Howard Dvorkin receiving the Horatio Alger Award on stage, holding the bronze bust and medal while congratulating fellow honorees during the formal ceremony.

In the News

When major media outlets need the perspective of a personal finance expert, they call Howard.

With Student Loan Forgiveness In Focus Thanks To New Plans To Cancel Up To $20,000, Should Medical Debt Be Next?

By: Deb Gordon | Source: Forbes

“Medical debt is often the most depressing and stressful kind, because you or a loved one just endured a health scare—only to face huge bills you can’t afford,” said Howard Dvorkin, CPA, chairman of Debt.com. “You’re already fragile, either physically or emotionally, and often both. Pile medical debt on top of that, and it can crush anyone’s resolve.”

6 Ways to Manage Money Stress

By: Geoff Williams | Source: U.S. News & World Report

And if you feel like it’s professional financial help you need for your money stress rather than a therapist, there are free places to go for that as well, says Howard Dvorkin, a certified public accountant and chairman of the debt education website, Debt.com. “There’s no shortage of free assistance,” Dvorkin says. “Your bank or credit union probably offer free online budgeting tools that can help you squeeze every last dime from your income. Nonprofit credit counseling agencies … offer you a free, in-depth debt analysis over the phone.”

This ‘Hack’ May Help Consumers With Rising Interest Rates

By: Brian O’Connell | Source: The Street

One problem is the late payment fees, which can amount to 25% of the total purchase fees. “With any BNPL, you don’t want to be tardy,” said Howard Dvorkin, chairman of Debt.com. “That will eat up any savings.”

Pay Off Your Credit Card Debt With These 11 Steps

By: Nicole Spector | Source: Yahoo!finance

According to Howard Dvorkin, CPA and chairman of Debt.com, the first step to tackling debt is to take a full inventory of your debts. “Know how much is owed, to whom and where (you) are with payments,” he said.

9 Free, Easy-To-Use Budget Templates and Spreadsheets

By: Cynthia Measom | Source: GOBankingRates

A 2022 Debt.com survey found that 86% of people track their monthly income and expenses, up from 80% in 2021 and 2020 and roughly 70% pre-pandemic.

Americans Earning Six Figures Are on Edge About Inflation

By: Brian O’Connell | Source: The Street

“Don’t confuse ‘anxiety’ with ‘insolvency,’” said Howard Dvorkin, chairman of Debt.com and a financial counselor for nearly three decades. “I’ve noticed that the more you earn, the more you worry about the economy.”

Services That Allow You to Buy Now, Pay Later

By: Geoff Williams | Source: U.S. News & World Report

Howard Dvorkin, a certified public accountant and the chairman of Debt.com, has a completely different take. “Remember, these companies wouldn’t offer BNPL plans if they couldn’t profit from them – at your expense,” he says. “For every perk you salivate over, there’s a catch that will have you spitting angry.”

What You Should Know About Seeking Financial Advice Online, According to a CPA

By: Gabrielle Olya

“The internet is a great tool to find information — the problem is most people don’t know how to use the tool correctly when it comes to financial advice,” said Howard Dvorkin, CPA and chairman of Debt.com. “CPAs like me talk all the time about listening to financial advice from experts with your best interests in mind — not their own — and if you don’t know what red flags to look out for, you may end up taking advice that will end up costing you.”

Profit from Debt Like You’re Rich — This Money Expert Explains How

By: Howard Dvorkin | Source: GOBankingRates

I’ve counseled too many people who bought more house than they could afford because they justified it as an “investment in our future.” Yet, they won’t have much of a financial future if they fall behind on their mortgage, their credit score tanks and they’re fiscally paralyzed because every dollar is going toward this “good debt.”

Why You Should Pay More Than the Minimum Payment on Your Credit Card

By: Katie Teague | Source: c|net

If you owe a significant amount of money on your credit card, your minimum payment will likely be around 2-3% of your balance, Debt.com resident expert and certified public accountant Howard Dvorkin told CNET. However, it could also be as low as 1%.

Worried About A Recession? Here Are 7 Smart Moves To Make Right Now

By: Adam Bulger | Source: Fatherly

“There’s no question in my mind that we’re in a recession,” Howard Dvorkin, Chairman of Debt.com and personal finance guide, says. “Maybe the economic and technical definitions of a recession haven’t hit yet but we’re there.”

What Is A Recession? How to Get Ready for Hard Times

By: Michael Tedder | Source: The Street

But here’s the thing, it’s entirely possible that we’re already in a recession, and just don’t know it yet, according to Howard Dvorkin, CPA and Chairman of Debt.com. Economists define a recession as two consecutive quarters of negative growth – which means production drops and unemployment rises. There’s a problem baked into that definition: You can’t know for sure if you’re in a recession for almost six months,” says Dvorkin. “We can read the tea leaves and make educated guesses, but we can’t confirm those until two quarters are nearly over. By then, of course, it’s too late to prepare.”