Jun
21
2007
If you’re considering buying a car, or even just refinancing your current auto loan, you’ll benefit from some simple research before making a final decision.
Know your FICO and other credit report items. The overall number assigned to measure your credit worthiness doesn’t tell the whole story about you or your ability and willingness to repay [...]
Jun
21
2007
Some people think of bankruptcy as an easy way to offload a crushing debt burden, and it’s sometimes the first method they reach for. Well, it may well relieve the burden, but it’s far from easy and should be the very last thing you use to do so.
While the law has made it relatively easy [...]
Jun
20
2007
Of course, the title is an exaggeration on both sides. Credit cards are neither your salvation nor a destroyer. They are a tool, and how you use that tool is up to you.
It can be used for the sake of convenience, for online shopping and the dozen other uses for which it was designed. Or, [...]
Jun
20
2007
In the UK there’s a formal name, IVA, for the agreement between a debtor and a creditor to alter debt terms. The U.S. may not employ the name, but the idea is essentially the same. It’s a method for agreeing to settle an outstanding debt, usually one that’s overdue and that the debtor can’t pay.
The [...]
Jun
20
2007
Credit reports are often regarded with dread, especially by those who have entered turbulent financial waters. But reality is never your enemy, even when it is unpleasant. In order to promote financial health, and resolve any debt problems you may have, it’s essential to have the best information possible about your credit status. That information [...]
Jun
20
2007
There are several basic trading strategies, but in order to execute any of them successfully an investor new to options will need to know some elementary concepts.
The most basic are the call and the put. Buying a call confers the right, but not the obligation, to buy at a pre-set price. Puts grant the buyer [...]
Jun
19
2007
Both lender and borrower are faced at the outset with a basic decision - to obtain a loan that is either secured or unsecured. But, what does that mean, and what are the pros and cons of each for either party?
A secured loan is one in which the money borrowed is guaranteed to be repaid [...]
Jun
19
2007
Debt collectors ringing your phone off the hook and sending intimidating letters can frazzle anyone’s nerves. But you have various forms of protection and many techniques available to deal with them.
The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act sets guidelines for what debt collectors may or may not legally do when attempting to collect a debt. They [...]
Jun
19
2007
Risk isn’t inherently bad. Without it, there would be far fewer opportunities for profit. In particular, there would be no options market at all. No one would have to speculate on price direction or other factors, since risk always implies uncertainty about the future.
But risks come in different flavors and degrees. Let’s examine some trading [...]
Jun
18
2007
Many people find that over time they have accumulated more debt than they can repay. When that happens, there is a reinforcing downward spiral. The inability to repay the debt leads to additional interest charges and penalties, making it still harder to repay the amount owed.
One common suggestion for breaking this vicious circle is to [...]