If you’ve declared bankruptcy, you may feel that you never want to see a credit card again, especially if using cards irresponsibly is what got you into financial trouble in the first place. However, getting a credit card after bankruptcy or retaining a current card can be a smart move under certain conditions. Bankruptcy damages [...]
In these uncertain times, many Ohio consumers have become overwhelmed with debt they cannot pay. If you find yourself in this situation, you may wonder if you can be sent to jail for not paying your credit card debt. The short answer is no -- debt collectors cannot have you arrested for a credit card [...]
When a close family member dies, are you going to be stuck having to pay their debts? Will you find yourself getting harassed by creditors and debt collectors for debts you didn’t even run up or benefit from? The answer depends on the situation. When people die, their estate goes into probate, and the estate owes [...]
Contrary to what many people think, filing for bankruptcy may be good for you and improve your financial situation. Chances are that if you are considering bankruptcy, your credit is already suffering, and you are probably sick of being harassed by bill collectors and creditors, and faced with possible wage garnishments, evictions, lawsuits, and foreclosures. Not [...]
If you are living on a tight budget, you are probably struggling just to meet your expenses each month and may not even be thinking of putting aside money for savings. You need to change this mindset, as many experts feel that if you wish to retire and still maintain your lifestyle, you should have [...]
Your cell phone is a great convenience, but it also provides a dangerous privacy threat that can have a devastating impact on your finances. By setting up a phony cell-phone account in your name, criminals are able to access your bank account, sign up for credit cards and run up huge bills you will be responsible for, [...]
When you are feeling financially strapped, it may be tempting to use your credit card to pay your rent or mortgage. Credit cards allow you to postpone coming up with the money for payments, and you can get rewards like cash back or miles for using them. Unfortunately, there are also costs and consequences for [...]
Despite anything you may have heard, bankruptcy does not ruin your credit forever, and it is still possible to get a loan after a bankruptcy discharge. In reality, bankruptcy -- a legal way to have many debts forgiven -- is a new beginning, and it can give you a fresh financial start. There are things [...]
Rising debt. Growing tax bills. College tuition. Loans. If you sometimes feel like you're drowning in financial stress, you're definitely not alone. Money is a common source of stress, says a 2017 report from the American Psychological Association. Sixty-two percent of Americans say they worry about their finances, making monetary anxiety the second most common source [...]
Credit card debt can be bad for your health as well as your pocketbook, but if you aren’t paying off what you owe each month, you have plenty of company. According to the American Bankers Association, 43 percent of card holders carry a balance each month, and the Federal Reserve reports that outstanding card debt has [...]
Personal finance apps are convenient and provide benefits such as saving money and managing your investments from your mobile devices, but they also put you at increased risk for having your financial information hacked. Services such as Mint, Paypal, Venmo, and Digit, as well as apps from your bank and investment company, allow you to [...]
If you are considering filing for bankruptcy, you are already having trouble paying your debts, so the last thing you need is attorney fees that are unaffordable. However, trying to avoid fees by filing bankruptcy on your own may cost you. Between filing and court fees and the possibility of making mistakes that will void [...]
If you are having problems managing your household debt, you are not alone. November 2017 statistics from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York showed that household debt rose by $116 billion, or 0.9%, to $12.96 trillion in the third quarter of the year. The most rapid increase in debt was seen in credit-card debt, which [...]
Ohio's Debt Crisis: Understanding the Causes and Finding Solutions Through Bankruptcy Ohioans are facing a debt crisis. The state consistently ranks among the top ten in the nation for personal bankruptcy filings. This financial distress stems from factors like the lingering effects of the Great Recession, stagnant wages, and the rising costs of essential needs. [...]
In order to live comfortably in retirement, we have to save during our working years. What we don’t know is how much we need to save to have enough during retirement and how much we can withdraw from our savings so that we can enjoy our “golden years” while making sure our money lasts as [...]
