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CHAPTER 5Consumer Credit
“Borrowing money is like wetting your bed in the middle of the night. At first all you feel is warmth and release. But very, very
quickly comes the awful, cold discomfort of reality.”– Elizabeth Gilbert
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What is Consumer Credit? Credit is an arrangement to receive cash, goods or
services now, and pay for them in the future Consumer credit is the use of credit for personal
needs (excludes home loans, home improvement loans and higher education loans) It is a major force in the American economy
There are three ways consumers can finance current purchases Take money from savings Use present earnings Borrow against future income
Trade-offs are involved in using credit
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Which Is It?
Does consumer credit increase or decrease your purchasing power?
A. Consumer credit increases your purchasing power
B. Consumer credit decreases your purchasing power
C. Consumer credit has no effect on your purchasing power
The correct answer is (B). Sounds like a test question, huh?
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The Cost of Credit The finance charge is the total dollar amount
you pay for the loan Includes interest and fees, such as service
charges or credit-related insurance The annual percentage rate (APR) is the
percentage cost of credit on a yearly basis The APR provides the true rate of interest for
comparison with other sources of credit This rate lets you compare “like with like” when
shopping for rates Mandated by the Truth in Lending Act
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Truth In Lending Act
The Truth In Lending Act requires creditors to provide you with accurate and complete credit costs, terms, and APR
Creditors must disclose credit terms and information... In a clear and conspicuous manner In a form you can keep
But often in a font you can’t possibly read
And that’s where they put all the information they don’t want you to read such as what happens if you miss a single payment – Your interest rate goes up to 1000% and they come and take your house and your first born and you’ll be in debt to them for the rest of your life which won’t be that long since you’ll work yourself to death trying to pay the interest but they don’t care because they will have made enough money off you to buy one or maybe even two yachts and brand new gas bar-b-q and a trip around the world and …
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Calculating the Cost of Credit Simple interest
Computed on principal only and without compounding – The dollar cost of borrowing
Interest = Principal x Rate x Time Average daily balance
Most credit cards use this method Uses a weighted average of the account balance
throughout the current billing period If you carried over a balance new purchases will
be included in your average daily balance calculation So you don’t get to take advantage of the “float”
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Remember Our $299 Stereo? It cost us almost two times more than $299
because of the taxes What if we had purchased it with a credit card
and only paid the minimum payments? 18.9% APR 2.2% minimum
That’s right – The Price Just Doubled Again! It will cost us twice as much if we purchase it on
credit and only make the minimum payments And since those are all after-tax dollars, the true
cost of the $299 stereo is almost $1,200
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When to Use Credit?
Home PurchaseHigher Education or
Career-Related EducationHome Improvement
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When to Use Consumer Credit?
NEVER!Well, all right. In case of emergency…
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Try Our Easy Payment Plan!
100% Down!No Monthly Payments!
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Before you use credit for a major purchase, ask yourself some questions: Could I pay cash or make a down payment? Do I want to use savings for this purchase? Does purchase fit with my goals and budget? Could I use the credit I’ll need in some better
way? Can I postpone this purchase? What are the opportunity costs of postponing this
purchase? What are the dollar and psychological costs of
using credit for this purchase?
Credit Considerations
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Advantages of Consumer Credit
Current use of goods and services Permit purchase even when funds are low Convenient when shopping Safer than cash Can take advantage of float time May get rebates, airline miles or other
bonuses Demonstrates financial stability Use For Financial Emergencies
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Disadvantages of Consumer Credit
Purchases are more expensiveTemptation to overspendTies up future incomePossible financial difficultiesPotential loss of merchandise due
to late payment or non-payment (Unlikely in case of credit cards)
Gotta’ love this one!
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Types of Credit Closed-End Credit
For a specific purpose and amountMortgage loansAutomobile loans Installment loans
Open-End Credit Used as needed until limit of credit is reached You pay interest and finance charges if you do
not pay the bill in full when due Revolving credit – prearranged loan Credit cards / Home equity loans
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Credit Cards Nearly eight out of ten American
households carry one or more credit cards One-third are convenience users
They pay their balance off in full each month
The other two-thirds are borrowers Co-branding – GM, Shell, etc.
Linking a credit card with a business offering rebates on products and services
“The bubonic plague of personal finance”
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Credit Cards Debit Cards versus Credit Cards
They are not the same Laws and regulations differ
Credit Card Fraud $50 limit on credit card fraud
Almost always waived
Debit Card Fraud $50 limit if reported within 2 days $500 limit if reported within 6 months Unlimited loss after 6 months!
Most banks are waiving the above limits
(continued)
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Credit Cards
What is the Cost of Convenience? “But aren’t credit cards a good way to save money? As long as you pay the total amount each month, you’re essentially getting a free loan. Plus they are so convenient,” said Cathy. “Not so fast,” said Roy. “By taking advantage of the ‘float’ as it is called, you may save a few dollars a year. But the pennies you save each year are swamped by the hundreds or even thousands of dollars you spend because of the very same convenience you speak so highly of. How many times have you rationalized the purchase of items simply because you told yourself you wouldn’t have to pay for it until next month? And then when the bill came the next month, you ask yourself, ‘How did I spend $500!?’ The cost of that convenience is very high.”
(continued)
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True Confessions!
How Many Credit Cards Do You Have?A. Zero, zilch, nada, no way. Forget it.
They ain’t gettin’ their hooks in me!B. Only one! I swear it! I only use it to
buy gas.C. Okay. I have two. I use one to pay off
the other …D. More than two and I lost count a long
time ago. Plus I wouldn’t tell you even if I did know!
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True Confessions, Continued
And How Much Do You Owe?
A. Nothing! I’m serious! I don’t owe a cent!
B. Less than $1,000C. Between $1,000 and $5,000D. More than $5,000 (You can lie if you
don’t want us to know…)
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Credit Cards
Use your credit card like a debit card If you can’t pay off the balance at the
end of the month, Do Not Use It! If you find that you abuse your credit
card, Cut The Damned Thing Up!
Notice that I use the singular instead of the plural? Do not have more than one credit card!
There simply isn’t any valid reason to have more than one.(Well, actually, there might be one or two.)
(continued)
21 Protecting Yourself Against Credit Card Fraud Sign your new card as soon as it arrives Treat your card like money – keep it secure Shred anything with your account number on it Don’t give your number over the phone unless
you initiate the call Get your card and a receipt after every transaction
and compare them to your bills when they arrive Check your statements for errors Notify issuer if you don’t get your billing statement Check your credit report every year (for free!)
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Home Equity Loans Based on the current market value of your
home less the amount still owed on the mortgage (asset – liability = equity)
a.k.a. 2nd mortgage, 2nd trust deed, HELOC Will be much cheaper than a credit card Interest is normally tax-deductible (Schedule A) Danger! ¡Peligro!
Don’t pay your credit cards and you can destroy your credit rating – bad, but not a big deal
Don’t pay your home equity loan and you can lose your home – Big Deal!
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Home Equity Loans Example:
Home currently worth $200,000 Still owe $150,000 on the mortgage Home Equity = $50,000 ($200,000 – $150,000)
A reputable lender would let you borrow up to 75% or 80% or even maybe 90% of the current value of your home 80% of $200,000 = $160,000 $160,000 – $150,000 mortgage = $10,000 You would be eligible for a $10,000 home equity
line of credit
(continued)
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Home Equity Loans But some unscrupulous lenders will let
you borrow more than the available equity in your home!
Have you heard or seen the ads? “Get a 125% Home Equity Loan!” “Consolidate your car loans and credit card
bills into one easy monthly payment!”
(continued)
“Run up your credit card bills all over again!”“Lose your house to us when we foreclose!”
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Home Equity Loans Same example – 125% home equity loan:
Home currently worth $200,000 Still owe $150,000 on the mortgage Home Equity = $50,000 ($200,000 – $150,000) 125% of $200,000 = $250,000 $250,000 – $150,000 mortgage = $100,000 If you used over $50,000 of your available
credit – only ½ of your line of credit – you would owe more than the house is worth!
If you got into financial trouble, you would be tempted to simply walk away from your home
(continued)
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Inexpensive loans Parents and family members
Don’t Even Think About It! (except for down payment) Loans based on assets, such as a savings acct
A secured loan should have a lower interest rate than an unsecured loan (all other things equal)
Medium-priced loans Commercial banks and credit unions
Expensive loans Retailers such as car or appliance dealers Bank credit cards and cash advances
Sources of Consumer Credit
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Secured Credit – Loans based on assets called “collateral” Auto Loans Home Loans
Unsecured Credit Credit cards Most all other forms of consumer credit
“Secured” vs “Unsecured” Credit
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An excellent way to begin building your credit is to obtain a “secured credit card” Deposit $500 in a savings account Receive a credit card with a limit of $500 Use the credit card …
Remembering to pay off the balance each month! Make sure the issuer reports your credit usage!
After a year or less, you will have built up enough of a credit history to get an “unsecured credit card” You can then close account & get your $500 back
A “Secured” Credit Card
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Measuring Your Credit Capacity
Before you take out a loan, ask yourself... Can you afford the loan? What do you plan to give up in order to make
the payments? Look closely at your…
Debt Payments-to-Income Ratio and Debt-to-Equity Ratio
Or better yet, “Make Love, Not Loans!”
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Credit Capacity Indicators
*Not including housing
Debt Payments-to-Income Ratio
monthly payments*
monthly after tax income
Da’ Book sez, “Should be less than 20%.” I think that is obscenely high!
31 Example: Debt Payments-to-Income Ratio (page 149)
Monthly Gross Income $1,500
Less:
All Taxes 270
Social Security / Medicare 112
Monthly IRA Contribution 50
Monthly Net Income $1,068
Monthly Installment Credit Payments
Squeezya 25
MonsterCard 20
Disaster Card 15
Auto Loan 153
Total Monthly Payments $213
Debt Payments-to-Income Ratio ($213 / $1068) 19.94%
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Credit Capacity Indicators
Debt-to-Equity Ratio
total liabilities*
net worth= Should be < 1.00
*Excluding home valueand mortgage
Again, this is far too high!Businesses try to keep it
down to between 0.30 and 0.50
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Example: Debt-to-Equity Ratio
Assets (excluding value of home)
Automobile $8,000
Furniture 1,200
Computer 400
Miscellaneous 2,400
Total Assets (excluding home) $12,000
Liabilities (excluding home mortgage)
Auto Loan $6,500
MonsterCard 4,300
Disaster Card 1,400
American Excuse 800
Total Liabilities (excluding home) $13,000
Debt-to-Equity Ratio ($13,000 / $12,000) 1.08!
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“Would You Co-sign For Me?” Before co-signing a loan consider...
If the person doesn’t pay, you will have to Can you afford to pay if the person does not? It will affect your credit report as well as theirs Request that a copy of overdue payment notices
be sent to you
Surprise – Three out of four co-signers end up paying!
The correct answer, by the way, to the above question is “No.”
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Your Credit Report Credit bureaus collect information
Experian, Trans Union, and Equifax 888-567-8688 / 888-5OPT-OUT
“Get me off your mailing list!” Number of mix-ups and errors in credit reports
have declined recently but it is still very high Bureaus get information from banks, finance and
credit card companies, merchants, and others Each year, you can get a free credit report from
each of the three major credit bureaus Use the “Central Source” to get all three at once www.annualcreditreport.com 877-FACT-ACT (877-322-8228)
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Your “FICO” Credit Score Your credit score is generated by a company
called Fair Isaac Corporation using the data from Experian, Trans Union, and Equifax
FICO scores range from upper-300’s to mid-800’s
Generally, anything over 700 is excellent Computer will automatically approve you
At around 600, your credit application is supposed to be manually reviewed Doesn’t always happen (more later)
Mid-500’s or lower, you are considered a high risk
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Your “FICO” Credit Score What makes up your FICO score?
Past payment history (35%) Amounts owed (30%)
Are you “maxed out?” Rule of thumb: Never pass 75% of your credit
capacity Length of credit history (15%) Amount of new credit (10%)
Can be a “red flag” if you open too many accounts in a short period of time
Types of credit (10%) No more “Authorized User”
(continued)
Psst! Don’t tell anyone about this info on this
slide. It’s a secret!
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Fair Credit Reporting Act Is your credit report accurate? You can get a free copy of your report if you are
denied credit In addition to the free annual copy of your credit
report from each of the three credit bureaus Inaccurate information must be corrected within
30 days Only authorized persons have access to your
report Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! This is a good one! Anyone can access your credit report!
Adverse data can be reported for seven years and bankruptcy for ten years
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Protect yourself by shredding old credit slips, account statements, and credit offers you receive in the mail Shredders are cheap; get a decent one
Spend about $30 to $50 You may not know your identity has been
stolen until you receive a bill with charges that are not yours Almost 10 million thefts in 2008, $1,200 per victim!
That’s $12 billion
Identity Theft
Finding good statistics on identity theft is not easy. Anyone want to validate my numbers?
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Take three actions once you know Contact the fraud departments of each of the three
major credit bureaus Contact the creditors for any accounts that have
been tampered with or opened illegally File a police report
Identity Theft(continued)
Why should you bother filing a police report?
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Sources of identity theft 30% – Security breaches at businesses 30% – Consumer’s lost and stolen wallets,
checkbooks, etc. 15% – “Friends” and family members 9% – Stolen mail 9% – Attacks and scams targeting home computers
Credit protection businesses $10 - $30 per month to protect & insure your
identity Virtually all of the services can be done by you for
free
Identity Theft(continued)
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Freezing your credit Blocks new lines of credit being open Free in California if you have been already targeted Otherwise, $10 per credit bureau (3 x $10 = $30)
Fraud alerts A fraud alert notifies lenders that you have or you
believe you have been targeted (no charge) Time limit – 90 days up to 7 years
Other innovative protection methods Counter-intelligence! Analyzing transaction data
Identity Theft(continued)
Many companies will do some or all of these services for a fee.
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An entire industry is springing up TrustedID – specializes in credit freezes ($8.25/mo) LifeLock – specializes in fraud alerts ($10/mo) CardCops – gathers stolen information that’s
already circulating on the Internet, alerts you if it finds any information on you ($19.99/month)
IdentitySweep – same as CardCops ($14.95/mo) IdentityForce – $14.95/month MyPublicInfo – $79.95/year
Identity Theft(continued)
Hmm. Paying for protection. Makes you feel as though you’re dealing with organized crime!
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What Creditors Look For: 5 C’s
Character – Do you pay bills on time? Capacity – Can you repay the loan? Capital – What are your assets and net worth? Collateral – What do you have of value that the
lender can take if you don’t repay? Conditions – What economic conditions could
affect your repayment of the loan?
Discussion: Who gets credit? Who doesn’t?
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What If You are Denied Credit? Ask the creditor to clarify the specific reason for
denial of credit Check your credit report file (It’s free, remember?) Apply to another creditor with different
standards Take steps to improve your creditworthiness You have the right to provide a 100-word
explanation in your file For example, you could explain if you were out of
work due to an extended illness and were therefore late paying bills for a time
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What If You are Denied Credit? The majority of credit applications are now
electronically pre-screened If your FICO score is below approximately 600, the
application is supposed to be reviewed by a human In practice, the credit company often simply
rejects the application entirely Or automatically sends the application to their “sub-
prime” department Unfortunately, one account in default can put
your score in the low-500’s The moral? Check your credit files before you
apply for credit. Get rid of erroneous data.
(continued)
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What If You are Denied Credit?
Do Not Fall For…
“We’ll Repair Your Credit –
100% Satisfaction Guaranteed!”
(continued)
Anything legitimate that these people can do for you, you can do for yourself for free!
Anything illegitimate they suggest is either illegal or simply won’t work
Let’s look at some credit card applications…
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How Long Will It Take?
How long can adverse credit data (late payments, charge offs, etc.) be reported on your credit report?
A.3 years
B.5 years
C.7 years
D.10 years
The correct answer is (C).
Once Again,
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How Long Will It Take?
How long can a bankruptcy be reported on your credit report?
A.3 years
B.5 years
C.7 years
D.10 years
The correct answer is (D). Now, don’t forget these two numbers, 7 & 10.
Once Again,
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Avoiding & Correcting Credit Mistakes
Notify creditor of error in writing within 60 days Send it to the correct address They must respond within 30 days Credit card company has 90 days to resolve
the problem or tell you why they think the bill is correct
Won’t affect your credit rating while in dispute You can withhold payment on shoddy goods if
you have paid for them with a credit card
Fair Credit Billing Act
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What’s the Significance?
7
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And This One?
10
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First try to solve the problem directly with the creditor
If that does not work, there are more formal complaint procedures
There are a variety of consumer credit protection laws and federal agencies who administer and assist with complaint procedures
www.ftc.gov/credit
Complaining about Consumer Credit
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Equal Credit Opportunity Act
You know what this one is supposed to do “Some of us are more equal than others” Don’t Give Up! Never Give Up!
Someone out there wants to lend to you!
And after you’ve established yourself as a good credit risk, the others will come calling…
You can then tell ‘em to “Kiss Off!”
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Notify creditors if you can’t make a payment Debt collection practices require…
If a debt collector calls you, within five days they must send you a written notice of amount owed
You can dispute the debt The debt collector has 30 days to verify the
debt Send the collector a letter stating that all further
contact should be via the U. S. Postal Service
Managing Your Debts
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Fair Debt Collection Practices Act
Can’t be abusive or threaten Can’t call you at work if you say not to Can’t tell boss and friends Can’t call you at odd hours Must follow set procedures The act does not apply to creditors that try
and collect the debt themselves
Collection agencies...
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Consumer Credit Counseling Service
One option for those in credit trouble is to seek help from a non-profit credit counseling service National Foundation for Consumer Credit, Consumer Credit Counseling Service, Debt Counselors of America, etc.
Credit card companies pay for their operationProvide education about creditProvide help with spending planProvide debt counseling services for those with
serious financial problems
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Warning Signs of Debt Problems
Paying only the minimum balance each month Increasing the total balance due each month Missing or alternating payments or paying late Intentionally using overdraft protection or taking
frequent cash advances Using credit or savings to pay routine bills such as
food Getting second or third payment notices Not talking to your partner about money
Or talking only about money Depending on overtime to meet routine expenses
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Using up your savings Borrowing money to pay old debts Not knowing how much you owe Going over your credit limit on credit cards Having little or no savings for the unexpected Being denied credit due to a credit report Getting a credit card revoked by the issuer Putting off medical or dental visits because you
can’t afford them now
(continued)Warning Signs of Debt Problems
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Declaring Personal Bankruptcy
Personal bankruptcy rate is the highest it has ever been
Bankruptcy was designed as a last resort but has become an “acceptable” tool of credit management
The 2005 Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act was designed to end abuses of the current system (Paid political announcement sponsored by the credit
card industry and the politicians they own)
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Who’s to Blame?
The credit card companies deserve a significant (or at least partial) share of the blame for the record number of bankruptcies because in their quest for outsized profits, they have given too much credit to too many people.
A. Strongly agreeB. AgreeC.DisagreeD.Strongly disagree
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Bankruptcy: The Last Resort
Chapter 13 Plan to pay a portion of your debt Trustee distributes money to your creditors Can keep most of your property Must have a regular income
Chapter 7 Submit a petition and pay a fee Lawyers charge +/-$500, including court costs Can keep some property Idea is a “fresh start”
But the person may still wind up being hounded by debt collectors anyway!
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“The Best Congress Money Can Buy”
Provisions of the 2005 Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act Creates a “means test” to determine whether you
can use Chapter 7 “Fresh start”
Meant to funnel people into Chapter 13 “Reorganize”
Boon for credit card companies Who wrote the legislation, by the way?
Congress or the credit card companies? Complements of The K Street Project (Look it up!)
Reads “like a credit card industry wish list”
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After Bankruptcy You No Longer Owe...
Retail store charges Bank credit card charges Unsecured loans Unpaid hospital or physician bills
After Bankruptcy You Still May Owe... Taxes & fines Child support & Alimony College loans & Co-signer obligations Debts arising from illegal activities (ex: DUIs)
65 Bankruptcy:Should You Consult a Lawyer?
Only if you believe it’s okay not to consult a doctor and instead decide to take out your appendix by yourself
Find a good lawyer, by the way.
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“Uh, Oh!”On your tenth wedding anniversary, you splurge on
a $5,000 second honeymoon, which you charge to your credit card. With an interest rate of 15.9%, how long will it take you to pay back the debt if you make only the 2.2% minimum payment each month?
A.13 years
B.19 years
C.28 years
D.It will be paid off out of your estate when you die
The correct answer is (C).
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“Uh, Oh!”And how much of a finance charge will you
pay in those 28 years?
A.$2,976
B.$4,820
C.$7,129
D.$15,281
The correct answer is (C).
(continued)
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The Bottom Line on Credit
Make Love, Not Loan$!