Is There an Optimal Strategy to Repaying Student Loan Debt?
College can be an exciting time, but paying off student loans isn’t nearly as fun. Unless you pay it back or you’re one of a rare few who receives student loan forgiveness, student loan debt can cause negative repercussions in other areas of your life. For example, you might not be able to get a […]
5 Ways Procrastination Can Lead to Financial Struggle
Have you ever waited until the wee hours of the morning to study for an exam at the very last minute? Or you didn’t make a dentist appointment until you found out you had a cavity? We can all be guilty of procrastinating. It’s easy to save something for tomorrow. The funny thing is, tomorrow […]
Debt Snowball Vs. Debt Avalanche: Which is the Best Approach to Pay off Debt?
Anyone who’s ever been in debt knows one thing: it doesn’t make life easy. In fact, debt can have many negative effects on one’s livelihood. For example, having large amounts of outstanding debt can negatively affect your ability to obtain any type of credit, such as a credit card or a loan. Similarly, if you […]
The True Cost of Having Clutter in Your Life
Have you ever walked into your living room, bedroom, or basement and felt as if the mountains of clutter would never end? The disorganization and difficulty in finding the documents or items you need can make daily life much more challenging and unclear. If you think you are alone in dealing with clutter, the data […]
Mismanaging Your Credit
Are you mismanaging your credit with your significant other or anyone else? Have you let the heartstrings get pulled again? Have you cosigned for somebody or something whom you know is financially irresponsible? If you know that person couldn’t get a bank loan, a traditional loan, or a credit card on their own… but then you […]
DTI or Debt-to-Income Ratio Explained w/Video
If you’re in the market for a loan, chances are that lenders are going to assess something called your “DTI” – also known as your Debt-to-Income ratio. What Exactly is a DTI? And, how can you improve it in order to get that loan that you want? How DTI is Calculated First of all, you […]
7 Reasons to Save More Money or Boost Your Emergency Fund
Saving money, and especially having an emergency fund, is actually incredibly important. Here are 7 reasons why you should save more money and working toward building your emergency cash cushion.
A Message for Black Women’s Equal Pay Day
For Black Womens Equal Pay Day: a lesson to my sisters in knowing your worth and a call to demand more: Sign-up now for The Art of Negotiating For Women on Money Coach University Back in 1994, a senior editor at Dow Jones News offered me a good salary, lows $40s, for a job as a financial journalist. I countered & […]
Beware of Fake IRS Collection Scam
Have you ever received a phone call from the IRS – or from someone claiming to be from the IRS – about an alleged tax debt? If so, you need to know that any such phone call is almost certainly a scam also known as the IRS Collection Scam! The IRS will NEVER call you […]
What a Trade War With China Means For Your Money
It’s official: the U.S. and China are formally locked in a high-profile trade war. On Friday July 6, 2018, the U.S. hit China with tariffs on $34 billion worth of goods, mostly high-tech items, like aerospace and robotics products, as well as semiconductor chips for cars, computers, smart phones and TVs. China then immediately levied […]
Splitting Up and Not Married – Whose Money is it Anyway?
Q: My boyfriend and I been together for over 15 years. We have joint savings and checking accounts. We planned on getting married. However, after he won a settlement that was deposited in our joint account, he wants out of the relationship. Can I get in trouble for taking the money out of the account […]
How to Negotiate a Lower Interest Rate on Your Credit Card
Q: Is there a way to lower my credit card interest rate so I can pay my credit card’s balance off faster? A: Thanks for reaching out and for your question. Believe it or not, the best way to get a lower interest rate on your credit card is to just call up the bank/creditor […]
Is a HELOC Right for You? Pros, Cons, and Considerations to Make
A home equity line of credit, or HELOC, is a popular way to finance everything from home remodeling or repair to debt consolidation, or even a vacation. If you’re a homeowner, you’ve probably heard of them, but should you apply for one? Here’s what you need to know. What is a HELOC? A HELOC is […]
Here’s How to Report Rent Payments to the Credit Bureaus
Q: I carried a mortgage on a property I rented out and would like to report rent payments to the credit reporting agency. How can I do this? A: Great question. If you’re a landlord seeking to report rent payments to credit bureaus, you’ll need to follow a formal process to become what’s known as […]
Keeping Your Financial New Year’s Resolutions
Happy New Year, We hope you had a great holiday break and are ready to take your finances to the next level in 2018! Here are recent and recommended articles and offers from AskTheMoneyCoach.com and Money Coach University. Keeping Your Financial Resolutions Are you making a financial New Year’s resolution in 2018? If not, you should – and […]