Does It Matter Which Debts You Pay off First? It Depends.
Having too many debts can be overwhelming. Which do you pay first? Does it matter? Should you pay the creditor that screams the loudest first? Not necessarily. Some debts should take precedence over others because they can have worse consequences than others. Here are
Is It Better to Pay off Your Credit Card or Keep a Balance?
Credit card users can find themselves looking for every trick in the book to improve their credit score. The biggest and the best way is to pay the balance in full and on time each month. Lesser steps can help also, but the small
The Complete Guide on How Debt Impacts Your Credit Score
The average indebted household that doesn’t pay credit cards in full each month carries $8,683 in credit card debt. Eventually, that debt affects the card members’ credit scores. A credit score impacts the ability to borrow money, leading to higher interest rates, bigger down
How to Negotiate a Settlement With Collection Agencies
Debts from student loans, credit cards, healthcare, mortgages, auto loans and other daily bills of life can add up. Sometimes a debt collector may be called to ask you for the money owed. Negotiating a settlement with a collection agency can help you solve
How to Tell If You’re Getting Ripped Off at a Car Dealership
The internet has made car shopping easier, allowing consumers to compare prices, review a car’s features and buy online without ever stepping into an auto dealer’s showroom. But there are still tricks car dealers use to rip people off, whether in the showroom or
5.5 Million Could Get Credit Score Boost With Tax Liens Removed
If your credit score jumped 20-40 points last summer, you may see another boost in May as the credit reporting agencies finish changes to remove incomplete identifying information from credit reports. On April 16, the credit reporting agencies Equifax, Experian and TransUnion implemented the
How Federal Reserve Interest Rates Affect Your Credit
The Federal Reserve raised interest rates in March to their highest level in a decade, and more increases are on the way. Higher interest rates will affect consumers in many ways — including car and home loans, though most borrowers who have those loans
A Secret Your Credit Card Company is Unlikely to Tell You (Unless You Ask)
Being at the bottom of a pile of credit card debt can be overwhelming. Making just the minimum monthly payment can be difficult, putting the long-term goal of paying off the credit card completely almost too far to see. Chances are your credit card
Are The New Credit Card Chips Working to Prevent Fraud?
Those annoying, beeping and longer stays at the checkout counter when inserting a chip credit card into a clunky machine that may or may not work are paying off in one big way — less fraud. Chip cards, also known as “EMV” cards for
AI and Other Tech That Could Change How You Deal With Credit
Technology for using a credit card is changing fast: A wearable credit card is being developed by Barclaycard. Mastercard has a card with a sensor for a fingerprint to authorize payment instead of a signature. A major maker of chip credit cards is adding