Many people were not aware, but this past week was declared North Carolina’s Financial Aid Awareness Week, proclaimed by Governor Pat McCrory. Most colleges mail admission decisions for the fall semester around March 1, and for many states, including North Carolina, the deadline to apply for federal financial aid also falls at the same time. There can be a lot of paperwork involved; therefore, the fourth Saturday in February has been deemed FAFSA Day in North Carolina. Continue reading
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Best way to shop for Christmas
Christmas. Some people claim there’s a war on it, but use a medium other than television and you’ll see you can’t escape it. Commercials, promotions for store sales, even songs on radio stations will tell you Christmas is coming. With each year passing, it seems we’re all getting an earlier head start. I saw Christmas decorations in some outlet stores as early as September, and some radio stations started playing Christmas songs around Halloween! Christmas is turning into a spending free-for-all, similar in the way creditors try to offer you credit cards. You’ll probably be making lists for things to buy pretty soon, if you haven’t already, but what exactly is the best way to shop for your Christmas gifts? Continue reading
The rules for personal bad debt write-offs
For a bad debt to be deductible or written off, it must be a result of either actual money loaned or a loss on previously reported income. As a regular person, you will most likely be on the side of the debtor, or the person who accepted the loan and cannot pay it back. However, it is possible for you to write off a personal bad debt if you lent money to a friend or relative. It all depends on the paper trail and proper documentation. Continue reading
Accredited debt consolidation in Arizona
I recently went to the Better Business Bureau’s website to look for “debt consolidation companies in Arizona.” I found pages, literally over a hundred different companies (in Phoenix alone) in the debt consolidation business. However, I found just three companies in the state of Arizona that offer debt consolidation services and are accredited by the BBB. Accreditation is a plus in the credit world, so here is a breakdown of these reputable companies. Continue reading
No income verification home equity loans
Income verification is something lenders usually like to do before handing out a loan. If they see how much you are making, they will have more confidence in giving you a certain amount of money because they assume you will be able to pay it back in the future. No income verification loans of all sorts do exist, including home equity loans, but they are not suggested for many people. They’re informally called “liars’ loans,” and you’ll soon find out why. Continue reading
About 125% home equity loans
Getting into debt has never been easier. At the same time, while there may be more options for solving your debt, that part has only been made more complicated. One of the problems is that lenders want to make money, and they’re finding new ways to do so. One type of loan being offered is a 125 percent home equity loan, and it can have some devastating effects if you default on it. Continue reading
Emergency student loans provide help in a pinch
Sooner or later, you will run into an emergency. You may have a health issue that requires surgery or an extended period of time in the hospital. You may suddenly lose a job that had been your main source of income. You may even lose the home or apartment you’ve been living in. What happens if something like this occurs while you’re in college? Will you have to give up your studies? Well, if your school has an emergency student loan program, you won’t have to. Continue reading
How to settle a charge-off
There are some terms out there that sound good, but are actually pretty bad. A charge-off is exactly that. When a creditor gives you a charge-off, you might think that the debt you have on your credit card has been eliminated. This couldn’t be farther from the truth. Continue reading
Tallatoona energy assistance
In a recent article, I talked about the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), a federally-funded program that will be helping low-income families stay warm during the winter. Available funds are given by Congress to local state agencies. These funds are also limited and first come-first serve. This obviously means some people will not be able to receive aid for heating this winter. One such local agency that is having trouble with receiving funds is Tallatoona CAP. Continue reading
Getting a store credit card with bad credit
With the holiday season in full swing, you will be shopping in department stores a bit more than usual. You’ll also hear this question a lot: “Would you like to sign up for a store credit card?” The first time you hear this question, you should decline the offer. When you get home, you should go to the store’s website and check out information about their store credit card. As with any other credit card, there may be benefits, but there may also be drawbacks, so do the research before getting one. Continue reading
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