Michael Killian's Articles - Article Wisdom, the Article Database

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Payday Loans - What You Can Do About Them "Loan-Sharking" equates to usury, which is charging interest above an established legal rate. "Pay Advance", "Check Advance", "Deferred Deposit", “Payday Loan”, or any other label like it is lower than loan-sharking. It is a legal, multi-billion dollar industry that you do not want to get lured into. Money Talk or Debt Us Do Part Whether you are thinking of getting married, you are a newly wed, or you are a seasoned couple of marital bliss, you must have a joint talk about debt and credit. Debt communication is simply not an option. This debt and money talk article can open doors of communication and enhance the success of your marriage. In the case of pre marital situations, it may allow you to realize "problems" before they even start. 40% Tax-Free Pay Raise If you are an employee, you can get a 40% pay raise without ever asking the boss. And it's all tax-free. Similarly, if you are an employer, you can show each of your employees how they can earn a 40% pay raise and it won't cost the employer a thing. Before writing me off as being a pair short of a full deck, read on. Credit Cards – They are Just Like Drugs Credit cards are just like drugs. There is no better analogy. They offer short-term pleasure and long-term pain. They give the illusion of having more money than you actually do. Then you live with less because each month a portion of your income is siphoned away paying past credit debt. Credit Frauds You Can’t Resist If you have filed for bankruptcy or have bad credit generally, you could be the target of a fraud the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) calls “file segregation”. In this scheme, you are promised a chance to hide unfavorable credit information by establishing a new credit id. That may sound perfect for your circumstance, except that "file segregation" is illegal and you could face fines or even a prison sentence. How Much Is a Ton of Interest? Have you ever asked yourself why there always seems to be too much month left over at the end of the money? This article attempts to explain that monthly crisis by exploring how we have been lulled into thinking in terms of "monthly" instead of "total" cost. Debt Destroyed By Magic Bullet You can eliminate all debt in the fastest possible time by starting an avalanche. I recognize that starting or getting caught in an avalanche probably would not be your idea of an enjoyable time. But what if I told you that the principles of an avalanche are very similar to the principles used to eliminate all debt in the fastest possible time-frame. Specialized Needs In Debt Management The consumer that has good credit and/or needs to maintain lines of credit needs a Specialized Debt Management Service and possibly a specialized Debt Management Program (DMP). What Traditional Debt Counselors Don't Want You To Know Are you in need of SPECIALIZED Debt Management (counseling)? Like many today I was under the impression that "traditional firms" such as Consumer Credit Counseling Service (CCCS), National Foundation of Consumer Credit (NFCC) member firms and other "non-profit" firms were the standard for the industry and that EVERYONE with a debt problem was best served by these groups. Boy, was I wrong. The Truth About Debt Negotiation (Settlement) LOWER YOUR PAYMENT BY 50% - You've seen the ads. They certainly are enticing especially when you are buried under a mound of debt. But should you do it? What’s this all about? Improving Your Credit Score Can I improve My Credit Score? The first and most essential trick to improving your credit score is insuring the accuracy of each of your credit reports. Only after you are certain of their accuracy should you begin planning other steps to improving your credit score. Credit Scoring Basics What is a credit score? Is there a good or bad side to credit scoring? How is a score calculated? What is "FICO"? What are the benefits of credit scoring? What are the down sides? Divorce, Debt & Credit... Facts you need to know Before a divorce, during a divorce, and after getting a divorce you need to concern yourself with credit... credit establishment, credit files and credit scores. Though divorce and credit is a concern for both men and woman, woman tend to have the greater credit difficulty due to societal standards. Therefore, I encourage woman of any age or marital status to learn as much as possible from this and other articles. FREE Annual Credit Report Would FREE copies your credit report be of interest? If you are committed to repairing your credit or simply want to know what is on your credit report, I have good news for you. A free copy of your credit report is available to every consumer annually. This article discusses the free report as well as repairing your credit report once you have your credit file on hand. Credit Card's Dirty Little Secrets Do you know about credit cards and their dirty little secrets? I make my living knowing about them and I was unable to answer all the questions at a great quiz from the PBS Frontline program Secret History of The Credit Card at Credit Card Quiz. Take the quiz and see how much you do or don't know about universal default, and other credit card issues. Then read this article for more dirty little secrets this great PBS special offered. Here are a few appetizers: Fundamentals of Paying Your Debts Okay, you feel your debt is out of control and it is too late to say, "I wish I had taken action sooner." What do you do? First of all you don't panic and you keep things as simple as possible. Secondly, look to see just how bad it really is. Judgements, Liens, and Other Legal Issues In the field of debt collection and delinquencies, judgments and judgement risk factors are a very real concerns. Will a creditor sue and seek legal judgement against me? If he does, what type judgement might it be? What exactly is a judgement and what can I do about it? These are just some of the questions answered in this judgement article. But please note. The content of this article is for consumer knowledge of judgements and legal lawsuits only and it is assume the reader will act responsibly towards his/her debt. Statue of Limitations (SOL) You hear a great deal about Statute of Limitations but what exactly is it and how does it apply to you? In essence, the Statute of Limitations (as far as debt is concerned) is the amount of time a creditor has to sue you. Each state has its own time frame for a Statute of Limitation. 5 Proven Steps To Budget Motivation If you ever wanted to get ahead financially… if you ever thought you wanted to get out from under a sea of debt… if you ever wondered where the money went… YOU NEED A BUDGET! But how do you develop a good budget and how do you stick with it? Debt Priority - Emergency Hierarchy of Debt What do you do when all of a sudden the month is just beginning and the $$$$'s are gone? You put the emotion away and get crackin' with bill priorities and some cold hard facts about your bills... and maybe even the priorities in your life. Believe it or not, some bills are definitely more important than others. Don't forget, this is an emergency.

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