Parents can opt to add their kids as authorized users to establish credit early. But getting your own credit card is usually viewed as the first and most important step to building a credit history. Anyone over the age of 18 can hold a credit card, but that doesn’t mean an 18-year-old will be approved … Read more
Debt collection can feel like a never-ending battle. No matter how many times you ask debt collectors to stop calling, they keep pursuing you for payments on old debts. You may wonder – will they ever just give up and leave me alone? The truth is debt collectors are persistent. Their job is to collect … Read more
Inheriting debt from parents is a stressful situation many families face. While you aren’t automatically responsible for your parents’ debts, there are some cases where you may have to pay Let’s take a look at how parental debt works after death and how to protect yourself How Debt is Handled When a Parent Dies When … Read more
Knowing whats on your credit reports is important whether you’re just starting to build credit or you’re planning a big purchase like a house or a car. Let’s explore what’s on a credit report … and how they’re used. [Duration – 3:23] While its best practice to avoid late payments on loans and credit cards … Read more
Paying off your mortgage early can seem like an impossible feat. But what if you could shave years off your loan term and save thousands in interest just by paying a little extra each month? Let’s explore what happens when you pay an extra $1,000 toward your mortgage principal every month. How Making Extra Payments … Read more
You typically can get by on $30,000 in annual take-home pay. But you would probably live more comfortably on that money in Kansas than in New York City—given the much lower cost of living. Still, it usually can be done no matter where you live. A salary calculator from payroll-processing company ADP indicates an American … Read more
Dealing with federal student loans can feel overwhelming. The monthly payments, the growing interest, and the years (sometimes decades) of debt hanging over your head — it’s a lot to handle. However, some good news is that federal student loan settlement options do exist, and there are several ways to reduce what you owe and … Read more
Dealing with debt collectors can be stressful, intimidating and confusing. When they call asking for information you may be tempted to lie or bend the truth to get them off your back. But is this legal? And is it the right thing to do ethically? In this article, we’ll explore whether you can lie to … Read more
With most credit scores, any damage from a high credit card utilization goes away when credit bureaus have up-to-date information on your new, lower balances. A high credit card utilization typically stops hurting your credit score once a new, lower balance is reported to the credit bureaus. The main way to reduce your credit card … Read more
Getting a car loan, and consistently making payments on it, can help build your credit. Opening the loan itself wont have much impact, but building a history of on-time payments is a great way to promote credit score improvement. While getting a car loan in and of itself wont necessarily impact your credit scores much, … Read more