Consumer Credit Counseling

Very often, consumers who are beginning to flounder financially and need help, have reached out to professional credit counselors for assistance in straightening out their finances and for help in improving their personal credit scores. There are also free consumer credit counseling services that may better suit your circumstances.

Interest rates on financed loans and credit card debt can become onerous and when you add in penalties and late fees, some people find themselves against the wall. Making minimum payments can get you deeper into debt and the only way to get the help you need is to seek out a reputable consumer credit counselor. They find themselves asking for help because they did not fully understand the system. An experienced consumer credit advisor can save you money and reduce your debt.

I am not going to make excuses for anyone getting into debt over his or her head, but I think it is fair to say that it would be practically impossible for anyone to compete in today's arena without the aid of a credit card. And that's where most folks get into trouble. Credit cards make it extremely easy for anyone to be an instant "big spender". Once you have your credit card, or line of credit with a bank, as long as you stay within your credit limit you can easily shop for big ticket items that you would otherwise have to pay for in cash.

You start out buying something small; maybe shoes or clothing, a couple of books, and the week's groceries. When you get the bill at the end of the month it is a couple hundred dollars. Hmm. But wait, what's that at the bottom of the statement? I only have to pay a minimum payment of $15.00? Not the $200.00 or $300.00 total? Boy, what a deal! I got my new clothes and fed the family for only $15.00. Wow! So you try it again; and the next month. Pretty soon you are up to a thousand dollars or more and you are only paying the minimum.

You saw that you only had to pay the minimum payment each month, but did you notice that you are now paying about 19.5% interest on the money your borrowed? A single credit card can charge an APR (annual percentage rate) of 15% to 20% on your unpaid balance. Did you take a look at the late fees? You can find them in the small print on the back of the statement. Try $25.00 to $40.00 for a late payment and possibly additional interest on your balance. If you don't take a hatchet to your credit card at this point, it could be all downhill from here. And it just seems to gets worse, never better.

If you do find yourself in a predicament like this you need professional help then you should really think of seeing a credit counselor or credit counseling service. Of course you can contact your creditors and try to work out some settlement to ease the burden of high monthly payments and fees. It is quite possible that you will be successful, for a time, but they will never let you off the hook. Usually, you can expect lower payment at higher interest rates and no relief from your debt. With lower payments and higher rates all around, you will never pay it off.

Borrowing more money to pay off your existing debt is a possibility and may also help with lower payments at a reduced interest rate. Depending on the amount it may require borrowing against equity such as your home. A credit counselor can offer you a range of plans and options to help you make the proper decision that is best for you.

A good credit counselor will know the ropes and have a few tips or tricks you would never know about that could enable him to not only negotiate reduced monthly payments and interest rates, but also reduce or have forgiven, a portion of your total debt.

Two areas where your professional credit counselor or counseling service can help you the most are in personal credit risk management and credit solutions to your particular problem. Once you have made your decision they will work with you and your creditor(s) to lower your interest rate, to reduce the amount of your total payments, and help strengthen your resolve to staying on a straight and narrow credit path.

That is the good news. But the bad news is that you could no longer have a line of credit and the settlement will be recorded on your personal credit history. You will have a devil of a time borrowing any more money. This is one of the advantages of having a professional credit counselor. He may be able to not only negotiate a better deal with your creditor(s); he may also be able to minimize the way the newly structured settlement is recorded so that your credit rating will not be severely impacted. He will also work with you to help you to improve your credit rating.

If at any time, you find yourself falling behind in your credit payments and feel that your repayment schedule is dictating your every action and is making a sea change in your lifestyle you should definitely make plans to visit a professional credit counseling service. They will know best how to advise you and how to get you back on the right track. They have a range of solutions and options that can help to lift you up out of the credit hole you have dug for yourself.

Take heart. There is an option that will fit your circumstance, too.

Jack Igan is a part-time writer and webmaster at http://www.bestcreditscoring.com. This website can help you to get better credit and to straighten out an already shaky credit report.

How Is the LEGAL SYSTEM Dishing Out JUSTICE in Your Town

Thankfully, most of us will never find out. That is a GOOD thing! However, if YOU are a small business owner it's something worth knowing before one day you get kicked in the back-side.

I've advocated for many years - ALWAYS invest in GOOD legal
counsel; a qualified Accountant [CPA]; and Insurance Agent. The
3 most important advisors to your business success.

A little research in our town opened my eyes BIG and WIDE to
how a small business owner can suddenly find himself/herself in
deep water without a paddle or pot to go.

Just a few of my recent discoveries --

Did you know.... town Sheriff can reach inside your bank account
and take ALL your money? Got a friend in town working for the
Sherriff's Dept? Ask him/her, they'll tell you how it happens and you may want to ask about their bonus, too.

It doesn't make any difference WHO YOU OWE or if checks will
start bouncing - it's part of our LEGAL justice system - allows the "hand-of-the-law" to take your stuff and leave you screwed.

Another disturbing happening - you can be sued or counter-sued
by someone and never know it until you get a "writ of execution"
from the Sheriff's department... when they come to sell ALL your property - equipment - and maybe leave you bankrupt as well as good vendors you own money to.

In our town you basically have to hire an Attorney to represent
you in court.... simply a "no option" decision unless you know it's fruitless when you're guilty hands-down... probably your town too.

What you may not know - your legal counsel is NOT required to
have malpractice insurance protection when he/she screws up the
process on your behalf. Most have it.... the problem with small
business owners is they look for the CHEAPEST not the BEST.

Courts DO NOT send notices by Registered mail either which means
they have NO proof of delivery, but WHO cares? YOU will. Only
your legal counsel supposedly gets the notices from the Courts and it's his/her responsibility to advise you or it's tough break for you when no one told you "courts in session" - and YOU'RE absent.

Have you ever heard of "treble" damages? It's amazing how this
can kick you into oblivion without a trace. Just know that it does happen to the finest of small business owners.

Did you feel it? The smasher coming when you thought everything
was peachy-le-creme - maybe your best year ever? If YOU don't
have your 3 Key Advisors yet, hire them soon. It may just
SAVE your CASH as well as your business future.

Don Monteith spent 32 years as co-owner of several franchises and a personnel/staffing business. Every year, his firm placed hundreds of job candidates in their dream job. Today, Don shares his business and career expertise through his newest websites on the Internet. Lots of FREE ideas - suggestions - ready for your perusal and study.

http://www.Career-Coaching-Central.com

http://www.HowToGetYourDreamJob.com

Interviewing How to Stay Out of legal Hot Water

Some interviewers ask great questions; others ask dumb questions; and, worst of all, some ask questions that can get them into legal hot water.

Every recruiter, hiring manager, executive, and department manager must realize that asking the wrong questions or making improper inquiries can lead to discrimination or wrongful-discharge lawsuits. These suits can be won or lost based on statements made during the interview process. To stay out of hot water:

Avoid these seemingly non-threatening questions.

• Are you a U.S. citizen? (Seeking national origin.


• Do you have a visual, speech, or hearing disability?


• Are you planning to have a family? When?


• Have you ever filed a workers’ compensation claim?


• How many days of work did you miss last year due to illness?


• What off-the-job activities do you participate in?


• Would you have a problem working with a female partner?


• Where did you grow up?


• Do you have children? How old are they?


• What year did you graduate from high school? (reveals age)

Steer clear of questions that would be considered discriminatory.

For example, you shouldn’t ask a female applicant detailed questions about her husband, children and family plans. Such questions can be used as proof of sex discrimination if a male applicant is selected for the position, or if the female is hired and later terminated. Older applicants shouldn’t be asked about their ability to take instructions from younger supervisors. Younger applicants should not be asked about working with older workers.

Don’t make binding contract statements.

When describing position, avoid using terms like permanent, career job opportunity or long-term. Suppose that an applicant is told: “If you do a good job, there’s no reason why you can’t work here for the rest of your career.” The applicant accepts the job and six months later is laid off due to personnel cutbacks. This could lead to a breach of contract claim where the employee asserts that he or she can’t be terminated unless it’s proven that he or she didn’t do a ‘good job’.

Ask the right kinds of interview questions.

Organizations that consistently hire top performers and also stay on the right side of the law use a behavioral-based interview process. First they conduct a job analysis audit to objectively identify the core competencies required for a given job. Then they customize a list of behavioral-based interview questions to identify those competencies. Finally, they not only train their recruiters, but also their executives, department managers, and hiring managers on legal and effective interview techniques. Here are some examples of questions that focus, not on the person, but the specific competencies that the job requires.

• "What has been a particularly demanding goal for you to achieve?" (This question taps into the candidate’s achievement orientation and requires them to explain the obstacle and their and actions to overcoming the obstacle).
• "What are the typical customer interactions you have in your present position?" Can you think of a time when you had to think quickly on your feet to solve a problem? (This question focuses on the candidate’s customer service skills and orientation).
• "Have you ever been in a situation where you have had to take on new tasks or roles? Describe this situation and what you did?" (This question allows you to probe into the candidate’s degree of flexibility).

By implementing the behavior interviewing, all organizations – small or large, private or public, for profit or non profit – can significantly reduce their exposure to employment practices claims and increase their potential for hiring top performers.

Marcia Zidle, the ‘people smarts’ coach, works with business leaders to quickly solve their people management headaches so they can concentrate on their #1 job ญ to grow and increase profits. She offers free help through Leadership Briefing, a weekly e-newsletter with practical tips on leadership style, employee motivation, recruitment and retention and relationship management. Subscribe by going to
http://leadershiphooks.com/ and get the bonus report “61 Leadership Time Savers and Life Savers”. Marcia is the author of the What Really Works Handbooks ญ resources for managers on the front line and the Power-by-the-Hour programs ญ fast, convenient, real life, affordable courses for leadership and staff development. She is available for media interviews, conference presentations and panel discussions on the hottest issues affecting the workplace today. Contact Marcia at 800-971-7619.