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Saturday, February 28, 2009

Should You Do An Ira Rollover, 401k, Or Just Save More Money?

By David C Lewis, RFA

401k plans are a popular tool used for retirement planning. One of a few problems with 401k pans is the investor's reliance on employer matching for the plan. This may cause an employee to rely too much on the employer and not contribute enough to savings. Most Americans have no idea how much money they should be saving. If you have never used one, a retirement calculator will probably leave your jaw on the floor in amazement. Planning for retirement is a difficult task and cannot be taken lightly.

Because there are so many variables in preparing a financial plan for retirement, the process can be difficult, at best, even when you are using a professional advisor. Some of these variables are: the age at which you retire, the age at which you start your savings, the amount you save for retirement, how much your retirement savings earn over the years and into retirement, how much debt you have, if any, at the age you plan to retire, and the quality of your health entering retirement and how long you live after retirement.

Government inflation of the money supply also means you have to account for inflation. That can be hard to do. There are many retirement calculators on the internet to help you though. What most of the calculators will show you, however, is that Social Security - for the most part - will not cover very much of your retirement. You will have to save a lot more money to have even a semi-comfortable retirement.

If the economy is able to grow enough to outpace inflation, your investments must be able to keep up. Even still, with inflation running 3%-5%, your investments are losing value and struggling to keep up.

Years ago our parents and grandparents, grew up in a time when a $50 a week wage was respectable income, and even during mid life that respectable income had quadrupled to $200 a week. But now, more than 50 years later, it would be foolish to expect to be able to live off $200 a week, and the $50 a week income is minor in today's economy.

If you make $500 or $1,000 a week, you can expect a similar phenomenon when you retire. A retirement calculator will show that you should have a retirement nest egg of about $1 million dollars to retire comfortably in 20 or 30 years.

One calculator tested online showed that an adult starting with an assets of $100,000 and adding $4,000 year to that nest egg would enter retirement with almost $900,000 but still be bankrupt by 85.

An essential part of managing your existing income is setting aside and investing funds for your retirement. Despite the difficulty of estimating your retirement income and expenditures, there is a wealth of assistance available on the internet to get you started, and professional advisors ready to help when needed.

About the Author:

Does Your Individual 401k Need Help?

By David C Lewis, RFA

Most Americans rely on 401ks for the bulk of their retirement. A serious problem with 401K plans is the investor's reliance on employer matching for the plan. This may cause an employee to rely too much on the employer and not contribute enough to savings. But, if you have not taken a serious look at retirement planning yet, nothing will give you a wake up call like using one of the many retirement calculators available on the internet. Retirement planning, which is essential for every adult, certainly is a difficult task and shouldn't be taken lightly.

Even when you use a professional adviser, the financial planning process can be difficult. There are just so many variable to consider: the age at which you retire, the age at which you start saving money, and the amount you save for retirement are just a few considerations.

You also need a way to account for fiscal irresponsibility on the part of Government (i.e. inflation) and what that will do to your retirement savings. On the internet there are dozens of retirement calculators available, sponsored by retirement organizations, investment companies and other businesses in the money management business that can help you do this. What most of the calculators will show you, is that for most people, even relying on Social Security, you will need a lot of retirement savings to maintain a near pre - retirement standard of living.

Recent history shows us that the economy will continue to grow, and with an inflation rate of about three to five percent, your investments are both growing and losing value at the same time depending on both of those rates.

Years ago our parents and grandparents, grew up in a time when a $50 a week wage was respectable income, and even during mid life that respectable income had quadrupled to $200 a week. But now, more than 50 years later, it would be foolish to expect to be able to live off $200 a week, and the $50 a week income is minor in today's economy.

If you make $500 or $1,000 a week, you can expect a similar phenomenon when you retire. A retirement calculator will show that you should have a retirement nest egg near $1 million dollars to retire comfortably in 20 or 30 years.

One of the calculators tested showed shocking results: an adult starting with $100,000 adding $4,000 year to that would retire with nearly $900,000 but would end up broke by the time they were 85 years old!

Part of managing your existing income is being able to save money and still having access to it when you need it (sometimes hard to do inside a 401K), and still being able to invest for your retirement (though here, a tax deferral helps). Estimating your retirement income and expenses can be extremely difficult, however, there are many different sources of information and assistance available on the internet to get you started.

About the Author:

Does Your Employer 401k Need Help?

By David C Lewis, RFA

For most Americans who have not started planning for their retirement,401ks seem like a "good bet". A flaw in this approach is the investor's reliance on employer matching for the plan. This may cause an employee to rely too much on the employer and not contribute enough to savings. Nothing will give you a wake up call like using a retirement calculator. You can find them on the internet from a variety of places. Retirement planning is hard, and it isn't something you just throw together unthinkingly.

Even when you use a professional adviser, the financial planning process can be difficult. There are just so many variable to consider: the age at which you retire, the age at which you start saving money, and the amount you save for retirement are just a few considerations.

Government inflation of the money supply also means you have to account for inflation. That can be hard to do. There are many retirement calculators on the internet to help you though. What most of the calculators will show you, however, is that Social Security - for the most part - will not cover very much of your retirement. You will have to save a lot more money to have even a semi-comfortable retirement.

If the economy is able to grow enough to outpace inflation, your investments must be able to keep up. Even still, with inflation running 3%-5%, your investments are losing value and struggling to keep up.

Years ago our parents and grandparents, grew up in a time when a $50 a week wage was respectable income, and even during mid life that respectable income had quadrupled to $200 a week. But now, more than 50 years later, it would be foolish to expect to be able to live off $200 a week, and the $50 a week income is minor in today's economy.

So, today's wage earners making $500 to $1,000 a week in income can expect similar changes when they reach retirement age. Today's calculations will show wage earners that they should expect to have a retirement nest egg of close to $1 million dollars to retire comfortably in 20 or 30 "Retirement Calculator" years.

One calculator tested online showed that an adult starting with an assets of $100,000 and adding $4,000 year to that nest egg would enter retirement with almost $900,000 but still be bankrupt by 85.

Part of managing your existing income is being able to save money and still having access to it when you need it (sometimes hard to do inside a 401K), and still being able to invest for your retirement (though here, a tax deferral helps). Estimating your retirement income and expenses can be extremely difficult, however, there are many different sources of information and assistance available on the internet to get you started.

About the Author:

posted by Credit Counseling at 0 Comments

Does Your 401k Need Help?

By David C Lewis, RFA

Most Americans rely on 401ks for the bulk of their retirement. A serious problem with 401K plans is the investor's reliance on employer matching for the plan. This may cause an employee to rely too much on the employer and not contribute enough to savings. But, if you have not taken a serious look at retirement planning yet, nothing will give you a wake up call like using one of the many retirement calculators available on the internet. Retirement planning, which is essential for every adult, certainly is a difficult task and shouldn't be taken lightly.

Even if a professional financial planner is helping you, the financial planning process is hard. There are a lot of variables. The age you want to retire at, when you start saving money, how much you save, and the interest rate you earn are just some of the many considerations you have to think about. One of the biggest concerns may be your health when entering retirement and how long you live after you retire.

Perhaps the most difficult thing to plan for is inflation. Inflation is caused by Government printing currency. Because that changes from administration to administration, it's hard to predict what policy will be 20 or 30 years from now. On the internet there are dozens of retirement calculators available, and there is a lot of information and ideas on how to plan for this. Some of them seem more plausible than others. In as far as retirement calculators go, what most of them will show you is that you simply cannot rely on Social Security. Even if you do, you will still need to save a substantial amount of money just to maintain something resembling a pre-retirement standard of living.

The economy will probably recover, and continue to grow. However with inflation at anywhere between three and five percent, you are going to be gaining and losing value in your investments based on how much your savings is being eroded.

Your parents and grandparents may have grown up in a time when a $50 a week wage was normal. Now, however, that's completely unrealistic. More than 50 years later, there is no way you could expect to live off $200 a week.

Average Americans making $500 to $1,000 per week today will see the same kind of results that their parents and grandparents are seeing now, unfortunately. The retirement calculators are showing that they should have a retirement nest egg of close to a million bucks if they want to retire comfortably for 20-30 years.

An online calculator estimated that an adult starting with $100,000 and adding $4,000 year to that would retire with almost $900,000 but end up broke by age 85.

Part of managing your existing income is being able to save money and still having access to it when you need it (sometimes hard to do inside a 401K), and still being able to invest for your retirement (though here, a tax deferral helps). Estimating your retirement income and expenses can be extremely difficult, however, there are many different sources of information and assistance available on the internet to get you started.

About the Author:

posted by Credit Counseling at 0 Comments

Does Your Employer 401k Need Help?

By David C Lewis, RFA

Most Americans rely on 401k plans for the bulk of their retirement. A serious problem with 401K plans is the investor's reliance on employer matching for the plan. This may cause an employee to rely too much on the employer and not contribute enough to savings. But, if you have not taken a serious look at retirement planning yet, nothing will give you a wake up call like using one of the many retirement calculators available on the internet. Retirement planning, which is essential for every adult, certainly is a difficult task and shouldn't be taken lightly.

Even when you use a professional adviser, the financial planning process can be difficult. There are just so many variable to consider: how much your retirement savings earn over the years and into retirement, how much debt you have, if any, at the age you plan to retire, and the quality of your health entering retirement are just a few considerations.

You also need a way to account for fiscal irresponsibility on the part of Government (i.e. inflation) and what that will do to your retirement savings. On the internet there are dozens of retirement calculators available, sponsored by retirement organizations, investment companies and other businesses in the money management business that can help you do this. What most of the calculators will show you, is that for most people, even relying on Social Security, you will need a lot of retirement savings to maintain a near pre - retirement standard of living.

The economy will probably recover, and continue to grow. However with inflation at anywhere between three and five percent, you are going to be gaining and losing value in your investments based on how much your savings is being eroded.

$50 a week used to be a "normal" wage. Even during mid-life that respectable income had increased to $200 a week. Now, however, you would not even think of trying to live off of $200 a week, let along $50/week.

If you make $500 or $1,000 a week, you can expect a similar phenomenon when you retire. A retirement calculator will show that you should have a retirement nest egg of about $1 million dollars to retire comfortably in 20 or 30 years.

One calculator tested online showed that an adult starting with an assets of $100,000 and adding $4,000 year to that nest egg would enter retirement with almost $900,000 but still be bankrupt by 85.

An essential part of managing your existing income is setting aside and investing funds for your retirement. Despite the difficulty of estimating your retirement income and expenditures, there is a wealth of assistance available on the internet to get you started, and professional advisors ready to help when needed.

About the Author:

posted by Credit Counseling at 0 Comments

Does Your Individual 401k Need Help?

By David C Lewis, RFA

401ks are a popular tool used for retirement planning. One problem with 401k plans is the investor's reliance on employer matching for the plan. This may cause an employee to rely too much on the employer and not contribute enough to savings. Most Americans have no idea how much money they should be saving. If you have never used one, a retirement calculator will probably leave your jaw on the floor in amazement. Planning for retirement is a difficult task and shouldn't be taken lightly.

Because there are so many variables in preparing a financial plan for retirement, the process can be difficult, at best, even when you are using a professional advisor. Some of these variables are: the age at which you retire, the age at which you start your savings, the amount you save for retirement, how much your retirement savings earn over the years and into retirement, how much debt you have, if any, at the age you plan to retire, and the quality of your health entering retirement and how long you live after retirement.

Government inflation of the money supply also means you have to account for inflation. That can be hard to do. There are many retirement calculators on the internet to help you though. What most of the calculators will show you, however, is that Social Security - for the most part - will not cover very much of your retirement. You will have to save a lot more money to have even a semi-comfortable retirement.

History shows us that the economy will continue to grow, and with an inflation rate of about three to five percent, your investments are both growing and losing value at the same time depending on both of those rates.

Years ago our parents and grandparents, grew up in a time when a $50 a week wage was respectable income, and even during mid life that respectable income had quadrupled to $200 a week. But now, more than 50 years later, it would be foolish to expect to be able to live off $200 a week, and the $50 a week income is minor in today's economy.

If you make $500 or $1,000 a week, you can expect a similar phenomenon when you retire. A retirement calculator will show that you should have a retirement nest egg of about $1 million dollars to retire comfortably in 20 or 30 years.

One calculator tested online showed that an adult starting with an assets of $100,000 and adding $4,000 year to that nest egg would enter retirement with almost $900,000 but still be bankrupt by 85.

Part of managing your income is setting aside savings and investing a part of it (note, not ALL of it) for your future. Even though it's difficult to forecast the future, it is necessary due to the nature of human beings and the requirement of long-range planning. There is a wealth of assistance available on the internet to get you started, and professional advisors ready to help when needed.

About the Author:

posted by Credit Counseling at 0 Comments

Does Your 401k Need Help?

By David C Lewis, RFA

Individual 401k plans are a popular tool used for retirement planning. One problem with 401k plans is the investor's reliance on employer matching for the plan. This may cause an employee to rely too much on the employer and not contribute enough to savings. Most Americans have no idea how much money they should be saving. If you have never used one, a retirement calculator will probably leave your jaw on the floor in amazement. Planning for retirement is a difficult task and shouldn't be taken lightly.

Because there are so many variables in preparing a financial plan for retirement, the process can be difficult, at best, even when you are using a professional advisor. Some of these variables are: the age at which you retire, the age at which you start your savings, the amount you save for retirement, how much your retirement savings earn over the years and into retirement, how much debt you have, if any, at the age you plan to retire, and the quality of your health entering retirement and how long you live after retirement.

Perhaps the most difficult thing to plan for is inflation. Inflation is caused by Government printing currency. Because that changes from administration to administration, it's hard to predict what policy will be 20 or 30 years from now. On the internet there are dozens of retirement calculators available, and there is a lot of information and ideas on how to plan for this. Some of them seem more plausible than others. In as far as retirement calculators go, what most of them will show you is that you simply cannot rely on Social Security. Even if you do, you will still need to save a substantial amount of money just to maintain something resembling a pre-retirement standard of living.

The economy will probably recover, and continue to grow. However with inflation at anywhere between three and five percent, you are going to be gaining and losing value in your investments based on how much your savings is being eroded.

$50 a week used to be a "normal" wage. Even during mid-life that level of income had increased to $200 a week. Now, however, you would not even think of trying to live off of $200 a week, let along $50/week.

So, today's wage earners making $500 to $1,000 a week in income can expect similar changes when they reach retirement age. Today's calculations will show wage earners that they should expect to have a retirement nest egg of close to $1 million dollars to retire comfortably in 20 or 30 "Retirement Calculator" years.

One of the calculators tested showed shocking results: an adult starting with $100,000 adding $4,000 year to that would retire with nearly $900,000 but would end up broke by the time they were 85 years old!

Part of managing your income is setting aside savings and investing a part of it (note, not ALL of it) for your future. Even though it's difficult to forecast the future, it is necessary due to the nature of human beings and the requirement of long-range planning. There is a wealth of assistance available on the internet to get you started, and professional advisors ready to help when needed.

About the Author:

posted by Credit Counseling at 0 Comments

Does Your Employer 401k Need Help?

By David C Lewis, RFA

Individual 401k plans are a popular tool used for retirement planning. One of a few problems with 401k pans is the investor's reliance on employer matching for the plan. This may cause an employee to rely too much on the employer and not contribute enough to savings. Most Americans have no idea how much money they should be saving. If you have never used one, a retirement calculator will probably leave your jaw on the floor in amazement. Planning for retirement is a difficult task and can't be taken lightly.

Even if a professional financial planner is helping you, the financial planning process is hard. There are a lot of variables. The age you want to retire at, when you start saving money, how much you save, and the interest rate you earn are just some of the many considerations you have to think about. One of the biggest concerns may be your health when entering retirement and how long you live after you retire.

Government inflation of the money supply also means you have to account for inflation. That can be hard to do. There are many retirement calculators on the internet to help you though. What most of the calculators will show you, however, is that Social Security - for the most part - will not cover very much of your retirement. You will have to save a lot more money to have even a semi-comfortable retirement.

Recent history shows us that the economy will continue to grow, and with an inflation rate of about three to five percent, your investments are both growing and losing value at the same time depending on both of those rates.

$50 a week used to be a "normal" wage. Even during mid-life that respectable income had increased to $200 a week. Now, however, you would not even think of trying to live off of $200 a week, let along $50/week.

If you make $500 or $1,000 a week, you can expect a similar phenomenon when you retire. A retirement calculator will show that you should have a retirement nest egg of about $1 million dollars to retire comfortably in 20 or 30 years.

One of the calculators tested showed shocking results: an adult starting with $100,000 adding $4,000 year to that would retire with nearly $900,000 but would end up broke by the time they were 85 years old!

Part of managing your existing income is being able to save money and still having access to it when you need it (sometimes hard to do inside a 401K), and still being able to invest for your retirement (though here, a tax deferral helps). Estimating your retirement income and expenses can be extremely difficult, however, there are many different sources of information and assistance available on the internet to get you started.

About the Author:

posted by Credit Counseling at 0 Comments

Why Your Individual 401k Might Not Be Enough

By David C Lewis, RFA

For most Americans who have not started planning for their retirement,individual 401k plans seem like a "good bet". A flaw in this approach is the investor's reliance on employer matching for the plan. This could cause an employee to rely too much on the employer and not contribute enough to savings. Nothing will give you a wake up call like using a retirement calculator. You can find them on the internet from a variety of places. Retirement planning is hard, and it isn't something you just throw together haphazardly.

Even if a professional financial planner is helping you, the financial planning process is hard. There are a lot of variables. The age you want to retire at, when you start saving money, how much you save, and the interest rate you earn are just some of the many considerations you have to think about. One of the biggest concerns may be your health when entering retirement and how long you live after you retire.

Perhaps the most difficult thing to plan for is inflation. Inflation is caused by Government printing currency. Because that changes from administration to administration, it's hard to predict what policy will be 20 or 30 years from now. On the internet there are dozens of retirement calculators available, and there is a lot of information and ideas on how to plan for this. Some of them seem more plausible than others. In as far as retirement calculators go, what most of them will show you is that you simply cannot rely on Social Security. Even if you do, you will still need to save a substantial amount of money just to maintain something resembling a pre-retirement standard of living.

The economy will probably recover, and continue to grow. However with inflation at anywhere between three and five percent, you are going to be gaining and losing value in your investments based on how much your savings is being eroded.

$50 a week used to be a "normal" wage. Even during mid-life that level of income had increased to $200 a week. Now, however, you would not even think of trying to live off of $200 a week, let along $50/week.

Average Americans making $500 to $1,000 per week today will see the same kind of results that their parents and grandparents are seeing now, unfortunately. The retirement calculators are showing that they should have a retirement nest egg of close to a million bucks if they want to retire comfortably for 20-30 years.

An online calculator estimated that an adult starting with $100K and adding $4,000 year to that would retire with almost $900,000 but end up broke by age 85.

An essential part of managing your existing income is setting aside and investing funds for your retirement. Despite the difficulty of estimating your retirement income and expenditures, there is a wealth of assistance available on the internet to get you started, and professional advisors ready to help when needed.

About the Author:

posted by Credit Counseling at 0 Comments

Is Your 401k Plan Going To Be Enough?

By David C Lewis, RFA

For most Americans who have not started planning for their retirement,individual 401k plans seem like a "good bet". A serious problem with this idea is the investor's reliance on employer matching for the plan. This might cause an employee to rely too much on the employer and not contribute enough to savings. Nothing will give you a wake up call like using a retirement calculator. You can find them on the internet from a variety of places. Retirement planning is hard, and it isn't something you just throw together at the last minute.

Even if a professional financial planner is helping you, the financial planning process is hard. There are a lot of variables. The age you want to retire at, when you start saving money, how much you save, and the interest rate you earn are just some of the many considerations you have to think about. One of the biggest concerns may be your health when entering retirement and how long you live after you retire.

Government inflation of the money supply also means you have to account for inflation. That can be hard to do. There are many retirement calculators on the internet to help you though. What most of the calculators will show you, however, is that Social Security - for the most part - will not cover very much of your retirement. You will have to save a lot more money to have even a semi-comfortable retirement.

If the economy is able to grow enough to outpace inflation, your investments must be able to keep up. Even still, with inflation running 3%-5%, your investments are losing value and struggling to keep up.

Your parents and grandparents may have grown up in a time when a $50 a week wage was normal. Now, however, that's completely unrealistic. More than 50 years later, there is no way you could expect to live off $200 a week.

If you make $500 or $1,000 a week, you can expect a similar phenomenon when you retire. A retirement calculator will show that you should have a retirement nest egg close to $1 million dollars to retire comfortably in 20 or 30 years.

One of the calculators tested showed shocking results: an adult starting with $100,000 adding $4,000 year to that would retire with nearly $900,000 but would end up broke by the time they were 85 years old!

An essential part of managing your existing income is setting aside and investing funds for your retirement. Despite the difficulty of estimating your retirement income and expenditures, there is a wealth of assistance available on the internet to get you started, and professional advisors ready to help when needed.

About the Author:

posted by Credit Counseling at 0 Comments

Why Your Individual 401k Might Not Be Enough

By David C Lewis, RFA

For most Americans who have not started planning for their retirement,401k plans seem like a "good bet". One problem with this approach is the investor's reliance on employer matching for the plan. This might cause an employee to rely too much on the employer and not contribute enough to savings. Nothing will give you a wake up call like using a retirement calculator. You can find them on the internet from a variety of places. Retirement planning is hard, and it isn't something you just throw together haphazardly.

Even when you use a professional adviser, the financial planning process can be difficult. There are just so many variable to consider: how much your retirement savings earn over the years and into retirement, how much debt you have, if any, at the age you plan to retire, and the quality of your health entering retirement are just a few considerations.

Government inflation of the money supply also means you have to account for inflation. That can be hard to do. There are many retirement calculators on the internet to help you though. What most of the calculators will show you, however, is that Social Security - for the most part - will not cover very much of your retirement. You will have to save a lot more money to have even a semi-comfortable retirement.

The economy will probably recover, and continue to grow. However with inflation at anywhere between three and five percent, you are going to be gaining and losing value in your investments based on how much your savings is being eroded.

$50 a week used to be a "normal" wage. Even during mid-life that respectable income had increased to $200 a week. Now, however, you would not even think of trying to live off of $200 a week, let along $50/week.

Average Americans making $500 to $1,000 per week today will see the same kind of results that their parents and grandparents are seeing now, unfortunately. The retirement calculators are showing that they should have a retirement nest egg of close to a million bucks if they want to retire comfortably for 20-30 years.

One calculator tested online showed that an adult starting with an assets of $100,000 and adding $4,000 year to that nest egg would enter retirement with almost $900,000 but still be bankrupt by 85.

Part of managing your income is setting aside savings and investing a part of it (note, not ALL of it) for your future. Even though it's difficult to forecast the future, it is necessary due to the nature of human beings and the requirement of long-range planning. There is a wealth of assistance available on the internet to get you started, and professional advisors ready to help when needed.

About the Author:

posted by Credit Counseling at 0 Comments

How to get a good deal on your next mortgage

By Maria Goletski

Home sales have picked up a bit in the month of January, in all likelihood due to of lower property prices. A lot of home buyers are seeing the potential of this market and want to buy now that the market is good. Banking Companies are anxious to close new mortgage loans, and more financing options are getting available every day.

The government action in the mortgage industry will hopefully make sure the new buyers get a good opportunity to an affordable deal. Foolish lending is definitely, safe lending is in. But banks have to find a balance between being too careful and obtaining a healthy risk on a new mortgage.

Hopefully, this soar of buyers coming into the housing market will give the mortgage industry a way out of the hole. Many banks have been weary of the real estate market and preparing for the next hit. This might be the time to start looking into the future again.

The interest rates are at a low point now, also because of federal administration's investments in getting the mortgage market going. As a buyer, this is a good market to get a great deal. It has the combination of high inventory, low interest rates and low housing prices.

If you want to discover how to get the best loan for your particular situation, find a good mortgage broker. Umpteen brokers fell out of the sky when the subprime meltdown, but the good ones are still available and eager to serve you.

When choosing a mortgage broker, make sure you're getting advice on every option available. Some of the brokers are gasping for air and will make an effort to get a big commission, even if it doesn't help you out as a client. Don't walk into that trap and make sure you get complete advice. A good mortgage broker can save you money, but you need to pick wisely.

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Obtaining Bad Credit New Home Loans

By Sam Wheeler

Does having bad credit sometimes make you feel like it is an overwhelming task to try to apply for a loan? Does your low credit score sometimes make you feel like owning a home is not something that you be able to do? These are common worries that now do not have to be so big for you anymore.

Even if your credit score is not exactly what you want it to be, it doesn't mean that you won't be the proud owner of your first home and get a new home. There are plenty of people in your same situation and that is why there are now many loans that lenders are adapting to met not only your needs but those of your same situation.

There are many options for you to look at when it comes to new home loans even with your bad credit. And the truth is, there are loans that are designed just for you. You can expect to see higher interest rates with most of these loans, but it will be worth it in the end.

These days there are a lot more options for you then there used to be which means that you have the freedom to choose from the best rates. You may want to do some window shopping at your different options before settling on just one. Check out all the different rates that are given to you and compare them.

Another thing to think about is that you need to take full advantage of this great opportunity and rebuild your credit. Try to prepare yourself fully to take this big step of buying a home and do all of your research to make sure that you are doing it wisely.

There are lots of ways that you can try to rebuild your credit but the best one is by getting a new home loan and making your payments on time. You can start things over with this loan so make the most of it and make sure it is the best thing for you right now.

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How to get free giftcards with absolutely no catch

By Yvonne Cote

One has to be careful nowadays because of all of the scams and fraud taking place online. I have scoured the web for years looking for the real legitimate sites that offer free money and giveaways. It is true that this can be done; that's right free gift cards available online.

Nearly all of these methods require virtually no money or time. If you just follow some simple directions I am about to share with you, you can discover the secrets to getting real free gift cards. You can also save a ton of money on the things you are already buying, such as food.

I would have to say that the best way is to join some of the free stuff websites out there. These sites are run by legitimate people that love saving money. They post many of the best deals on their sites for their loyal readers. These are sometimes updated daily.

Anyone who looks at these deals will soon reap the rewards of hving this information. You can print out many of these deals and coupons, and een get grocery items for free. You can sometimes get rebates that make drug store and restaurant foods free also. An example of things we get free like this all the time is toothpaste. I have not paid for toothpaste in 5 years.

A good way to get the real scoop on free gift cards is freebie forums. These places are chock full of the latest places to get free items, big discounted coupons, and even gift cards. You can sometimes even get back more than you spent.

Getting connected with these forums is a must to get the best deals. you usually just have to register to get into the members area. It is well worth the time.

By joining these groups you can skip all the time researching. There are usually a few offers for free items and gift cards at these forums.

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Chapter 7 Bankruptcy, is it an option?

By Joe Macker

Chapter 7 bankruptcy is one type of bankruptcy that is available for people to file under the Bankruptcy Code. This form of bankruptcy is not available to everyone. Only certain people can file this type of bankruptcy and only people in certain situations should someone file this type of bankruptcy.

Chapter 7 Bankruptcy - Who Can File?

Chapter 7 bankruptcy is available to individuals and some businesses. In order to file Chapter 7 assets should be limited to those that can be claimed as exempt.

Usually, filing for Chapter 7 may be best of one has a lot of assets. However, the decision on whether you are able to file for Chapter 7 is up to the court.

Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Process

The process of filing for a Chapter 7 may be long as you are required to collect all the information about your debts and your financial situation. Other than that, you're also required to meet with a counselor and attend counseling.

After going thought this first phase, you will then be able to start filing out the proper forms and filing them with the court. After this, you are required to attend court to plead your case. This will be done over the next few months.

As you can see, this is quite a long process. However, you do not need to worry because as long as you are still undergoing the process, you are protected from debt collection by creditors.

Any Risks Involved?

Thinking of an easy way out to settle your debts? Count filing for Chapter 7 out. This should be your last resort as recent changes in the bankruptcy laws have made bankruptcy almost impossible.

You are at risk of losing your assets because they can be taken to repay debts. You are also going to end up with a damaged credit record. The effects of a bankruptcy can last seven to ten years and can really hurt your ability to get loans and other forms of credit in the future.

It is a good thing there is Chapter 13. You can file a Chapter 13 instead of a Chapter 7 if your income is deemed to be more than the set amount. So how do you pay back the amount? Well, the court can decide a repayment plan for you!

Now its time to put the knowledge to the test! You should always remember that bankruptcy is not an easy way out. And if you are serious about filing for Chapter 7, you need to be prepared for the consequences.

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Mortgage Loan Modification Insider Tips

By Jill Cullen

Now, let's look at some ways to increase the odds of getting your loan modification approved These little known facts dramatically improve your chances of success Let's look into a couple of tips.

If you want to get your mortgage loan modification approved, you need to show financial hardship. This requires you to write a 'hardship letter' to your lender. In this letter, you explain your financial situation. You also need to tell your lender what steps you've taken to improve your situation. Finally, tell the lender you're committed to staying a home owner.

Set up a new home budget, so you free up money to make monthly payments. If you know your disposable cash flow, you can determine an affordable monthly payment. Reassure the banking company that can pay that amount now and will be able to pay it in the near future.

Inform your lender about your financial state of affairs by completing the necessary financial statements. Never try to omit information and be meticulous when completing the forms. Supply your financial statement and a financial statement for the future to make the lenders job easier.

If you're applying for mortgage loan modification, plan ahead and do your research. If you know the approval criteria, you dramatically step-up your chances of success. Know that time is not your ally when doing mortgage loan modification. Saving your house starts with doing the necessary planning.

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The Skinny On Bad Credit Personal Loans

By Rich Michaelsson

Having a bad credit history is like having been infected with a disease, at least this is what most lenders perceive. Any requests for personal loans by people with a bad credit history are usually declined. If they are approved for a personal loan they are usually charged and extravagantly high rate of interest on that loan.

Those who have a bad credit history might not have always had this problem and lenders fail to look past the couple unfortunate events that it took the get the borrow in the position he's in. Sometime lenders will take compassion on those with a tarnished credit history since it's not always logical to punish people for mistakes from their past and truthfully, someone who has a perfect credit history could just as easily default on the loan.

Lenders have started to accept the fact that more and more people are coming to them with less then stellar credit histories and are now willing to offer them bad credit personal loans. People with good credit history have their options and those with bad credit history have their options as well. Bad credit personal loans can be used for varied purposes like buying a car, paying for a wedding and consolidating debt.

Bad credit becomes irrelevant if the person seeking out the loan is able to offer up an asset as collateral. The obvious reason of refusal to those people with bad credit is that the lender fears that the default will be repeated. With collateral to back the personal loan, the lender has no need to worry as they are assured that the loan will not default.

Usually a home is put up for collateral and the borrower knows that his asset is at risk should he default on the loan. If there is no collateral to be given for a secured personal loan, you can always try for an unsecured personal loan. Even though a good credit history is usually a pre-requisite for an unsecured loan, there are always some lenders who will accept borrowers with a bad credit history.

A higher rate of interest is usually attached to loans given to borrowers with bad credit simply because of the higher risk they pose. Also there may be some hefty charges and inevitable terms of payment that will be asked of the borrower because of his bad credit history. The good news is that if you repay your loan on time you'll be doing yourself a huge favor because by doing so you can boost your struggling credit history.

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Read This Before You Sign For Your New Mortgage

By Rick Greene

Economic times are tough. Because of the fact that properties don't rise in value and in some cases even drop in value, homeowners are worrying about the debt they incurred on their house.

On top of that, many fixed rate mortgages are ending and it's time to get a new deal from the bank. As we all know, the banks have incurred a lot of damage lately. Luckily for them, government is bailing them out, but despite the billions of dollars being pumped into banks, they have yet to recover completely.

When you're going to renew your fixed rate mortgage, or change your current mortgage into a different form, be sure to check the fees quoted. If your credit score has worsened in the last few years, you may be looking at higher interest and higher fees. But if your credit is pretty clean, and you have some equity, you can negotiate with your lender over fees and interest.

You need to be aware of the fact that lenders want to keep their clients with clean payment histories. They appreciate the fact that these clients are reliable and favor them over the occasional price shopper. This can help you in the negotiations.

If you want to come prepared to the negotiations with your lender, browse the Internet and look for the average rates and deals that are out there. It may shock you that some fees have gone up, so it's important to know what you will be dealing with upfront.

When speaking to your lender, always demand to see the whole picture, with all the fees and costs included. Don't allow the lender to sneak some costs by you, because they will probably try that. You need to find out before the closing, otherwise you're going to be too late.

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Focus on Paying, Leave the Rest

By Paul J. Easton

A lot of financial experts will agree that credit cards have a center stage issue of most homes in America and the rest of the world. With today's credit crunch, getting another credit for a mortgage is just problematic. Getting rid of that debt is much tighter.

But there still is a hope worth considering. It is the Consolidation Loans. Is it worth doing? Or is it another trick to catch us with getting further in debt?

Debt consolidation is even already popularly introduced. It is pushed as the manner of merging all the debt into one simple payment for more convenience and a simple way of telling creditors that we have a plan finally to pay down that balance you are bugging us to pay with.

There are actually a lot of satisfied customers who studied their home works with this system of consolidating loans. They discovered advantages when enrolling in a debt consolidation plan.

These common advantages with using debt consolidation as an instrument to get out of debt offers a simplified payment scheme where you concentrate all your attempt to pay your debt. In a way, it gives you a system to get rid with all those tracking with many credit card accounts.

By allowing you one simple payment, you pay the same amount every time and this leads you without excuses not to pay it on time or monitor it monthly. This scheme also gives more value to your every payment because debt consolidation agencies can negotiate to reduce interest quickly and in best terms.

People are unaware when it comes to financial numbers or plainly looking at their massive debt, this debt consolidation arrangement is a great way to allow you to automate remittance and forget it as if you have no debt. You have to check it out though too. Checking the results, like in a workout, makes you motivated.

Debt consolidation is a tool with certain problems too. But since it keeps things simplified along with your cost-cutting, it is a fresh way to start a fool proof system. Now, you will focus on the paying and leave the rest.

For more information on financial directory, get FREE Articles Tips at DollarGuides.com. Get debt-free today with tips on how to get rid of debt here. Start improving your personal finance today.

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Characteristics of Federal Student Loans

By Anne Ahira

Federal Student Loans are one of the most well-liked ways in which persons just like you acquire money to fund their college education.

These are credits that are trusted plus really do towards the instructive benefit of the student. There are mainly two different varieties of Federal Student Loans which you may be interested in if you are trying to acquire monetary assist for the additional of your education .

These include the "William D. Ford" and the "Federal Family Education Loan". If you are looking for a finances that you can truly remain the opportunity of acquiring, and one that is particularly planned for you and your education efforts, Federal Student Loans are the excellent choice.

(If|While|When|As|Whilst you are attracted in Federal Student Loans, there are a number of unlike spaces in your community in which you can buy one. It is best to consult with the monetary help sector of your academy in order to acquire a transfer to an association that recommends this kind of credit.

If you are seeking Federal Student Loans on your own, you may check at various types of banks and financial facilities. Many of these locations will advertise that they offer these loans. There are many wonderful things about this loan.

First, you will not have to pay as much interest on the loan as other loans. In addition to this, Federal Student Loans give you a longer time to pay them back than standard loans.

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Deadly Business Mistakes that can Cost a Great Deal of Money

By Susan Carter

Question: Have you ever wished that you knew ahead of time how to avoid mistakes that will cost you money? Question: Do you realize that when it comes to your business, these mistakes can cost you thousands of dollars? Answer: I can tell you how to avoid some of the most costly mistakes so that you stay on the right track to making money, instead of losing money.

1. Not setting up your business in the correct Business Structure. Many new business owners dont think they need to set up their company as a legal business entity because it's only them working. They dont think its a problem to combine their business accounts with their personal accounts. Regrettably, this mixing of money and expenses causes a huge problem for the new business owner. If they keep their business and personal activity separate, they present to the taxing authorities (Uncle Sam) an obvious picture that they are functioning as a business and not as a hobby.

Always keep in mind that a loan to an individual is considered a personal loan - and its reported to the personal credit bureaus. However, a loan to a corporation, partnership or LLC, is reported to the business credit bureaus " if they have used their EIN on their application. Personal FICO scores are, therefore, not affected (if there is no personal guarantee on the loan). A business will look more professional in the eyes of a lender or bank if they are set up as a business entity. This is critical in the business world.

2. Not presenting your business as established and in working order. This means that your business has its own address and phone number. It is very important that your business is listed in the national 411 directory. Many people run their business using a cell phone number as their business phone number. However, a cell phone number is not acceptable for most financial institutions. When you apply for a loan or line of credit, the lender will call 411 to verify that you are an established business with a specific address and phone number. Lenders also do not want to see P.O. boxes or UPS addresses. They want a real, physical address. The address listed in the 411 directory must match the address listed with the State because the financial institutions will go online and verify your business information with the State. If they do not find a match, you may be denied business credit.

3. Not checking your credit report. You know how important it is to regularly check your personal credit reports to make sure there are no mistakes on them, but it is also important that you check your business credit report as well. When you are a new business and try to apply for business lines of credit, or trade credit (i.e. Home Depot card), vendors and financial institutions generally ask for a personal guarantee before extending business credit to your company. If you have not checked on your personal credit reports, and there are mistakes, you may lose your ability to get business credit because of possible negative data. This also holds true for business credit reports. Dun & Bradstreet is the most well known of the business credit agencies and if false, or negative information is reported to D&B, you will also be denied credit. Financial institutions are looking to lend money to a business that is being reported as a good credit risk. It is critical that your personal and business creditworthiness are reported accurately with the credit agencies, and it is up to you to verify on a regular basis that all your financial activity is being reported accurately.

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Money On The Side - Make Extra Cash With Paid Surveys

By Cache Spencer

Many marketing firms and other companies pay good money for people to take surveys. Sometimes they pay cash, and sometimes they offer nice gifts in exchange for participating in surveys. Itas fun to be a survey participant because you have a chance to say what you think about a variety of products and services.

If you want to make money on the internet, paid surveys are a very good option. Be aware that all companies seeking survey participants have certain rules and requirements of the participants. In this article, I would like to offer some ideas about the best ways to successfully prepare for and participate in surveys.

First thing is to do some preliminary research about the best and reputable sites offering paid surveys. We can use any informational sites or search engines as well as social networking sites. Try to get the information from friends as well.

When you have made your choices about what companies you want to work with, your next step will be to register with their websites. For this, you will need to have some personal and professional information on hand. Naturally, you should have a valid e mail address so that the company will be able to contact you immediately.

Next step is waiting at approval from the site registered. After confirmation then you are ready to take surveys online. Some companies offer few surveys per day and some will offer many surveys. For participating in the surveys you will get cash or either prize certificates depending on the company.

Overall participating in to get paid for your opinions is the best option for making money online. The job is very easy and we can do it as work from home without spending cash. Only thing is to identify legitimate get paid for your opinions site.

Realize that many sites donat pay in cash immediately. Often a site will have a points system in place. They will expect you to work long enough to earn a thousand or more points before they convert those points into cash, gift certificates, or prizes.

So, again, while earning cash online by participating surveys is, indeed, one of the best opportunities you will find - do be sure that you find legitimate sites that will truly pay as you expect them to. Search sensibly and with a reasonable amount of caution. By being an educated consumer and conducting an intelligent search, you are sure to find a good number of legitimate sites that will help you supplement your income by paying you for your personal opinions.

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Sound Advice For Community College Bound Students

By Bryce Q. Jarwoski

Obtaining a student loan for students at community colleges may have just become harder. In the current financial climate, the biggest banks in the country have reduced the colleges on their eligibility listings for student loans. Unfortunately, most of those removed are community colleges. It would appear that students attending the more expensive and elite colleges will still be able to get a student loan, but those attending community colleges will not. College education is being split into levels by this policy.

The real reason behind the decision by leading banks to stop offering student loans is the current financial crisis. It is simply much harder for lending institutions to raise the money themselves, so they do not have the funds to lend and they have had to cut back.

On a brighter note, there are other lenders who claim they will continue to offer loans to all college students. Companies such as Nelnet and Sallie Mae have recently committed to continuing with the Federal government backed scheme and will lend to students attending any college. This is good news for those attending community colleges.

For students looking at different types of student loans, the best option is the federal scheme. These are low interest loans that offer interest fixed and paid for by the government for the duration of your course. These federal loans are available to all college students, attending any college, from any background, with any credit history.

So why, therefore, are community college students unable to get a federal government backed loan? It appears that numerous community colleges do not participate in the scheme and so the students at these colleges cannot get a federal student loan. The students have to rely on expensive private loans and credit cards to pay for their college education - and they are usually the students who are least able to afford this.

Lending institutions will claim that students attending community colleges present a greater risk of defaulting on the loan, and can probably prove this. Instead of forcing these students into greater debt by not allowing them a cheap federal student loan, the colleges need to educate the students on responsible borrowing. This would make the scheme more attractive to lenders.

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Last Hope with Financial Counseling

By Paul J. Easton

Debt management has taken the spotlight in our modern lives as borrowers. With growing marketing coupled with increasing debts spell unforeseen hardships in the future. Every one must consider debt management today to be secured with our financial life. It is better to be prepared than sorry.

Many options are actually available, but the best may actually be you helping yourself. Here are some of the tips you will find valuable for your debt relief strategies.

Maybe a credit counseling services can be of real help as well. With these programs, experts will recommend you to solve the situation by cutting down on spending and monitoring your accounts closely.

If this does not work, ask the help from a financial expert. The sooner you seek help from an expert, the better you will be out of debt. Credit counseling is one of the best options you might consider if you are troubled with financial problems.

In such a situation, your stress can be overwhelming. This is when your creditors are calling you daily to collect money that you don't have yet. Never end the communication. While it is a natural response to stop answering the phone and let the mail stack up unopened, this does not resolve the issue that you still have the obligation. Explain your financial situation to your creditors. In most cases, they will even work with you to reduce your total balance by providing a better interest rate or eliminating the late and other charges.

One of the benefits of credit counseling is that the credit counselors can actually deal with those credit collectors for you. But the most important advantage of credit counseling is that it helps you, who might have reached the end of their financial rope, to avoid the dreaded bankruptcy.

Seeking the financial experts' advice can save you money by reducing your debt by 40 to 60%. Expect to be debt free within 5 years depending on your debt situation.

Be cautious, though. Some credit counseling services will have upfront fee. These fees can range from a few hundreds to up to thousands of dollars. This, in fact, does not get applied yet to your balances from creditors. So a part of your supposed savings will actually go to the professional fee.

Before taking the plunge, work out your homework and research a lot of free information about the company you are dealing with. You can't afford to get wrong this time. After all, this is your last hope.

For more information on financial directory, get FREE Articles Tips at DollarGuides.com. Get debt-free today with tips on how to get rid of debt here. Start improving your personal finance today.

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Car Insurance 101

By Tom Martens

If you drive, or even if you just own a car, you need car insurance. But how do you know which policy to buy.

First of all, it's essential to know what your policy covers and what it doesn't. Almost any policy will give you the minimum liability coverage, but you may need more coverage to protect your income and assets. You may need coverage to fit your unique driving habits or history. You also need to sure your policy will repair or replace your car if it's damaged in a crash, and everybody needs towing. While you are shopping around, it's very helpful to have a written record of any quote you are given for the coverage you need. This will keep the agent from trying to raise your price if you come back to them for the policy.

If you also insure a home or you life, you may be able to take advantage of a feature called bundling. Bundled policies are all provided by the same company. Insurance companies like to provide all your coverage, and usually offer you discounts. They will also work with you to choose the due date for your premiums that best fits your budget, whether that's all your premiums on the same day, or staggering your premiums so they do not all hit at once.

A major factor in how much you pay for car insurance is where you live. Generally speaking, you will pay more if you live in a city and less if you live in the country. Also, the more expensive your car, the more you will pay to insure it. The safer your auto is rated in test crashes, on the other hand, the less you will pay to insure it. Any kind of "flash" or any custom feature will increase your insurance costs.

Always ask about discounts. Insurance companies often offer lower rates to women, seniors, households with multiple drivers, holders of bundled policies, and men and women in the armed forces. You often can get a cheaper policy if you belong to certain organizations and clubs, like AARP. If you have a teenaged driver in your household, and he or she is a good student, ask about good student discounts. Your teen can also get you lower premiums by enrolling in and completing driver ed or a defensive driving course.

Finally, it's always a good idea to shop around. Get multiple quotes on your auto coverage. There's always a possibility that another company will offer you better coverage at a lower price?it happens all the time. The insurance companies make it easier to shop around that it used to be, especially if you are comfortable looking for coverage on the Internet. Do you research to find out the discount programs that may save you money, the risk assessment for your neighborhood, and the safety rating of your vehicle? Going to your insurance broker armed with information makes it much more likely you will get the lowest possible rates.

Regardless of your car insurance needs, contact a qualified insurance provider. They can examine your situation and answer whatever questions you may have before tailoring a car insurance policy that meets your needs and provides the coverage you want. Car insurance may be required, but you also want a policy that meets your driving needs.

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What Makes Debt Consolidation an Advantage?

By Paul J. Easton

With today's credit crunch, getting another credit for a loan or mortgage is hard. Getting rid of that debt is much harder.

A lot of financial experts would agree that credit card debts have been a pain in the ass of most households in America and the rest of the world. But there is a concept right now worth considering as an answer. It is the Consolidation Loans.

Is it worth doing? Or is it another trick to catch us with getting further in debt?

Debt consolidation is very familiar with us. It is advertised as the way of combining all the debt into one payment for more convenience and a simple way of telling creditors that we have now a plan to pay down that balance you are bugging us to pay with.

For some who went through these services and trusted reputable companies, they found common advantages with using debt consolidation as a tool to get out of debt. It offers a simplified payment scheme where you focus all your effort and gives you a way to get rid with all those tracking with many credit card accounts.

By allowing you one simple payment, you pay the same amount every time and this leaves you without excuses to pay it on time or monitor it monthly. This scheme also gives more value to your every payment because debt consolidation agencies can negotiate to reduce interest quickly and in best terms.

With most people hate the tracking or simply looking at their massive debt, the system also is a way to allow you to automate payment and forget it as if you have no debt. But you have to keep looking at it still as progress gives you more motivation.

Debt consolidation is a tool that keeps the tracking of your debt simplified that it becomes fool proof. Now, you will worry less and concentrate on paying for the months to come.

For more information on financial directory, get FREE Articles Tips at DollarGuides.com. Get debt-free today with tips on how to get rid of debt here. Start improving your personal finance today.

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Is it just Another Over hyped Marketing to Get Us Into Debt?

By Paul J. Easton

In today's credit crunch, having big time debt is extremely hard. A lot of financial experts will concur with the idea that credit cards have been a pain of most households in America or the rest of the world.

I heard of a concept right now worth considering as an answer. Let us take a look at Consolidation Loans. Find out if it is another trick to catch us with getting further in debt.

Debt consolidation is even already popularly introduced. Because it is pushed as the manner of combining all the debt into one payment for convenience and simplicity and a way of expressing to creditors, we get to think if it is just another marketing hype.

Let us take a look at what the substance of this offer?

Debt consolidation is a plan to pay down that whole balance. It provides a simplified payment scheme where you concentrate paying on a big loan. It guarantees to take charge of the tracking so that it keeps you from being distracted from the multiple bills payment before.

By allowing you one simple payment plan, you can pay consistently. With that, this leaves you without excuses not to pay your obligations on time.

This scheme is proven effective by some. It even claims that the agency can negotiate with your creditors to reduce interest in best terms.

For me, debt consolidation is just another instrument that provides you a simple approach to paying. Yet you will still do the paying. Debt consolidation is still best with the will power to move further and pay off that debt.

Although its benefits are sometimes exaggerated in the ads, it can be a great start as it offers you a plan to clear the cobwebs from complicated systems of paying your bills. But it depends still on you to keep the ball rolling.

For more information on financial directory, get FREE Articles Tips at DollarGuides.com. Get debt-free today with tips on how to get rid of debt here. Start improving your personal finance today.

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Easy Ways To Fix An Error On Your Credit Report

By Jill Cullen

Not too many individuals know it's even possible to erase an error on a credit report. If you try and find info about this particular, you will stumble upon commercial sites that do not provide correct and unbiased information most of the time.

You only need to understand a couple of things about erasing errors on a credit report. Let's look into a few of the most important points in this article

The first thing you do is get a copy of your own credit report. The main bureau will send this out to you. Every U.S. citizen has a right to a credit report every year and they'll send you a copy.

Next, you need to look over the credit report. Don't be casual about this. If you see any essential errors, put them on paper. If you're unsure, write it down too. You need clarity about what is in your credit report.

If you've written down the mistake or mistakes you've found in the credit report, you have to send a letter to the responsible credit bureaus. Do not write e regular e-mail. Write a letter with real ink, one that's really printed with a real postage stamp. It's a hassle, but it's worth it.

Don't stop after that. Be sure to follow up after your first letter. They will go after it themselves most of the time, but it never hurts to check and make sure they handle it promptly.

If you do not hear anything from the credit bureaus, and you've tried following up, you may have to file a complaint with the FTC. As a consumer, the FTC is there to protect you and it's your right to use this.

Cleaning errors on your credit report can be a hassle and a pain in the behind, but upgrading your credit makes an enormous difference when applying for a loan or a mortgage. Take the necessary time, do your preparation and you'll make it.

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How Bad Credit Affects you

By Karen M. T. Stone

Money management is an important part of life and unfortunately, it is not correctly taught to most children. Kids that don't know the value of money turn into teens that don't know the value of money and they never learn how to correctly manage their money, which puts them in a lot of trouble.

Those who are financially illiterate spend money without a thought. They spend and spend on mindless things they don't need without thinking about the consequences. This usually leads to credit cards.

Shopaholics with credit cards are a very bad combination. They usually pay for everything with credit cards and only pay the minimum monthly payments. Eventually interest accrues on the card and builds and builds. Soon they can't even afford the minimum payments. They often end up filing for bankruptcy.

Whether you are in this position or a much less severe version, it will lead to a bad credit history. You probably hear all the time how awful it is to have bad credit. Unfortunately, no one is going to tell you otherwise. Bad credit is bad. Not paying money back on time when you promised you would is wrong, and rarely do wrong deeds go unpunished.

You probably won't get put in jail, but you will be poorly affected in the future. If you have bad credit history, you will have a lot of trouble getting a loan. Even if it's just poor, you might not be able to get a loan at all. No one is going to lend you money if you have a reputation for not paying people back.

When someone is lending money to someone else, they are taking a big risk. If they don't know that you'll pay them back, why should they lend it? That's why they look at your credit. If you don't have any credit, you will have trouble getting a loan, and will most likely not be able to get a large loan such as a mortgage without a cosigner.

When you have no credit, or even bad credit, a cosigner is one way to get the loan you need. A cosigner is someone who has good or excellent credit. If they cosign the loan with you, the lender will check their credit and give you a loan based on that. If you stop paying, they have to pay or else their credit will be damaged. It is very hard to find a cosigner.

Are you worried that you won't be able to pay your bills? You need to pay off your debt as soon as possible. Take every action possible to make extra money and save every penny so that you can pay off all your debt and get your credit up.

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Tips For Cleaning Up Your Credit Report

By Jill Cullen

Cleaning up your credit report is not the easiest thing in the world. Not many individuals have a clue of how to accomplish it. The information you find online is many times biased because of commercial intent. So, how do you start toclean up our credit report?

In this article, we'll go over a few crucial elements of your credit report and how to improve those.

The first thing you want to start is to get a written copy of your current credit report. Without this, you can't do anything so get this first.

The instant you receive your credit report, start going through it and see if you find any false or incorrect records. Take it easy and make sure you check meticulously, because it is worth it. This step is important.

Be sure to check how many times your credit report was checked lately. If this number seems too high, over 5 for instance, this can have a negative effect on your credit scores. Note the inquiries that do not seem common to you.

If you've checked everything and found any incorrect data, you write a letter (not an e-mail or a text message...) to the responsible credit reporting agency. Make sure you include all the required information, like your full name, current address, social security number etc. Have everything on paper, this means making a copy of your letters.

By taking these steps, you have taken the first step to cleaning up your credit. Do not be satisfied with evading remarks from some call center employee too quickly, and you may be surprised by a sudden rise in credit!

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Definitions of Home Loan Calculator

By Deniss Durrell

Buying real estate is a complicated process, and when you are in the market to buy a home there is a lot to think about.

But , out of all of the particulars that you ought to know , the principal is certainly how much your home loan will be. This facts will actually show what kind of a real estate you will be able to get.

A Home Loan Calculator is definitely something that can help you determine exactly how much house you can afford.

A home loan calculator uses a specific formula to determine how much you as a buyer are qualified to borrow against a specific piece of property. These calculators are also really effective for you to compare how your loan amount would change with different interest rates.

The equation is basically compiled with your possible loan balance, number of payments per twelve-month period, the amount of the monthly payment, and the periodic interest rate.

The estimation that the home loan calculator reports you will advise you prepare for how much of a property you will be able to afford . It will also help you limit the different properties that you should and should not spend time looking at .

Perhaps most importantly , a home loan calculator will advise you to calculate correctly how much your monthly mortgage payment will be.

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Consolidating Your Debt May Help You In A Tough Economy

By John Brennan

People are being hit hard by our current economic situation, some of course more than others. Borrowing money just to hang on isn't the right thing to do although some have little choice. It's not easy planning ways to reduce your debt when you're barely hanging on to begin with. Still, while you can't ever get out of debt by borrowing more you can stabilize your situation by borrowing wisely.

When we borrow money it's often just the amount borrowed and the amount of the monthly payments we think about. The interest being charged needs to be considered as well, especially in long term loans or high interest loans. You can end up paying a substantial amount of money just on interest payments if you're not careful. Even the so-called no interest loans can carry significant penalties if not paid off in time. These penalties can come in the form of extremely large interest rates applied to the balance due.

So we continue to use easy credit as our means of getting by as if we could continue doing that forever, eventually getting by more and more by making minimum payments. All of a sudden we have a ton of debt and are trying unsuccessfully to pay for things we purchased long ago. This is where debt consolidation can be the answer to a seemingly unsolvable problem.

Debt consolidation loans are of course a form of borrowing but the difference here is, if done correctly, you borrow no more than you already owe and you pay a lower rate of interest and make lower, possibly much lower, monthly payments. So you haven't gone any deeper into debt and find yourself in a little better position financially than you were before.

The consolidation loan isn't the only option available. You might be able to get the interest rates reduced on existing debts. Reducing credit card interest is one area many people successfully explore. Or, you might consider having the term of a loan extended to reduce monthly payments. This may help in the short term but you have to be careful or you may be paying out even more. Another alternative is to seek help from a qualified third party to get more favorable terms on your outstanding debts.

The consolidation loan most widely used is probably the home equity loan. On the plus side you can usually get a lower interest rate with a lower total monthly payment and have only one loan to make payments on. On the negative side the available equity in your home will be reduced (which can at times cause huge problems) and your home becomes the collateral for the loan.

Making your payments on a home equity loan is a must. It's better to lose your car that to face home foreclosure. If in doubt seek a consolidation loan that does not require putting up your home as collateral. Such a loan, generally an unsecured loan, will be harder to find and will probably a higher interest rate. Do some research and figure out which approach makes most sense to you or seek assistance from a financial adviser.

Finally, it is critical to ensure you are well positioned to pay off any restructuring agreement through a solid monthly budget of your income and expenses. If you do not have sufficient income to meet the repayment terms then you will likely default on the consolidation loan and lose out on opportunities to improve in the future. Use a solid budget, proceed with caution and restructure your debt when appropriate to fix your families finances.

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An Ounce of Hope in Simplicity

By Paul J. Easton

A lot of financial experts will concur with the idea that credit card debts have a center stage issue in our lives. But I stumbled upon one system so simple it can be a great hope for most borrowers in massive debt. It is called Consolidation Loans.

Debt consolidation is already advertised as the manner of combining all the debt into one payment for convenience and simplicity. I think it is a way of expressing to creditors that we have now a plan to pay down that balance. Since most of them are probably bugging you to pay with your debt, this can be a great hope to finally settle with them.

There are actually a lot of advantages with using debt consolidation as an instrument. It offers a simple payment plan. All you have to do is focus all your effort to pay your debt as agreed with your agency. This eliminates all the distractions from all that multiple bills payment in different dues with different amounts at higher interests.

With a proven effective simple payment, you will most likely pay consistently because it will provide you with the same amount every time. People hate the numbers, this arrangement is a manner to let you to automate payment in a certain date and leave it alone. You will now have no excuses not to pay it on time.

This system will also negotiate for you to reduce interest or eliminate late and other charges. Your bills can significantly be reduced up to 40%.

Today's crisis is more difficult than ever. Getting credit for a mortgage is hard. Getting rid of that debt is much harder. Debt consolidation is an instrument that keeps things simplified. It is an offering of an ounce of hope. From there, we are glad things can be far better if it is just simple.

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What if You Need a Bad Credit Lender?

By Peter Dreams

In a tough economic world, sometimes there's a need for a bad credit lender. But, who out there really knows what constitutes bad credit lending? Also, what's the standard for "bad" credit? Most major credit bureau standards vary slightly, but all are pretty close. For the most part, you have to have a 499 or lower score as based on Fair Isaac Credit Organization (FICO) standards to have bad credit.

How Credit is Determined: There are several credit scoring agencies out there that most lenders rely on. Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian are the top three. Somehow, even though all three have different standards for scoring a person's credit, they all seem to be pretty close to each other. We do know that these agencies use a number of different factors when deciding scores.

Giving Loans to People With Bad Credit: There are many lenders out there who specialize in people who may have bad credit scores. Known, as "sub-prime lenders," they're able to many times give a loan when most traditional lenders can't or won't. But, their loans can cost more, in terms of interest. Still, people of high character but poor credit, for one reason or another, may need to use these lenders. This is especially true in tough times.

Sub-Prime Lending Rates: Also called, "sub-prime lenders," these people or companies have to pay more for the same money they lend to you. As a result, typical interest rates go from several points above the normal prime lending rate to just under maximum lending rates as set by law. It's always best to check with a few of these sub-prime lenders to see if you can get a better deal.

Watch Out for Predatory Lending: Bad credit lending as a practice definitely has its place at the financing table. After all, some truly good people get caught up in bad circumstances and have nowhere else to go. Beware, that you don't fall victim to predatory lending such as exorbitant late fees, huge down payments, suspicious or nonexistent "service charges," etc.

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