Dear Liz: I read that the credit bureaus have started deleting black marks from people’s credit reports. This is good news for me. I have never been late on a house payment in 30-plus years, but my credit is in the low 600s due to a loan I co-signed for an ex-girlfriend who has been […]
Recent Blog Posts
Thursday’s need-to-know money news
Today’s top story: 6 ways to optimize your credit card’s bonus mall. Also in the news: 5 tips for starting a business while working full time, 6 ways to get free money from the government, and the 10 most stolen cars and the cost of theft insurance. 6 Ways to Optimize Your Credit Card’s Bonus […]
Wednesday’s need-to-know money news
Today’s top story: Don’t get taken by government grant scams. Also in the news: When you should and shouldn’t tap your Roth IRA, using your credit cards to pay for child care, and a report that finds many American teens lack basic financial skills. Don’t Get Taken by Government Grant Scams The government doesn’t want […]
Make your teen a millionaire this summer
Gary Sidder set up Roth IRAs for his sons when they turned 13. Each year, the Littleton, Colorado, certified financial planner and his wife, Francie Steinzeig, a school psychologist, contributed an amount equal to whatever the two boys earned cutting lawns, shoveling snow and doing odd jobs. As the sons’ earnings increased, so did the […]
Monday’s need-to-know money news
Today’s top story: 5 debt questions you’re afraid to ask. Also in the news: The best accounts for short-term savings, the 10 most-stolen cars and the cost of theft insurance, and what happens when your bank loses a cash deposit. 5 Debt Questions You’re Afraid to Ask We have the answers. Best Accounts for Short-Term […]
Q&A: How cosigning a mortgage loan can bring big risks
Dear Liz: I’ve been self-employed for just over a year. Because of disbursements from a recent divorce, I have enough money to make a 40% down payment on a modest house. My income will easily cover the resulting mortgage payments, health insurance and other expenses, but I’ve been turned down for a loan several times […]