Business and Finance

COBRA Coverage Explained

COBRA is the acronym for a health insurance portability act signed into law during the 1990’s. Thanks to COBRA, if you leave an employer who is providing your group health insurance coverage, you can keep the coverage for 18-36 months even though you no longer really qualify for the group coverage since you are not a member of the group. COBRA is a great benefit to many people-but not every employee who leaves an employer with group benefits should take advantage of COBRA coverage. Read the rest of this entry »

What Does A Credit Repair Service Offer For Loan And Debt Consolidation

Contacting an organization to help you repair your credit has become commonplace. There are many reputable credit repair organizations that will provide the repayment plan to restore your credit.

If you aren’t disciplined enough to create a workable budget and stick to it, can’t work out a repayment plan with your creditors, or can’t keep track of mounting bills, you can consider contacting a trustworthy credit repair service.

Your creditors may be willing to accept reduced payments if you enter into a debt repayment plan with a reputable organization. In these plans, you deposit money each month with the credit repair services.

Your deposits are used to pay your creditors according to a payment schedule developed by the counselor. As part of the repayment plan, you may have to agree not to apply for any additional credit while you are in this program.

The best credit repair companies can help people who are behind on their debts get back on their feet. Then fly-by-night outfits can disappear with your money and your credit rating. Those in-between may or may not leave you better off than you were before.

Many of these companies assure these distressed people they can painlessly make their debts go away. These outfits are finding plenty of eager customers. Before you decide you want this type of service you should investigate the company carefully for the following:

Big upfront fees: Consumer Credit Services typically charge a $10 set-up fee. If you’re paying more, you could be the one who’s getting set up.

No accreditation: Legitimate credit services are affiliated with the Association of Independent Consumer Credit Counseling Agencies.

Delayed or missing payments: Some companies pocket your first months’ payments as a fee, rather than paying your creditors. Find out how much and when each payment will be going to each creditor.

Unrealistic promises: Some companies falsely promise they will settle your debts for little money and without hurting your credit rating.

Debt repayment plans do not erase your negative credit history. Accurate information about your accounts can stay on your credit report for up to seven years.

Creditors may report that you are in financial counseling, that payments have been late or missed altogether, or that there are write-offs or other concessions.

If there is anyway you can talk with your creditors and have the patience to work out your own financial plan that would be the best arrangement. However, it this is not possible, working with a responsible, legitimate credit service would be more beneficial than taking out bankruptcy.

How Do You Repay Your Debt?

There are a million people out there telling you how to pay off your debt. You have to consider your personal spending habits and reasons before you are able to make a debt repayment plan that works for you.

For many it takes a combination of different methods to find a formula for success. There are a few methods you should avoid. Credit card debt is unsecured debt. There are no assets that can be taken if you fail to pay them like you car, home or belongings.

A mortgage, equity loan or line of credit is a secured debt. If you don’t pay these you will lose your home. You should also avoid using a 401(k) loan to pay off your debts. Your contributions to your 401(k) are not taxed. When you pay yourself back you are using after-tax money, but you are still losing money.

When you take money out for retirement, you will absolutely be taxed for it again. Not a great financial move. So don’t use your home or your retirement as a way to bail yourself out of debt. Create a budget, spend less, pay more on your debt, negotiate with your lenders and work hard.

Mary Hunt is one of the top financial-guru’s of our time. Here are her top four recommendations. What sets her apart from all the other authors is that she conquered those same staggering debts in her own life.

No more new debt and this should be self-evident. No debt payoff plan will work, not a one of them, if you’re taking on more debt.

If the debts you’re currently paying have declining minimum payments, you must pay the same amount every month until those debts are paid. Disregard any declining minimum payments.

Keep paying the same amount towards the debt, or more if possible, month in and month out. After a few months, you’re accomplishing exactly what financial pros advise: Always pay more than the minimum.

List your debts according to “duration until payoff” (balance plus interest, divided by payment). The debt with the shortest payoff time goes at the top. From there, list each debt in ascending order, by duration until payoff.

Now rearrange your debts in order of smallest “duration until payoff” to largest. This is the order in which to launch your torpedoes and start sinking those debts.

Another occurrence of the snowball method of debt payoff is to compound your payments. When you pay off one debt in full, take its monthly payment and add it to the payment of the next debt. When that debt is paid off, take its payment money and add it to the next payment and so on.