Resources

The world is full of con artists. And they’re now using AI to create convincing fake websites, emails, texts, audio, and video for their scams. Fraud losses reported to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) hit a record $12.5 billion in 2024, up 25 percent from the previous year. The FTC’s Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book 2024 reports […]

Key Takeaways Are your student loan payments increasing or resuming soon? If so, you’re probably stressing out about how you’ll cover the expense. Unfortunately, you’re not the only one in this tough spot: as of March 2026, roughly nine million federal student loan borrowers are in default.   For cash-strapped borrowers, resuming student loan payments can […]

Key Takeaways Did you know that home foreclosures are on the rise in the U.S.? If you’re one of the roughly 227,500 households facing foreclosure in 2026, you probably feel like there’s no solution. But many struggling homeowners don’t realize they may have multiple options for saving their homes. If you’re behind on your mortgage […]

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in December 2020. Key Takeaways Weigh the cost, risks, and potential credit impact before choosing a debt help program. For-profit debt settlement, also known as “debt relief,” can put you at risk of lawsuits. NFCC-certified credit counseling agencies are nonprofits that are here to help. Are you looking […]

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in August 2020. Key Takeaways After a financial emergency, it can feel impossible to rebuild everything that you lost. Perhaps you had to use up all of your emergency savings to pay for car repairs, medical bills or other unexpected expenses.  As frustrating as it is to see your […]

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in March 2022. Key Takeaways If you’re struggling with student loan debt, you’re not alone. Millions of borrowers are trying to make sense of their student loan repayment options. As of 2026, 10.3% of federal student loan payments are at least 90 days behind.  Of course, help is […]

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in October 2022.  Key Takeaways Editor’s Note: All loan forgiveness programs listed here are available as of July 2026. For updates on available programs and eligibility, visit StudentAid.gov. If you have a federal student loan, you’re probably a bit confused or even stressed out about all the changes […]

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in January 2023. Tracking your monthly income and expenses shouldn’t require a degree in finance. In fact, it can be as simple as plugging some numbers into a spreadsheet.  To make the process easier for you, we created this free budget tool that allows you to lay out all […]

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in June 2019.  Are you thinking about moving for a new job offer? Perhaps you’re considering a relocation to a new city or state, or even a different country. Before you say “yes” to that offer, there are a few numbers you need to look at. To decide if […]

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in August 2020. If you’re worried about missing your mortgage payments, you’re probably looking for strategies to avoid falling behind or facing foreclosure.  Fortunately, there may be ways to find real help and stay current on your mortgage payments. Depending on what’s causing your financial hardship, minor tweaks to […]