Finance Globe

An emergency fund is the best way to pay for unexpected expenses. But, even if you do have an emergency fund, you may not have enough time to get the money out of your savings account. That’s one of the times that having an emergency credit card can come in handy. You might also have to turn to credit for an emergency expense if you don't have an emergency fund at all. Here are some tips...

Cosigning is generally discouraged because of all the things that could go wrong. For example, the other person might not keep up with the payments. If that happens, the late payments are added to your credit report and the creditor will eventually come after you for payment. If the other cosigner files bankruptcy, you’re left on the hook for the entire debt. Even if things go as planned, cosigned debts can still affect your credit score...

Even though the banks that issue credit cards and loans consider your income when they qualify your application, how much you make isn’t a factor that influences your credit score. In fact, your income isn’t even listed on your credit report (your current employer is listed, but that doesn’t affect your credit score either). Credit scoring calculations don’t use your income to determine your creditworthiness, but your salary and wages can still have an impact on...

Most credit cards let you add another user to the account, an authorized user who receives a separate credit card with their own name on it. This person is able to use their credit card just like you can and, in many cases, the full account history is listed on the other person’s credit report. You might add a spouse, significant other, or child or sibling as an authorized user to your credit card. Perhaps you...

If you haven’t filed your 2011 taxes yet, today’s the day. Your completed return and any taxes due must be postmarked or e-filed by midnight tonight to be considered on time by the Internal Revenue Service. This year’s April 17th due date comes later than normal due to a holiday that was observed in Washington on Monday, but those couple of extras days weren’t enough for many of us to complete our returns. If you need...

Bankruptcy comes with many rules. It’s important that you follow them all, otherwise your bankruptcy case could be dismissed. If that happens, you’ll have to wait several months before you can file bankruptcy again. Or, you may have to figure out another way to deal with your debt. Here are a few mistakes that could lead to bankruptcy dismissal. Hiding assets so you won’t have to give them up to creditors. In a Chapter 7 bankruptcy,...

When you use your credit card, you’re agreeing to abide by the credit card issuer’s rules. And if you break the rules, you’ll have to pay a penalty. The good news is that the rules are simple and pretty easy to follow. Stick to them and you’ll avoid expensive credit card fees and penalty rate hikes. Pay your bill on time. Late credit card payments carry the heftiest penalties of all. One missed payment and you’ll...

Many of us have probably been guilty of thinking that a just a few extra hundred dollars in our paychecks would forever end financial problems. But that’s not always the case. Each time a famous/rich files bankruptcy, the rest of us wonder how they could possibly blow so much money. “If I had that much money…” we think. But with more money comes the tendency to spend more and perhaps the same problems as celebrities who...

April is Financial Literacy Month and to celebrate, the National Foundation for Credit Counseling and the Network Branded Prepaid Card Association have completed a financial literacy survey. One of the most surprising results is the number of adults who aren’t paying their bills on time each month – up to 77 million U.S. adults based on survey results. It’s crucial to pay both your credit and non-credit bills on time each month for a few important...

Many people get excited around tax time. Who doesn’t want a few extra hundred or thousand dollars in their pocket? The more, the merrier. Do you really understand how tax refunds work? You may have read - or have been told – that getting a tax refund isn’t necessarily a good thing. Having Uncle Sam send you a big windfall just means your employer over-withheld Federal taxes from your paycheck last year. Sure, you could have...