Credit and Debt Blog

Christmas holiday spending can cause credit card bills in January to rise substantially. A household that struggles to get by from one month to the next will find that next year will be much tougher. If you find that you are going to have trouble meeting your January credit card bills, you should consult with [...]

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Taxpayers that are affected by the recently enacted Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) patch must wait until February 11 in order to file their tax returns. That is the date released by the IRS as a potential starting date for the five AMT-related returns that must be updated due to last minute legislation.

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Credit card default rates have stayed low, even as foreclosure rates have more than doubled in many areas. Now, credit cards are also showing signs of trouble.

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Congress dragged their feet once again on a proposal to extend the Alternative Minimum Tax patch. The purpose is to prevent middle class taxpayers from having to pay additional taxes originally levied on the wealthy. Now, it appears that the IRS may need up to 7 weeks to reprogram their systems. This could delay tax [...]

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New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo successfully settled with a debt collector accused of abusing debtors. National Action Financial Services (NAFS) of Williamsville, NY has agreed to pay $85,000 in penalties and costs.

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Consumers who check prices online before shopping may find that many items are priced substantially higher in the store than online. Forget about EBay or other online retailers. Big box retailers sell the same merchandise on their own websites for cheaper than in their stores.

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The quickest way out of credit card debt is to dramatically cut your interest rates. There is no other factor that matters as much as the rate in which your finance charges are compounded. So how do you eliminate credit card debt? Here’s how.

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If you made a credit card purchase overseas, you may be eligible for a refund. As a result of a class action lawsuit filed against MasterCard, Visa and Diners Club, you may receive a refund of the 3% foreign currency conversion fee that was charged on those transactions.

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In an interview with National Public Radio, former Fed Chief Alan Greenspan stated that “the odds are clearly rising” that the U.S. economy will enter a recession soon. Other economists share his views. There are many signs to back up his stance.

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North Carolina’s State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) has announced a new initiative to provide free income tax preparation. This will be available at all 217 branch locations statewide.

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