Debt Consolidation Credit Counseling In Phoenix

There is great concern amongst many families regarding the possibility of losing their homes because of foreclosure. This is due to the instability of employment and the economy. Some people are foreclosed on because they have handled their personal finances in an entirely irresponsible way. Others, however, need foreclosure help because of events that have occurred due to no fault of their own.

Prices for many home essentials such as food, heating oil and electricity have been spiraling out of control and in times when there is not enough money for everything choices have to be made as to where the money will serve the best purpose.

Many people were only able to purchase the homes they currently own as a result of adjustable rate mortgages with low introductory interest rates during the housing boom that was going on during the last ten years or so. Now, however, these individuals are in need of foreclosure help in order to prevent themselves from losing their homes. They also need to consider what kind of help to accept in order to not get into an even stickier place financially.

Recently, many states government have stepped into the fray offering hope for many families looking for foreclosure help to save their properties. Many of these homeowners may also have been the victims of so-called predatory lenders that pray of individuals who may not qualify for a loan. Convincing them to exaggerate their income or low ball their expenses to qualify for a home loan are some of the common complaints lodged against these lenders.

Help Needed Before Foreclosure

After months or struggling to pay their regular bills as well as their mortgages, and families find themselves facing foreclosure, help may be off in the distant future, but their need is now. It has been stated many times that the best time to seek foreclosure help is before the process begins.

The sad truth is that people often postpone getting assistance to prevent being foreclosed on until it is too late. When they do try to get help, their credit history has often been affected negatively to a point where they can no longer get the low interest rate loans they need to prevent foreclosure.

Families who need help in making mortgage payments can receive such help from a variety of companies. Sometimes a home mortgage can be reworked so that its interest rate is lower but the loan's duration is extended. This could make the difference between a family losing their home to foreclosure or being able to keep it.

Perhaps you already know a good deal about reverse mortgages. You've watched the infomercials on television and you have probably even gotten something about them through mail.

Sometimes all that is known about reverse mortgages, is that a friend of a friend heard from someone they knew who had one, and for some reason it didn't work out so the bank took the house, leaving them homeless.

There is way too much wrong information being spread around by ill-informed people. This is an undeniable truth, and whats more, this information is going unquestioned and decisions are being based on it.

In the business of reverse mortgage, there were some persons who were taken advantage of.

A common happening in the state of Texas was, if asked for financial guidance, estate managers would send customers to a friend of theirs, who so happened to be a reverse mortgage lender.

When the escrow closed, the statement would show a fee charged to the senior, sometimes up to ten thousand dollars, for the consultation of the estate planner.

Because of the financial interest in referring the individual to a reverse mortgage company, they may not have the customers best interest at heart.

Whether the reverse mortgage was the correct financial response to the customers issue was not the problem. The problem lies in related business relationships causing a serious conflict of interest.

It is still up to you to make sure a reverse mortgage is the way to go. A lender will not always be forthright in telling you what is in your best financial interests.

Does that mean a lender wont try to talk you into a reverse mortgage even though it may not be the best financial choice at the time? No.

But even this has its checks and balances. All reverse mortgage borrowers are required to counsel with an approved HUD reverse mortgage counselor prior to moving forward with a reverse mortgage.

This adviser will tell you the honest truth because there is nothing in it for them. They are there to guide, and if your outlook isn't the best based on what you've chosen to do, they will shout it from the rooftops.

The point is if you have a financial issue or know a senior who does, and the subject of the reverse mortgage comes up, don't parrot what you've heard until you really know. You might be surprised at the truth.

If you need to get your hands on some money fast, and don't have the time to gather loads of paperwork, online loans may be a great solution for you. They can help you to secure some funds now, even if you don't get paid for a few weeks. If you need cash for the holidays or for anything else, finding a loan online may be a big help.

Online loans work just like their name implies. You apply online for the loan you need by providing some basic personal information. If you are a U.S. Citizen and at least 18 years old, you are eligible to apply for a loan. Once you enter in your application online, it will generally only be a few hours before you find out if you have been granted a loan.

Most lending sources will notify you online, and then even deposit the loan amount in full directly to your savings or checking account. In most cases, you will have the money within 24 hours and without ever having to go to the lending source.

Before you start filling out an online application, make sure to do your due diligence on the lending institution. Since you will probably have to provide your social security and driver's license numbers, you will want to make sure that the site you're using is secure.

Since theft of identity is quite common, you will want to be extra careful. Making sure that the company you want to get a loan from has a good history is highly recommended. You should be able to find plenty of information online about any company that you are considering.

The lender you're looking into should show on their site that it is encrypted and secure. This will ensure that you're information isn't stolen or posted somewhere else on the web. As long as the site is on a secure server, you shouldn't have any problems.

Over the last four weeks you may be aware that many governments have been pumping money into their failing banking systems in an attempt to salvage the mortgage markets. The reason for this is that all the bad debt, known as toxic debt, is having a detrimental effect on the financial institutions and is making us all worse off.

The burning question now is whether or not this cash injection will have the desired effect so that we are able to borrow money confidently again. At present I am only able to comment on the effect these changes will have on the general public in the United Kingdom, as I am unaware of how other global markets work within their countries, and therefore am unqualified to comment. There may be similarities in how the markets work, but it is best to take my comments here as a rough guide only if outside the UK.

Now the general consensus would be that due to the credit crunch the various financial institutions involved in the lending of money are not at liberty to do so, through a lack of it. So it would then follow on that the way to solve the problem is to supply them with the necessary means, i.e. more money. But this approach does not begin to scratch the surface with regards to the underlying problem. The reality is that the banks have been badly hit by the credit crunch and so are quite unwilling to continue on with lending as if nothing had happened.

The main result and contributory factor to the current financial predicament is that of house prices, and house prices are not only falling but are set to continue to fall for the foreseeable future. Consequently lenders are finding that they have to tighten all their criteria not least in the area of loan to value LTV, that is the amount of money that is lent based on the value of the property. Most lenders during 2007 lent up to 95% LTV some lent 100% LTV and in some cases they went as high as 125%LTV.

Now in a healthy market there is nothing wrong with this type of lending. For example, if you give a 125% loan on a house valued at 100,000 then the resulting loan would work out at 125,000. With a buoyant market the house prices may increase at an average of 10% per annum over the next three years. The resulting LTV would equate to 93%. So mathematically we can see that there would be nothing wrong with the initial 125% loan in that there would be negligible risk involved.

The problem now is that rather than rising by 10% per annum the housing prices are in fact dropping by that much, and they are set to drop even more. If you consider that drop, if a lender was to give 85,000 on a 100,000 property which continued to drop in value, in 3 years the LTV could rise to 118%, which in these turbulent times is simply not acceptable. This is why lenders are now slow to lend out quantities much over 85%.

So with regards to the money bailouts, what does this mean for our financial future? In my professional opinion I believe that there will be little overall effect, although with any luck time will prove me wrong. Although lenders are now obliged to lend in 2009 at the rates of 2007, as you will see from the first part of this article they won't be able to lend at the high LTV rates of 2007. The people who are now desperate to borrow are those coming out of rates already arranged in the past 5 years, and these borrowers are going to push the LTV to its limit because of the drop in house prices.

Another thing to consider is the high amount of self certification mortgages that have been arranged over the last 5 years. These types of mortgages will definitely be a rarity because they are seen as to high a risk and the institutions don?t want to know. And even if they are available the LTV will be far lower so what are the consequences in that scenario?

In conclusion, although the cash injections can only be welcomed as a step in the right direction, I fear that there will be little knock on effect whilst housing prices continue to plummet and lenders fail to meet the level of lending that was rife before 2008. It seems more likely that the money will be stored up for the future. This will unfortunately create a catch-22 situation where the prices continue to fall because of the low LTVs and the tight lending criteria, in turn making the lenders more nervous about lending. It seems to me that the only way out will be for someone to bite the bullet and take the risks again at lending, even taking into account the possible risks involved.

Americans have on average three credit cards per household carrying a combined balance of nearly 12,000 thousand dollars and most are just paying the minimum payment due.

You are already aware that this is taking you deeper into debt and further from debt elimination. In fact, your balances are likely growing on you seemingly moment by moment. Do not give up there is a better way!

There is a plan that will help you pay down then pay off all your credit cards! Think about it, you taking control of your financial future. This simple plan is like a credit card snowball effect.

Snowballs start out small and unassuming by rolling them around they will grow in a hurry! Now apply this concept to paying down your balance, start with a little extra and watch it snowball until the card is clear of any balance!

Credit cards grow so fast due to something called compound interest. To put it simply when you only make the minimum payment you likely are not even covering the interest. Now that interest ends up as part of the balance and next month, you will be assessed interest on the new balance. Sound like a credit card snowball?

First, look at the common practice for paying off credit card debt. This is what conventional wisdom says is the best debt elimination practice:

List all your credit cards

Choose the one with the highest interest rate

Pay extra on the card with the highest interest percentage.

Repeat this process for all of your cards as you pay them off.

At first, the glance this seems like a reasonable plan for debt elimination. However, this is not always the best course of action.

No two credit cards will have the exact same interest rate. Conventional wisdom says that it only makes sense to pay off highest interest rates. However, look at the example numbers below.

For example, let us say you have three credit cards with interest ranging from 5% to 20%. Now assume that one of the cards has a $5,000 balance at 10% interest, which is fifty dollars per month in interest. The highest interest rate you have, 20% is on a card with a $2,000 balance, equaling forty dollars per month in interest.

The above example just goes to show that higher interest is not always the enemy of your debt elimination. The credit card snowball effect will quickly take your balance to new heights. Particularly if you are only making the minimum, payment required.

To use the credit card snowball effect your plan might look more like this:

Make a list of all your credit cards.

Choose the one with the highest interest accrual each month.

Put all the extra money on this cards.

Keep all other cards at minimum to free up cash to pay off the first card.

Continue in this manner until all cards have a zero balance.

Life often has many paths to the same goal. Credit cards and debt elimination are no different. Always consider things from all angles before embarking on your debt elimination process.

If you're anything like most people, the cost of college is a little outside your price range. Paying $15,000+ each year as a 19-24 year old is definitely outside the reach for most people that don't have help from their parents. If you're struggling to meet financial obligations while attending college, having bad credit can magnify your difficulties. However, student loans for people that have bad credit are available and finding the right ones can help you to pay for school.

If you're able to find student loans, you can move ahead with your financial future. The government has great programs that are in place for those in need and other institutions offer loans to anyone, even if the need isn't there.

Stafford loans are available through the government and are supplied based on need. Those with poor credit can still qualify for Stafford loans, assuming that they need is there. In other words, if you don't have the money to pay for school it's very likely that you can qualify for a Stafford loan.

If you have an unusual amount of financial need, you may also be able to qualify for grants that don't need to be paid back. Pell grants are considered gifts and will never need to be paid back to the government. If your Pell grant doesn't give you enough money, you can still consider getting loans to pay for your education.

If you have too much income or parental income, you may not be able to qualify for the subsidized type of Stafford loans. If this is the case for you, you will probably still qualify for unsubsidized Stafford loans. Interest will accrue right away because the federal government doesn't pay it for you but it's definitely a better option than not attending school.

Those that take out this type of loan will have to start paying the loan back immediately. However, the interest rates on these loans is usually quite reasonable since they are secured by the government.

These credit cards have been designed to give you a second chance with your credit. It is for those with a low or damaged credit score.

They are often used to help rebuild a low credit score. They help because you can create a positive payment history and it can improve your ratio of available credit to debt.

Your payment history and available credit to debt are both very important to your credit score. By improving these you can improve your score even with bad credit items on your report.

There is monthly credit reporting with these cards. You should expect an APR of 19% and you will have some fees for these cards. This is the cost of a low score, however used correctly and this can be the last time you have a cost due to your score.

Most of these cards come with a $300 credit limit. However some cards such as the Tribute MasterCard will also approve individuals for a $70 credit limit and many will offer periodic limit increases.

These cards will help to improve your score more than a secured card. This is because secured cards are reported as a secured account to the bureaus and this will be weighted less than an unsecured account.

It is still wise to remove negative items from your report. However it has been discovered that once a negative item ages four years it will have much less impact on your score.

For you to get the most out of your card you should strive to keep the monthly balance at 25% of your credit limit. This is because it shows the bureaus that you are using your card responsibly and that you do in fact use your card.

If you have; collections, charge offs, judgments, bankruptcy, or a repossession you can still be approved for this card. Each card will have different requirements for approval and you will get an immediate decision when you apply.

In sum if you have made mistakes in the past with your credit and want a second chance we suggest a sub prime card. It can improve your ratio of available credit to debt and build a positive payment history.

Is financial freedom possible? This is the question that is keeping most people up at night. People are worried about their financial future. People are living paycheck to paycheck with the hope that the paychecks will keep coming. However, with large corporations announcing the lay offs of thousands of workers; that hope is dwindling.

What can we do? The first thing to realize is that worry does not help. But reflection may help. If you can take these lemons and make lemonade, you may find your life turned around. This may actually be an opportunity to gain the financial freedom you have wanted.

A lot of people wonder what it would be like to step out bravely and change their lives. One way to find out is to take up investing and trading. Surprisingly, lots of people are making quite a bit of money doing just that, and the best part is, they are doing it in their pajamas! Thatas right! They are working at home!

Investing and trading can not only bring you financial freedom, it can get you out from under your bossa thumb! Lots of people have turned away from the daily grind to take up investing and trading as their sole source of income. Another option is to use this opportunity to make extra income to pay off your debts or save for retirement.

When you take a course in stock trading, you will learn all that you need to about how to invest options online. Of course, it is possible to learn it on your own by trial and error, but those errors can be costly! You will want to know all the definitions and strategies before you start so that you donat have to learn them the hard way! If you take a course, you will have a leg-up toward success.

A good stock trading course can be found online. A good course will teach you step by step and guide you through the world of online investing. It will not only teach you terms and definitions, it will teach you the various option trading strategies that successful options traders have used.

Seek out a market investor with real life experience. Beware of teachers who have done nothing but teach. Those who can, do! You will learn so much more valuable information for a truly successful trader. A person like this can tell you more than theories. A successful trader can give you all the ins and outs of what really does work.

By investing in good training, you will have a definite edge. This planned and professional preparation will put you in a position of success before you begin. You will feel confident about your decisions, and you will know how to execute your choices. Don't rush in too quickly, though. Be cautious at first, in spite of your enthusiasm. Remember that there are no guarantees, so you will want to go into investing and trading

Basically, mortgages are being used on real estate properties rather than other properties, so when you think of a mortgage loan, it is being taken out to buy the property, which has been used as collateral. In simple terms, home mortgages are then loans that you take in order to purchase a house, which is the security for the loan.

Getting a home mortgage enables a person to defer paying for the home purchased. Ideally, there are two parties in a home mortgage: the creditor, who gives the loan, and the debtor, who will take the mortgage. Other parties can include a legal advisor, a mortgage broker and a financial advisor.

Like conventional loans, mortgages can be repaid in various ways: capital and interest, interest-only, no capital or interest, interest and partial capital, and more. Other kinds of mortgages include second mortgages, refinance mortgages, and bad credit mortgage loans.

The mortgage rate is one of the most important factors in home mortgages as it is the interest rate to be paid along with the capital. Home mortgages can be categorized as fixed-rate mortgages and adjustable-rate mortgages based on the rate.

The kind of mortgage to be taken depends mainly on the borrower's requirements and situation. The main aspects to be considered are: how much can be borrowed, the price range, and the tax advantages of taking the mortgage.

The home mortgage process, also known as origination, involves several stages such as submission of an application and documentation about credit history and income, checking of the documents and credentials by the underwriter, and granting of the mortgage. A good credit history is very important in order to secure a home mortgage. Creditors charge some fees for giving a mortgage like entry and exit fees, administration fees and lender's mortgage insurance.

One may think that getting a mortgage would have you getting all stressed from having to go one place to another just to compare deals. Well, this is not the case today as most lenders have their own online websites, which means they can provide service to the borrowers at the convenience of their own homes. Borrowers can now discuss mortgage, submit applications, and even compare different options just by sitting in front of the computer screen. There are also home mortgage calculators that would help out borrowers with their payment information and tax advantages.

Most of the sites that offer home mortgages also have financial advisors who can provide advice online, or over the phone. The Internet is a good source for finding a good mortgage dealer. Just make sure though that their credentials are good enough.