The CARES Act has several provisions to protect the credit history of consumers who take suspend or negotiate debt payments during the COVID-19 pandemic. Which debts must be reported as “current” on your credit report? If your mortgage is owned…
In April 2020, most states are under a stay-at-home order due to the coronavirus pandemic. As a result, millions of people have become unemployed overnight. Even if you still have your job, things may feel pretty uncertain. The stock market…
Financial education is what I am passionate about. I have devoted my professional life to that cause. I thrive on delivering workshops about the financial decisions we face, but I wanted another way to share my take on personal finance.…
Money Smart Week 2020 has been cancelled. Click the image for more details.
Freeze Your Credit Reports for Free
As of September 21, 2018, anyone can freeze, unfreeze, or temporarily thaw a credit report for free. You must do this separately with each of the three major credit reporting agencies:
How will the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act of 2017 affect you?
There are lots of moving parts to the new tax law, making it difficult to know how it will affect you beginning in 2018. In three posts that I wrote for University of Illinois Extension’s Plan Well – Retire Well blog, I explain these changes.