More than half of young adults who enter college take on debt to do so. The bulk of this debt is student loans, according to the Federal Reserve, which states that "Student loans are by far the most common form [of debt], held by 94 percent of those with their...
5 steps to rebuild credit after debt settlement
A settled debt is better than an unpaid, past-due one on your credit report, but settling a debt can often hurt your credit score. That’s because settling a debt means you didn’t pay it as agreed. Here's how to rebuild credit after debt settlement. How badly your credit has been...
U.S. states with the highest bankruptcy rates
If someone lives in a state with a high divorce rate, an unstable job market, low wages or a slew of natural disasters, that can all cause personal bankruptcy rates to be higher, according to Michael Bovee who has worked in debt resolution for 20 years and is the co-founder...
What is bankruptcy counseling and do I need it?
Even if you have a pretty good handle on what bankruptcy is all about, and you’re confident it’s the best path for you to take, you’ll still need to take two bankruptcy counseling courses. Every state requires you to take these courses to successfully go through personal bankruptcy. In fact,...
6 steps to rebuild your credit after bankruptcy
The way people feel after going through bankruptcy can vary widely. Many feel relieved, some frustrated, others battle-worn. It partly depends on the road they took to get there. One thing on their minds is the hit their credit score took in the bankruptcy process. Here are six ways to...
Have a student loan with Navient? Here’s what you need to know
Navient is a very large player in the student loan marketplace. It spun off from Sallie Mae in 2014, is a loan issuer, servicer and collector, has more than 12 million customers, and services more than $300 billion of government and private student loans. Here's what you need to know if...
Have a student loan with National Collegiate Student Loan Trust (NCT)? Here’s what you need to know
National Collegiate Student Loan Trust (NCT) is one of the nation’s largest holders of private student loan debt, but it’s not a company. As the name implies, National Collegiate is a set of trusts used to purchase existing student loans held by originating lenders. Owned by Turnstile Capital Management, the...
Have a student loan with American Education Services (AES)? Here’s what you need to know
American Education Services (AES) is a servicer of student loans, which means AES doesn’t issue loans, but manages them for lenders. AES was established by the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEA), which is the nation’s second largest student loan servicer. AES services both private student loans and loans under...
Here’s what you need to know about repayment options for private student loans
Millions of Americans are weighed down with student loan debt. This debt is contributing to record low home ownership rates and decreasing birth rates among millennials. If you’re one of these borrowers, there are ways to manage your debt and to get help if you’re falling behind on payments. However,...
How to avoid credit repair scams
Your credit score dictates a lot about your financial situation, so it’s understandable that you want to protect your score and keep it as high as possible. If past financial mistakes are dragging down your credit score, there are legitimate ways to try to correct them. Here's how to avoid credit...