Category:
Personal Finance

Beware of Forbearance and Deferred Payments

By Tom Jackson | July 2, 2020

If there’s an upside to the economic trauma brought about by the coronavirus pandemic — stipulated: we’re straining  for a silver lining here — it’s the number and variety of…

8 Ways to Manage and Pay Off Credit Card Debt

By Tom Jackson | June 22, 2020

America is finding it harder than ever to pay off credit card debt. Total credit card debt is $1.115 trillion in 2024, according to the Federal Reserve. That’s up $129 billion in…

How to Manage Debt While on Furlough

By Tom Jackson | May 7, 2020

Remember the good old days? Just a few long months ago, the economy was roaring and nobody outside Wuhan had ever heard about coronavirus. Now millions of Americans are in…

What to Do When You Get Laid Off

By Tom Jackson | March 17, 2020

Job layoffs are an all-too common experience of American work life. Some 20.2 million people looked for work after being laid off in 2024, according to the U.S. Bureau of…

Dormant Bank Account Rules & Escheated Funds

By Tom Jackson | January 2, 2020

There’s an estimated $58 billion in unclaimed money out there waiting to find a home and it’s probably worth the time and aggravation to see if any of it belongs…

Your Personal Finance Calendar for 2026

By Joey Johnston | December 10, 2019

Resolution: 2026 is the year you’ll get financially organized, day by day. You know the drill this time of year. In the coming weeks, lots of print and even more…

Mutual Funds vs. Stocks

By Tom Jackson | November 13, 2019

Some debates have no set answer, like which band was better – The Beatles vs. The Rolling Stones? Stocks vs. Mutual Funds isn’t quite as captivating, if for no other…

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

By Tom Jackson | October 3, 2019

Credit scores range from 300 (terrible) to 850 (terrific), but two magic numbers in between are 650 and 750. Someone with a credit score lower than 650 risks being turned…

Make Sure Your Family Has a Disaster Plan

By Joey Johnston | August 29, 2019

June 1 marks the beginning of hurricane season. Meanwhile, across much of the Western U.S., major droughts have greatly increased the danger for summer wildfires. And don’t forget last winter’s…

Where (and how) to Sell Your Stuff Online

By Tom Jackson | August 27, 2019

Once upon a proverb, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure” was just another way of saying, as 1960s hipsters did, “Diff’rent strokes for diff’rent folks.” Then came the internet…

Sources:

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  2. Barney, A. (2020, April 13) Why you should think twice about delaying your mortgage payments. Retrieved from https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/13/success/mortgage-forbearance-coronavirus/index.html
  3. Orton, K. (2020, May 18) What you need to know about asking for mortgage forbearance. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/05/18/what-you-need-know-about-asking-mortgage-forbearance/
  4. Tarpley, L.G. (2020, May 8) Banks are offering mortgage forbearance due to COVID-19, but customers who take it might struggle to get a home loan later on. Retrieved from https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/coronavirus-layoff-mortgage-forbearance-future-home-loan-2020-5
  5. Vincent, J.M. (2020, April 24) Coronavirus Pandemic: What Should I Do if I Can't Make My Car Payment? Retrieved from https://cars.usnews.com/cars-trucks/what-to-do-if-you-cant-make-your-car-payment
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  7. French, S. (2020, June 2) Can’t Pay Off Your Credit Card Due to Coronavirus? Your Bank May Be Able to Help. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/money/credit-cards/coronavirus-credit-card-payment-relief/
  8. Gravier, E. (2020, June 16) ‘Don’t sweat your credit score right now,’ expert says amid coronavirus outbreak. Retrieved from https://www.cnbc.com/select/credit-score-tips-coronavirus/
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