Category: Debt

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Debt Financial

Where Can I Find The Best Debt Consolidation Company?

get debt relief

In these tough economic times many Americans are faced with significant credit card debt and are looking for help reducing their monthly payments. Debt consolidation allows you to combine numerous debt obligations into one and streamlines the repayment process for credit cards, loans, and other bills. Debt consolidation usually includes lower monthly payments and a repayment plan that saves money and resolves debt faster than you could on your own.

It can be hard to decide on what debt consolidation company or website to use. We have done the research and we are providing you with our top picks for debt consolidation and loan options.

3 Major Benefits of Debt Consolidation

1. Track debt repayment
Once you consolidate your debts, regardless of which method you use, you will have one bill to pay. This can help you stay on top of your finances and set an attainable goal for your debt repayment plan.

2. Save money on interest
Ideally, you will use a financial product with a lower interest rate and fewer fees than what is charged on your current debts. This reduction in interest will help you save money you’d have been required to pay had you not consolidated.

3. Build your credit score
Paying off credit card debt with a loan can have an immediate effect on your credit score by lowering your credit utilization ratio. This is the total amount of credit available to you versus the amount of credit card debt you have.

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Career & Education Debt Education Financial

Is It Better To Finish College Faster Or Debt-Free?

Is It Better To Finish College Faster Or Debt-Free?

A college degree is a significant investment in your future, but no one wants to be saddled with student loan debt for the rest of their life. There are ways to finish your college education faster, but the cost of tuition can add up quickly. As you prepare to choose your college, it’s important to ask yourself: is it better to finish college faster or debt-free?

Working Through College To Be Debt-Free

One of your options to finish college with less debt is to work full-time while you attend classes part-time. If you’re supporting a family or already in a steady employment position, this can be a great option. However, attending school part-time means you will be in school longer, which can mean higher tuition in the long run.

To decide if this is the right option for you, consider how your earning power will increase once you graduate with your degree. Will the costs of attending full-time be offset by the increased income? If you have a lot of financial responsibilities, this might not be a factor as you have to meet your other financial obligations instead.

Applying for College Scholarships

If you qualify for scholarships and grants, you could attend school full-time and graduate faster without racking up student loan debt. There are so many scholarships out there that could help in whatever situation you’re facing, so before taking out student loans, be sure to search for scholarships you may qualify for.

Ask everyone you know if they’re aware of any scholarship opportunities or take your search online to any of several college scholarship search sites to figure out if you’ll qualify for any free money.

Taking Out Student Loans

Of course, if you don’t qualify for a scholarship or grant, you always have the option to take out student loans to cover your college expenses without working. Attending school full-time is expensive, but it also means you’ll graduate more quickly and can start earning more money faster.

If you can’t feasibly work and attend college, consider increasing your course load to graduate faster. Reduce your expenses by living as cheaply as you can and working during the summer to reduce the amount of money you have to borrow each year.

Finding a Balance

So, is it better to finish college faster or debt-free? There’s no single right answer. Some students have a hard time trying to work while attending college, so they’ll work over the summer and save money to balance out the amount of money they have to borrow. Other people have financial obligations to meet outside of school, so they work full-time and attend classes part-time or over the summer instead.

Finding the right balance for your needs is crucial, and a lot of it will depend on your major, your expected income, and how much you end up having to borrow. No matter which option you choose, make sure to follow a college budget and keep your expenses down.

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Debt Financial Loans

Can’t Pay Rent? Here’s Where To Find Help

Can’t Pay Rent? Here’s Where To Find Help

Hundreds of thousands of American tenants lost a critical legal safeguard when the countrywide eviction ban was repealed.

The United States Supreme Court recently overturned an eviction restriction. This now means that landlords throughout the nation to proceed with evictions without restraint.

The Eviction Ban is Over

Even while the federal moratorium was in effect, the eviction prohibition was not standard across the board. The moratorium was not enacted in every state in the United States. And not all tenants were aware of the order or how to benefit from it. Therefore, it didn’t reach as many people as it should have.

Although the federal eviction moratorium is no longer in effect, if you have been unable to pay your rent or your utilities due to the epidemic and are facing eviction, you may be eligible for a personal government bailout.

Rent Help Still Remains

Despite the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the federal eviction moratorium, another program remains. A first-of-its-kind, $47 billion government rental assistance program, which covers energy bills and up to 18 months of rent for tenants who have been unable to pay due to the pandemic’s financial effects, is still in place.

The federal program has been hampered by regulations and rules and red tape and has been far too slow to get off the ground since its creation last year, but authorities are working to make it simpler for hard-hit tenants and landlords to collect money they are entitled to. There are many tools available to assist individuals in determining where and how to apply.

How to Get Rent Help

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has built a website where people may input their location. This way they can get contact information for the local organization that administers the assistance in their area.

Another website, run by the nonprofit National Low Income Housing Coalition, provides details on the 493 state and local agencies that distribute the aid, including which agencies allow renters to simply state that the pandemic has caused them financial hardship and that they have lost income, or that they meet other eligibility requirements. Applicants in certain states are required to provide papers. This includes leases and pay stubs to establish that they fit the criteria.

According to existing rules, roughly 750,000 individuals will be evicted throughout the country before the end of the year.

Conclusion

The rental aid program is the last remaining enormous protection for American renters now that the larger eviction ban is over. And many of the remaining state eviction bans are supposed to end by September. With evictions allowed to resume in an estimated 90% of the country by October, the need for financial help to millions is needed just as much now as before.

If the present rate of rental aid distribution continues, 1 million to 2 million families will be behind on their rent and without help by the time the remaining state eviction moratoriums expire.

Thankfully, the federal assistance program exists- although many people don’t know of it. People are calling on the federal government to do even more. They want them to assist people but so far there are no plans in Congress for such help.

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Debt Financial

Ally Bank Does Away With Overdraft Fees

Ally Bank Does Away With Overdraft Fees

One of the most annoying features of banking in America has been eliminated by one financial institution. And it’s already receiving rave reviews from customers and promising a change for the entire industry. Overdraft fees are no longer charged by Ally Bank to any of its clients. Starting in April 2020, the bank will temporarily eliminate certain overdraft costs due to COVID-19 problems. This is a more permanent change for many big banks, and it is the first of its sort.

Ally CEO Jeffrey Brown stated in a message to customers: “Overdraft fees are a source of frustration for many consumers, but they are especially burdensome for others. It’s past time to put a stop to them.”

This is fantastic news for clients, and it might herald a sea shift for giant banks. Those who have long profited handsomely by charging tiny fees to large customer bases. Overdraft fees have long been seen as one of the most inconvenient and inevitable aspects of banking in the United States, but that perception may be changing.

What is an overdraft charge, exactly? Consider the following scenario: you write a check or are charged for a regular online payment, but your account balance is insufficient to cover it. Banks will often charge you an “overdraft fee” if you force them to pay the amount for you.

Why No More Fees?

Overdraft fees alone brought in $4 billion for America’s top four banks: Chase, Wells Fargo, Citi, and Bank of America. They make a lot of money only from overdraft fees, as you can see.

A bank may handle a rejected check for less than $1  and sometimes even less than that. Banks have progressed beyond passing on those costs to charging a huge, profit-driven multiple of their own costs.

Lower-income families are more likely to be harmed by these fees since they are more likely to be short on cash. According to a poll released recently, those who lost money during COVID-19 paid more than four times as many fees to institutions.

According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, 5% of checking account customers overdraw their accounts more than 20 times each year.

Ally has consistently been called one of the finest online banks in the country. They receive high marks from customers across the board. Clark likes online banks over conventional banks, along with credit unions, since the excellent ones have low costs.

This isn’t the first time Ally Bank has taken such a step. Fees were removed by Discover Financial in 2019. Some banks that claim to have eliminated overdraft costs, simply do not accept overdrafts. Others provide “overdraft protection.”

Consumers will be pleased with Ally’s decision, and it may be a splash that will reverberate across the banking industry.

Overdraft fees have long been seen as part of the price of doing business with banks. However, this change with Ally shows that might not be the case much longer. After the wonderful reaction Ally got, it is likely that other banks might follow in its foot steps and eliminate their own overdraft fees soon.

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Credit Debt Financial

You’ve Maxed Out Your Credit Cards, What’s Next?

Steps to Take When You’ve Maxed Out Your Credit Cards

Consumer debt related to credit cards is a significant issue in the United States. According to Debt.Org, more than 191 million people have a credit card in America. As a result of this, many people struggle with maxed-out cards and knowing what to do when that happens.

Whether you’ve done a little too much online shopping, or you needed to get caught up on bills and other responsibilities, maxing out your credit cards is common. In this article, we’ll highlight those steps and go into detail on how to perform each one.

Stop Using Your Cards

Many credit cards will automatically decline purchases that exceed your available balance. However, if you’ve opted-in to a policy that allows overcharging, it’s best to stop using the cards completely once you’ve reached the limit. After all, this cuts off any possibility of escalating the issue if you don’t add to the amount of debt you owe.

If you used any of your credit cards to pay for subscription services, it’s important to cancel them or transfer the subscription to a debit card. While we’d recommend canceling the service, moving to a debit card is okay if it’s necessary.

Plan Out a Budget

Before you start paying off your credit card debt, it’d be beneficial to plan out a budget and means of payment. Doing this will prepare you for what’s coming in terms of your financial situation. Having a solid plan can also help keep you on track to pay your debt off as soon as possible.

While it may be tempting to make only the minimum payments on your cards each month, it’s more beneficial to pay as much as you can. Paying more than the minimum requirement will offset any interest payments that are tacked on and speed up the process.

Pay Off Your Debt

Once you’ve stopped using your cards and you’ve mapped out a budget, it’s time for the hardest part: paying the debt off. There are several ways you can do this and whichever plan you choose will largely depend on your current financial situation. Here are the main ways you can pay off your credit card debt:

  • Pay it in full: This is certainly the quickest option, however, it isn’t feasible for everyone. Unless you have a significant amount of money in your account, paying in full isn’t an option. This is likely the case for a majority of credit card holders.
  • Negotiate with your credit card company: If you’d like to stop using your cards altogether, some companies may allow you to negotiate a lower payback price. If you choose to do this, it may be worth asking for expert help.
  • Make extra payments when you can: The amount you’re able to pay will depend on your income. If you find you have some extra leeway money in your account, consider putting that toward a credit card bill.
  • Use credit card rewards if possible: Some credit cards come with a rewards program. To help alleviate your balance, you may choose to use any accumulated rewards to put toward a statement credit.
  • Utilize debt consolidation: Debt consolidation is a popular option for paying off debt. If you have a good credit score, you may consider taking out another card with a 0% APR on balance transfers and low interest rates. You may also choose to do this with a personal loan from your bank.

Parting Thoughts

Dealing with any type of debt is certainly stressful. Luckily, credit card debt is easily fixable so long as you have a solid budget and repayment plan. To pay off debt, the most important thing you can do is be smart about your spending while paying off your debt and after you’ve successfully paid them off.

By following the steps we’ve highlighted in this post, you’re setting yourself up to pay off your credit card debt as quickly and efficiently as possible.

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Debt Financial

Investing When You’re Living Paycheck To Paycheck

How To Invest When You're Living Paycheck To Paycheck

High living costs and stagnant wages leave millions of people left with nothing but a small amount every month. Do you have a lot of expenses like bills, travel expenses, saving for retirement, grocery, and a lot more? Many people who are living paycheck to paycheck think they cannot invest some money for the future. Well, that’s not the case, as you can make some investment by using your money wisely.

So, here are some realistic approaches to invest when you are living paycheck to paycheck.

1. Consider Micro Investing

If you find it hard to spare some amount and save in your account, Micro investing is a good idea.

Start an investment account with the least amount of money that you can save monthly. You can also use an easy app like Robinhood, Acorns, Public.com, and many more. Then you can link the app account to your bank account. Thus, whenever you buy anything, your change will automatically get invested in your account. 

2. Cut down Your Expenses

Set your budget for monthly income and expenses; it always helps. In this case, you can reduce the amount for the less essential and extra expenses. It may not be as easy as it seems; however, it will bring an outcome if you try consistently.

By cutting down some expenses, you will have some amount by the end of the month. Besides, you can choose a cheaper service to get rid of the heaps of expenses.

3. Purchase a Portion of Shares 

Are you keen on investing your money in a company in the form of dividends? Financial investing involves buying a portion of a company’s shares instead of going for the whole. So as the company’s shares fluctuate up and down, you will get your dividend in the same way. 

4. Utilize Any Bonuses or Extra Income for Investing

Here is another idea that sounds beneficial! You can invest extra money and the bonus you get. You could utilize multiple ideas like purchasing the old items and selling them again. Invest in any shop to get a monthly return, and you can also do many more things. 

5. Set up an Emergency Fund

It is the best practice that brings realistic outcomes. Even if you are left with a small amount after cutting down daily expenses, keep it safe in your money-saving jar. You can also set up an emergency fund to deal with unexpected expenses in the future. 

Final Thoughts

It is a stressful and painful experience to live paycheck to paycheck. You can fight against this challenging situation. However, you can build a better and wise strategy to come out of it. The above-discussed ideas are worth trying and do not even require any particular technique. So, choose any idea and start investing today. 

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Bankruptcy Debt Financial Legal

Can I File For Bankruptcy Online in 2021?

Can I File For Bankruptcy Online in 2021?

The internet is the height of convenience. Despite all the complaints we might have about technology, one thing we can admit is that being able to handle all of your expenses from the comfort of your desk is no small luxury. But can you make a big financial like bankruptcy online? Is it possible to file for bankruptcy over the internet?

In this article, we’ll discuss what your options are when considering whether or not you can file for bankruptcy online. By the time we’re done, you’ll hopefully have all the info you need to make the right call.

Can You File For Bankruptcy Online?

For the most part you can file for bankruptcy online. There are a few caveats, as there are with really any big decision, but you likely won’t have trouble finding ways to make such a difficult decision with at least a little bit of comfort and confidence.

With your computer, you can do a number of things related to bankruptcy. For one, you can, in fact, receive bankruptcy filing forms and any local documentation relating to your application for bankruptcy. This takes a lot of the stress of gathering documents and filing papers out of the task.

You will also be notified about the progress of your bankruptcy case over the internet. Your bankruptcy court will send you email updates stating the important facts of your bankruptcy case. This will help you track your financial situation and get a hold on where you are.

After your bankruptcy is filed, you may also be able to check on how your repayment plan through the internet. While this feels more like a chore than a privilege, it will help in the necessary budgeting process that will come during your recovery phase.

You Cannot Do the Actual Filing

Unfortunately, most of us will have to do the actual, physical filing part of filing for bankruptcy in an actual, physical setting.

There may, however, be places where the filing process can be done completely online. This will depend on the district your filing in and the rules and regulations it has decided upon in the past.

If you’re unsure of the rules in your district, it might be good to consult a financial professional. The may be able to help you jump through all the hoops when filing bankruptcy and advise you on recovery afterwards.

Trustees also might not be so hospitable to the idea of going paperless. While many districts have discussed moving in a more electronic direction, the trust that floats around the idea of the hard copy filing process is just too big to overcome for most trustees. This is why hard copies may still be required here.

Any fees related to court filing are also usually not offered on an online basis.

Thus, there’s a lot of the process you can do online, and a lot that you can’t. You will be able to do a lot of the filing documents electronically, but submitting them and onward will be a physical process.

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Debt Financial

Debt-to-Income Ratio: Why Is It Important?

debt-to-income ratio

There are many unintuitive systems and statistics within banking. But above all of those, the most confusing is your “debt-to-income ratio”.

But what is debt-to-income ratio?

Debt-to-income ratio is the result of a math equation: First, take the amount of debt you have to pay every month. This includes house payments, car payments, student loans, medical bills, basic utilities, and rent. Add them all together and you have the “debt” part of the equation.

Then, add together all your monthly income sources. Banks will only care about your “official” sources of income—that is, those which are subject to taxes. That gives you the “income” part of the equation.

Now, divide the “debt” value by the “income”. If your income is greater than your debts, you will get a decimal point. For instance, if you have $3,000 in debt every month, but make $10,000 a month, this will divide into .30.

That .30 means that 30% of your income is tied up in debt. That percentage is your debt-to-income ratio.

But what happens if your debt is greater than your income? Well, to begin with, the number you will get from dividing “debt” by “income” will be above 1. This is a problem as far as banks are concerned.

Most banks will not give loans out to anyone whose debt-to-income ratio is higher than 43%. This includes mortgages, auto loans, and student loans.

Why did they pick that number? No one really knows, but it has been that way since the 80s. Whoever made the calculation that decided 43% was a red flag has long since faded into history.

While the reasoning behind the exact number is unknown, the reasoning behind having any kind of number at all is understandable. After all, banks have to have some method of determining your ability to pay off a loan.

Ratioing your debt with your income is one of banks’ primary methods of determining the viability of giving you loans. This means that it is an important factor in both a person and a business negotiating with their bank.

So, how do you manage such a thing? How do you keep your debt and income in a place where you can get the loans you need to make the moves in life you want to make?

It is easy to think of both your debts and your income as immovable things. This certainly feels true, but it is not always the case.

Remember that “debt” and “income”, in these cases, are both calculated before taxes and other things that might affect that total output of your income.

This means that if you wish to set aside more out of your income to pay your debts, it won’t affect this ratio. Paying your debts off doesn’t actually affect the ratio, but it can affect your bank’s willingness to look past the ratio.

Ultimately, it’s one factor among many in negotiating with your bank. It is not the final word.

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Career & Education Debt Education Financial Loans

Student Loans for Bad Credit

student loans for bad credit

When you are figuring out how you will be funding your education for the next several years, having bad credit can really impact your options. Federal student loans are a great option to start with, but they only go so far, and many still have a tuition gap to fill. If there is a concern with the credit history and score for the student applying, there are still some viable methods for getting the funding needed to get the education they are aiming for.

The federal loans do not require any credit history and they have a wide variety of flexible repayment options. However, borrowing limits are often too low for many state or private universities, and so there are still significant costs due from the student before term. Often private lenders will require student borrowers to have a credit score minimum of 690, which can exclude many potential students. Here are some tips for those with bad credit, or simply limited credit history:

1.   Always Start With Federal Loans

No matter what the credit condition of the applicant, they should always start with the FAFSA and federal student loan programs. This will also put the student through an eligibility check for additional funding sources such as grants and scholarships, as well as work-study programs. The interest rates of federal loans are often fixed and below 5%. One of the additional bonuses is the flexible repayment options, like income-based repayment.

2.   Do Everything You Can To Get A Co-Signer

This will dramatically improve the overall interest rates and terms of all loans that the student will qualify for, and will often allow them to qualify for additional loans their credit alone would not allow. The big caveat with this is that it is frequently difficult to find anyone other than perhaps a parent or grandparent to be your cosigner. This is because the cosigner will become responsible for the debt as well if the primary signer defaults.

3.   Compare The Basic Features And Interest

Many of the independent companies will have a wide variety of interest rates and terms that will largely be dependant on the applicant’s credit specifics. Providers such as Ascent have interest rates that range from below 7% to over 14% on fixed rates, and 5.8% to 12.9% on a variable, while other popular bad credit student loan providers A.M. Money Private Student Loan and MPOWER Private Student Loan both strictly offer fixed-rate loans only.

A.M. Money Private Student Loan, MPOWER Private Student Loan, and Funding U Private Student Loan are all providers that will be able to service loans for without requiring a minimum credit score. They offer a variety of fixed interest rates as well as terms for their student loans. They will each use slightly different criteria to gauge loan approval, such as GPA, and some students with special status like DACA. Limitations often include availability limited by state or by the school.

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Credit Debt Financial

6 Tactics for Handling Piles of Credit Card Debt

credit card debt

If you have a significant amount of credit card debt, you are not alone. You want to figure out how to improve your situation, or you wouldn’t be here. That is the best first step to climbing out of a deep hole of credit card debt, you have to want it.

Once you want it, and you are ready to work for it and fight for it, then you need a strategy. We’ve pulled together a robust list of the 6 most effective things you can do to put a dent in your credit card debt.

1.   Buddy Up

This is something that most people do not think about. They underestimate the power of having someone for support while facing their debt problem. This can be anyone from a variety of roles in your life. Some people prefer a financial advisor, while other people are more trusting with a friend or family member. Another benefit to not going solo is it helps boost your accountability as well as your chances of reaching each goal you set.

2.   Hide The Credit Card

Stop using your credit card or cards for financial emergencies, that is likely a contributing factor to how you got into debt. Instead, build a savings reserve that you would use for emergency dental or vehicle work. This way you can catch up on your debt, and lower your credit utilization as well, which makes your credit score look better. For an emergency fund, make an initial goal of one month worth of expenses, and work your way up to a 6-month cushion.

3.   Pay High-Interest Debts First

This is another one that people overlook. After you get smaller debts out of the way, focus on your highest interest rate, and pay that down as fast as possible. Pay a much over the minimum as you can, while still staying current on your other obligations. This can save you thousands in interest alone on higher limit accounts and will reduce the time it takes you to pay it off.

4.   Ask Your Lender For A Lower APR

This is another tactic that few people think to utilize, or realize is even possible. Simply call your lenders and ask them if they can reduce your APR. Not only will this save you money every month, but it will allow you to pay debts down quicker since you won’t need to make nearly as many payments over the life of the debt.

5.   Budget Firmly

This is always one of the obvious ones, so we put it at the end, but it’s still so important that we couldn’t omit it. Budget and stick to it as much as you can. This goes for not only your spending but your debt repayment. Once you know your current bills are accounted for, figure out how much you can then use to pay off credit card debt. Your budget will be another tool of accountability, only you answer to yourself.