Financial questions

You've probably never heard of Frank X. McNamara, but he revolutionized the way you shop on a daily basis. One evening in 1949, McNamara-head of the Hamilton Credit Corporation in New York City-was dining out with two business associates. Their topic of discussion: one of McNamara's clients, who was defaulting on a loan because he had shared his gasoline and department-store credit cards with some friends in need. Unfortunately, the friends didn't have the money to pay back what they had borrowed, so the good samaritan was now facing his own financial demise....

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If you want a cash advance or a payday/paycheck loan, you usually get a personal check. Some companies use your bank account or credit card in addition to or instead of a check. This means that you have to write a check that is to be cashed or you have to agree to have an amount withdrawn from your bank account at a certain date in future (usually 14 days). After filling-in the agreement or contract you get a sum of money that is less than what you have agreed to pay. The sum is smaller because the difference is the "fee" for the loan service....

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If gold medals were awarded for marketing consistency, the credit card industry would be the Sarah Hughes of the business world. Major players Visa and MasterCard, who have maintained their steady rates of spending and commitment to their positioning platforms for years, will stick to their established routines this year. Freshening their programs will be updated creative and the occasional push behind new products and promotions. Discover and American Express will mix it up by introducing new taglines, but they will keep to their traditional big ad spends to bring their messages to consumers....

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Getting an annual credit report review has been the advice of many financial managers as they guided their customers to be aware of all information on credit reports. Would the idea of a free annual credit report be good news? Consumers are thrilled with the new federal mandate that demands the three major national credit bureaus offer a free annual credit report to anyone requesting copies of their personal credit reports. An annual credit report is available from each of these bureaus. In the past, an annual credit report would cost a consumer about $9 each....

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Chances are you have received your share of "pre-approved" credit card offers in the mail, some with low introductory rates and other perks. Many of these solicitations urge you to accept "before the offer expires." Before you accept, shop around to get the best deal. Credit Card Terms: A credit card is a form of borrowing that often involves charges. Credit terms and conditions affect your overall cost. So it's wise to compare terms and fees before you agree to open a credit or charge card account....

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First, don't look for the best credit cards in your email box; and don't pick out your small business credit cards from your daily junk mail. While these are often good bargains and perfectly honest companies, junk mail and email are also the way fraudulent credit card companies find their victims, or less-than-great credit card companies find customers. The best credit cards are the ones you seek out yourself. Whether you're looking for small business credit cards or good credit cards for your personal use, be an active rather than a passive buyer....

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What are the APRs charged by the credit cards in your wallet? If you are paying more than 12% interest on any of them, you are probably paying too much. The prime rate is currently in the single digits, so credit card companies that charge above 13% APR are overcharging. If you have good credit, you should be able to find a credit card with an APR below 12%. Shop around and get the rate you deserve. Do not be afraid of asking for a lower rate on your current credit card if you think you deserve it....

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The average American knows very little about bankruptcy. Most people probably are aware of bankruptcy's ability to dissolve debt and give the debtor a fresh start. Some of the information you might have heard is correct, but some is not. The purpose of this article is to dispel some of the most common bankruptcy myths. 1. Even if I file for bankruptcy creditors will still harass me and my family. This is absolutely false. Bankruptcy law provides for an automatic stay. Simply, as soon as you file for bankruptcy a hold is put on all your outstanding debts and any creditor attempts to collect those debts....

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A good credit reward card can contribute to your retirement account, offer gas rebates, score theme-park or vacation tickets or take thousands off theprice of your next auto purchase. Rewards at hotels, airlines, and retailers bring more to the possibilities but, adds to the confusion. Here are some tips to find the best reward programs for you to increase your buying power. Who should apply for reward cards? It used to be that if you pay off your balance each month, reward cardsare definitely worth considering....

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Credit cards have migrated from being hip or convenience product into a must have entity for everybody. Shopping Online you need a credit card. Wanna book a weekend rental you need a valid card to pick one. In order to register as a valid seller in many online sites you need a card. Like this the credit cards have evolved from being just convenience items into something you got to have or you will be denied many services. There is a lot of money being made by the credit card industry. Everything you buy has a credit card fee attached to it....

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Someone impersonating you could be spending your hard-earned money. Impossible! Not really, check, loan, and identity fraud are a real problem. In 2002, the federal trade commission estimated that identity fraud affected and estimated 3.3 million Americans; costing consumers $3.8 billion and business $32.9 billion. Here are 10 ways to protect yourself from having your financial identity used for someone else's shopping spree: 1. Order your credit report once a year from each of the three credit bureaus to make sure that you are familiar with all of the reported transactions and that there isn't any unusual activity....

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Lenders are quite fussy about what they like to see on your credit report. So much so that you will have a hard time to meet their high expectations. But what exactly are they looking for? In this article we take a look at one aspect of your credit history that lenders have a keen eye out for. Most revolving loans, loan accounts and credit cards will show a monthly payment pattern describing your history for up to 6 years, although often only the last 3 years are visible on your credit history. Usually a revolving credit account or credit card account will be shown as a row of numbers, each one representing a single payment month....

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This article is about bailiffs who may call trying to collect Council Tax or Community Charge (Poll Tax) arrears. If a bailiff has contacted you to collect another sort of debt the law might be different. Council Tax and Poll Tax are usually collected by private firms of bailiffs on behalf of your local council. They try to take your goods away and sell them, usually at auction, to raise money to pay the debt. The process they have to follow to say they want your goods is called 'distraining' or 'levying'....

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