Author Archives: Bethany Lape
Four Important Dates and What They Mean To Your Credit Score
For most, reviewing a credit report can feel like trying to decipher an ancient language. One of the things that may feel confusing is all the dates reported on your credit report. Let’s take a...
Bankruptcy Basics: Three Important Dates after the 341 Meeting
Completing your 341 Meeting (meeting of creditors) doesn’t automatically mean that your bankruptcy case is complete. There are three important dates you should be aware of after your 341...
Identify Theft: What to Do When It Happens To You
Identity theft is the number one consumer complaint in 2015, according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Millions of Americans have found themselves facing down identity theft that threatens to...
How Does Getting Married Affect My Credit?
Getting married is a huge life decision, so it’s natural to have concerns about how marriage and your spouse’s financial history will impact your finances. Let’s explore some of the facts about...
Bankruptcy Pre-Planning: What Steps You Should Take Before Filing Bankruptcy
To get the most out of your bankruptcy you should work with your attorney to come up with a plan that will protect your assets while also providing a high level of debt relief. Below are some of the...
Should You Really Put That Person On Your Credit Account?
Depending on your situation, adding someone as a joint account holder or authorized user on your credit card could be beneficial to you and them. However, before you take the leap you should...
How Does Medical Debt Impact My Credit Score?
Medical debt remains one of the top reasons Americans file bankruptcy. But how FICO and the three major credit bureaus—Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax—treat your medical debt is changing...
Five Common Mistakes Debtors Make When Filing Bankruptcy
No one is perfect, but when it comes to filing bankruptcy you want to aim to be as close to perfect as possible. Below are five of the most common and damaging mistakes many filers make when filing...
Do I Have Enough Credit Card Debt To File Bankruptcy?
Many debtors considering bankruptcy fear that they’re not “broke” enough to file bankruptcy, especially if they don’t have a lot of credit card debt. The truth is that there is no credit card...
Simple Credit Rules to Help You Get the Credit You Want
Whether we like it or not credit is an integral part of our society. If you want to succeed financially, you need to have a strong credit score and credit history so that you can get the credit you...