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Debt Relief
Wait WHAT? You mean there might be downsides to getting out from under debt before I have to? Isn’t it always a good thing to get my balances down to…
Anything negative that shows up on your credit report — missed payments, big balances, debts turned over to collection agencies, bankruptcies – is … well, undesirable. It can undo the…
Bad credit has a huge negative impact on so many parts of your financial life. The impact isn’t just on what rates you pay on credit cards and loans, or…
Millions of Americans must deal with wrong information on their credit reports every year. Many of them hire someone to deal with it. That can be a colossal waste of…
Credit repair companies do work, but that may not be the full answer you need. In fact, the real question is whether you need a credit repair company at all?…
A home equity loan is money borrowed against the equity in your home. Your “equity” is the value of your home minus the amount you owe. The loan amount is…
What happens when you can’t afford to pay back your debt? Depending on your circumstances, things can unfold in a few different ways. If you’re facing a financial hardship and…
There are plenty of good debt-relief programs out there. There are also plenty of bad ones. If consumers do their homework and stick to their programs, there is indeed relief…
When you’re in the market for a new credit card or taking time to assess the card(s) you already have, one of your key points of analysis should be the…
As a credit expert and a former NFCC-certified credit counselor, I know firsthand that many people are confused about what goes into their credit scores. So, I want to break…
Sources:
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- N.A. (2026, January 25) What Is a Prepayment Penalty? Retrieved from https://www.consumeraffairs.com/finance/what-is-a-prepayment-penalty.html
- N.A. (2024, September 11) What is a prepayment penalty? Retrieved from https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/what-is-a-prepayment-penalty-en-1957/
- N.A. (2024, September 11) Can I be charged a penalty for paying off my mortgage early? Retrieved from https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/can-i-be-charged-a-penalty-for-paying-off-my-mortgage-early-en-204/
- Wentworth, JG (2025, September 5) The Truth About No-Fee Personal Loans. Retrieved from https://www.jgwentworth.com/resources/mp-the-truth-about-no-fee-personal-loans
- Jones, C. (2025, May 2) How to Spot Hidden Fees in Personal Loans. Retrieved from https://friendlyfinance.com.au/blog/personal-loans-hidden-fees/
- N.A. (ND) What Does Credit Mix Mean? Retrieved from https://www.myfico.com/credit-education/credit-scores/credit-mix
- N.A. (2026, March 16) 5 Ways Debt Can Affect Your Mental Health. Retrieved from https://www.beyondfinance.com/blog/5-ways-debt-can-affect-your-mental-health/
- Rooney, K.; Addison, S.M.; Gil Hayes, L.E.; Hodge, C.; Carman, C.; Wilson, A.; Conrad, A. (2026, June) A systematic review examining the relationship between debt and the mental health outcomes of anxiety, depression and suicidality within the United States. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352827326000170
- N.A. (ND) Household Debt and Credit Report (Q4 2025). Retrieved from https://www.newyorkfed.org/microeconomics/hhdc
- N.A. (2026, March 6) What is the S&P 500 average return? Retrieved from https://www.fidelity.com/learning-center/trading-investing/sp-500-average-return
- Maverick, J.B. (2025, December 22) S&P 500 Average Returns and Historical Performance. Retrieved from https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/042415/what-average-annual-return-sp-500.asp
- Luthi, B. (2026, April 20) Current Credit Card Interest Rates. Retrieved from https://www.experian.com/blogs/ask-experian/research/current-credit-card-interest-rate/
- Brady, S. (2025, February 27) Pros & Cons to Paying Off Credit Card Debt. Retrieved from https://www.nfcc.org/blog/pros-cons-to-paying-off-credit-card-debt/