debt is to transfer the complete debt over to a 0% balance transfer card. These work on the basis that you are charged no interest for a specific time frame; instead you will be charged a small transfer fee of roughly 3% of the balance.

The idea of a 0% balance transfer card is that you pay the complete balance off within the 0% interest time frame – failing to do this will result in you being charged interest each month after the 0% timeframe. Of course, one way of avoiding interest is to transfer the remaining balance over to another 0% interest card and continue to repay the debt that way.

The only problem with 0% balance transfer cards is their availability. Often, only those with immaculate credit histories will be eligible, therefore anyone with missed payments or defaults on their record will be declined.

When this is the case there are still a few options available. Many choose to take out a debt consolidation loan, much like credit cards, the cheapest rates will be reserved for those with immaculate credit history meaning that if you have had trouble with credit commitments in the past then the subprime loan market may be the only option.

Naturally, with subprime lenders offering finance to those with bad credit they will be less willing to lend large amounts and the rates will be much higher. Generally credit card debt will range from £1,000 to £10,000 and there are only two types of subprime loans that offer this amount; guarantor and logbook loans.

Logbook loans are loans that are secured against your vehicle, the amount offered by the lender will be dependent on the value of the car. The rates may however be more expensive than the interest rates of your credit card, although they are one way you could organise your debt if you have more than one credit card.

Guarantor loans are a unique loan product that requires the backing of an individual to stand as guarantor on the loan application. The guarantor simply supports the application and promises to pay if the borrower fails to do so. Guarantor loan lenders will be able to offer between £1000 and £7,500 over a term of 1 to 5 years. 

Author Bio: This article has been written by Jason Scott on behalf of UK Credit Guarantor Loans. To learn more about the loan market or for more money saving tips, visit their website and click on the blog section. 

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