Staff Writer

Tom Jackson

Tom Jackson focuses on writing about debt solutions for consumers struggling to make ends meet. His background includes time as a columnist for newspapers in Washington D.C., Tampa and Sacramento, Calif., where he reported and commented on everything from city and state budgets to the marketing of local businesses and how the business of professional sports impacts a city. Along the way, he has racked up state and national awards for writing, editing and design. Tom’s blogging on the 2016 election won a pair of top honors from the Florida Press Club. A University of Florida alumnus, St. Louis Cardinals fan and eager-if-haphazard golfer, Tom splits time between Tampa and Cashiers, N.C., with his wife of 40 years, college-age son, and Spencer, a yappy Shetland sheepdog.

Older man holding a credit card and a younger woman holding a tablet representing paying for credit repair.

Can I Pay Someone to Fix My Credit?

Millions of Americans must deal with wrong information on their credit reports every year. Many of them hire someone to ...
Car on tow truck representing repossession

Car Repossession: Everything You Need to Know

For many, keeping pace with car payments is a major budget stressor: A September 2025 report by the Consumer Federation ...
"Closed label" credit cards on white background

How Long Do Closed Accounts Stay on My Credit Report?

You might be finished with a credit account, but that doesn’t mean the credit account is finished with you. Closed ...
Repo Company Driver Towing Repossessed Vehicle

How Many Car Payments Can You Miss Before Repossession?

Car repossession is a booming and efficient business. Just one missed payment, and Repo Man might haul off your car. ...
The words debt free in process are standing next to the loading bar representing debt relief.

Are Debt Relief Programs Legit?

There are plenty of good debt-relief programs out there. There are also plenty of bad ones. If consumers do their ...
Man sitting at table in home office, holding and looking at credit card considering debt relief options.

How to Pay Off Credit Card Debt Without a Loan

Americans are drowning in debt. If you want to know why, return to 1812. “We have met the enemy, and ...
Family financial planning concept.

Financial Planning Process

When it comes to money, there’s no better person to listen to for advice than the man whose face is ...
Marline Davis-Iwuji Headshot

InCharge Peers Celebrate Marline Davis-Iwuji

It is not an exaggeration to say that InCharge co-workers are FOND of Marline Davis-Iwuji. FOND is the employee peer-to-peer ...
Teri Logan Headshot

Army & InCharge Veteran Wants You to Budget

A 2023 nationwide survey said that 73% of Americans don’t have a budget they regularly follow. Teri Logan, the Care ...
Carolyn Green Headshot

InCharge Celebrates Carolyn Green: Most Tenured Credit Counselor

If you bump into Carolyn Green at a company function, don’t ask her what she does at InCharge Debt Solutions. ...
Edwidge Bissainthe Headshot

Congratulations Edwidge Bissainthe: Senior Accountant

Back when everyone worked from the office, for most InCharge employees, there was one face everyone could name if someone ...
Myrian Naccaratto

Mirian Naccaratto: Putting the Human Touch into Human Resources

It’s funny how sometimes people pick a career … and sometimes a career picks the person. Mirian Naccaratto was the ...
Loretta Rooney

Introducing InCharge’s new President and CEO: Loretta Roney – a Force for Good

After a nationwide search, there’s a new CEO in town, and her name is Loretta Roney. She brings a rich ...
Text graphic that says "Tax Day Is Coming Up!"

What You Need to Know This Tax Season (2022-23 Guide)

If it’s that moment on the calendar when prognosticating becomes a daily ritual in America, it must be tax filing ...
A young girl holding school supplies

10 Tips for Back-to-School Shopping on a Budget

Long before COVID, another pandemic would hit America every August – the Back-To-School Blues. After a blissful summer, countless kids ...
Phone notification reminding you to cancel a subscription service

Are Subscription Monitoring Apps Worth It?

The world has gone subscription crazy. You can sign up for almost every service known to man, and probably a ...
Hands counting extra income earned from a side job

19 Side Jobs to Make More Money

Money is tight – we get it. But thanks to the internet and technology, it’s easier than ever to make ...
Buy Now Pay Later

What Is Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL)?

Buy now and pay later is taking the market by storm, but will you be taken to the cleaners if ...
Parking sign that says "NO DEBT PARKING"

Beware of Debt Parking

Dealing with debt collectors already is an unpleasant encounter, but some collectors have found a way to sour the experience ...
Stack of bills payments that have been deferred

Beware of Forbearance and Deferred Payments

If there’s an upside to the economic trauma brought about by the coronavirus pandemic — stipulated: we’re straining  for a ...
Paperwork with furlough stamp

How to Manage Debt While on Furlough

Remember the good old days? Just a few long months ago, the economy was roaring and nobody outside Wuhan had ...
Pink Slip that reads Layoff Notice

What to Do When You Get Laid Off

Job layoffs are an all-too common experience of American work life. Some 20.2 million people looked for work after being ...
Military man holding out money in front of flag

How To Manage Debt For Active Duty Military, Veterans, & Their Families

Joining the military means sacrifice. It shouldn't mean you give up financial security and end up in debt. Unfortunately, service ...
Piggy bank sleeping

Dormant Bank Account Rules & Escheated Funds

There’s an estimated $58 billion in unclaimed money out there waiting to find a home and it’s probably worth the ...
Sign that reads "New Year's Resolution Debt Free!" surrounded by fireworks

New Year’s Resolution: How to Get Out of Debt in 2020

Surveys show most Americans will make a resolution to get out of debt in 2020. Surveys also show most Americans ...
Christmas presents sitting under a Christmas tree

How to Avoid Debt This Holiday Season

The holiday season may be “the most wonderful time of the year,” but that can change fast if you end ...
Chart of stocks and mutual funds

Mutual Funds vs. Stocks

Some debates have no set answer, like which band was better - The Beatles vs. The Rolling Stones? Stocks vs. ...
Raise Credit Your Score Fast Rocket

How Long Does It Take to Raise Your Credit Score by 100 Points?

Credit scores range from 300 (terrible) to 850 (terrific), but two magic numbers in between are 650 and 750. Someone ...
Examining paycheck and bills

Ending the Cycle of Living Paycheck-to-Paycheck

Surviving paycheck-to-paycheck in America is simultaneously commonplace and scary. But this doesn’t mean people just scraping by can’t overcome the ...
Checklist of debts to pay first

Which Debt to Pay Off First

Facing a mound of piling debts each month is an exhausting process. You may be tempted to throw chunks of ...
Box of stuff to sell online

Where (and how) to Sell Your Stuff Online

Once upon a proverb, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure” was just another way of saying, as 1960s hipsters ...
Jar of retirement savings

When to Take Social Security Benefits

Your golden years should be an era of leisure and adventure, of self-discovery and reinvention. For most, maximizing our retirement ...
Father's day card

Father’s Day Gift? Take Some Financial Pressure off Dad

Millions of dads won’t admit it, but what they really want for Father’s Day isn’t an Apple watch or a ...
Military Man with family in park

Military Saves: What Is it and How to Participate

The stress of dealing with financial problems is a huge concern in the military and one of the reasons it ...
worried over bills

5 Ways to Reduce Financial Stress

Feeling the squeeze from financial worry? Saying you’re not alone isn’t useful. Saying there’s professional help for your condition just ...
DIY Pay Off Credit Card Debt

DIY Debt Consolidation: How to Consolidate Debt on Your Own

Americans who carry balances month over month should be alarmed by the interest they’re paying: As the Federal Reserve persists ...
Destination wedding budget jar

Destination Weddings Don’t Have to Break the Bank

These days, for the launching of a lifetime together, the only thing better than a properly organized wedding is a ...
laundry hanging on a line

Being Frugal Is for Everyone: How the Frugalwoods Can Inspire You

You don’t have to be a fan of extreme frugality to have heard of Elizabeth and Nate Thames and probably ...
road-to-success

How to Be Successful in a DMP

So, you’ve finally taken the big step and enrolled in a debt relief program. Now what? If you’re going to ...
Make Money by Driving for Uber

How to Improve Your Debt-to-Income Ratio with Higher Income

Borrower beware! If you are hoping to score a car or home loan and don’t know your debt-to-income ratio, you ...
couple evaluating bills

Debt Consolidation vs Home Equity Loans

There can be benefits to using a home equity loan to pay off credit card debt, including lower and fixed ...
Raise in consumers using credit cards

Rising Credit Card Use in America

With the rise of online shopping, there is no doubt that Americans are using credit cards more than ever. There’s ...

Sources:

  1. N.A. (2024, June 24). 2024 Pulse of the American Retiree Survey: Midlife Retirement ‘Crisis’ or a 10-Year Opportunity? Retrieved from https://news.prudential.com/latest-news/prudential-news/prudential-news-details/2024/2024-Pulse-of-the-American-Retiree-Survey/default.aspx
  2. Pinkerton, J. (2024, April 15). How to Find a Financial Advisor if You’re Not Rich. Retrieved from https://money.usnews.com/investing/articles/how-to-find-a-financial-advisor-if-youre-not-rich
  3. Martin, S. (2024, May 2). Majority of Americans over 50 worry they won’t have enough money for retirement: Study. Retrieved from https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2024/05/02/affording-retirement-costs-americans-survey-aarp/73530103007/
  4. N.A. (2024, August 8). Anticipating Future Fed Interest Rate Cuts, Consumers Continue to Use Existing Credit, Gain Access to New Line. Retrieved from https://newsroom.transunion.com/q2-2024-ciir/
  5. Hanson, M. (2022, January 9). Average Cost of Yearly College. Retrieved from https://educationdata.org/average-cost-of-college-by-year
  6. N.A. (2024, August 8). Anticipating Future Fed Interest Rate Cuts, Consumers Continue to Use Existing Credit, Gain Access to New Line. Retrieved from https://newsroom.transunion.com/q2-2024-ciir/