If you want a home loan, you may be wondering how high your credit score needs to be in order to qualify for a home mortgage. Well, there’s good news and bad news regarding your credit and how it relates to your chances getting a “yes” from a home lender.
The Credit Score You Need to Get A Mortgage Read More »
Most of us don’t particularly enjoy dealing with the deadlines and paperwork required to file federal income taxes. But just because taxes may not be the world’s most pleasant topic, doesn’t mean you can sweep this issue under the rug. Think about it this way: by filing your federal income tax return on time, you
4 Tips to File Your Taxes Without Stress Read More »
Nobody wants to be mired in debt. But if we’re honest about our financial patterns, we’ll admit to sometimes making poor money choices — at least now and again — that can lead to debt. An occasional slip up with your finances probably won’t do any long-lasting damage. But when financial goofs become routine, you’re
5 Bad Habits That Keep You Deep in Debt Read More »
Saving more money doesn’t have to be painful. Keeping additional cash in your pocket, or accumulating more money, can be as easy breezy once you learn a few smart money moves. It’s also possible that becoming a better saver can boost your physical wellness, along with your financial well being. Here are 5 easy ways to
5 Easy Ways to Save Money and Get Healthier Read More »
None of us wants to have big debts hanging over our heads. There are smart ways to get them under control — tight budgeting, for instance — but also a huge number of bad choices that may just dig you in deeper. So don’t make any of the following 11 mistakes if you’re trying to get rid
How to Avoid Falling Deeper into Debt Read More »
Romance is in the air, especially with Valentine’s Day just around the corner. But if you’re thinking about getting married – or hoping he’ll pop the question with a nice big diamond ring – you should first come back down to earth and think: “no romance without finance!” In all seriousness, it’s a smart idea
Valentine’s Day Finances: 4 Questions for Couples to Ask Before Marriage Read More »
There are many things you can do that might hurt your credit score – such as paying a bill late, charging up too much credit card debt, or having a public record like a foreclosure or judgment mar your credit report. Fortunately, however, doing something like checking your own credit report will NOT lower your
Will Checking My Credit Report Lower My Credit Score? Read More »
Intuit/TurboTax, one of the tax industry giants, suffered a black eye recently when they were forced to stop e-filing state tax returns for a period of time while they investigated a potential data breach. They’ve since resumed e-filing of state returns and TurboTax announced there doesn’t appear to be breach of customers’ data, so what really went
After TurboTax Fraud Fears, Is Free Tax Software Safe? A Viewpoint Read More »
Deciding when to claim Social Security benefits is one of the most important financial decisions you will make during your life. Over 66% of today’s recipients are totally or critically dependent on their Social Security benefits to maintain their quality of life in retirement. Your choice of claiming early at age 62, delaying until age
Three Things to Consider Before Claiming Social Security Benefits Read More »
any of my readers want to get out of debt – especially at the beginning if the New Year when they’ve made various financial resolutions. One recurring question I’m often asked is: which debts should I pay off first — student loans or credit card debt?
Which to Pay Off First: Student Loans or Credit Card Debt? Read More »
Tax season is upon us and if you’re expecting an IRS tax refund you’re probably quite eager to see that check. After all, the IRS says the typical tax refund tops $2,600 – a nice chunk of change. Normally, most taxpayers get their IRS refunds very quickly, especially people that file their tax returns electronically.
5 Reasons You May Not Get Your IRS Tax Refund Read More »
Entrepreneurs and would-be business owners are almost always super passionate about their careers. The problem, however, is that passion doesn’t always translate into cold, hard dollars. And needless to say, funds are often needed to get that dream business off the ground or to sustain it financially. Having run two of my own businesses for
5 Steps to Financing Your Business Read More »
College is awesome, right? For most of us, it’s the first time we tasted freedom. The freedom to do whatever, whenever you want. The downside is that you have more responsibility, too, especially on financial matters. You get bombarded with credit card offers designed to put you in debt and keep you there. You may
A Student’s Guide To Filing Taxes Read More »
o matter how good (or bad) you may be at managing money, if you’re carrying a lot of personal debt, those bills can erode the value of your hard-earned income or savings. For most people, having a mountain of credit card debt and high-interest loans not only puts a dent in the monthly budget, it
How to Become Debt-Free Read More »
Q: You’ve previously said that getting student loans discharged in bankruptcy court is nearly impossible. I owe over $100,000 in student loans and have been in deferment for like 6 or 7 years. Is it true that if you don’t make any payments they get discharged after 7 years? I am very overwhelmed, stressed and
Getting Student Loans Discharged In Bankruptcy Read More »
