The interest rates on student loans issued by the federal government is set to double at the start of July if lawmakers cannot come to an agreement to extend the current rates. However, with just weeks until the deadline, federal officials say a number of obstacles still remain that would prevent the plan from going… Read More

In recent weeks, we’ve seen some pretty devastating weather disasters around the U.S. In fact, we’ve seen devastating ecological events globally during the past decade — tornadoes, tsunamis, hurricanes, floods, earthquakes; the list goes on and on. For some of these potential disasters, we have insurance available to help us rebuild. When we do have… Read More

Step 1: Determine a Destination If you’re like me, you probably already have a bucket list of travel destinations. That’s great. But before I decide on a destination for a particular trip, I research the cost and weather using these tools: Numbeo.com: The world’s largest user-contributed database on cost-of-living worldwide. SoloTravel.org: A site which offers… Read More

Getting a mortgage is challenging enough — with strict underwriting requiring detailed explanations, sourcing of monies and debt ratios — but adding a divorce to the picture makes it even more technical for the divorced borrower. The good news is despite most divorce situations, many can still successfully get a mortgage. What to Plan For… Read More

We all want to save more money. After all, none of us like the feeling of looking at our bank account (or under our mattress) and realizing that we have no money left and our next paycheck is still a week away. By saving a few dollars here and there, we can get some breathing… Read More

Last month, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of the Inspector General lobbed a grenade at the federal student aid program. In a harshly critical memorandum to the Federal Student Aid’s Chief Operating Officer, the assistant inspector general condemned the agency’s repeated failure to validate the accuracy of certain subcontractor invoices before authorizing payment. These… Read More

Michelle wants to buy a home but can’t get a loan. The problem? An emergency room bill from six years ago that is listed on her credit reports as severely past due. John is fighting a $406 bill he received after being seen in the ER for what the doctor diagnosed as a case of… Read More

By Ked Harley Applying for a small business loan has always been a hassle, but with the world economy still floundering and credit still tight, the process in recent years has become a full-on nightmare. The good news is that, while lending is still slow, it’s picking up; and with both the government and big… Read More

Millions of Americans are now carrying some amount of medical debt as a result of healthcare they received at some point in their lives, and these balances can often linger for some time, or lapse into delinquency and default. Potentially more problematic for consumers, though, is that the cost of this type of care seems to be… Read More

The number of homes for sale nationwide has been rising steadily so far this year but is still somewhat restricted from the numbers seen at this time in 2012, leading to speculation about the eagerness of buyers to deal with the frustration this lack of inventory can typically engender. Overall, the amount of homes on… Read More