Should you save money or pay off debt? For total financial health, you want to carry little debt and have savings for emergencies and retirement. But few of us get off to a perfect start. If you’re looking at a pile of debt and no savings, which problem should you tackle first? The answer depends on several factors.

The only way to improve your credit score when paying a collection (for most credit scoring models) is to convince the agency to delete your account in exchange for payment. Credit experts call this “pay for delete.” You can use this sample letter to create your own note to collection agencies.

The class of 2018 graduated with an average college debt of $29,200 each, according to The Institute for College Access and Success. And things are getting worse. Because the previous year’s figure had been $28,650. So is it possible to leave debt-free? Certainly. And even if you can’t quite manage that happy state, you should be able to keep your loans well below average. So read on to discover how you can dramatically reduce your educational costs.

If your financial problems are serious, you might consider debt settlement or bankruptcy. Learn how to decide which solution is right for you.

A hurricane can be disruptive to your finances in several ways. Learn some of the most helpful steps to take in recovering financially from a hurricane or another natural disaster.

How can a checking account manage your finances? Find out the benefits of a checking account, and how to get those benefits without paying for them.

If you haven’t shopped for a bank lately, you could really be missing out. Rapid rate changes, the rise of online banking and new technologies are all changing what it means to have a good bank.

Having a baby is a beautifully emotional event, and it is also something of a wild card. You can count on it changing your life in many ways, but you can’t always predict how. One thing you can do is try to control the extent to which having a baby shakes up your budget. This… Continue reading Budgeting for a Baby: Financial Planning Tips

Starting your first job? See why starting your first budget as soon as you start your first job can help you get more out of your hard-earned money.

Should all your accounts be at one bank, or should you be splitting them up? There are advantages to each approach, and the right answer for you may depend on the total size of your deposits.