Debt Consolidation: An Assessment of Your Debt Picture
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Debt Consolidation: An Assessment of Your Debt Picture
Debt consolidation needs no definition. The name says it all. Debt consolidation simply means bundling together all debts, then taking out one loan to pay them off. This new loan should offer a lower interest rate and the convenience of a single payment.
Debt consolidation sounds good when you can’t pay your monthly bills, debt collectors are assaulting your phone, and you worry about losing your car or your home.
But don’t be lulled into thinking of debt consolidation as a quick fix for financial woes. It is not. Despite the flood of promises that come daily by mail, TV, radio, the Internet, and newspaper ads, getting out of debt is not easy. Think of it this way: it is more like going on a diet. You didn’t gain the weight overnight, so you won’t lose it-and keep it off-overnight, either. The same is true of debt.
Any offer to get you out of debt should be approached with caution-and careful attention to the fine print-no matter how good it sounds. And beware, too, that debt consolidation only treats symptoms-those accumulating monthly payments that cause such trouble– but does nothing about the cause of debt, which, basically, is spending more than you can afford to pay.
People get into debt for any number of reasons, maybe a lost job, mortgage payments that balloon, unexpected medical bills, or simply buying things they don’t need because credit is so easy, especially with a pocketful of credit cards. But the overall problem is the same: You owe more than you can pay.
Debt consolidation is one solution, but there are others, starting with credit counseling and ending with bankruptcy as a last resort.
The first step needs to be a sharp, and critical, look at your finances. You need to know how much money you have to spend, where and how you spend it.
The second step is a look at what you owe, also known as your liabilities. This means the entire picture, not just the obvious housing, transportation and food expenses, but clothing, medical and dental, education, gifts, utilities, taxes, entertainment, vacations, any and all other expenses, (including the daily lattes) as well.
Some is good debt (mortgages, college, some car loans) often looked at as investments for the future, some bad (over-loaded credit cards), and some the kind that can’t be avoided (taxes, utilities), but it adds up. Debt figures and statistics are usually out of date, sometimes inaccurate, and often misleading. But the important figure is not what other people owe or even what the “average” American owes. It is what you owe, and, even more important, what you can do to cut it back.
Consulting a financial advisor or credit counselor can help. This step also comes with cautions, so choose wisely, don’t listen to or believe the ads, and be wary of anyone who asks for money up front. Be sure to check first with the Better Business Bureau, your state attorney’s general office for consumer affairs, or some other reliable source to be sure you are not going to add to your debt problems.
And always bear in mind the time-honored words of wisdom: “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.”
Categories: Bankruptcy laws Tags: bankruptcy, consumer, mortgage
What can I do if I am having problems with my cable company?
Cable Company Problems Communications Law Intellectual Property
What can I do if I am having problems with my cable company?
Be confident that you are not alone – many people have problems with their cable company. First write and complain to the Cable company. Send a copy of the complaint letter to the head office of the cable company. Also send a copy to your mayor and the local agency that has some regulatory power over cable companies. You may also contact the FCC. And consider canceling cable or switching to satellite TV.
Although at one time the Federal Communications Commission strictly regulated cable companies, Congress and the FCC have mostly de-regulated the business of cable television. The rationale is that the best way to improve cable service long term is to improve the opportunities for competition between service providers rather than imposing regulations. Most observers have concluded that so far this de-regulation has not resulted in better service nor lower prices. But there are signs that competition may be having its effects – the cable companies are now at least responding to competition from satellite TV by attempting to convince customers not to switch.
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Categories: Intellectual Property Laws Tags: C
What is child visitation and a ‘parenting plan’?
Parenting Plan Child Custody
What is child visitation and a ‘parenting plan’?
Custody and visitation are considered at the same time since the factors and circumstances taken into consideration by the court in making these determinations are essentially the same.
The term “child visitation” refers to the time when the non-custodial parent has the right to be with the child. The custodial parent’s right to be with the child is often subject to the non-custodial parent’s right to visit with the child.
The term “parenting plan” refers to the agreement between the parents or the court order which defines provisions for custody and visitation. It determines whether one or both parents has the ability to make decisions regarding the health, education and welfare of the child. The parenting plan also defines when the child is to be with the non-custodial parent.
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Categories: Family Law FAQ Tags:
Ut Parental Consent – What is the age with parental consent in utah?
What is the age with parental consent in utah?
Male: 14 – parental consent not required if minor was previously married.
Female: 14 – parental consent not required if minor was previously married.
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Can a couple become legally married by living together as man and wife under colorado’s laws?
Can a couple become legally married by living together as man and wife under colorado’s laws?
Yes. Marriages by proxy are also valid.
[Note: a couple legally married at common law in another state is regarded as married in all states.]
COLORADO
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Categories: Family Law FAQ Tags: legal
Can negligence depend on who was doing what?
Negligences Injury Law
Can negligence depend on who was doing what?
Yes. Distinctions often are made based upon a person’s knowledge, experience and background, i.e. – certified public accountants have a greater standard of care to act with respect to financial data, attorneys have a greater degree of care when acting on behalf of a client, and physicians have a greater degree of care when treating patients than a person who tries to give first aid.
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Categories: Personal Injury Laws Tags: injury
What is the statute of limitations in a case alleging suicidal tendencies or severe withdrawal symptoms caused by Paxil?
Paxil Statute Of Limitations Drug Toxic Chemicals
Free Case Evaluation From An Experienced Drug Liability Attorney.
What is the statute of limitations in a case alleging suicidal tendencies or severe withdrawal symptoms caused by Paxil?
Lawsuits involving Paxil may be brought by surviving relatives as wrongful death suits or may be brought by the person affected as a personal injury lawsuit, depending on the outcome of the suicide attempt. The statute of limitations in personal injury and wrongful death cases often vary from place to place. However, a general rule of thumb is that you have around 2 years from the date that the injury is suffered or the person dies.
Many things can affect this basic statement, however. Different states may have a different length of time based on the type of injury involved or may look at different triggering events as the point for starting the clock on the statute of limitations. There is no easy way to know whether your case will run into problems with the statute of limitations in your state. Therefore, even if you are concerned that the statute of limitations has run, you should consult with an experienced attorney as quickly as possible to see if you do, indeed, have time to file an action or get some other type of relief through a class action settlement. Your attorney will be able to tell you if the statute of limitations has run and, if it has, if there is any recourse available to you.
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Categories: Personal Injury Laws Tags: C, injury, Lua
How To Keep Your Debt Under Control
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How To Keep Your Debt Under Control
The surest way to keep your debt under control is not to spend more than you can afford. But to do that, you need to know how much you have to spend and where your money goes.
In other words, you need a budget, or if you prefer, a spending plan.
Most people don’t like budgets. Budgets are constricting. They take spontaneity out of spending and make you pay attention to where your money goes. But without a budget, or a plan, you don’t know how much you have to spend or where you are spending it, so get started.
Even if you seek help, you have to do the basics:
List your expenses. All of them. Do it daily, as you spend. Be sure to include the daily double lattes, the cleaning, the stamps used to pay bills, the newspaper, the gasoline, the bus fare. Everything. Add up the daily expenses so you know what you spend each week. Add in your mortgage, utility, phone, credit card and loan payments so you know what you spend each month. Precisely, not just an estimate.
Analyze what you spent by category: good debt (mortgage and student loans), bad debt (much of your credit card spending falls in that category), and things you can’t avoid (taxes, utilities, food and other cost of living expenses).
Figure out what you owe and what it costs you. This means listing everything from mortgage and car loan to each credit card by balance and interest rate.
That exercise, done honestly-and if you don’t, you re only fooling yourself-should show you where you can begin cutting back on what you spend, freeing up some money to start paying down the debt. Little things add up. The $4 lattes cost $80 or more a month, the daily $5 (if you’re lucky) sandwich another $100.
It should also be a guide for your budget, or, if you prefer, spending plan. If you need help, now is a good time, whether from a financial advisor or consultant (and be sure to check out the credentials and fees ahead of time) or one of the many books available from your local library.
Categories: Bankruptcy laws Tags: bankruptcy, dwi, mortgage
Does digital TV mean I won’t need cable anymore?
Digital Television Communications Law Intellectual Property
Does digital TV mean I won’t need cable anymore?
Perhaps. Digital television will increase the quality and quantity of over-the-air broadcasting. To compete with this, many cable companies are trying to improve their services and products. Some are forming alliances with computer companies to manufacture “set-top boxes” that promise to allow customers to access many new channels, the Internet, and perhaps even telephone service by cable. Exactly what these set-top boxes will offer and how much they will cost is anyone’s guess.
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Categories: Intellectual Property Laws Tags: C
What if I do not like the present custody order? Can I file for custody in another state?
Custody In Other State Child Custody
What if I do not like the present custody order? Can I file for custody in another state?
Bouncing cases across state lines in search of a “favorable” judge who “sees it your way” was very common for years, made a mess of custody actions, until the enactment of the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction Act (UCCJA for short). Adopted by all states, it avoids the competition and conflict for jurisdiction between courts of different states. Courts cannot take custody cases unless the child has lived in the state for a certain period of time immediately preceding the filing of the lawsuit. Furthermore, a court cannot reiterate the custody awards of another state, unless there is a genuine emergency and even then, the modifications would be limited to the emergency, not to wholesale changes in the original custody arrangement. The bottom line, most likely, is going back to the state where the last custody order was issued.
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