Finance Globe

When one of your accounts falls past due, your creditor may sell the account to a third-party debt collector. The debt collector then has the right to pursue you for payment. Of course, one of the ways debt collectors attempt to get you to pay is by calling you. These calls can be a nuisance, especially when you can’t afford to pay. Knowing how to handle debt collector calls can keep you in control of the...

Any time you fall behind on a payment, there’s a risk of your account going to a debt collector. This applies to credit cards, loans, cell phone payments, cable service and anything else that has a monthly payment. Many people incorrectly assume they no longer have to pay off an account because it’s been sent to a collection agency. However, you still owe a debt, even when it’s been sent to collections, and there are still...

If you fall behind on a debt, your creditor may extend an offer to settle the debt for less than the balance due. When you settle a debt, you pay only a portion of the balance due and the creditor cancels the rest of the debt. Settlement offers are typically only made on past due and charged-off accounts and on debt collections. If you’ve received a settlement offer from one of your creditors, here’s what you...

With the increased amount of data breaches comes an increased need to protect your identity from being stolen. Once a thief has your personal and financial information, they can use it to make unauthorized charges on your account, open accounts in your name, take over your current accounts and leave you to deal with the fallout. Fraud alerts have been a way to protect your identity for several years, but is a fraud alert enough? What...

At least once a year, you should request a copy of your credit report and review it in great detail. While it’s easy to focus most your time on the public records and credit accounts sections, there’s something else that deserves your attention: the personal information section. Your goal is to review each section of your credit report, paying close attention to every detail to ensure that there are no mistakes or incomplete information. Remember this:...

Your debt-to-income ratio is an important financial measure that tells the percentage of your monthly income that goes toward debt payments. In addition to your credit score, lenders use the debt-to-income ratio to approve your loan applications. Many lenders use your debt-to-income ratio to decide whether you can afford to take on mrore debt. Thankfully, unlike your credit score, you can calculate and easily manage your own debt-to-income ratio without much trouble and guesswork. Calculating Your Debt-to-Income...

If you think you’re safe from debt collector calls at work, think again. You’d be surprised at how much information a debt collector can find out about you with a few phone calls and internet searches. Debt collectors may call your job looking for you, particularly if they’re not able to get in touch with you any other way. You may be surprised to learn some of their tactics. Your original creditor. When you first applied for your...

You don’t need an excellent credit score to live a good life, but it can definitely help you feel better about your financial situation. If you’ve checked your credit score and don’t like what you see, there’s no better time than now to take action. Here are a handful of benefits that come along with boosting your score into “excellent” territory: •    Lower interest rates. Are you applying for a car loan? What about a mortgage?...

Everyone usually knows they need to pay off their debt. However, it is much easier said than done. If you really want to get out of debt and stay out, there are a few habits that can help. Below are a few habits that can help you lower your expenses and pay off your outstanding debt faster.  Track, record, and monitor all expenses: The first thing to do is to track, record, and monitor your daily expenses. This...

​If you are not a math wizard, and you do not have any kind of accounting / finance background, you may not know how to calculate your monthly interest payment. Yet I can guarantee you will have to pay a monthly interest payment throughout your life. Whether it is through a mortgage, a car loan, a student loan, or a personal loan, you will have to pay some kind of interest payment. I think it is...