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Sunday, December 21, 2008

New Reverse Mortge Law Raises Lending Limits - Huge Difference

By Tiog Stausenberg

The Housing and Economic Recovery Act, signed by President Bush on July 30, most notable for its mortgage bailout provisions, also included raising the FHA national reverse mortgage lending limit to $417,000.

Prior to the enactment of the new law, FHA reverse mortgage limits maxed out at roughly $200,000 for most parts of country. In November, lenders began to fund reverse mortgages with the new limits in mind.

The act primarily helps senior homeowners, who own homes valued in excess of $200,160. In fact these homeowners can borrow as much as twice the amount as before. As an added bonus the closing costs on the higher loan amounts have reduced as a percentage of the value of of the home.

Wilma Johnson has ownwership in a commercial flooring company. Prior to the beginning of 2008 business was thriving. "The phone was ringing and we kept answering it". In the beginning of 2008, the phone stopped ringing as the commercial market died off. Now, one year later, at age 64, Mrs. Johnson is having trouble managing to pay her bills on time. It's not uncommon to dip into savings from time to time. Her $230,000 mortgage on her home takes up to $1,400 per month of her income.

With many unknowns in the commercial marketplace, she is unsure when her income will return. With that in mind Mrs. Johnson exercised the option to completely eliminate the burden of her mortgage payment by refinancing her home with a reverse mortgage.

One of the common misconceptions regarding senior homeowners getting a reverse mortgage is that these borrowers all must own their home with out liens or a mortgage against the home.

Contrary to this belief the majority of seniors are getting reverse mortgages specifically to remove the financial burden of their current mortgage payment. Fixed incomes and increased medical and other living costs are forcing a choice for many seniors.

With the new lending limits in place many senior borrowers will realize a dramatic increase in their monthly income. Technically speaking they won't see income increasing, rather the giant expense of the mortgage payment will be eliminated. The borrower sees that as a net increase in disposable income to be used for other important life reasons.

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Rebuild Your Credit With Credit Cards

By Dan Moskel

Getting a credit card to help rebuild your credit history is a very wise decision. A credit card can help you create a positive payment history.

However you will only qualify for a sub prime credit card if you have a damaged credit score. This means your card will have an interest rate around 19%.

It is very important to remove negative items on your credit, while improving your score. You should know that once a negative item ages four years then it has much less impact on your score.

If your credit score is low you will still be able to qualify for a sub prime credit card. This means you will pay approximately 19% APR and an annual fee.

Your card will have a credit limit around $300. The other alternative is to get a secured credit card.

With a secured card you will have to put an initial deposit down and how ever much your deposit is that will be your available credit. The benefit of a secured card is that they approve everyone.

Both of these cards offer online approval. However before you apply for any card double check and make sure that card does report monthly to all three bureaus.

Another tip to help you get the most benefit to your credit is to keep your balance at roughly 10% of your credit limit. For example a credit limit of $300 you will want to keep the monthly balance at $30.

This shows the credit bureaus that you do have available credit; this is called your available credit to debt ratio. In addition it shows the bureaus that you do use your credit.

There is one other option that we strongly discourage and that is a shopping or catalog card. This is a credit card that is only able to make purchases through a catalog or a website online. We discourage this option because there is often a large down payment required and the card typically only reports to one credit bureau.

A prepaid card is another option. This is a good choice if you are unable to open a checking account because this card will work just like a bank account.

In sum we suggest a sub prime unsecured credit card. This will give your credit score the most benefit because it will increase your ratio of available credit to debt and help you create a positive payment history.

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Prepare an Expense Spreadsheet to Help You Plan for Retirement

By Michael Geoffrey

When you reach your retirement you will still have expenses. Now while you are planning for your retirement you need to try to plan a budget for those expenses. An expense spreadsheet for your retirement can help.

With an expense spreadsheet you can see how far the money you save for your retirement will go. It will help you make future projections about your expenses over the next 10 or 20 years. You can also use this expense spreadsheet to help you find ways to invest your money so that it will go farther for you.

A retirement planning expense worksheet will help you with your finances even now. It can help you organize and manage your finances today while you plan for tomorrow. There is no need to guess at how to handle your finances or how to plan for the future. With a good expense worksheet you can have total control with no guesswork.

The worksheet will also help you to compare your income and expenses to see where you need to make adjustments. It will also help you to determine if and how you can continue to live the lifestyle that you are used to. The retirement planning expense worksheets gives you a real awakening about what you will need to do to plan for your new life.

It is Wise to Plan for the Future

It is nave to think that things will not change in the future. Inflation is a fact of life. The financial world is ever changing. A good expense spreadsheet will help prepare you for these changes and will teach you how to adjust your plan if you find yourself falling behind.

You will be equipped in analyzing and strategizing your financial welfare and not be caught by surprise. You will be able to establish a solid and successful retirement plan. You will be able to finance your dreams and goals more effectively. You will be better prepared for the change that is about to take place in your life. You will be able to make better decisions and make amends to any short falls that you may experience.

A significant number of employees are never ready to face retirement and end up going back to work after retirement because they did not prepare themselves for the inevitable. The sooner you begin forecasting your income and expense for the future, the more confidence you will have when it comes time to retire.

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What to Do if You're In Over Your Head In Debt

By William Blake

What if you've tried to make a budget to pay off your cards, but the money to pay them off just isn't there? Well, you have a few options.

*It may be time search for additional employment. You need to increase your income. Try taking on a second job or maybe you can try to look for a higher paying job. Just be sure that the extra money you make is used to pay off the debt to you have accumulated. This can really lighten the strain on your budget.

*When you show a willingness to pay many creditors are ready to work with you. Call your credit card companies and see if they will negotiate a lower monthly payment or bring down your interest a bit. You could even try to negotiate a reduction in your overall balance, however you may find this difficult to accomplish without legal representation.

*Debt consolidation can make debt more manageable. If you are a homeowner consider a home equity loan to turn your multiple payments into one payment with lower interest. Remember, though, that this is a serious decision to be thought out carefully because this loan will be secured by your home.

You may also pay more in interest than you realize, because even though the interest rate is lower, you will be paying for a longer time. If you choose this route, paying more than the minimum payment each month will save you money.

If you do not want to put your home at risk you might try applying for a new credit card with a high limit and low rate. Then you can transfer the balances of your cards to this one card and reduce your monthly expenditures.

Once you have consolidated your debt you have to be careful not to begin charging things again and run the credit card balances back up. You will be in worse shape than you were in the beginning.

*As a last resort Bankruptcy is an option. If you file Chapter 7 you will be completely debt free. However, you may have to sacrifice some of your belongings. If you file Chapter 13 you will have a payment plan structured by the courts to pay your debts off. Either way this will forever show on your public record and you will have a blemish on your credit report for the next 7 years. That is why this should be your last resort.

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The Bad Credit Special Loans.

By Denzel Abintenk

Many of the citizens are able to take delivery of bad credit loans after filing the bankruptcy, often almost immediately as thirty days time period next the release of the bankruptcy. a lot of companies have set up a high quality marketplace presenting these loans, knowing a person cannot declare bankruptcy for a at least of seven years following the bankruptcy release. This opens a novel market for a number of lenders will to take a likelihood of citizens with a bad credit score meaningful they have legal alternative to recoup the quantity of the loan.

Even though the majority customary lenders just will not grant bad credit personal loans after bankruptcy there are many lenders that come to blows over the market. Even by means of the counseling supplies of bankruptcy on monetary organization and liability, at present is no law that require those declare the bankruptcy to go after any suggestion made for the duration of the counseling. Follow the discharge of the bankruptcy, persons are free to search for bad credit personal loans after bankruptcy at whatever time they choose.

even though bankruptcy records are released to the public, and their accessibility is often seen as an uncomfortable punishment for ignore past accountability, the accessibility of the bad credit individual loans after the bankruptcy has a lot of taking that road to get out from beneath a serious debt load. still with the novel laws there are those who carry on to pile on debt and file for bankruptcy each seven years or as almost immediately as the law permits.

There Are No Laws to Govern For People Who Apply For the Bad Credit Loans

at the same time as a lot of laws exist over who can present bad credit personal loans after bankruptcy and the interest rates charge for them, there is no laws leading who can apply for them. yet a person who has manifold bankruptcies in their earlier period are free to seek financial help where on earth they can find it. in spite of the considerably higher cost of bad credit personal loans subsequent to bankruptcy citizens often flock to the lender presenting such loans.

a small number of, if any of the lenders presenting the bad credit personal loans after bankruptcy have need of any type of guarantee for the money, still meaningful there is a good chance the loan will go into non-payment, the alternative obtainable, counting wage garnishment, make them a money-making business. When a human being default on bad credit personal loans after bankruptcy a court-ordered reimbursement is characteristically approved for the amount of the loan and whichever expenses linked with collect the loan.

over and over again the cost of collection approach the sum of the initial loan along with courts costs, like the attorney fees and collection agency fees, all charged to the delinquent the creditor. This add even more to the charge of obtain bad credit personal loans after bankruptcy is filed.

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Don't Pay for a Credit Repair Sample Letter

By William Blake

Some people are frightened into purchasing things that they could easily get free of charge. They feel desperate and need help and think that the only way they can get the help they need is to pay for it. A credit repair or cease and desist letter is a good example of something that people may desperately need but do not have to pay for. You do not have to buy a full credit repair kit just to get a sample letter to follow. You can find many sample letters by searching online.

Keep it Brief and To the Point

A credit repair letter should not be a long, drawn out and emotional explanation of what happened to your credit, how it happened and why it happened. It is a form letter and it should read as such. It is a business letter so it should be very direct, brief and get right to the point.

A credit report dispute letter is one of the most common kinds of free credit repair letter samples on the Internet. One of the best free credit repair letter sample is given by the American government on the website of the Federal Trade commission (FTC). Although the American government is not usually known for their accuracy and efficiency, this is one exception. There is also a toll-free phone number to call for more information.

Hold Onto Your Originals

When sending documentation along with your credit repair letter you need to be sure you make copies and send the copy with your letter. Never send your original documents. Later you may need that original to present your case in court or for other reasons. Often the documentation required is personal documents such as your social security card or your certificate of birth. You never send these types of things in the mail and risk loosing them. Always send copies and copies only.

About.com

Other kinds of accurate and free credit repair letter samples are up on About.com, which is considered one of the best places to go to on the web for accurate and brief information. This writer especially recommends the sample cease and desist letter up on the site. When you go to About.com, click on the Business and Finance section, and then click on Credit/Debt Management. Or, you could cheat and just enter "About.com cease and desist letter sample" into your favorite search engine.

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Platinum Credit Cards

By Gray Rollins

Credit cards are categorized in three different levels; the Standard credit card, the Gold credit card, and the Platinum credit card. Among the three, Platinum credit card is comprised of more benefits and purchasing power, making it as a status symbol in the society. More cardholders would prefer this Platinum credit card because of the benefits and privileges it extends to the customers who are qualified to avail it. High income and clean credit scores are one of the qualifications.

Among the platinum credit cards in the circulation, the American Express Platinum card is simply the best card of all with worldwide acceptance. It offers the greatest benefits a credit card can serve. If your credit score or credit history is good enough, you can even reach the credit limit of up to $100,000. This card may seem to be high in value, but you will eventually earn in return this value because, as long as you maintain a good credit score, you can earn 1.5 reward points for each of your purchases.

MasterCard platinum is also a credit card with great value. It is also accepted anywhere in the country and in other countries. With a reasonable percentage rate of interests and will maintain its rate as long as payments are made on time.

The platinum Master Card is for those with higher incomes but if you only pay the minimum on your outstanding balance your interest rates can go up by as much as 35%. When choosing this type of credit card the best way to save the interest and fees is by paying off the balance each month.

The Discover More Platinum credit card is another card that offers convenience through its high spending limits, zero annual fees, attractive introductory APR for purchases and balance transfers for 12 months, and some more rebates on purchases and cash back bonuses. Credit history and details can be accessed through online account access.

Platinum credit card features wider range of benefits and opportunities than the silver or gold credit cards. It extends additional services such as concierge services, travel services, and purchases on high class establishments. Once you met the qualifications of being a high earning individual with high credit score, you can avail this Platinum credit card and experience its benefits and privileges.

Platinum credit cards are available for businesses. They have several options that are standard with the card so you can save money when shopping for your business as well. The membership rewards are similar to the regular credit card for personal use. There are companies that are affiliated with the credit card company so you can save from 3 to 25% on purchases you make with these companies. Some of the platinum credit cards for business offer a 0% APR for the first year and there are some with no annual fee.

Platinum shopping card is also a form of credit card. Unlike the regular credit card which can be used for dining, travel, or other services, platinum shopping card is only intended for purchases of merchandise or just for shopping purposes. The credit transactions are still reported to the credit bureau for the credit score, so be sure to make prompt payments and take care of your credit history.

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Low Interest Debt Consolidation Loans

By Caden Flynn

Debt consolidation loans can be a great way to get out debt. They are a specific type of loan to consolidate all of your debts, including credit card debt, into a single monthly payment instead of many payments. Often this loan comes with a low interest rate. These loans are made for people who owe a lot of money to different creditors, and are unable to meet the minimum monthly payment amounts.

If you have an awful credit history, finding a consolidation loan with a low interest rate can be very difficult. However, you should keep some things in mind while searching for a debt consolidation loan.

Interest is the income of any lender, so talking them down on rates, especially if you have a bad credit history so they cannot be a hundred percent sure that you will pay them on time, can be very hard.

In order to find a consolidation loan, first you need to have some sort of collateral, which will be the property you use to secure the loan. Particularly if you have a bad credit history, having some sort of collateral is extremely important, especially if you want a low interest rate. The greater the value of your collateral property, the greater your chance to find a low interest loan. However, you should ask for a loan amount less than the value of your collateral. This will make your loan more attractive for debt consolidation creditors.

When searching for an organization to offer you a consolidation loan for debt, it is very important to choose the right lender. When you are selecting a bank or financial institution for any reason, you should always look for one with excellent customer service and high customer satisfaction. Look for one that is not in the news for its bad practices. However, you may find a good bank that does not offer low interest debt consolidation loans. Many of these banks can direct you to a reputable debt consolidation company who they would recommend.

Many debt consolidation lenders have big, flashy ads, but you should not pay attention to them. Ask yourself, are those promos worth it? Instead, do your own research. The companies with expensive ads can afford to spend this money because it attracts borrowers even with higher interest rates or high APR credit cards that go with the loaned amount. Shop around to find lesser-known, but still reputable, companies. They may offer loans at lower interest rates. Smaller companies have to work harder to attract borrowers, which is why they may offer low interest rates which are not publicized in attractive ads.

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Wired Plastic - Prepaid Card Review

By Dan Moskel

Wired Plastic Card is a prepaid Visa debit card. You must deposit money on your card and then you can use your card to make purchases or access cash through the ATM.

Your card is accepted both online and over the phone. It is also accepted everywhere you see the visa logo.

Your card can be used to rent a car or make a hotel reservation. You also can sign up for free e-mail and text messaging account alerts.

It has a very unique benefit; they offer card holders a rewards program. You can earn 1 point for every dollar you spend with your card.

These points can be redeemed at participating retailers which includes; Verizon Wireless, Cingular, T-Mobile and more. You can use your points to pay your phone bill; purchase music downloads or ring tones.

This card is issued by Bankfirst and it offers free direct deposit. There is a low $3.95 monthly fee compared to the competition which ranges from $9.95 to $19.95 a month.

It can be used to write a physical paper checks to pay your bills including; cable, utilities, rent, car payment. This will eliminate your need to buy money orders. You can also load money onto your card at 100,000 different retail locations also with a bank transfer and with pay pal.

You are guaranteed to be approved for this card. There is no chexsystems verification or credit check. It will come with a 30 day money back guarantee which can be used for any reason.

Your card will act just like a checking account. If you are in chexsystems it will eliminate the need to purchase money orders or pay check cashing fees.

To qualify for this card you must be 18 years or older. You must be able to comply with the patriot act to verify your identity and have a US resident address. They will not issue you a card if you only have a P.O. Box.

In sum we do suggest the Wired Plastic card. It works just like a bank account.

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Wondering What Day Trading Is? Here's How To Get Started

By Sam Lockwood

One way you can make money buying and selling on the stock exchange is by day trading. This method uses the volatility of the market over the course of a given day to help traders make their money. Currently, we're in one of the most volatile markets since the late 1990s, making it one of the best day trading markets.

Day trading can use short selling to profit from stocks even if indicators say that the prices are dropping in the near future. In every case, day traders will be working through brokers, and they'll have to watch two major indicators. These indicators are the TDISC and the NDIX. At the beginning of a given trading day, these indicators will tell you a lot about what's going on in several exchanges. They're sensitive to volatile markets. When markets are going down, the TDISC drops by more than two thousand ticks in a very short time. When markets are rising, the NDIX increases by the same in under a half hour of opening.

The speedy changes that occur over the course of the day are what help day traders make their money. They do quick buys and sells. This is why day trading is both an excellent way to make a lot of money, but also very risky. Some people lose everything. Because you're not buying for the long term, the temptation to go without researching is high. You can get lucky this way, but most of the time it doesn't work.

Day trading really is a job, rather than a passive income source. If you're thinking about starting it, you need to have the right training. This could come through an online course or a seminar. No matter how you learn about day trading, you need to be able to get into it with your eyes open.

In addition, you'll need to have a brokerage account. After all, short selling is one of the most important tricks day traders have to use. Short selling is when you borrow a share of a given stock from your broker, then sell it right away. You expect to buy another share later on to give back when it comes due. Profit comes to you when the price of stock drops after you sell. Time things right and understand the market well, and you can do very well.

The opposite of short selling is buying or borrowing a share of stock at one price and selling it the same day for a higher price.

Day trading means you're going to need good observational skills and incredible nerves. You also have to be willing to have a short memory. That's so that you can stare losses in the face without stressing out or going into a panic.

It is definitely possible to do day trading from home if you use the right programs and have the right tutorials. You'll need to be sure that you have a plan for executing your trades, and that you do them before the last half hour of the trading day for the market.

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Financial Times - Cool Personal Checks

By Donna Werzheimer

People are often confused about the economic conditions they find themselves. Everything has a cool check about label, and the extremes are that either we are living in inflationary times or a period of deflation.

If the pervasive economic condition is deflationary, goods and services become less expensive. The state of value of the dollar increases. Many cannot grasp that relationship.

In a deflationary environment, the state of value of almost everything decreases. Your home decreases in price; the value of gasoline, goods and services come under pressure. The value of stocks and hard good assess decreases.

There is only one exception; the United States Dollar goes up by definition. The opposite is true. When the cost of goods and services goes up the measure of value of the dollar shrinks.

When the price of the buck increases, it also increases against foreign currencies. The dollar buys more.

Check the level of value of the dollar in your personal purchases. Is the dollar's value is going up? It's buying more gas than it used to, buys more real estate than it used to, and gets better deals shopping for cars than before. Everything costs less.

If most things seem to be not as expensive that means you are living in deflationary times. If the price of goods and services are going up, you live in inflationary times.

Regardless of what times you live in, getting good value for your money helps you live better. You can buy really cool checks at ElegantChecks.com. Checks that will stretch your budget dollar and offer an abundance of choices.

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How To Dispute Experian

By Justin Hutto

To file a dispute with Experian credit bureau you must write a dispute letter. When they receive your dispute letter they will investigate the disputed listing.

The first step though is to get a copy of your credit report. You can get a free credit report once a year from each credit bureau. I suggest you go to annual credit report, they will provide you with your free copy.

When you have your credit report you must identify what listings are inaccurate or incorrect. These will be the listings that you dispute.

You can dispute these listings by writing a dispute letter and then mailing it to Experian credit bureau. When they receive your dispute letter they will decide if it is valid or invalid.

If your dispute is considered invalid you will get a letter from them requesting additional information about the dispute. You need to respond and provide them with the information requested.

However if your dispute is found valid they will conduct an investigation. During an investigation they will contact the creator of the listing and ask them to verify the account, the dates, and the amounts.

Frequently an investigation will result in the removal of a bad credit item. This happens because many businesses are not going to spend the time or money verifying a disputed debt.

A credit repair service can also be hired to remove negative credit from your report. With this option you only need to identify the marks you wish to dispute and the service will do the rest.

The advantage of having a service is in case the listing is verified they have advanced dispute techniques they can use. These include; escalated dispute information requests, debt validation, and creditor direct intervention.

If you have multiple bad credit items you wish to dispute then I suggest hiring a service, in addition they will have no problem getting a valid dispute submitted. However if you only have one or two bad credit items to dispute then you can do it yourself.

Be aware that you must send a dispute letter to each credit bureau. If you do not you may remove a negative mark from your Experian credit report however this mark will still be on your Equifax and Transunion credit report.

In sum you can remove bad credit items from your credit report. To do this you must dispute the item with each credit bureau.

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