In the News

By: Kiplinger Advisor Collective | Source: Kiplinger

“Even if you’re handy with home repair, you probably wouldn’t do a total kitchen renovation by yourself. The same thing goes for building a solid retirement income strategy. This isn’t simply investing in the market. You must balance principal preservation, guaranteed income and growth potential to ward off inflation. You need an expert who does this for a living so you can live the life you want.”

By: Kiplinger Advisor Collective | Source: Kiplinger

“A lot of your credit score is determined by ‘payment history.’ That just means, ‘Do you pay your bills on time?’ It represents 35% of your score. The second-biggest factor is how much you owe. If you carry hefty credit card balances, your score drops. That’s another 30%. Add them up, and it’s nearly two-thirds of your score. Focus on those two things, and you’ll be just fine.”

By: Jessica Dickler | Source: CNBC

Still, “if you have five credit cards [with utilization rates around] 20%, you have a lot of debt out there,” said Howard Dvorkin, a certified public accountant and the chairman of Debt.com. “People are living a life that they can’t afford right now, and they are putting the balance on credit cards.”

By: Emma Woodward | Source: Bankrate

“If you’re fed up with bank fees, you’ll really hate P2P loans,” says Howard Dvorkin, CPA and Chairman of Debt.com. “On top of the interest rate you’ll pay, there’s the origination fee, which can be as low as 1 percent but as high as 8 percent. That’s much more than a bank or credit union will charge you for a personal loan.”

By: Jessica Dickler | Source: CNBC

Yet, buy now, pay later loans “are just another form of credit, disguised as something for free,” said Howard Dvorkin, a certified public accountant and the chairman of Debt.com. “This is just another way for financers to put their hands in the pocket of consumers,” Dvorkin said. “It’s a trojan horse.”

By: Erica Sandberg | Source: Bankrate

If your card’s limit was reduced due to account dormancy, pick it up and start using it, says Howard Dvorkin, a New Jersey-based CPA and chairman of Debt.com. “After you make a few charges, they may change their mind.” “Remember, it’s not a personal insult,” says Dvorkin. “It’s a business decision.”

By: Beth Deyo | Source: Bankrate

“If they report and you go out and get five of these loans, it looks like you’re desperate for credit,” says Howard Dvorkin, CPA and chairman of Debt.com. “You have to be very careful.” “If you can’t afford it, don’t buy it,” he advises.

By: Brittany Wren | Source: Bankrate

“When people think about do-it-yourself (DIY) gifts, their minds often wander to something underwhelming: a homemade card and an ugly knitted sweater,” says Howard Dvorkin, CPA and chairman of Debt.com. “But DIY can also be more valuable than any store-bought present. These can include a home-cooked meal and a total house or car cleaning.”

By: Aly Yale | Source: Money Watch – CBS News

“Reputable debt-solving companies will always give you a free, in-depth debt analysis,” says Howard Dvorkin, chairman of Debt.com. “Never believe ads that guarantee to get rid of all your debts.” “Have they been around for at least a decade?” Dvorkin asks. “The longer they’ve been in business, the more likely they’ve done a good job.”

By: Hanneh Bareham | Source: Bankrate

Rewrite your budget to include the monthly loan payments. If your debt-to-income ratio is too high with the loan, reconsider taking out a personal loan. “On-time payments, a good credit history and other factors like this can help in this process,” Dvorkin says.

By: Gary Guthrie | Source: Consumer Affairs

“Most of us have pretty good gut feelings about our own lives,” Dvorkin said. “We know when we’re in trouble, even if we don’t admit it to others. Debt isn’t just a number; it’s a disease that ruins your quality of life. It is like any other addiction. If you drink socially, even if you overdo it every so often, it’s a problem you can handle on your own.”

By: Brian O’Connell | Source: Wealth of Geeks

“Closing a credit card with an outstanding balance is the worst thing you can do,” says Howard Dvorkin, a certified public accountant and chairman at Debt.com in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. “It hurts you in so many ways and helps you in none.”