People generally like things that are simple, fast, and easy. Payday loans are the easiest type of loan to get. The application process is simple and can usually be processed in a matter of hours. Like your economics teacher probably told you though, there’s no such thing as a free lunch. The advantages of payday loans are also offset by significant draw backs. Here are a few basic points to keep in mind when considering a payday loan.

What is a payday loan?

A payday loan (sometimes known as a cash advance, payday advance or cash check advance) is a loan ranging from $50 to $1,500. It will usually be deposited directly into your account and then be automatically withdrawn from that account on your next payday. Payday loans are also noteworthy because they have very low requirements. There is no credit check involved in getting a cash advance, and nearly anyone can obtain one if they have a checking account.

Payday loans can be expensive

Payday loans are usually taken out when someone has a financial emergency. The fact that people usually only get payday loans when they have an urgent need allows lenders to charge very high rates of interest.  Some lenders will charge $15 of interest on a loan of a $100 which can result in a huge interest rate. Depending on how long you take to pay back a payday loan, the interest rate might be as high as 700% annually.

Payday loans have advantages

Though payday loans can be very expensive, they do have certain advantages. First, payday loans do not show up on your credit report if you pay them back on time. There is no credit check associated with payday loans. All of the transactions involved in a payday loan take place through direct deposits into your checking account so they do not show up on your credit report. If you fail to pay back your cash advance on time, however, it will show up on your credit report and damage your credit score.

The fact that payday loans do not show up on your credit report can be something of a double edged sword. If you pay your cash advance back on time, it will not benefit your credit score because it does not show up on your credit report. Even though they are very easy to get, payday loans are not a way of repairing your credit.

Payday Loan Legislation

Payday loans do not show up your credit report, so the only thing limiting the number of payday loans a borrower can get is legislation. State laws have determined that you can only get a certain number of payday loans over a given time. If you are going to borrow multiple payday loans in a year, you should research the specific laws governing cash advances in your state.

Payday loans have their use. They can help you meet financial emergencies like auto accidents and medical emergencies. But payday loans come with a high cost. The interest on them can be staggering and they will not benefit your credit at all. Always investigate all of your financial options if you find yourself in a financial emergency.

Tax debt relief can help you get out of one of the most stressful financial situations you can find yourself in. No one want to owe money to the IRS. Luckily, there are ways to get out of your tax debt. The complexity of the tax code makes it difficult to negotiate your own tax debt relief programs yourself, so you should consult a tax attorney or a certified agent of some sort before attempting it. Here are a few examples of four different types of tax relief to serve as a starting point in your discussions with a tax debt relief counselor.

1. Offer in Compromise

An offer in compromise is a type of tax debt relief that was created in recent years by new legislation. An offer in compromise is an agreement made with the IRS to pay back a certain portion of your debt instead of the whole amount. A report from the IRS indicates that the average amount of debt reduction obtained through an offer in compromise is 85%, meaning that the IRS collects only 15 cents of every dollar you owe.

The catch is that you must prove your inability to pay your debt if you are to qualify for an offer in compromise. You must prove that you have an income low enough if your offer in compromise is to be accepted. Sometimes it is also possible to prove that your debts are erroneous or errors. In either case, it is a complex legal process to get your offer in compromise accepted, so it is helpful to enlist the help of a professional in preparing your offer in compromise.

1. Installment Agreement

As many offers in compromises are rejected, the IRS has provided numerous installment agreements. An installment agreement is a long term plan that allows an individual to repay their debt in installments. There are many different types of installment agreements, so again it is good to consult with a tax debt relief counselor as you try to determine which type of installment agreement would be right for you.

1. Online Payment Agreement

The IRS website has an option for applying for an online payment agreement. This process is relatively simple and will help you determine an installment plan that matches your unique budget. You must owe less than $25,000 in taxes to qualify for an online payment agreement. Though it is easy to apply for an online payment agreement, it might be wise to consult with a tax debt relief counselor before turning all of your information over to the IRS by applying.

1. Levy and Garnishment Release

If you fall behind in your taxes, the IRS will usually levy some of your assets such as bank accounts or garnish your wages. This situation can quickly prevent you from meeting basic financial obligations like utility payments. If the IRS has  begun to garnish your wages or levy your assets, contacting a tax debt relief agent can help you regain control of these assets.

Tax debt relief is a complicated but useful process for getting out of debt. Keep in mind that tax debt relief will affect your credit. Consulting with a tax debt relief agent will help you determine which type of debt relief will be the best for your unique situation.

Credit card debt has reached national proportions. As unprecedented numbers of families reach higher levels of debt, the number of credit repair companies has also proportionally grown. In the face of this new industry, individuals who want to get out of debt are faced with two problems. First, what can credit repair companies do to help, and second, which credit repair companies are the best. To better answer these questions we should come to a better understanding of what credit repair is and how a credit repair company can best help in that process.

What is credit repair?

To understand what credit repair is, it might be helpful to understand what credit repair isn’t. No credit repair company can magically repair your credit. They cannot remove negative credit with the wave a wand. No one can make bankruptcies or missed payments go away. Companies that claim to be able to have the power to wipe your credit report clean are making fraudulent claims.

What credit repair companies can do is fix inaccuracies on your credit report. Most people feel that their credit report is always accurate. This is not true. Research has shown that many credit reports contain inaccuracies that severely affect credit scores. A credit repair company can help you identify the inaccuracies that are on your credit report and then dispute those with the credit company that created your credit report and recorded the faulty information.

It is useful to have a credit repair company help you in disputing this information because it can sometimes take a long time for credit companies to repair disputes you report yourself. Though it is possible to challenge inaccuracies on your own credit report without the help of a credit repair company, it is more difficult and takes longer to do it yourself.

What makes a good credit repair company?

Finding a good credit repair company is matter of seeing through the advertising and recognizing what a credit repair company can really do for you. Companies that claim to be able to remove bankruptcies and missed payments are usually going to be frauds. If you really did file for bankruptcy then that bankruptcy will stay on your credit report for several years. Credit repair companies can only slightly accelerate the rate at which these events drop off your credit report. Recognizing the limits of what a credit repair company can do will help you determine the credit repair company you want to go with.

Credit repair can be helpful for some individuals, but you do not necessarily need the help of a credit repair company to do this. It is possible to repair your own credit, but a credit repair company can help you with the process. Be sure to investigate the claims of the credit repair company you are considering and make sure the company’s claims are realistic.

The growing industry of financial advisors and debt settlement agencies can make some people think that credit repair is something only an expert can do. This is not true. Credit repair is very much a do-it-yourself process. We will help you come up with a 3 step plan for repairing credit without the help of a financial advisor.

1. Get a credit report

The first step in repairing your own credit score is to figure out what your credit is and whether or not it is accurate. There are several agencies that will provide you with a free credit report. A credit report is a record of your financial history. It includes things like the accounts you have, your missed payments, your timely payments, bankruptcies and debt settlements. These are the factors that determine your credit score.

It is important to check this report for errors. Many of agencies put faulty information on your credit report, and this can seriously lower your credit score. An error on your credit report can prevent you from getting the loans that you need. After checking your credit report for errors, you can contest these errors by reporting them to credit companies and providing documents that refute the error.

1. Devise a credit repair plan

After making sure that your credit report is free of errors, you can begin to repair your credit through various financial options. The most powerful factor in determining your credit score is your history of on-time payments. If you have a low credit score and you can’t get a large loan like an auto loan or a home mortgage, you can begin to improve your history of on-time payments by getting a bad credit loan.

A bad credit loan is a loan that can be obtained even if you don’t have the best credit. Many websites and credit agencies provide bad credit loans. This gives people with a low credit score the opportunity raise their credit score by lengthening their history of good payments. The downside to bad credit loans is their high interest rates. Because these loans are generally supplied to people with bad credit, they are considered high risk loans. These loans are supplied at a high interest rate, but they give the borrower a chance to increase their credit score and get a lower rate in the future.

1. Make your payments on time

Bad credit loans—or any type of loan for that matter—will only help you improve your credit score if you make your payments on time. If you are going to improve your credit with a bad credit loan, you must make you payments on time, otherwise your credit score will actually be harmed by the missed payments. Missing payments will harm your credit score and cost you money in late fees. The most important part of any credit repair plan is to stick to it and make the payments on time.

You can repair you own credit. It will take some planning and commitment to making payments on time, but you can get the credit score you want without help from any type of financial advisor. Keep in mind that there are other ways to improve your credit score than by getting a bad credit loan. Credit cards, student loans, and other financial options can also help you improve your credit score but are less available to those with lower credit scores.

Everyone knows that credit is important. It affects your interest rate as well as your ability to get approved for things like apartment contracts and cell phone service. What fewer people know is to what extent credit affects your specific interest rates.

In terms of mortgages, a high credit score can help you get a rate around 6% while a low end credit score will get you a rate of 10%. With an auto loan this difference is even more pronounced. A good credit score can earn an interest rate of 6% while a low credit score can be as high as 15%. The difference between these rates would make a huge difference on the actual amount of money you pay in interest.

Get A Credit Report

Credit’s huge impact on your interest rate makes it extremely important to know what your credit score is before applying for a loan. Federal law requires that credit agencies provide one free credit report each year. Obtaining a credit report is important because it helps you find out your credit score before applying for a loan, and it also gives you a chance to verify your report for inaccuracies.

A quick Google search will show you numerous credit agencies that will generate a credit report. The credit report you receive will tell you both your credit score and will list the financial details that were used to calculate this score. Things like the accounts you own, the amount of debt you have, and your history of payments will be listed. It is essential that you check this list for any inaccuracies because they can significantly affect your credit score. Though many would expect these reports to be accurate, they frequently contain errors that harm your ability to get a good interest rate. Most credit reporting companies’ websites will also contain a link to the forms that will correct errors on a credit report.

Start Improving Your Credit

Once you know your credit score you may realize you want to increase it. To better build your credit, it is helpful to understand how credit is calculated. Credit is determined by five factors:

• Payment history – 35%
• Amounts owed – 30%
• Length of credit history – 15%
• New credit – 10%
• Types of credit used – 10%

Obviously the most important factor in your credit score is a track record of consistent payments. Setting reminders on a phone or writing payment dates on your calendar is a useful way to make sure you never miss a payment. After consistent payments, utilizing less than half of your available credit is the second most important way to build your credit. Many suggest that you should only use 30% of your available credit to obtain the best score.

Your credit score is the most important factors in getting a low interest rate. Understanding what makes good credit and ensuring that your credit report is accurate are two key ways to improve your credit.

The number of Americans using credit cards has fallen significantly in the last few years. Many people don’t trust themselves to effectively manage credit cards and are afraid of acquiring excessive debt. It is important to keep a good credit score for several reasons. First, a good credit score can allow you to borrow money in an emergency situation.  With a good credit score you can secure a low rate on a loan just in case you need to obtain a short term loan. But credit is used for more than getting loan. Insurance providers, cell phone companies, and even some land lords actually use credit when evaluating applicants. Here are a few tips on how to keep a good credit score without a credit card.

Get A Personal Loan

The best way to build credit without getting a credit card is to get a personal loan. Personal loans come in several types. If you have no credit score or a low credit score, a secured loan might be best for you. A secured loan is a loan granted with money you have deposited used as collateral. The interest rate on these loans is usually a little more than the interest you earn on the money. Secure loans can sometimes be obtained more easily from credit unions than banks because they are usually willing to look beyond a credit score. Secured loans are not very risky for lending institutions so they are easy to get but only give a moderate boost to your credit.

Unsecured loans are particularly good for your credit. Unlike a secure loan, an unsecured loan has no money as collateral. If you default on an unsecured loan a lender has few options available to recover their money. As a result, interest rates on these loans can be very high and they will often be for smaller amounts of money. Because these loans require lenders to put themselves at risk, successful repayment of these loans shows creditors that you are trustworthy and resultantly boost your credit.

It is important to remember that any type of loan only helps your credit score as long as it is active. Once a loan is paid off, it stops building your credit score and its positive influence on your credit begins to diminish as time passes. Credit score calculations prefer that you have at least one account open, so if you have no active accounts your credit score will begin to suffer.

Get A Student Loan

This option is not available to everyone, but a student loan is a great opportunity to build credit. Student loans can often be obtained at a very low interest rate and usually come with conditions that help the borrower pay them back at a low price. Stafford loans, a widely available student loan, can be taken out without any proof of financial need at the low interest rate of 6.8%. Student loans will not usually benefit your credit, however, until you begin repaying them.

Get On Someone Else’s Card

If you have a family member who will add you as a user on their card, then you can begin building credit without a card of your own. This situation requires that you have a family member with a credit card who is willing to add you as a user, so it is a significant risk to them because there is nothing to stop you from exceeding their credit limit. While it is risky for the holder of the card, becoming an authorized user on someone else’s card is a way to develop high credit. This option, while not useful for everyone, is a way to develop credit if you are struggling to get a credit card or a loan.

Credit is important, even if you don’t think you will need it in the near future. There are ways to develop credit without the risk of a credit card. There are more options than these that you can find through your own research. Always keep your personal situation in mind when deciding how to build your credit.

It’s no secret that America is in the midst of a debt crisis. The average amount of debt for households that have credit card has risen dramatically in the last several years. As the amount of debt has risen, so have the number of debt relief strategies. If you have debt, it is helpful to become familiar with available debt relief strategies.

Debt Consolidation:

If you have several sources of debt you might want to consider consolidating all of your payments into one monthly payment. This can be done through lending agencies and specific debt relief programs. The idea behind debt consolidation is getting a personal loan to pay off all of your debt and then making monthly payments on that loan. These personal loans can usually be obtained at an interest rate that saves you money. Having a single monthly payment also makes it easier to avoid late fees and simplifies your budget.

Debt Settlement:

Debt settlement is a process that allows you to negotiate with creditors so that you only pay off a portion of your debt. This is sometimes done through reduced monthly payments but is also frequently settled in one lump payment of a portion of your debt. You can conduct debt settlement negotiations yourself or you can get the help of a professional by contacting a debt settlement agency. Like bankruptcy, debt settlement will also protect you from wage garnishment and repossession.

It is important to note that debt settlement will negatively affect your credit. Thought debt settlement will not be as detrimental to your credit score as bankruptcy, it will significantly harm your credit score for several years.

Debt Management:

Debt management involves entrusting your debt to a debt manager appointed by a credit counseling agency. You will make monthly payments to this manager and he or she will pay your debts to the different creditors. Debt management will protect you from creditors and late fees. It can also help you get a lower monthly payment and reduce your interest rate.

Bankruptcy:

There are two types of bankruptcy, chapter 7 and chapter 13. Chapter 13 bankruptcy is sometimes called re-organizational bankruptcy.  A bankruptcy court essentially functions as a debt manager. They consolidate your debt and determine how much you should pay each month. You keep possession of your property and make monthly payments to the bankruptcy court.

Chapter 7 bankruptcy is also known as liquidation bankruptcy. The court takes the debtors assets and sells them to the creditors. In this case, the debtor does not have control over what properties are sold or retained.

The advantage of bankruptcy is that it prevents creditors from repossessing your property. It secures your utilities and protects you from wage garnishments. The major downside of bankruptcy is that it will seriously reduce your credit for the next several years. Bankruptcy should usually be considered a last resort.

Each type of debt relief offers a different advantage and has different effects on your credit score. Before committing to a particular type of debt settlement, consider whether or not you can pay off your debt through your own budgeting and management. This option is by far the cheapest and will actually help raise your credit score if you make your payments on time.

4 Ways To Get the Credit You Need

In the aftermath of the housing crisis, credit has become increasingly important. The minimum credit score for mortgages and loans has been raised by many lenders. Even borrowers with good credit are finding that their rates are rising. While borrowers with good credit can leave lending agencies and find a better offer, borrowers with low credit scores are often stuck with their lender and have to live with any rate hikes. As a result, good credit is even more important than it has been in the past. Here is a guide to getting the credit score you need.

1. You have to use your credit to raise your credit.

Many financial advisers have pushed for individuals to pay off their debts and live a cash-only lifestyle. This may do marvels for your bank account, but it will slowly strangle your credit. A credit score is used to predict how you are likely to use your credit in the future based on how you’ve used in the past. Without using some form of credit, your credit score will gradually decrease. Even if you don’t intend to borrow money in the future, you may still want to cultivate your credit score just in case you need to borrow money in a financial emergency.

1. You don’t have to pay interest to raise your credit score

Individuals who want to live debt free may think they need to pay interest to have a credit score. This is a common misconception. You can actually raise your credit score by using a credit card and then paying off the balance each month. This makes it possible to live debt free while establishing a healthy credit score.

1. It is going to take time to raise your credit score

The amount of time it takes to raise your credit score is going to be determined by your unique situation. If you have no significant financial black-marks like bankruptcy or debt consolidation, you may be able to see improvements in your credit score as quickly as 30 days after paying down significant chunks of credit card debt. If you do have a rocky financial history, then you may not be able to obtain a 700+ score before these things drop off your credit report.

1. You need a major credit card

America’s credit card debt crisis has lead to a decrease in the overall number of credit card holders over the last few years, but you need a major credit card like Visa, Discover, or American Express if you are going to get a credit score above 700. Retail cards and gas cards will build credit, but credit agencies do not value them enough to award their owners with the highest credit scores.

If you can’t qualify for a credit card, you may be able to obtain a secure version of the cards. A secured credit card is a type of card that allows you to draw money equivalent to the amount of money you have deposited. For example, if you deposit $1,000 then you can usually obtain a secured credit card that will allow you to draw that $1,000 and pay it back each month. These secured credit cards will help build credit, though not as much as a normal credit card.  Many of these secured credit cards will transfer into unsecured credit cards with a credit limit after a year or so.

You can get a high credit score over time, and, in the current economic situation, you probably should. While a useful tool, credit cards can be easily mismanaged and lead to serious debt. Regardless of any financial advice, always make sure that you make the best financial decision for your unique situation.

Cars are fun. They’re exciting and beautiful. They’re also expensive. Few people have the cash on hand to pay for a vehicle without getting an auto loan. Before deciding on an auto loan there are some things to keep in mind.

You should check your credit score first

When you apply for a loan, your credit score will determine how much money you will be able to borrow and what your interest rate will be. Because of this, you should be aware of your credit score before applying for an auto loan.

You are entitled to get one free credit report each year. If you look at your credit report you might find some errors on it. In fact, it has been estimated that nearly 80% of credit reports contain some type of error. In many cases these errors can have a serious impact on your ability to get a loan at a low rate. You can notify the credit reporting company of these errors and improve your credit score very quickly. Before you apply for an auto loan, make sure you know your credit score and that your credit report is error free.

Think about your down payment

When you get an auto loan, you will usually be required to make a down payment. Low down payments are enticing, but you should keep the big picture in mind when deciding how much to spend on your down payment.

It is important to remember that you pay interest on every dollar you borrow. So if you are going to buy a car for $10,000 and you have no money to make a down payment, then you will have to pay interest on all $10,000 of that auto loan. Now, if you were to buy the same $10,000 car and made a $5,000 down payment, then you would only need to borrow $5,000. In this case, your monthly payment would be lower and you would only have to pay interest on $5,000 of a loan, saving you a lot of money in the long run.

The other risk you run in making a low down payment is that there is possibility of getting “up-side down,” or owing more on your car than it is worth. For instance, when you drive your car off the lot it devalues substantially. Returning to the previous example, if you make no down payment, after you purchase your $10,000 car, when you drive it away it devalues to only $5,000. This means that if you were to suddenly need to resell your car, you could only resell it for $5,000 and you would still have $5,000 in debt even though you no longer owned the car. In the case of making the $5,000 down payment, if you had to, you could resell your car for $5,000 and pay off the $5,000 loan.

Insurance may affect your ability to get a loan

It seems odd, but what type of life and disability insurance you have may affect your ability to get the best interest rates on a loan. Investors want to know their loans are secured. So those with insurance are more likely to be able to make payments on an auto loan in the event of disability. You may need insurance along with good credit to get the best rates on loans.

Always consider the various aspects of getting an auto loan before making a decision. The amount you decide to use in a down payment and the cost of the car you purchase will affect your finances for an extended period of time.

Common Credit Questions Answered

Many people are confused about the different types of loans offered by lending institutions and just how these loans will affect the borrower’s credit. Here are the answers to a few questions about the most basic types of loans:

Q. How can I get a loan?

A. There are three basic types of loans:

1. Secured loans—these loans can be for large sums of money, but they will require some type of collateral. Examples of secured loans are auto loans and mortgages where a car or house is used as collateral. You can borrow a significant amount of money, but if you default on the loan creditors have the right to repossess your car or house depending on the loan. These loans can extend over a term of as much as 10 years.
2. Unsecured loans—these loans have no collateral attached to them. The amount of money you can borrow and the interest rate on an unsecured loan will depend on how risky the institution feels it is to lend you money, so your credit will make this loan more or less expensive for you. These loans are usually for $1,000 – $25,000 and they are repaid over a term that will be decided with the lender but usually range from 1 – 5 years.
   1. Bad Credit loans—this is a type of unsecured loan designed for people with bad credit. Many lenders will grant a loan to an individual with less than ideal credit if they can prove they have a reliable source of income. These loans are typically for less money than unsecured loans that require a credit check. Their rate of interest is also going to be very high because they are considered risky to lenders. The term of this loan will also vary.
   2. Payday loans—sometimes called “cash advances,” this type of loan is for a small amount of money to be repaid over a very short term, usually no more than a month. Typically, a pay day loan will be for no more than $1,000. These loans do not require a credit check, so their rates of interest are very high.

Q. How will getting a loan affect my credit?

A. It depends on what kind of loan you get and how many loans you get. Pay day loans are a bit different, so we’ll talk about them later. Each time a lending company checks your credit to see if you are worthy for a loan, your credit score goes down 5 points. If you are approved for a loan, you will be able to make up that loss of points through making timely, monthly payments on your loan—that is, if you are below a certain amount of debt. If you are borrowing more than 40% of your total available credit, that will also hurt your credit score. So, for example, if you have a credit limit of $1,000 and you get a loan that requires a credit check for $600, then you will likely loss a significant number of points from your credit score, though this loss will be mitigated if you make consistent payments.

Payday loans are the exception to this rule. Getting a pay day loan will not affect your credit score because they do not require a credit check. If you repay your loan according to the lender’s terms, then a pay day loan will not show up on your credit report, so it will not affect your credit score. If you violate the terms of the loan, then that will show up your credit report and negatively affect your credit. But this is a double edged sword. A pay day loan will not hurt your credit if you pay it back on time, but it will not help your credit either. Pay day loans that are paid off according to the lender’s terms are not recorded on your credit report, so it will not improve your credit score by strengthening your history of consistent payments.