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.
Debt-Free Retirement
Retiring with no debt is an American Dream. The reality is it’s not going to come true for millions of ...
How to Stop Foreclosure
Call Today: (800) 565-8953 or Continue Online Foreclosure Prevention Help Losing your house through foreclosure can be devastating, both financially ...
South Dakota Resident Debt Relief
While the rest of the United States was grappling with how best to cope with the scourge of COVID-19, South ...
Alaska Resident Debt Relief
Alaskans saw their collective credit scores plunge and their credit card bills soar to the highest amounts in the U.S. ...
Vermont Resident Debt Relief
Vermont is renowned for maple syrup, with its forests producing nearly two million gallons a year. For all that sticky ...
Book an Appointment
Find out how you can become debt free. Speak with one of our qualified financial professionals to discover your options. ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
What Is Buy Now Pay Later & Is It a Good Idea?
Buy now and pay later is taking the market by storm, but will you be taken to the cleaners if ...
Beware of Debt Parking
Dealing with debt collectors already is an unpleasant encounter, but some collectors have found a way to sour the experience ...
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 ...
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 ...
What to Do When You Get Laid Off
The American economy, pummeled by the COVID-19 pandemic, has been coming off the ropes since the end of 2020. Promising ...
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 ...
Royals Meg & Harry Seek the Thrill of Living Paycheck-to-Paycheck
Did you hear? The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have decided they want to be like you. They want to ...
Dormant Bank Accounts & Escheated Funds
There's an estimated $80 billion in unclaimed money out there waiting to find a home and it’s probably worth the ...
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 ...
Tips for Avoiding Debt This Christmas
Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year - if you're a credit card company. Billions of dollars are ...
How to Decide Between Stocks and Mutual Funds
Trading stocks has never been cheaper. Most brokerages no longer charge the hefty sales commissions once tacked on to online ...
Debt Was Part of Thanksgiving the Day the Pilgrims Arrived
Everybody is familiar with Thanksgiving traditions like eating turkey, watching football and trying to avoid annoying relatives at the dinner ...
Can My Credit Score Go Up 100 Points in a Month?
What’s in a number? If it’s your credit score, a lot, especially if you keep it a high level – ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 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 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 ...
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 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 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 ...
How to Manage Your First Paycheck
First job? Congratulations! Welcome to the work force! First paycheck? You have some planning to do. Paychecks are your ticket ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...