[caption id="attachment_184" align="alignleft" width="225" caption="Student loan changes went into affect for millions on July 1st."][/caption] As spring peeks just around the corner, so does the slew of high school seniors making final selections for college enrollment. Whether it's Harvard or the local community college, each choice comes with an equal amount of decisions for their parents regarding...
[caption id="attachment_235" align="alignleft" width="300"] Shopping for a foreclosure is more challenging than you think.[/caption] Buyers of property at foreclosure are looking for a bargain, but that risk now must include the possibility that the title will be defective. One unsuspecting family purchased a home at foreclosure, intending to sell it to their daughter, only to...
The following article released on January 3, 2011 has been reprinted with permission from Huffington Post. Following the maxim that drastic times call for tepid measures, the banking industry continues to pay "lip service" to loan modifications while doing little. On Dec. 15, the Congressional Oversight Committee admitted the government's Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP)...
Editorial note: This blog post ran 8/20/2010 on Huffington Post. It is reprinted with permission from Huffington Post. [caption id="attachment_191" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Even with Federal mandates, foreclosures continue to rise."][/caption] When the economy crumbled in 2008 as real estate values plummeted, Congress was under pressure to appease the public's demand for action to stem the...
[caption id="attachment_178" align="alignleft" width="199" caption="Watch your mail for a letter from your bank regarding changing overdraft fees"][/caption] The third and final phase of the Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure (CARD) Act will be going into effect on August 22, 2010 but many banks are trying to beat the legislation to the punch. Included in...
Credit cards offering rewards miles and other incentives may seem like a good deal, but let's look at the fine print to learn more. [caption id="attachment_140" align="alignleft" width="239" caption="Now is a great time to review the 'rewards' cards in your wallet"][/caption] With the recent CARD Act going into effect on February 21, 2010, consumers are...
[caption id="attachment_134" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="The building blocks of a good personal budget are as easy as 1-2-3."][/caption] Everywhere you turn, conversations revolve on tightening and maintaining strict budgets. If you, like millions of Americans, weren't taught how to properly create and keep a budget in high school or college, then all of those financial conversations are...
[caption id="attachment_118" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Past Due Notices and Collector Calls Can Push Debtors into a Rash Decision"][/caption] If the phone never stops ringing and bill collectors are harassing you morning, noon and night, you're not alone. With millions of Americans facing financial peril due to job loss, medical bills, or other financial hardships, it's no...
[caption id="attachment_102" align="alignleft" width="173" caption="Elizabeth Leamy's Save Big CAN change your financial future."][/caption] Everyone knows that the top New Year's resolution is to lose weight or live a healthier life, but do you know what ranks as the #2 resolution? The second most popular resolution is to get out of debt and gain more control...
[caption id="attachment_84" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Welcome 2010"][/caption] Smart Money recently ran a great piece on the basics of understanding the bankruptcy filing process (http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Banking/BankruptcyGuide/10-secrets-of-filing-for-bankruptcy.aspx). Many of the issues presented are ones we witness every day in our Salem, NH office. Hardworking Americans are struggling because of medical expenses, unemployment has wrecked havoc by leaving families with mounting debt and potential...