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Deal with Your Debt: Free Yourself from What You Owe, Updated and Revised
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Deal with Your Debt: Free Yourself from What You Owe, Updated and Revised
by Liz Weston
How to Manage Your Bills (Collection)
About This eBook
Title Page
Copyright Page
Table of Contents
Deal with Your Debt: Free Yourself from What You Owe, Updated and Revised
Copyright Page
Dedication Page
Praise for the First Edition of Deal with Your Debt
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Introduction
1. Isn’t Debt-Free the Way to Be?
Debt Isn’t the Enemy
When “Good Debt” Isn’t
Which Debts Should You Tackle First?
Why Debt Management Sounds Strange
When Debt Repayment Plans Go Awry
Addressing the Ants as Well as the Grasshoppers
Debt-Free Is the Way to Be—Eventually
Summary
2. Your Debt Management Plan
Get Intimate with Your Debt
Assess Your Financial Situation
Save or Pay Off Debt First?
Case Studies
Create Your Game Plan
If You’re Already Drowning
Summary
3. Credit Cards
Our Love Affair with Credit
The True Cost of Carrying a Balance
Gotchas for Those Who Pay Their Balances
The Right Way to Pay Off Credit Card Debt
Getting the Right Reward Card
Summary
4. Mortgages
Myth #1: It’s a Good (or Lousy) Time to Buy a Home
Myth #2: A House Is a Great Investment
Myth #3: Buying Is Always Better Than Renting
Myth #4: Homeownership Comes with Great Tax Breaks
The Right Reasons to Buy
How Much House Should I Buy?
What Kind of Mortgage Should I Get?
How Do I Get a Good Mortgage Deal?
When and How Should I Refinance?
When Should I Prepay a Mortgage?
Summary
5. Home Equity Borrowing
The Dangers of Home Equity Lending
Home Equity Loans Versus Lines of Credit
Questions to Ask Before You Borrow
Summary
6. Student Loans
So What’s the Good News?
How Much Should I Borrow?
Where Should I Get My Loans?
What If It’s Already Too Late?
What About Paying Off My Student Loans with Home Equity Debt—or Credit Cards?
Summary
7. Auto Loans
How Cars Cost Us
Why It’s Bad to Owe More on Your Car Than It’s Worth
How Often You Buy Cars Matters, Too
The Proper Role of Cars in Our Spending
Ways to Keep Costs Down
Summary
8. 401(k) and Other Retirement Plan Loans
Types of Plans That Offer Loans
The Real Cost of Retirement Plan Loans
Cracking Your Nest Egg Early
The Hidden Cost of Withdrawals
Summary
9. Loans You Don’t Want to Get—or Give
Three More Loans to Beware Of
Why You Don’t Want to Cosign a Loan
The Right Way to Make a Personal Loan
Summary
10. Dealing with a Debt Crisis
Dealing with Your Creditors
Dealing with Collection Agencies
What If Your Creditors Won’t Budge?
Summary
11. Putting Your Debt Management Plan into Action
Lower Your Interest Rates
Track Your Spending
Trim Your Expenses
Look for Cash
Review Your Priorities
Stay on Track
Some Final Thoughts
Index
FT Press
There Are No Dumb Questions About Money: Answers and Advice to Help You Make the Most of Your Finances
Copyright Page
Dedication Page
About the Author
Introduction
1. Balanced Budget, Balanced Life: Setting Your Financial Priorities
How to Stick to a Budget
For a Budget That Works, Get Control of Your Debt
What Do Average Families Spend?
Balancing Your Budget in the Big City
Income Dropped? Expenses Have to Drop, Too
How to Beat “Frugal Fatigue”
Fast Ways to Cut Cable, Cell Bills
What to Do with an Extra $5,000 a Month
Planning a Family? How to Prepare Financially
Facing a Layoff? Rule #1: Conserve Cash
Living Paycheck to Paycheck? Knock It Off
Why Your Budget Doesn’t Work
2. Slay the Debt Dragon
What Comes First?
What Comes First, Savings or Debt Payoff?
Why You Shouldn’t Pay Down Your Mortgage
Don’t Drain Your Retirement to Pay Debts
Use Inheritance to Pay Down Debt, Boost Savings
How to Stop Collection Calls
Garnishments Are Taking Food off This Family’s Table
Massive Debts Mean Gambling Is More Than a “Habit”
Debt Doesn’t Disappear After Lender Write-off
How Long Bad Debt Can Haunt You
What to Do When You Can’t Afford Your Life
Young Widow Struggles with Late Husband’s Debts
Dealing with After-Death Creditors
Fighting an Aggressive Collection Agency
Student Drowning in Debt Needs Professional Help
How to Cope with a Big Medical Bill
When Bankruptcy Is the Best of Bad Options
What to Do When Bankruptcy Won’t Work
3. Burnish Your Credit Score
Improving Bad Scores Takes Time, Patience
Why “Free” Credit Scores Aren’t
How Credit Card Balances Affect Your Scores
Does a Credit Card Make You a Slave to Lenders?
Why Carrying a Balance Is Stupid
No Credit Cards? You May Not Get the Best Rates
How to Use Credit Cards to Improve Your Scores
Should You Stay in Debt to Help Your Scores?
Don’t Close Accounts If You’re Trying to Improve Your Scores
Close Cards the Smart Way
Debts Rising? It’s Time to Cut Spending
Big Debts Mean You Can’t Afford Your Life
Marriage Doesn’t Combine Your Credit Reports
Unwanted Time Share Can Lead to Credit Score Hit
“Piggybacking” Can Pose a Serious Risk
Skimping on Credit Card Payments Can Damage Scores for Years
Short Sale Causes Credit Scores to Plunge
Finding an Apartment After Foreclosure
Recovering from Bankruptcy Takes Five to Ten Years
Installment Loans Can Boost Credit Scores
Not All Loans Help Your Scores
How to Score 800+
Credit Scores Not Perfect? Don’t Sweat It
Zombie Debt May Still Hurt Credit Scores
Insurance Scores Differ from Credit Scores
“Too Many Credit Cards” Boosts Insurance Premiums
4. Couples and Money
When Savers Marry Spenders
Credit Concerns or Just Cold Feet?
Fiancé’s Reluctance May Be Just Prudence
His, Hers, or Ours? Setting Up Finances As a Couple
Time Share Causes Financial Woes
Adding Fiancé As “Authorized User” May Help His Scores, but Be Careful
New Wife Could Help His Credit, but She’s Not Obligated
Marriage Didn’t Trash Son’s Credit Score
Spouse’s Debt May Be Yours—or It May Not Be
Separate Your Finances Before Divorce Is Final
Couples’ Big Age Difference Affects Retirement Planning
Choosing Pension Payout? Get Expert Help
How Marriage, Divorce, and Death Affect Your Social Security Check
5. Family Money: Keeping the Financial Peace
When Grandpa Reneges on Promised Money
When a Sibling Wants a Loan
Supporting the Family Spendthrift
Quit Trying to Change a Deadbeat
Helping Parents Support a Freeloader
Saying No to Handouts for Adult Children
Daughter’s Family Is Bleeding Them Dry
Could Son’s Unpaid Bills Harm Parents’ Credit? Maybe
When It Makes Sense to Let Your Adult Kids Live at Home
How to Buy Stocks for Children
Dealing with Parents’ Financial Crisis
Beware Becoming Trustee of a Sibling’s Money
Are Family Heirlooms Worth the Fight?
Stepdaughter Wants “Everything”: What Does She Deserve?
How Can I Resolve a Spat with My Siblings over an Inherited Home?
6. How to Stop Working Someday: Saving and Investing for Retirement
With Retirement, There’s No Making Up for Lost Time
$25 Is Enough to Get Started Saving for Retirement
There’s No Such Thing as “Risk-Free” Retirement Investing
Stocks: A Must or a Gamble?
Dependents Can Fund Roths Even If Their Parents Can’t
Don’t Tap Retirement Funds for a Bigger Down Payment
Build Retirement Funds Before Paying Down a Mortgage
Don’t Suspend 401(k) Contributions to Pay Down Loan
Retirement Planning Without a Retirement Plan
Self-employed? You’ve Got More Retirement Savings Options
Roll Your 401(k) into an IRA? Maybe Not
Windfall in Your 50s? Don’t Blow It
Get a Second Opinion Before Buying a Variable Annuity
Don’t Count on an Inheritance to Fund Your Retirement
What’s a “Safe” Withdrawal Rate?
Is a 3% Withdrawal Rate Too Conservative?
Social Security: Grab It Early, or Wait for Bigger Checks?
7. Protect What You Have
Should a 29-Year-Old Buy Life Insurance?
Don’t Buy Life Insurance If You Don’t Need Life Insurance
Help Your Pet Without Risking Your Finances
Going Bare on Health Insurance Isn’t Smart
“Eating Healthy” Won’t Protect Against Medical Bills
Is Disability Insurance Worth the Cost?
Why You Shouldn’t Buy Cellphone Insurance
Get a Second Opinion Before Buying an Annuity
When You Can Skip Rental Car Insurance
Stick with Insurance Minimums or Buy More Coverage?
Is Disaster Insurance Worth the Cost?
8. Identity Theft
Don’t Trust Your Tax Papers to the U.S. Mail
Sometimes You Have to Cough Up Your SSN
Credit Account Closure May Be Cause for Alarm
Credit Freezes May Be Your Best Defense Against ID Theft
What Should I Do If My Sister Is an Identity Thief?
What to Do When Your Wallet Is Stolen
Do Dead People Have to Worry About ID Theft?
101 for Identity Theft Victims
Redact Your Medicare Card to Reduce ID Theft Risk
Are Businesses Protecting Your Social Security Number?
9. Home Sweet Home: What You Need to Know About Real Estate
How Much House Can I Afford to Buy?
No Down Payment Saved? You’re Not Ready to Buy a Home
Student Loan Debt May Limit Mortgage
Shop Hard Before You Refinance
When to Pay Down Your Mortgage
Should You Refinance a Mortgage That’s Almost Paid Off?
When Shorter Loans Make Sense
Adjustable Mortgage May Not Be Affordable for Long
Should She Walk Away from Her Home?
What Foreclosure Does to Your Credit
Don’t Expect Mortgage Lender to Do the Right Thing
New Rules May Help More Underwater Homeowners
Get Help with a Mortgage Modification
Short Sales Can Trash Your Scores
A Short Sale Isn’t a Bailout
How to Speed Up Foreclosure
Property Loss May Lead to Bankruptcy
Will You Face a Tax Bill after Foreclosure?
Finding an Apartment after Foreclosure
How to Get a House Sold Fast
How to Dump a Time Share
10. Pay for College Without Going Broke
If You Can Save for College, You Should
529 College Savings Plans Are a Good Option for Many
Withdrawals from 529s Can Be Tricky
529s Aren’t Always the Best Way to Save for College
Mom Stole College Fund. What to Do?
Did Grandma Divert the College Fund?
Don’t Overdose on Debt for a Child’s Education
“Free Money” May Not Make School Affordable
It’s Too Late to Borrow for Child’s College Education
Finding a Way to Pay for School
Is It Too Late to Go Back to School?
“Dream School” Can Turn into a Nightmare
Is a “Dream School” Worth Any Price?
Ivy League Tuition Waiver Doesn’t Apply to Our “Dream School” Applicant
Tiny Salary, Big Debt
Degree from For-Profit School Leads to Big Debt
How to Make Headway on Student Loans
Is Graduate School Worth Borrowing For?
Wrestling with Student Loan Debt? Know Your Forgiveness Options
Student Loans in Collections? Here’s Where to Find Help
Settling Student Loan Debt: Tough but Possible
Student Loan Settlement Won’t Be Cheap
11. Find an Advisor You Can Trust
Variable Annuity for a Dying Woman? I Don’t Think So.
“Unsuitable” Annuity Can Be Undone
Is a Money Manager Worth the Cost?
How to Find an Advisor You Can Trust
Your Broker Is Not a Retirement Expert
How to Invest an Inheritance
Finding Trustworthy Advisors
What to Do Now with Your Extra Cash
12. At the End: Caring for Elders and Planning Your Estate
Helping an Indigent Parent Navigate “the System”
Son-in-Law Badgers Elderly Couple for Money
Protecting a Parent from Financial Opportunists
Daily Money Managers Can Help Pay the Bills
A Reverse Mortgage Could Keep Mom in Her Home
Asset Transfer Could Delay Medicaid Eligibility
Incapacitated Parent? Tread Carefully
Father’s Living Trust Is Missing
The Documents You Need but Probably Don’t Have
Who Needs an Estate Plan?
Why Estate Plan?
DIY Wills and Trusts Can Backfire
Can the Guardian of Your Kids Change His Mind?
Are Unequal Bequests a Good Idea, or Are They a Disaster in the Making?
Credit Cards Must Be Paid Before Estate Is Distributed
Executor Won’t Have to Pay Mother’s Debts out of Pocket
Dad Died Without a Will. What Now?
A Guide for Executors
What’s the Best Thing to Do with an Inherited IRA?
Social Security Benefits Don’t Last Forever
What Happens to Personal Loans After Lender Dies?
Index
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Deal with Your Debt
Free Yourself from What You Owe, Updated and Revised
Liz Weston
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