Lenders treat student loans as your own debt. This may inflate your debt to income ratio so that you will not qualify for better interest rates until the entire student loan is paid off. Do not agree to co-sign a student loan if you intend to refinance your mortgage or take out other loans in  … Read More

If the court has ordered you to pay child support and you lose your job in that timeframe, you should immediately notify the court and ask for a reduction in your required payments for child support, since it could take months for this to be decided and changed by the court.   In the meantime,  … Read More

Homeowners Insurance. Believe it or not, accumulating points for moving violations can increase your homeowner’s insurance rates. Insurance companies have studied the connection between poor driving habits and home maintenance. They have found that people with multiple points, take less care of their homes. Auto Insurance. Your driving history is one of the main factors  … Read More

Moving. If you need to hire a moving company, make sure to get quotes from three companies, don’t just go with the one that is cheapest. Watch for additional fees that raise costs, such as packing, unpacking, travel, etc. Get your own cardboard boxes from stores willing to give them away for free. Be wary  … Read More

First, get a free credit report at www.annualcreditreport.com or call 1-877-322-8228. You can request one free credit report from each of the three major credit reporters, once a year. So, you don’t have to pay for your annual credit reports. Do not contact the three nationwide credit reporting companies individually. Make sure to check all  … Read More

In Pennsylvania, a drop in your credit score could result in non-renewal of your homeowners policy or result in a dramatic increase in your premiums. Insurance companies have determined that there is a connection between credit worthiness and the number of insurance claims a homeowner makes. They believe, the better the credit, the fewer insurance  … Read More

Many things affect the rate you are charged for homeowner’s insurance. Making many small claims can lead to termination. Even asking your insurance company about the possibility of making a claim can affect your insurance. Insurance companies can randomly conduct drive-by inspections of properties. If there is an obvious maintenance issue, the insurer may threaten to  … Read More

If you are struggling with debt, but are wondering if you make too much money to file bankruptcy, then read on. To be eligible to file Chapter 7, you must pass what is called a “means test”; this determines whether or not your income is low enough to qualify. Your debts have to be primarily  … Read More

Filing for bankruptcy is a serious financial decision. If you aren’t able to pay your bills, but you’re afraid to file bankruptcy, read on… Myth 1. You’ll lose everything. Contrary to what you might have heard, by filing, you’re likely to keep a lot of your possessions. What assets may be exempt varies from state  … Read More

Unfortunately, most tax related debts cannot be discharged (wiped out) from filing bankruptcy. You generally will continue to owe even at the end of your Chapter 7 bankruptcy case. Or if you file Chapter 13, you will have to repay your taxes in full, in a Chapter 13 bankruptcy repayment plan. However, if you want  … Read More