Wednesday’s need-to-know money news

Zemanta Related Posts ThumbnailToday’s top story: What your credit score doesn’t say about your finances. Also in the news: Putting yourself on a money diet, financial lessons to master before 40, and what to do if you actually win tonight’s Powerball jackpot.

4 Things Your Credit Score Doesn’t Say About You
What isn’t revealed.

How to Put Yourself on a Money Diet
Getting in financial shape.

8 personal finance lessons you must master by age 40
Putting yourself in a better position for retirement.

What to Do with the Money If You Actually Win Tonight’s Powerball Jackpot
After you stop screaming.

Wednesday’s need-to-know money news

o-CREDIT-REPORT-facebookToday’s top story: The secrets of boosting your credit score. Also in the news: A 3-step retirement plan for 20-somethings, where the U.S. ranks on basic money smarts, and money steps to take before your 70th birthday.

A 3-step retirement savings plan for 20-somethings
How to get started on the path to retirement.

The Secrets Of Boosting Your Credit Score
A nudge in the right direction.

How the U.S. Stacks Up on Basic Money Smarts
Room for improvement.

10 Money Steps to Take Before Your 70th Birthday
Managing your accumulated assets.

Can I Be Fired for Bad Credit?
The answer may surprise you.

Wednesday’s need-to-know money news

images (1)Today’s top story: Money milestones to hit while you’re in your 40s. Also in the news: Post-divorce tax deductions, tricks to boost your credit score, and signs you aren’t ready to combine finances with your partner.

Five money milestones to hit while you’re in your 40s
Prepping the road to retirement.

The Tax Deductions You May Qualify for After a Divorce
Maximizing your deductions.

Boost Your Credit Score With This Great Little Trick
Tips to nudge your credit score in the right direction.

5 Signs You Aren’t Ready to Combine Finances with Your Partner
Don’t ignore the warning signs.

Should You Put Your Kids In Debt To Teach Them A Lesson?
Debt as a teaching tool.

Q&A: Cosigning a loan

Dear Liz: Our son graduated from college last year and was recently hired as a permanent employee for a company he was contracted with for the past year. He wants to buy a new car but has limited credit history.

He has a credit card he has had since starting college. He uses it lightly and pays the balance off every month. If we are asked to cosign a loan, will paying for the car positively impact his credit scores?

Answer: Yes, an auto loan if paid on time should help his credit scores, but you shouldn’t cosign for it.

Many people who cosign loans somehow miss the important point that they are putting their good credit into someone else’s hands — and that one missed payment can trash that good credit, knocking 100 points or more from their scores.

Your son may be the most responsible 20-something on the planet, but he could still make a mistake. The only time that it makes sense to cosign a loan is when you are going to make all the payments on the debt.

He shouldn’t assume that his credit history is insufficient to get a loan. He can get his FICO scores, including the auto scores most often used by lenders, for about $20 apiece at MyFico.com. He should then take those scores to his local credit union to see what interest rate he would be offered on a car loan.

If it turns out his credit isn’t quite up to snuff, the credit union may have some kind of “credit builder” personal loan that can help improve it. (Credit unions are owned by their members and tend to have better rates and terms than many other lenders.)

Since he hasn’t had an auto loan before, discuss with him how easy it is to overspend on a car when you aren’t paying cash.

The costs of insuring, maintaining and repairing a car, plus the depreciation, can be as much as the monthly payment. In other words, the vehicle is likely to cost him twice what he thinks it will.

Once he sees how much of his paycheck is eaten up by car costs, he might be willing to consider buying a used car instead of a new one or saving up to pay cash.

If he does go ahead, make sure he understands the dangers of being “upside down” on a loan. Owing more than a car is worth leaves you vulnerable if the car is stolen or totaled, since you won’t get enough from the insurer to pay off the loan.

You can buy extra coverage for the gap, but a better approach is to make a large down payment and limit the loan term to three or four years.

Thursday’s need-to-know money news

401k-planToday’s top story: How Generation X can get back on track for retirement. Also in the news: What financially successful people do differently, how to save on your next water heater, and why your daily routine could be costing you big bucks.

How Generation X Can Get Back on Track for Retirement
Before it’s too late.

12 Things Financially Successful People Do Differently
Never too late to start.

How to Save When You Buy Your Next Water Heater
Better for the environment and your wallet.

5 Habits That Are Costing You Big Money
What does your daily routine cost you?

8 Times When It’s OK to Ding Your Credit Score
But only 8!

Friday’s need-to-know money news

Hand with money and toy car isolated on white background

Hand with money and toy car isolated on white background

Today’s top story: Tricks to help you build good credit. Also in the news: How rising interest rates will affect your investments, understanding the credit bureau differences, and what you should know before buying a new car.

3 Simple Tricks That Can Help You Build Good Credit
Improving your score a little bit at a time.

4 Ways Rising Interest Rates Will Affect Your Investments
Your savings accounts will benefit.

Why Your Credit Scores at the Three Bureaus Are All Different
Understanding the differences.

How Do Dealers Set Car Prices?
What you should know before heading into the dealership.

Friday’s need-to-know money news

Pile of Credit CardsToday’s top story: How to fix common credit card problems. Also in the news: Why Millennials are delaying retirement savings, how to get a great deal on a car lease, and how medical debt can affect your credit score.

5 Common Credit Card Problems & How To Fix Them
Solutions to common problems.

Millennials Crushed By Debt Delay Saving For Retirement
A very costly delay.

5 Ways to Get a Great Deal on a Car Lease
Do your research.

How Medical Debt Can Affect Your Credit Score
Pay close attention to inaccuracies.

Tuesday’s need-to-know money news

401K Nest EggToday’s top story: The cost of spending your retirement money before you retire. Also in the news: How to build a high credit score from scratch, how to get over spending mistakes, and the boring secret to getting rich.

Should You Ever Spend Your Retirement Money Before You Retire?
It’ll cost you.

3 Steps To Build A High Credit Score From Scratch
A great opportunity for millennials.

Get Over Spending Mistakes With a “Money Regrets” Budget
Quit beating yourself up!

The Boring Secret to Getting Rich
Try not to fall asleep.

Thursday’s need-to-know money news

debt collectorsToday’s top story: How a single missed student loan payment can damage your credit. Also in the news: Finding a financial advisor who won’t rip you off, how tax liens can affect a spouse’s credit, and seven fall budget moves you need to make before the holidays begin.

Most Students Don’t Get How Bad It Is to Miss Loan Payments
A single missed payment could take a severe bite out of your credit score.

How to Hire a Financial Advisor Who Won’t Rip You Off
Due diligence is key.

Life Insurance Agents and Commissions: What You Should Know
Beware the sales pitch.

How Tax Liens Affect a Spouse’s Credit
Community property states mean trouble for both credit scores.

7 Fall Budget Moves You Need to Make Now
Get busy before the holidays.

Monday’s need-to-know money news

o-CREDIT-REPORT-facebookToday’s top story: Mistakes that can demolish your credit score. Also in the news: Does giving your kid an allowance make them better with money, how to maintain financial security during retirement, and how much you’ll save with a CD Ladder vs a single CD.

7 Mistakes That Can Demolish Your Credit Score
How to avoid the wrecking ball.

Will Giving Your Kid an Allowance Make Them Better With Money?
Starting them off early.

5 Steps to Maintain Financial Security in Retirement
Putting your fears to rest.

Calculate How Much More You’ll Save With a CD Ladder vs. a Single CD
Use this calculator to find out!