Category: Georgia - page 13

Besides daffodils and robins, another sure sign of spring is the tax preparation firm hyping "Rapid Refund," "Fast Cash Refund," "Express Money," or "Instant Refund." The seasonal promise to deliver your state and federal tax refunds immediately, (if not sooner!) comes at an unexpected and hefty price. You should know that the tax preparer is not lighting…

When credit card debt starts to pile up, so does the stress and anxiety that can prevent us from thinking clearly. To a worried consumer, even the most transparent scam can seem like a stroke of good fortune; how much more vulnerable are we, then, to a polished presentation by someone posing as a financial professional…

DebtStoppers clients have told us that they put off filing for bankruptcy in Atlanta because they thought they'd have to give up everything they owned. Fortunately, nothing could be further from the truth. One of the best parts of bankruptcy in Georgia is that it…

Did you make any New Year's resolutions about getting a handle on your finances, saving more money or finally getting out of debt? Paying off debt is a worthy goal because mounting debt can cause significant stress, which is one of the leading causes of many health conditions. If you'd like to be happier and healthier, then focus on paying down your debt and watch how much better you'll start to feel…

The best defense against foreclosure is to act proactively. In a tough economy, many factors contribute to a homeowner's ability to pay his or her mortgage or other debts. Regardless of the reason, if you fall behind on your payments, keep in regular contact with your lender. Under the terms of the National Mortgage Settlement, lenders must make certain options available to homeowners to stay out of foreclosure…

When filing for Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy in Georgia, you must complete a credit counseling and debtor education session. Both are meant to help you plan your budget and put you in the best possible financial situation, but each have specific factors that are important to understand. A list of approved Georgia and Atlanta credit counseling agencies can be found on the U.S. Department of Justice website…

One of the biggest myths about bankruptcy is that it will require you to give up your personal possessions. To the contrary, bankruptcy can often help you hold onto your most significant assets. Take your car, for instance...

Credit Counseling, or “How You Can Help the Bank While Hurting Yourself” If you’ve fallen behind in your credit card payments, you have probably heard from your bank, and the representative may have suggested you look into a credit counseling program. The kind bank rep may even have offered to supply a list of credit…

Loansharking is an illegal practice where unlicensed lenders extend credit to borrowers at impossibly high interest rates and then use threats and actual violence to collect. A slightly more respectable version of this practice is commonly called a payday loan. These are small consumer loans for short terms at exorbitant interest rates. Payday loans are…

If you are behind in your bills, you’ve probably gotten letters from you creditors as well as phone calls threatening to take action to collect on your debts. As if the harassing phone calls aren’t enough, your various creditors could also: Shut off your utilities Foreclose on your home or evict you from your apartment…