Lifestyle and Budget

For a price, lenders are willing to forget your old credit sins, as long as you have enough income to prevent any new ones.

Unless you signed a contract to pay for your parent's debt, it's not your problem.

You'll have to go to court, but the statute of limitations determines if you must pay the debt.

Balance transfer offers aren't lifelines offered to people with bad credit, they're a deal for those who maintain good credit.

Making minimum payments on your cards may not be enough to keep your credit score high.

Your debt was forgiven. So why is the debt collector contacting your family and friends?

So you’re looking to negotiate a settlement or a payment plan with a debt collector? Here are the critical things you need in order to do that.

Putting your debt eggs in one basket may not help unless you hatch a broader financial plan.

Maybe you can’t pay. Or maybe you won’t pay. Either way you have an old debt hanging out there. What if you do nothing about it?

Debt and retirement are a combination many of us would like to avoid. Here are some things older people should consider before borrowing money.

If a small business owner defaults on debt on a company credit card she issued to a former employee, is the worker responsible for the debt?

An offer to settle old debt for a 10th of what's owed may sound good, but get it in writing, and make sure you understand the consequences.

Debt-laden consumers can negotiate with credit card issuers to reduce the amount they owe or create a more palatable payment plan—if they know what to do. 

If you owe money, you ought to pay it. But that doesn't mean you should put up with harassment from collection agencies.

Banks may reject your credit card application, even for a secured card, while you're under the strict money diet imposed by a Chapter 13 bankruptcy.

Refinancing your mortgage might be an option even after going through bankruptcy.

If it's been years since your debt settlement, the credit damage is mostly behind you, so it's best to move on.

Some debt collectors are using the threat of being charged with a crime to scare consumers into paying debts they may not

Transferring credit card debt to a lower-interest card or home equity line of credit may help you become debt free faster -- if you're careful.

In some cases, debt settlement may be the right option, but verify first that you owe the debt, and then dole out the dough yourself.