Attorney General Lori Swanson filed lawsuits against five payday lenders that made loans to Minnesotans. The lenders were not licensed to make loans in Minnesota and charged excessively high annual interest rates. This is not the first time that Swanson has brought litigation against payday lenders and Swanson said her office is investigating complaints against […]
List of 5 Payday Lenders Sued by Minnesota Attorney General Read More »
If you went to college, no doubt you tracked your grades carefully throughout school. But if you’re currently a working professional, or are looking for a job, you now have another important report card to pay attention to: your credit rating. Simply put, having perfect credit is just as financially beneficial to you as is
If you’re operating without a normal monthly budget, that’s a huge financial mistake. In fact, the lack of a budget is a big part of the reason that the average American now has nearly $10,000 in credit card debt. Of course, many people have mortgages, auto loans, student loans, and other consumer debt. But it’s
Millionaires Stick to a Budget. So Should You! Read More »
If you applied for a student loan or financial aid during your last few years of high school, you may not have been 18 at the time that you signed for the student loan. Many people who signed for a student loan before they turned 18 wonder if they are still responsible for the loan,
I Was Under 18 When I Signed For My Student Loan – Am I Responsible for It? Read More »
A proper financial plan provides you with a snapshot of where you are today – in terms of assets and liabilities, and your current cash flow. It also outlines your short, medium, and long-term goals, such as saving for a down payment on a house or taking a dream vacation. Finally, a well crafted financial
How To Create a Realistic Financial Plan Read More »
If you’re one of the tens of thousands of people who took out a payday loan online, you may stand to get some cash back soon. It’s not a lot of money, but the Federal Trade Commission is nevertheless mailing more than 110,000 refund checks — each check between $10 and $15 — to consumers
Did You Take Out a Payday Loan Online? You May Get a Refund From the FTC Read More »
Is debt a disease? Some of you who are over-spending have a real problem. In fact, you have a sickness, of sorts. Now before you think that I’m offering you a clinical diagnosis, let me say that I’m talking about a personal belief I have about people with massive credit card debt due to over-spending.
Is Debt a Disease? Read More »
Write down everything that you owe, even credit cards that might have only $100 on them. Don’t make the mistake of leaving those “small” bills out because “Oh, I’m going to pay that one off this month anyway.” Just write down everything you actually owe, as of today. Many people have a rough idea about
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I used to think that only young college grads made the mistake of underestimating how much it costs to live in the real world. After working as a Money Coach, however, and talking to countless individuals about their monthly finances, I’ve since discovered that people of all ages, incomes, and education levels fall into this
Fix Your Budget: Here’s Why Everything Always Costs More Than You Think It Will Read More »
Life never goes exactly according to plan, which is one reason 42-year-old Jeannine McCurrie knows how important it is to have a financial back-up plan. McCurrie was just 29 when her 32-year-old brother was shot and killed, leaving behind three small children under the age of seven. At age 31, McCurrie suffered the loss of
How to Create a Solid Financial Back-Up Plan Read More »
Better watch out for this scam. Consumers from Alaska to New York are being slammed into magazine renewals they never asked for and having their bank accounts debited for subscription renewals that they never authorized. The Better Business Bureau of the Mid-South region warns consumers that they have received numerous complaints about a company called
Beware of The Latest Magazine Subscription Renewal Scam Read More »
For those of you who are parents, it’s understandable that you want to help your child avoid the plague of student loan debt, but there’s a right way to go about doing it and a wrong way. The wrong way is to completely sacrifice your financial future, forgoing retirement savings and just “hoping for the
7 Financial Tips for Parents of College Students Read More »
If you withdrew from your college or university degree program without graduating and had obtained a federal student loan in order to complete your education, you may be wondering if you still owe part of or the full balance of the loan once you are no longer a student. According to the FSA Collections website:
I Never Completed School – Am I Responsible for the Student Loan? Read More »
During financial literacy workshops that I give around the country, I leave about 30 – 45 minutes at the end for a q&a session with my audience. Here are the top questions about FICO credit scores that I have heard over the years: FICTION : If I check my credit report often, all those “inquiries”
Fact vs. Fiction about FICO Credit Scores Read More »
The Federal government can cancel some or part of your federal student loan (not private student loans) under certain circumstances. This is known as “student loan forgiveness”, and you will need to prove that you meet certain criteria in order to qualify for this type of loan cancellation. If you are disabled, and cannot work
You Can Qualify For Student Loan Forgiveness If You Are Disabled Read More »
