Low Interest Rate Mortgages Do They Exist

July 2nd, 2009 Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off


Whether you want to obtain a credit card, loan, or mortgage, you will have to deal with interest rates. Unfortunately, interest rates can turn something that would otherwise be affordable into something that no longer is. To combat this problem, you are encouraged to search for low interest rates.

Obtaining a low interest rate, especially with a mortgage, is often easier said than done. As a potential homeowner, you have little control over the rate which you are being offered. This is why many individuals believe that low rate mortgages do not exist. Despite that belief, it is still possible to obtain a low interest rate mortgage.

If you are interested in obtaining a low interest rate mortgage, you will need to be prepared to do a little bit of research. You will have to find lenders that specialize in low interest rate mortgages. They are out there, but it may take a little bit of time to find them. In addition to finding low rate lenders, you may also want to examine and possibly improve your credit.

If you are wondering what your credit has to do with obtaining a low interest rate mortgage, you are not alone. Many believe that the interest rate is solely decided by the lender that they are seeking to obtain a mortgage from. While it is true that your financial lender will have the deciding say in what your interest rate will be, your credit can have an impact as well.

Mortgage lenders often have a preset interest range that they are allowed to charge. This preset range is often implemented by the government to keep the cost of owning a home affordable. Mortgage lenders, like all other financial lenders, are a little bit leery of doing business with an individual that has a low credit rating. To offer themselves security, they tend to charge those with poor credit a higher rate. This is not always the case, but a large number of lenders operate this way.

The good news about your credit is that you can improve it. If you know that you would like to buy a home in the future, you are encouraged to examine your credit. If you find anything that is unpaid, you are encouraged to pay it as soon as possible. In addition to having an impact on your interest rate, an improved credit score may even increase the amount of money that you are able to have to purchase a home.

Since interest rates vary and depend on a number of factors, you may want to do a little bit of comparison. The interest rate being advertised may not necessarily be the one that you will be offered. To receive an exact rate, you may be required to provide a mortgage lender with a little bit of information. Once they take your credit, your current financial situation, and the amount of money you are requesting into consideration they should be able to determine what the interest rate of your mortgage will be.

Once you have examined the rates from a number of mortgage lenders, you can easily compare your findings. If you are seeking a low interest rate mortgage, you will want to go with the lender who is offering you the lowest interest rate. It may take a little bit of time to compile all of this information together, but the amount of money you save on interest may be worth it in the end.
Joe Kenny writes for the Credit Card Guide, offering views on credit cards in the UK, visit them today for some great 0% balance transfer offers and start clearing credit card debt today.

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Cancellation of Private Mortgage Insurance Federal Law May Save You Hundreds of Dollars Each Year

June 29th, 2009 Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off


If you put less than 20 percent down on a home mortgage, lenders often require you to have Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI). PMI protects the lender if you default on the loan. The Homeowners Protection Act of 1998 - which became effective in 1999 - establishes rules for automatic termination and borrower cancellation of PMI on home mortgages. These protections apply to certain home mortgages signed on or after July 29, 1999 for the purchase, initial construction, or refinance of a single-family home. These protections do not apply to government-insured FHA or VA loans or to loans with lender-paid PMI.

For home mortgages signed on or after July 29, 1999, your PMI must - with certain exceptions - be terminated automatically when you reach 22 percent equity in your home based on the original property value, if your mortgage payments are current. Your PMI also can be canceled, when you request - with certain exceptions - when you reach 20 percent equity in your home based on the original property value, if your mortgage payments are current.

One exception is if your loan is “high-risk.” Another is if you have not been current on your payments within the year prior to the time for termination or cancellation. A third is if you have other liens on your property. For these loans, your PMI may continue. Ask your lender or mortgage servicer (a company that collects your payments) for more information about these requirements.

If you signed your mortgage before July 29, 1999, you can ask to have the PMI canceled once you exceed 20 percent equity in your home. But federal law does not require your lender or mortgage servicer to cancel the insurance.

On a $100,000 loan with 10 percent down ($10,000), PMI might cost you $40 a month. If you can cancel the PMI, you can save $480 a year and many thousands of dollars over the loan. Check your annual escrow account statement or call your lender to find out exactly how much PMI is costing you each year.

Additional provisions in the law
New borrowers covered by the law must be told - at closing and once a year - about PMI termination and cancellation.
Mortgage servicers must provide a telephone number for all their mortgage borrowers to call for information about termination and cancellation of PMI.
Even though the law’s termination and cancellation rights do not cover loans that were signed before July 29, 1999, or loans with lender-paid PMI signed on any date, lenders or mortgage servicers must tell borrowers about the termination or cancellation rights they may otherwise have under those loans (such as rights established by the contract or state law).

Next Steps

Some states may have laws that apply to early termination or cancellation of PMI - even if you signed your mortgage before July 29, 1999. Call your state consumer protection agency for more information about your state’s rules. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which buy home mortgages from lenders, also may have guidelines affecting termination or cancellation of PMI on home mortgages signed before July 29, 1999. Check with your lender or mortgage servicer, or call Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, for more information.
Ameen Kamadia, known as “The Millionaire Loan Officer” offers dozens of free articles about mortgage marketing. Get dozens of great cheap lead generation ideas at his free Mortgage Marketing website.

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What To Do When Your Credit Card Is Lost Or Stolen

June 27th, 2009 Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off


Unfortunately, wallets and purses do get stolen or lost on a regular basis. Your biggest concern is usually the fact that your credit cards are missing. If this happens to you, do you have a plan of action? Well, you should. It really isn’t as daunting to come up with a credit card action plan as it seems like it should be. All reputable credit card companies have a set policy that helps to protect you against loss or theft. All you need to know is how to get this policy to work for you.

Help! My Credit Card Was Stolen!

Never fear, help is here! The first thing you need to do is report the stolen card to the company as soon as possible. Most companies have a toll-free number or an online service that deals solely with this problem.

Fortunately for you, federal law dictates that you are only liable for the first $50.00 of any fraudulent charges made on a charge card. Still, you are required to report the lost or stolen card even though you’re not going to take a huge hit. Here’s a little extra incentive to make the call fast: If you report the loss or theft before any unauthorized use, you don’t even pay the $50.00.

Many card issuers are waiving the $50 exposure, so check the details on your credit card offer.

After the card is gone, make sure you pay attention to every charge on the bill. Whatever shows up that isn’t yours, notify the card company in writing immediately. Make sure to include in the letter the date in which you notified the company that your card was lost or stolen and send it to the billing errors address. Do not send the letter with your payment. It will get lost in the shuffle.

If your card was a debit card, things may work a bit different. The amount of liability you are responsible for depends directly on how quickly you report it lost or stolen. If it is done before it has been used, again you are not responsible for any fraudulent charges. If you wait, even as little as two business days, you could be held liable for up to $500.00 of any fraudulent charges found on the card.

Once your card is gone and you have reported it, review your bills. Make your bank aware of any questionable deductions from your account that occurred during the time your card was lost or stolen. A phone call is great, but follow it up with a certified letter and include the day you reported your card stolen or lost. This should absolve you of any liability.

The best way to avoid stolen or lost cards is to keep track of them. Know where they are at all times and keep your pin number a secret. Also, don’t use a pin number that is easy to figure out such as your birth date or phone number. Make it a number that only makes sense to you and keep it that way.
Dwayne Garrett is the creator of the # 1 Credit Resource site on the Internet that offers a place where you can search, compare and apply for the best credit cards available. Visit: http://www.TheCreditCardResource.com

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Understanding What A Bear Market Is

June 24th, 2009 Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off


A bear market is when the stock market falls for an extended period of time. The fall is usually around 20% and is the opposite of a bull market. A bear market is caused by the decline in stock prices which are directly influenced by a decrease in company profits. Falling stock prices can also be a correction of over valued stock.

When stocks become to expensive they will eventually fall to a more reasonable price. The decline stock market is further perpetuated by scared investors who will sell their stocks at the first sign of decrease stock prices and the cycle continues. For example the bear market during thw 1970s went on for over a decade when stocks went sideways. It was experiences like that which cause people to move away from day and active trading into more low risk investments. This is when the popularity of bonds and mutual funds began.

A bear market will cause your stocks to drop in price. The decrease in their value can happen extremely quickly or gradually over time. Both lead to the same conclusion that your quote value of a stock is actually lower. However, a bear market is only bad if you plan on selling your stock immediately or you simply need the money. Investments are really meant to be long term. If stocks prices drop all you need to do is wait for them to increase again. In fact bear markets, falling stock prices, and depressive markets are important to the success of the long term investor. Bear markets offer an opportunity to buy cheap stocks.

If you have the ability, financial basis, and the patience to wait a decade or more for your profit, bear markets are extremely important to you. Financial advisors will often tell their clients to sell their stocks when market prices fall but this is clearly a bad move. Financial advisor usually offer this kind of advice to appease an investor concerns and uphold their own reputation. In other word financial experts do not know everything, use your own judgment.

Investing money in a bear market is not rocket science but it can be tricky. You need to look for companies and funds that have the future potential to make you money 20 years from now. This is hard to do, since future predictability is impossible. However, you can use common sense. Gillette razors and coke product stock may fail 40% today in the future people are still going to buy both. The important point here is to not to couple stock price with business. Just because a stock price falls does not mean that a company is going under. As mentioned above it may just be a stock market correction.

If you can take a deep breath and have confidence you will realize that a bear market and falling stock prices is a good thing. It is like clearance sale on stocks, and suddenly companies which were out of your reach can be afforded. Everything in the universe including the stock market will find and maintain balance - thus bringing those falling stocks back up to reasonable price.
More Articles & Tutorials and a Free Investing For Beginners E-Course at http://www.Global-Investment-Institute.com

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Get A Fresh Start After Filing For Bankruptcy

June 22nd, 2009 Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off


Because of a number of problems that can arise, many people find themselves in a financial situation where their debt load is so heavy, there seems to be no way for them to repay all that they owe. Filing for bankruptcy may be their only hope for rectifying their financial condition and gaining a fresh start.

Certainly, filing a claim form when being broke is a step that is considered to be the last resort and one that is never taken lightly. When people are in a deep mire of debt and they do not have sufficient income to be able to make even the minimum payments, there are other steps that they can take before taking the drastic step. There is credit counseling available when people are overwhelmed with debt and sometimes they even take on an additional job to help make the payments.

Unfortunately, there are many instances in which these approaches are simply not enough and people are left with the last alternative and find themselves in need of legal bankruptcy relief. Even though there are significant negative ramifications when people file bankrupt, at the same time it is a legal step that does indeed provide relief from creditors and provides them with an opportunity to wipe their financial slate clean and new start anew.

One should never decide about filing for bankruptcy until they have had an opportunity to consult with a bankruptcy lawyer, or a credit counseling service at the very least. Many people try to save on the lawyer expense by attempting to do a self bankruptcy, but if anything is overlooked, they can find themselves in a bigger mess than before, since it can be thrown out of court if not properly handled. This is why it is so strongly urged that people should pay for the proper help with being broke, so they can rest assured it will be done correctly.

Filing for legal relief is a matter of Federal law, which governs the entire process and it is the Federal courts where the claim form and all paperwork is filed. Under United States Federal bankruptcy law, there are three types of it that can be filed.

You can file a Chapter 7, a Chapter 11 or a Chapter 13 bankruptcy. Each type of filing has different requirements and this is where it is very helpful to secure professional help with being broke, so that you will be sure you are filing for the right type.

After filing, your creditors must stop making any attempts at collecting on debts that are included in the bankruptcy filing. Also, they cannot pursue any type of legal action or lawsuits against you once they have been notified that you have filed a claim form. When the bankruptcy in complete and has been discharged, the debts have essentially be rendered null and void and your creditors have no power to make collection demands on you.

Filing for bankruptcy will definitely leave telltale negative marks on your credit report for many years to come. Due to this fact, it is advisable to avoid hunting for a job or renting new living quarters once the process has started. Therefore, it is best to have secure employment and housing first, if at all possible.

Once the bankruptcy has been completed and is discharged, then you can start the process of restoring your credit record. Eventually, even though it will remain on your credit report for ten years, you will be able to have a good credit score once again. In many instances, people have better credit scores within a couple years after the bankruptcy than they ever did before, because they became better money managers.
Educate yourself further about filing for bankruptcy from Mike Selvon articles portal. Your feedback is valued and appreciated at our bankruptcy information blog where a free audio gift awaits you.

Forex Broker Rating

Losing Your Identity and Your Good Credit

June 20th, 2009 Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off


Identity theft has become a problem with the introduction of shopping online. Thieves set up
clone web sites much like the ones that are used popularly to make purchases so that they can fool unsuspecting victims into entering their personal information. You can also have your information stolen by not correctly disposing of bank statements and other mail that contains personal information, such as your social security number. It is important to always shred any trash that contains such information, because having your identity stolen can adversely affect your good credit.

Any woman knows that it is a nightmare to have her purse stolen. You lose any money and belongings, and then have to get all of your personal information cards either canceled or replaced. Your debit account could go into a negative balance merely by someone forging your signature. If you don’t have a credit card, the person who holds your personal information can easily open one and charge thousands of dollars worth of merchandise in a matter of hours. If you do not cancel your credit cards and freeze your bank account immediately you could drop from having excellent credit to bad credit sooner than you might think. Other necessary actions would be to file a report with the police and place an initial fraud report on your credit report.

On the Internet and telephone, you take a chance anytime you give out personal information. Prior to entering any personal information, such as your credit card number for making a purchase, be sure to check the web address to be sure that you are on the companies’ official web site rather than a clone with the same appearance but different address. This one thing is often overlooked and thieves have exploited it successfully many times. If you notice this, report the fake site to the official site so that you can help prevent some unsuspecting person from making a simple mistake that could completely ruin their credit.

The best thing to do if you feel that you may have been a victim of identity fraud is to get an up to date credit report and look for activity that you are certain is not your own. In the event that you do find a new account opened or activity that is not your own, contact any companies involved to try to obtain a signature that was not made by you. The sooner you file your identity theft report, the easier it will be when trying to keep your credit report from being harmed. Keep track of every action that you take, and make sure to ask lots of questions about your credit score to be sure that everything is correct.
Tom Ambrozewicz, mortgage and real estate broker since 1993, is one of the pioneers in using breakthrough audio technology on his web sites. You can read or you can listen to professional narrator reading to you. You can check all credit tips at Ask-How.info now.

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Forex Professional Market Investor Reveals A Short Cut To Mastering Stock Market Investing Rules

June 17th, 2009 Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off


To operate effectively in any forex market investing environment, you need rules and boundaries to guide your behaviour. No matter what system you`ve developed, the potential exists to do financial damage to yourself - damage that can be greater than you think is possible. There are many types of trades which the risk of loss is unlimited.

To prevent this kind of loss, you need to create an internal structure in the form of guide lines that determine your behaviour so you always act in your own best interest. This structure has to be internal because the market won`t provide it for you. The markets provide structure in the form of behaviour patterns that indicate when an opportunity to buy or sell exists. But that`s where the structure ends; with a simple indication. Nothing happens until you decide to start or forex market investing; you continue to trade as long as you want; and there is no end until you decide to stop.

All the beginnings, middles, and endings of your trades are the result of your interpretation of the information available from the market. However, while the average trader may want the freedom to make these choices, but that doesn`t mean they are ready and willing to accept the responsibility for the outcomes. The reality of forex market investing is that, if you want to be successful, you have to accept that no matter what the outcome may be, you are completely responsible. Not the market, not the economy, not world events - you.

Traders who are not ready to accept this responsibility can find themselves in a dilemma: How do you participate in an activity that allows complete freedom of choice and avoid taking responsibility if the outcomes of your choices are poor? This can be accomplished by adopting a forex market investing style that is random. Random trading can be defined as poorly planned trades, or trades that are not planned at all.

Randomness in trading is unstructured freedom without responsibility. When we trade without well-defined plans and with an unlimited set of variables, it`s very easy to take credit for the trades that turn out to our liking, because in our minds we used some kind of method. But at the same time, it`s very easy to avoid taking responsibility for the trades that didn`t turn out the way we wanted, because there`s always some variable we didn`t know about and therefore couldn`t take into consideration beforehand. Random forex market investing is an unorganized approach that doesn`t allow you to find out what works and what doesn`t.

If the market`s behaviour were truly random, then it would be difficult, if not impossible, to create consistent results. If it`s impossible to generate consistent results, then we really don`t have to take responsibility. However, direct experience with the market tells a different story. The same market behaviour patterns present themselves over and over again. Even though the outcome of each individual pattern is random, the outcome of a series of patterns is consistent and statistically reliable.

These patterns can aid your forex market investing if you choose to use a disciplined, organized, and consistent approach. Many traders spend hours doing market analysis and planning trades for the next day. Then, instead of making the trades they planned, they do something else. The trades they make are usually ideas from friends or tips from brokers. By making unstructured, random trades, they are able to avoid responsibility.

Why would they do this? When you act on your own ideas, you put your abilities on the line and get instant feedback on how well your ideas worked. It`s difficult to rationalize away any unsatisfactory endings, since they`re the direct results of actions. On the other hand, when you enter an unplanned, random trade, you shrug off the responsibility by blaming your friend or broker for their bad ideas.

The nature of forex market investing itself also makes it easy to escape responsibility. Any trade has the potential to be a winner, whether you`re a great analyst or a poor one. It takes a lot of effort to create and follow a disciplined approach that will make you a consistent winner. But, if you invest the effort, you can achieve success as a trader, and reap the benefits of the market.
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What To Do When Your Credit Card Is Lost Or Stolen

June 15th, 2009 Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off


Unfortunately, wallets and purses do get stolen or lost on a regular basis. Your biggest concern is usually the fact that your credit cards are missing. If this happens to you, do you have a plan of action? Well, you should. It really isn’t as daunting to come up with a credit card action plan as it seems like it should be. All reputable credit card companies have a set policy that helps to protect you against loss or theft. All you need to know is how to get this policy to work for you.

Help! My Credit Card Was Stolen!

Never fear, help is here! The first thing you need to do is report the stolen card to the company as soon as possible. Most companies have a toll-free number or an online service that deals solely with this problem.

Fortunately for you, federal law dictates that you are only liable for the first $50.00 of any fraudulent charges made on a charge card. Still, you are required to report the lost or stolen card even though you’re not going to take a huge hit. Here’s a little extra incentive to make the call fast: If you report the loss or theft before any unauthorized use, you don’t even pay the $50.00.

Many card issuers are waiving the $50 exposure, so check the details on your credit card offer.

After the card is gone, make sure you pay attention to every charge on the bill. Whatever shows up that isn’t yours, notify the card company in writing immediately. Make sure to include in the letter the date in which you notified the company that your card was lost or stolen and send it to the billing errors address. Do not send the letter with your payment. It will get lost in the shuffle.

If your card was a debit card, things may work a bit different. The amount of liability you are responsible for depends directly on how quickly you report it lost or stolen. If it is done before it has been used, again you are not responsible for any fraudulent charges. If you wait, even as little as two business days, you could be held liable for up to $500.00 of any fraudulent charges found on the card.

Once your card is gone and you have reported it, review your bills. Make your bank aware of any questionable deductions from your account that occurred during the time your card was lost or stolen. A phone call is great, but follow it up with a certified letter and include the day you reported your card stolen or lost. This should absolve you of any liability.

The best way to avoid stolen or lost cards is to keep track of them. Know where they are at all times and keep your pin number a secret. Also, don’t use a pin number that is easy to figure out such as your birth date or phone number. Make it a number that only makes sense to you and keep it that way.
Dwayne Garrett is the creator of the # 1 Credit Resource site on the Internet that offers a place where you can search, compare and apply for the best credit cards available. Visit: http://www.TheCreditCardResource.com

Indipendent Stock Broker

Do Not Lose Your Shirt With a Margin Account

June 13th, 2009 Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off


The key to the FOREX market for the average investor is the margin. Without margin trading currency trading would be beyond most investors. I will explain what the margin is and how it works.
When you have a margin account you are able to control large amounts of currency with a relatively small cash deposit. When you have a margin account with a broker you are in effect borrowing money from the broker to control a larger lot of currency. Currency is normally sold in lots with a value of $100,000. A common term used when discussing margin accounts is leverage. Leverage is how much you can control with a certain amount of money. The leverage is usually displayed as a ration such as 1:100. That would allow you to control currency worth 100 times the amount of money you have invested.
To better explain this in a FOREX exchange with a 1% margin account you could control $100,000 worth of a currency while only investing $1000. Margin accounts can allow you to greatly increase your profit; they also allow you to increase your risk. With a margin account it is possible for a trader to lose more than their initial investment. With a little prudence though losses can be minimized. Most brokers will terminate a trade before the losses exceed the original deposit.

Benefits
As discussed before a margin account allows you to buy more with the money you have which can greatly increase your profit on successful trades. By controlling a $100,000 worth of currency for only $1000 the potential gain is greater. When dealing with large lots of currency even small changes can produce significant results.
Currency on the FOREX market is traded in far more precise units than actual cash is. As an example the American dollar is traded down to four decimal points. So when you were to quote the dollar against another currency you will see a price like $1.7834 instead of $1.78. A PIP is the smallest unit when trading currencies, when dealing with $100,000 lots then each pip is worth about $10.
If the price of the American dollar changes from $1.7834 to $1.7934, you have a net difference of 100 pips. If you have a lot of $100,000 then that 100 pips will translate to $1000 where as if you were not using the margin your original $1000 would only show a profit of $10. Hardly what most would consider a highly profitable trade?
In short the primary benefit of using a margin account is that it can greatly increase the profit margin of a trade.

Risks
Since there is such a significant increase in profit potential when using a margin account it only stands to reason that there is also an increase. In fact it is quite possible to have your entire margin account wiped out fairly quickly. When using a 1% margin account a shift in the currency of a single penny will cost you $1000.
The FOREX exchange has many safety features to help you reduce the risk of this happening. One example is a stop loss order. A stop loss order will automatically close out your position in a currency if the price crosses the point you have set. This allows you to limit your losses while still having the opportunity to realize a profit.
Another risk that many people overlook is that if the price nears the point where your losses are close to being equal to the value of your margin account your broker may close out your position. If you were trying to rid out a temporary downturn that you expect to turn around soon you could find that your broker has closed it causing you to lose your entire balance and have no option to make a profit if the price moves up again.

This is a basic introduction to margin accounts and how they work, visit the website listed below to learn more about the FOREX market.
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Credit Card Minimum Payments to Increase Soon

June 11th, 2009 Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off


The Office of the Controller has strongly recommended that credit card companies make their customers pay higher minimum payments, up to double the current amount to try to help us get out of debt. So instead of approximately 2% of your balance, you could pay up to 4%. This will affect at least 7% who currently only pay the minimum and those who can only afford to pay a small portion over the minimum.

These days the average consumer has 4-6 credit cards, not including gas cards, and $8-20 thousand dollars in credit card debt and rising. Paying only the current minimum and never charging again will keep you in debt for 30-60 years, depending on interest, late fees and over limit costs.

The guidelines to raise the credit card minimum were made in 2003, but the banks and credit card companies wanted some time to ease into it. Some say, they waited until the new bankruptcy laws were into effect, so they would have less to lose.

There’s no set date when your credit card company will start increasing your minimum payments, just know they will and probably soon. Some already have. I’ve read dates from July to October of this year and many thought it was going to happen last year, so be warned.

What can you do, if you will not be able to afford this increase?

You can contact your credit card companies and see if any will work out a lower payment for you on a temporary basis. Keep in mind that frequently, when you have payment arrangements like this, they will not let you use your credit card, so keep at least one available for emergencies.

You can hire a debt consolidation company to get a personal loan for you and pay off all your credit cards. Personal loans usually don’t have very low interest rates, like a home equity loan or refinancing your home. If you don’t think it will take you too long to pay off or you don’t own a home, this may be the way to go. You can also hire these people to make payment arrangements for you or charge off some of your debt. Be careful here, any debt they get “charged off” for you will show that way on your credit report, lowering your credit score dramatically, and you will have to pay taxes on the charged off amount as income.

One solution, is to either get a home equity line of credit or refinance your home. The interest rates are lower than a personal loan or credit card and spread out farther, so you will pay a much lower monthly payment. You always have the option of paying more than the minimum when you can afford to.

If your debts aren’t too terrible, but you may need more in the future for home repairs, my suggestion would be to go with the home equity line of credit. Get approved for a little more than your debts and expected home repairs, so you won’t have to worry about getting another one for a while. Try to pay more than the minimum whenever you can without risking your cash flow.

If you have a lot of credit card debt, home repairs that need to be made, an unstable job or other situation that could make matters much worse at any time, you should probably consider refinancing. If it’s been at least a year or more since you purchased or previously refinanced your home you probably have enough equity, depending on where you live of course. Also, if you’ve been making your payments on time for the past year or more, you’ll have a good payment history and should have a good enough credit score to get a decent rate.

If you have late payments, you still may want to consider refinancing at a higher rate, as a temporary solution. Your interest rate will probably be much less than your credit card interest, so you’ll pay a lower monthly payment and not risk ruining your credit or worse, losing your house. If you pay all your bills on time for the following 11/2 to 2 years, you can refinance again to get a better rate.

If you think that the rise in credit card minimum payments will affect you adversely, try to make a decision on what you are going to do about it soon. The longer you put it off, the harder it will be to deal with in the future.
Sandra Wellman is a mortgage specialist who can help you refinance your home or get an equity line of credit to help you pay off those credit cards. You can contact her at 510-713-7800 ext 135.

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