Lifestyle and Budget

The national student loan default rate declined this year, but that’s not saying much, considering 13.7% of borrowers defaulted on their loans within three years of entering repayment.

Debt collectors have been known to use dirty tricks to get consumers to pay, but those collecting student loans have an especially powerful tool on their side.

After having your identity stolen, one of the biggest problems you’re likely to face is having trouble getting new loans or credit cards, because the thief has damaged your credit score.

Tight on cash and worried about how you'll make your credit card payment this month? Or are you trying to use your credit card to pay for as much as possible so you can earn reward points or cash back? 

The Department of Education doesn’t believe that cohort-default rates (CDR) are a useful way to measure a college’s effectiveness after all—the same metric they just tweaked a few weeks ago. In fact, the agency is chucking the metric altogether — a move that should concern students and taxpayers.

Dad needs to get real busy, real fast or else his daughter will be drowning in debt when she graduates.

Tackling a hefty new monthly expense can be daunting, particularly for recent grads who haven't found steady work.

In most cases, collection agencies have no right to your account numbers or electronic access.

If you’re looking for a way to make your student loan payments more affordable, chances are you’ve looked into or heard of student loan refinancing options.

Keeping an eye on all your debts is actually a great way to save money – and get out of debt.

The interest rate pendulum has swung in favor of homeowners again.

While student loan debt owed by seniors is a “small fraction” of the total, it is growing rapidly, according to a recent government report.

Graduating from college debt-free feels really good. When Ja’Net Adams got her degree from South Carolina State in 2003, she was one of those fortunate students who started her adult life without debt, and things went along really well for her.

Dave says lending money to friends is usually a bad idea. If you can help a friend in need, give the money as a gift.

Federal prosecutors say a California man has pleaded guilty to mail and wire fraud involving more than $5 million his company collected from consumers with pending loans by impersonating law enforcement in threatening phone calls.

Buyer beware when going this route. Not all consolidation loans are created equal which is why reading the fine print matters a lot.

The realms of home loans and home ownership have undergone many challenges during the past several years. Here are 10 states where homeowners are still struggling.

A magical thing happens when you pay down a house and sell it somewhere down the road. The money comes back.

About six months ago, graduation season began. College seniors and graduate students went through several rites of passage, like getting their caps and gowns, handing in their theses and going to the financial aid office to undergo student loan exit counseling. Students partaking in the latter activity were told that on graduation day, they would not only receive diplomas but also a ticking time bomb: Their student loan grace period would expire in several months, and they’d need to start repaying their debt.

Dave Ramsey tells a couple to pay off their existing mountain of debt before digging a deeper hole by going back to school.