Saturday | May 25, 2013
Student Loans Exceed Total Credit Card Debt
New figures from reveal that in aggregate, Americans owe more money in federal and private student loans than they do in revolving credit, reports the Wall Street Journal.The Federal Reserve says that Americans owe a total of $826.5 billion in revolving credit debt, mos Read more...
New FTC Rule Protects Consumers from Debt Relief Practices
The Federal Trade Commission issued its final rule on debt relief firms Thursday, banning those that engage in telemarketing from collecting advance fees from customers. The rule will come into effect in October of this year, and it should help protect consumers who are Read more...
How to Select a Legitimate Credit Counseling Agency
The last thing a consumer needs when struggling financially is to fall into the hands of an unscrupulous credit counseling agency. If you're considering using a credit counselor, shop around, and ask each agency the following questions. More importantly, be certain th Read more...
Paying Your Loans Early – A Quick Guide
One of the most prudent financial decisions you can make is to pay your student loans early. Compound interest is a powerful force when it's working with you - and equally powerful when it's not on your side.
However, it pays to be careful when putting extra money to Read more...
Plastic Pay Down Continues in May
If there's one lesson the recession may have taught you, it's that avoiding credit may be one of the best courses of action.
The urge to take out a card and buy whatever you want is pretty easy, especially before that bill comes in the mail at the end of the month. M Read more...
Personal Finance Apps Can Help Save Money
From telling you the best spots to eat, to downloading the latest music, Apple's iPhone has a whole mess of applications available.
While a lot of these may be centered on entertainment or just getting around, there are others that could help you navigate the world o Read more...
Rules for Credit Accounts Announced by Fed
New credit card regulations from the government may have already affected young people, and the Federal Reserve Board announced new rules recently that affect these accounts. According to the central bank, credit card companies will have to review interest rate increase Read more...
Bankruptcy Reaching New Highs, Highlighting Importance of Financial Responsibility
The idea of having financial difficulties may be a foreign notion for some younger consumers, especially those who have just graduated from college and have their whole lives ahead of them. However, the recession found many people - both young and old - having difficult Read more...
Generation Debt: Hope for Echo Boomers in Trouble
The children of Baby Boomers have many nicknames: Echo Boomers, the Millennial Generation and Generation Y. With birth dates ranging from 1978 and 1994, Generation Y makes up 60 million of America's 300 million population.
They're demanding, technically savvy, ambiti Read more...
Credit Accounts Bought By New Collection Agency
Dear Melissa,
I have several accounts on my credit report that just got reopened by new collection agencies that bought the existing account. The accounts are 5 years old now. How do I get these accounts removed from my credit report without having to pay a cre Read more...
