Dealing With Negative Credit Report Information
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June Is National Homeownership Month—Here’s How We Can Help You Reach (and Protect) Your Dream
Owning a home is one of the most personal, powerful financial goals you can achieve—and for millions of Americans, it’s also one of the most stressful. Whether you’re dreaming of your first front porch or trying to hold onto the home you already love, June’s National Homeownership Month is a time to reflect and get real about where you stand. At the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC), we know that homeownership means so much. It means stability and security. It means showing up for your family—and your future. We’re here to help you protect what matters most, every step of the way. The Pressure Behind the Homeownership Dream Between rising mortgage rates, rent increases, property taxes, and a cost of living that seems to climb monthly, housing stress is very real—and it doesn’t just affect homebuyers. It weighs heavily on renters trying to save, current homeowners juggling unexpected expenses, and anyone feeling squeezed by a housing market that’s moving faster than their paycheck. You don’t need to handle all this alone. Whether you're on the path to ownership or trying to stay in the home you already have, NFCC can connect you with a certified, trusted partner who will...
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A Guide to Travel Insurance
Content updated. Originally published April 2015. Traveling is expensive. But when you take a trip without travel insurance, the bill can skyrocket. Unfortunately, incidents such as medical emergencies, accidents or theft all carry price tags big enough to put a dent in your finances. Travel insurance helps, but not all policies are alike. To find the best coverage, you'll have to do some research and some smart trip-planning. Here are our tips for finding travel coverage that fits your needs and destination! Check your current policies first If you pay for life, home, health or auto insurance, check out your policy/ies before you make a single reservation for your trip. You may even want to call your insurers to get specific details about what's covered, including: Lodging: Hotels versus hostels or home shares like Airbnb or Vrbo. Activities: Sports or extreme activities like scuba diving, four-wheeling or kite surfing. Limits: Where your personal coverage ends and where buying travel coverage might be beneficial. You might be surprised to see what you're already paying for. For example, your homeowners insurance may include liability coverage on out-of-state or foreign trips if you accidentally injure someone. Additionally, some health insurance policies offer medical...
Read MoreSteer Toward Quality Auto Repair
Spring break season is here. If you’re planning to take a road trip, is your ride ready to go the distance? If you need auto service, choose a shop carefully. Nonprofit Consumers’ Checkbook finds many shops disappoint their customers; they do lousy work, impose long delays, sell unnecessary repairs, overcharge. But not all shops are lemons: Plenty almost always perform top-quality work quickly and for a fair price. Prices among local shops vary widely. For example, to replace the water pump for a 2016 Ford Focus SE in the Philadelphia area, Checkbook’s undercover shoppers found prices ranging from $275 to $816. In the Seattle area, to replace the alternator for a 2017 Honda HR-V EX, prices ranged from $778 to $1,407. Shopping around will help you get a good price. If you know what repairs you need, you can compare prices on your own by calling a handful of shops. If you don’t know what work is needed, call one or more shops and describe the symptoms—what the car is doing or not doing. Shops might be able to tell you over the phone what’s likely to be wrong and quote a price. When shops can’t determine what’s wrong with...
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