Author: Chris

Hollywood is full of surprises, sometimes films that seem like a total dud turn out to be a summer blockbuster and sometimes the public doesn’t agree with the Academy’s choice for an Oscar award. These surprises aside, there should not really be much about Tinseltown that causes too much shock and awe, because celebrities are always reinventing themselves, changing spouses, and making bold...

Everyone wants to be a star or at least live like one, right? Based on appearances alone, most stars seem to enjoy a pretty nice lifestyle without a financial care in the world. But the truth is many celebrities have faced money problems as severe as or more severe than the average consumer. And, it seems like the stars who are most hard hit with going from extreme highs to extreme lows are...

A mortgage payment is made up of several components. The total payment made each month can be broken down into principal, interest, and escrow. The principal figure is the amount of the loan, or the purchase price. The interest is the amount added to the principal and is determined by the interest rate attached to the loan. And, the escrow portion of a house payment represents the portion of...

When homeowners are not able to make their house payments without difficulty, it is time to start looking for options to get rid of debt or reduce current expenses. There are several ways to do this, and one of the most well-known options is to file for bankruptcy. Bankruptcy is a great tool for getting out of hand finances under control, but it is not the only option. Another idea to think...

Mortgage modification programs are great ways to reduce your house payment. The way it works is that you apply with your current mortgage lender for a rewrite of your existing mortgage. The rewritten mortgage will have new terms, and the biggest change is a drop in interest rate. Once the interest rate on your loan goes down, your payment will decrease as well. If you are struggling to make...

Most loans are made possible by having some type of collateral to use as security. For instance, when you buy a new car the lender takes a security interest in the car and holds on to that interest until the loan is paid in full. This interest is what allows an auto lender to repossess a vehicle when payments are not made. The same is true when you purchase a house, and use the house as...

When you have more bills than you can pay, you start to look for any way to get out of debt and keep current on monthly obligations. Some people turn to friends or family, take out a consolidation loan, or try to refinance their home. But you have to be careful when looking for ways to transfer debt, so you don’t end up owing more and so that you actually make progress on getting your debts...

Having too much in credit card debt is the reason most people file bankruptcy, but the need for credit in an emergency still remains. So even if you need to file bankruptcy to get out of debt, you may still need access to credit from time to time in order to cover unexpected expenses like home repairs or medical bills. This paradox is puzzling to those that want to file bankruptcy to help...

Many Americans bought into the “American Dream” of home ownership only to be staring down large house payments years after signing on the dotted line. And for many, the monthly house payment is the single largest expense to pay every 30 days, leaving very little money left over for other necessities and bills. If your house payment is too high, there are things you can do to get some relief....

Foreclosure is your mortgage lender’s way to take back your house if you become delinquent on your mortgage note. Some lenders act more quickly than others, while some take a while to start the foreclosure process. In either case, you need to know that there are things you can to do prevent a foreclosure and save your house. If you are in this situation, let us help by explaining your options...