Debt

After divorce you qualify on your own credit and income. Learn how joint debts, alimony and child support, and cosigners affect approval, with a worked debt-to-income example.

With bad credit, credit unions, secured loans and cosigners are your safest routes. A $500 example compares a payday alternative loan with a payday loan and a high-APR installment loan.

Real lenders take fees out of the loan; scammers collect before you get anything. Learn the red flags, how to check a lender’s state license, and the steps to take if you already paid.

Before borrowing for a medical bill, check it for errors, apply for financial assistance and ask for an interest-free plan. An $8,000 example shows what a personal loan, a deferred-interest medical card and a credit card really cost.

A fee loan at a lower rate can beat a no-fee loan, but only if you keep it long enough. Worked examples show how to gross up the loan amount and compare APR and total cost across terms.

You can negotiate a settlement yourself and skip company fees. A $9,000 example compares repaying in full, settling yourself and using a settlement company, including the tax on forgiven debt.

Get the validation notice, verify or dispute the debt within 30 days, and know the limits on calls, contact and old debts. Includes a worked validation-period example and a table of your rights.

A short-term personal loan can cut the cost of card debt, even with a fee, but a long term can erase the savings. A $15,000 example shows when consolidation pays.

Paying a fixed amount instead of the shrinking minimum is the biggest lever. A $6,000 example shows minimums vs. fixed payments, how a balance transfer pays off, and when to call your issuer or a credit counselor.

Stay current on every account, then send extra money to the highest-rate debt. A five-debt household example shows how avalanche, snowball and minimums-only compare, and when other factors change the order.