Credit & Debt Management
Research easy ways to repair your credit score, manage your debt, check your credit score and more.
- Understanding Your Credit Score
- Do you know what’s in your credit file? The update in the Fair Credit Reporting Act that took effect in 2004 and 2005 allows all Americans the right to receive free copies of their credit files annually from credit reporting agencies. In the wake...
- Getting Out From Under Debt
- Are you facing problems managing a heavy debt load? If so, you’re not alone. Households with credit cards had an average of nearly $11,000 in debt in those accounts, according to the latest figures from the Nilson Report, which follows credit...
- Ten Worst Credit Card Mistakes
- Used properly, credit cards offer significant safety and convenience benefits. But mistakes with your credit can cost you dearly--in time and money and in terms of your credit rating. To help you avoid costly credit card errors, the Virginia...
- How To Raise Your Credit Score
- Credit scoring is a method lenders use to make lending decisions. Your credit score is a numeric value based on the information in your credit report. It tells lenders how likely you are to repay loans and credit card bills on time. It affects...
- How To Deal With Bad Business Debts
- Companies thrive by building trusted business relationships with their customers. Sometimes, however, small business owners find that customers fall behind in payments for goods or services they’ve already received. There are a number of ways to...
- Smart Steps To Repair Your Credit Score
- Do you know your credit score? A low credit score could be costing you money. People with poor scores usually pay higher interest rates, which translates into larger monthly payments for a mortgage or an auto or student loan. Poor scores can also...
- Is Your Credit Score Costing You Money?
- In these uncertain financial times, even those with excellent credit histories may have trouble getting a mortgage or other type of loan. That’s why it’s important to know your credit score and the effect it may have on your checkbook, according...
- Don't Get Swamped by Student Loan Debt
- Are you or someone in your family facing heavy student loan debt? Recent graduates left college with an average of $19,646 in student loan obligations, according to a study by the Project on Student Debt. That was up 8 percent from a year...
- Don't Let Your Teen Get Caught in a Credit Crunch
- When is it best to teach your children about using credit and borrowing money wisely? The Virginia Society of CPAs advises that the teen years are a great time to introduce children to the rules for managing debt. Don’t miss out on the...
- Smart Tips for Managing Your Debt
- Debt is not always a bad thing. Taking out a loan can make it possible to buy a home, purchase a new car or send your child to college. However, building up too much debt — and failing to manage your outstanding balances wisely — can be costly...
- Debt Management Mistakes to Avoid
- Most people carry some debt, whether it’s a credit card balance or the money they owe on a car loan or home mortgage. Debt is not necessarily a bad thing, but it can become a problem if you allow it to get out of control. The Virginia Society of...
- Don’t Let a Loan Ruin a Relationship
- Now that banks have tightened their lending standards, it is more difficult to borrow money — even for those with strong credit histories. So what do you do if you need a loan? Many people are turning to friends and family to borrow funds. The ...
- Is Bankruptcy the Right Choice?
- During the current economic recession, many have lost their jobs, seen their credit lines cut or experienced other serious financial misfortunes. When the bills pile up and times become desperate, many people begin to question whether declaring...
- Dealing With Debt Collectors
- It’s not uncommon to fall behind on debt payments, particularly in a troubled economy. If you have missed payments on your mortgage, credit card or other outstanding debt, you may hear from a debt collector some time in the near future, if you...
- Handling Debt in a Divorce
- Divorce is usually a very emotional and difficult time in life, and it can also raise troubling financial questions. Dealing with debt, for example, can be a particularly tough issue for couples in the midst of a split. The Virginia Society of...
- To Borrow or Not to Borrow?
- People use debt to finance any number of purchases, and borrowing money for a worthwhile purchase is not always a bad idea. However, some buys are worth financing over time and others are not. The Virginia Society of CPAs explains how to make the...
- Six Tips To Help Seniors Stay Out of Debt
- Rising healthcare costs, insufficient retirement benefits, and longer life expectancies are just a few of the reasons more seniors are turning to credit cards to meet everyday living expenses. But running up debt can lead to trouble, especially...
