My book is out! Get it for free.
“Deal with Your Debt” is now available, and I’m giving away five copies this week. To enter to win, leave a comment here on my blog (not my Facebook page). Click on the tab above the post that says...
View ArticleCo-signing card leads to collectors’ calls
Dear Liz: I co-signed a credit card for someone and the person defaulted on payment. I started making payments but could not continue because I became unemployed. The debt started at $15,631.23 but has...
View ArticleThursday’s need-to-know money news
Debt collectors are spying on creditors through social media, what consumers can learn from Detroit, and is it time to become the boss? Are Debt Collectors Stalking You Online? That friend request you...
View ArticleRetiree burdened with unpayable student loan debt
Dear Liz: In a recent column, you fielded a query from parents whose son took out student loans in the mother’s name. You wrote, “If your only income is from Social Security and you don’t have any...
View ArticleDoes charged-off debt disappear?
Dear Liz: I understand that creditors eventually write off unpaid debts and receive a federal tax deduction for the loss. Then they sell that “debt” to a collection agency. However, isn’t the debt...
View ArticleCredit denial: a corporate trick or cause for alarm?
Dear Liz: A few years ago when buying my son his college laptop computer, I applied for the store card at a big, well-known electronics store (at the encouragement of the sales associate). I was...
View ArticleSettling student loan debt: not exactly the easy way out
Credit card debts can be settled for pennies on the dollar. Not so student loan debt. Borrowers usually can’t threaten bankruptcy to get a settlement, and the federal government has extraordinary...
View ArticleCredit scores “overly penalized” for medical bills, regulator says
If you have a collection account on your credit reports, chances are pretty good it’s from a medical bill. And chances are also good that the collection is having an outsized impact on your credit...
View ArticleQ&A: Paying an incorrect bill to avoid a credit hit
Dear Liz: I was a volunteer for a research study at a local university. It required a blood draw done at the university’s hospital. A month later, I received a bill for the blood draw, which I...
View Article4 hacks to boost your credit scores–fast
Losing points from your credit scores is all too easy — and getting them back is hard. But if you know how credit scoring works, you can hack the process to rehabilitate your numbers faster. Here are...
View ArticleDealing with collectors? Here’s a free ebook to help
Getting calls from collection agencies, or spotting collection accounts on your credit reports, can be scary. You can deal with this, but not alone. Check out “Debt Collection Answers: How to Use Debt...
View ArticleTuesday’s need-to-know money news
Today’s top story: 3 ways to scrub a collections stain off a credit report. Also in the news: Why you probably need title insurance, socially responsible investing, and the Equifax hack just got worse....
View ArticleThursday’s need-to-know money news
Credit report with score on a deskToday’s top story: How ‘Pay for Delete’ might help your credit – if you’re lucky. Also in the news: 19 less-obvious wedding costs to bake into your budget, why...
View ArticleQ&A: How to boost your credit score before you buy a house
Dear Liz: I am trying to purchase my first home. I have a 20% down payment for the price range that I am looking for. The issue I am running into is that I have relatively new credit and my credit...
View ArticleQ&A: Unloading collections while you’re still alive
Dear Liz: You recently advised someone who didn’t know whom to select to administer a living trust because the person has no spouse, children or other living relatives. This person mentioned they had...
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