Jill Russo Foster

Lending to a Friend

A friend of mine recently asked about lending money to a friend. I have always said that if you can afford to lend money to a friend, then give the money as a gift. If the gift is repaid, that’s an unexpected bonus.

But, you should never lend money to friend, especially money that you need to pay your own expenses. I say this because when people lend money to a friend, they often never get the money back, That’s not because your friend isn’t trustworthy, or sincere. It’s a matter of need. Think about it: If your friend can’t afford to pay a bank loan or rent, then how will he be able to pay you? Especially before you need the money yourself? Unfortunately, lending to a friend often means the friendship is lost along with the money.

It’s difficult to watch a friend drowning in debt or suffering without a car or apartment, but two drowning people are not better than one. There may be better ways to help out than putting yourself at risk.

Back to my friend. Unfortunately, she had already lent a substantial amount of money. She had also done everything possible to set up the loan legally with a contract, lien against the borrower’s home, and a formal payment plan. It sounded OK, so, I asked what the problem was. She said that her friend had filed for bankruptcy. That’s a problem.

My friend did everything right and took all the steps to protect herself, and now she will be out a large amount of money that she needs to cover her own expenses. She could never have afforded to give this amount as a gift, but that’s what it became. Will she get her money back? Probably not. In this economy, her friend’s home may not sell and when it does, it probably won’t sell for enough money to cover the loan.

My friend learned a very hard lesson in life. Their friendship will probably never be the same because of the damage that was done. Before you lend money to someone, think about all the possible outcomes and then make your choice.

Having Trouble Selling Your Home? Try a Lease to Purchase Agreement

Are you trying to sell your home? Are you finding the process challenging to say the least? There might be another option for you and your potential buyers.

That option is a lease to purchase agreement This is when a potential buyer rents or leases your home for fair market value AND pays additional money towards the future purchase of the home.

Let’s say someone is interesting in buying your home He isn’t financially prepared to buy a home in your price range today, but he will be ready in a few years Instead of letting the potential buy get away, you can sign a lease to purchase contract That means that he agrees to rent the home from you for a specified time period, and during that time period, you agree not to sell the house to anyone else.

In a lease to purchase contract, the potential buyer pays rent plus an additional amount towards the purchase down payment Let’s say your agreement covers a period of 2 years and your potential buyer pays you monthly rent of $1,000 plus $300 towards the option to purchase your home Over a 2 year period, the buyer would have have paid $7,200 towards his down payment.

If the potential buyer doesn’t go forward with the purchase by the time the contract is up, the down payment money is typically yours (the seller’s) to keep.

Although they’re not widely used today, lease to purchase agreements have been around for years They offer security and income for a seller who needs to move right away, and an opportunity for a buyer to turn his rent into an investment.

If this option is of interest to you (buyer or seller), discuss the specifics with your realtor and attorney, so that you can understand all the details and make informed choices as to what is best for you.

Beware of Debt Settlement

Are you working less hours or maybe even unemployed? Are you having trouble paying your bills? You’ve probably heard the TV and radio ads that tell you they can settle your debt for cents on the dollar. These ads are promoting debt settlement companies, and they are in business to make money for themselves.

Well, I am here to tell you that you need to be cautious. Let me say it again be cautious.

Paying Fees When You Could Be Paying Off Debt

Debt settlement companies do try to settle your debt for cents on the dollar They may even be successful at it. But at what cost to you? Many will require that you pay them a fee up front in addition to a monthly fee to administer your account. That means you’ve added an additional monthly payment to your budget.

Debt Settlement Damages Your Credit Rating

Choosing debt settlement will damage your credit rating. If you truly can’t afford your bills, then consider calling each of your creditors to work out an agreement and save your fee money.

It Could Affect Your Tax Return

Lastly, if you are able to reduce the debt you owe, you may have tax consequences come April 15. The amount you save may be treated as income to you So you may owe income tax.

As your parents told you, if it seems too good to be true, then it probably is If you need this type of service, use a consumer credit counseling service, not debt settlement. There is a huge difference between the services. Research your options ahead of time if you are having trouble paying your bills.

Automatic Bill Payment: Should You Use It?

Whether you pay your bills online or with a check, you’ve probably seen the automatic bill payment option It’s a great service for the companies you pay, but is it a great service for you?

Each company lists all the advantages of the service: your bills will be paid on time, you’ll never miss a payment, and you’ll never have late fees Yes, those are great advantages But they don’t mention the down sides.

You won’t be able to check your statement before the payment is made.

This is a definite downside You might even get in the habit of not checking your statement at all There might be charges you need to dispute: maybe a purchase wasn’t yours, maybe a new service charge was added to your account, maybe there was an increase in fees.

On credit cards, you only have a limited amount of days to dispute a transaction Once that time is up, you can’t be reimbursed Or, if the cost of a utility increases (after a promotional period), you may want to make other arrangements as soon as possible.

If you choose the automatic payment service, take the time to look over your statements as soon as they arrive.

A Payment Could Overdraw Your Account.

Many of our accounts have fluctuating balances Utility charges change with the seasons and credit card spending increases on holidays and vacations Do you keep enough money in your account to cover all your payments, regardless of the amount?

Here’s an example: August was an unrelentingly hot and humid month in some states Many people left on the air conditioning all month only to be shocked by the size of their electric bill They didn’t realize that the rate per kilowatt would increase as their usage increased, which made the bill go even higher than expected Some people thought they’d end up paying $100 more for August, but ended up paying $200-$400 more How many people keep enough in their checking account to handle a $500 electric bill? Not many.

If you choose the automatic bill payment option, keep extra padding in your checking account and check your bank balances frequently.

Automatic bill payment works great for some people Choose the option that works best for you As always, take steps to protect your personal finances.

Can you minimize college expenses?

There isn’t anything that you can do about the cost of tuition once you have chosen your school But, you can plan for other costs: the books, room and board, technology, supplies, medical, and entertainment.

Books

Books are necessary for college, but can you lessen the costs? Yes! With the Higher Education and Opportunity Act that went into effect last month, assigned textbook prices must be printed in the course schedule This is a big win for your budget In the past, most people didn’t know the price until they got to the college book store It gives you the opportunity to price shop for the textbook I suggest looking for used or rented text books Check out www.Chegg.com or www.BookRenter.com.

Room & Board

You might be thinking that room and board are a fixed expense, and that’s true for freshman But, most colleges allow you to live off campus after your first year That opens up some new options More roommates equates to more savings If you want multiple roommates to really cut down on costs, you could consider a house rental If you don’t want roommates, you could look for a room & board arrangement These would be local homeowners who are looking to rent out a spare room Prepared meals and access to laundry may be included as part of the agreement If you want an on campus option, look into becoming a Resident Adviser RA’s typically get a room and board reduction but check with your school to confirm.

Technology

It’s a given that you will need a computer But do you need a printer? If you do, check the back-to-school specials Remember, printers require paper and ink Shop around for supplies, don’t just rely on the campus book store You may also find that you don’t actually need a printer in your room Ask questions and see what’s available on campus There could also be an inexpensive printing service off campus, like FedEx/Kinko’s.

Supplies

Think about what you need, as well as how much you need You can minimize expenses by not overbuying Your entire family may empty a bottle of shampoo in a month But when it’s just you, a single bottle could last a whole semester or longer Make a list, talk it over with other people, and revise your list as needed Then shop for the best deals before you head to school Prices may be higher in the town or city near campus.

Medical

Something you may not think about, but should, is medical insurance If you parents have insurance, you can probably be covered by them But, do they have in-network insurance? That means that you can only be seen by select doctors or medical centers Do they have those options near your school?

Entertainment

Most people have some form of entertainment to help them relax But, entertainment can be expensive That’s why a lot of college students learn how to play card games, like Eucher Or, they start kicking the soccer ball around in unofficial games of football These types of games are free But, you should plan on enjoying some paid events, whether it’s attending the games, seeing movies, or going out with friends Plan ahead and budget how much you’re willing to spend each week on entertainment Use cash, and don’t bring your debit card with you when you go out It will help prevent overspending.

All your little expenses will add up Give them thought and research ahead of time to save yourself a considerable amount of money.

What's not on your credit report?

Last week, I told you what was on your credit report This week, I’ll tell you what’s not there.

Your credit report doesn’t say much about you as a person It has your name, address (possibly your past address), and your social security number But, it doesn’t show your age, gender, race, nationality, or religion It also doesn’t list your income, although it might show your employer If you’ve recently changed jobs, that information might not be up to date.

Your credit report is a snapshot of your finances, not your life And, it’s not even a perfect picture of your payment history Credit reports can change daily as your financial life changes: purchases made on credit, new accounts opened, payments made (or not) There may also be errors that will need to be corrected whenever you find them.

Even though your report does not reveal everything about you, it is the most important document that you have to show the world how you handle your money What you do today will stay on your credit for years to come When you make a financial choice, think about how it will affect you in the future.

Live on The Leslie Marshall Show at 7:20pm

I will be on The Leslie Marshall Show at 7:20pm tonight! To listen, go to www.LeslieMarshallShow.com

I’m a big fan of Leslie Marshall She’s been on radio and TV as a host, a guest, a political pundit and even as an actress! Leslie Marshall is multi-talented and kind enough to give me the opportunity to be on nationally syndicated radio Please join us by tuning in!

How to Read Your Credit Report

Last week, I told you how to identify a true credit score. Today, I will be telling you what is on your credit report.

Your credit report is a reflection of your financial life Which credit accounts you have, how much credit you have available to use, how you have used, how you make your payments, and any other information that is relevant.

If you have a credit card (notice, I didn’t say debit card) with a bank, this is what it might say:

(Your name) has a credit card with ABC Bank with the account number xxxxxxx-xx and owes $1,248 with available credit of $5,000 The minimum payment is $45 The account was opened 11/02 and the payments are C, C, C, C, -, C

What does that mean? The letter C means that the account was made “current” each month, which means your payment was made on time The dash means no payment was due that month This is a great entry for anyone’s credit report.

Here is another example of an entry on a credit report:

John Doe has a credit card with ABC Bank with the account number xxxxxxx-xx and owes $4,559 with available credit of $5,000 The minimum payment is $65 The account was opened 11/09 and the payments are 2, 3, 3, 3

What does that mean? It means that John Doe is not paying his account on time A 2 means he was 60 days past due and a 3 means he was 90 days past due (A 1 would be 30 days past due.) Do you see the pattern?

John Doe will have a harder time getting another loan or credit card with good terms Credit reports weren’t created to help you and I, they were created to help creditors decide whether to lend someone money Yes, you can look at your credit report, but almost anyone you do business with can run a credit check on you as well That includes landlords, employers, banks, loan companies and insurance companies.

A great credit report entry can help you, but a late payment account can hurt you A history of late payments will tell businesses that you don’t pay your obligations in a timely manner This is definitely something that you want to avoid.

Next week, learn what’s not on your credit report.

Jill interview in the New York Daily News

Back to school season and it’s time for the other big talk: money

BY Jean Chatzky
Monday, August 23, 2010, 4:00 AM
Original Article Link in the New York Daily news
PDF Version

Back to school season in my house, and likely in yours, means a long to-do list. Stock up on school supplies and clothes. Organize binders. Send everyone to bed a little bit earlier. I know: You’re busy.

But this year I want you to add one more thing to your list: I want you to talk to your kids about money. Many parents are intimidated, yet what you need to teach them is not something they’re likely to learn in school.

“Parents tend to feel that they’re not comfortable with the information, that they don’t have enough expertise or that they themselves have made mistakes,” said Laura Levine, executive director of the Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy in Washington. “But it’s important to understand that kids really do see them as a primary source of information about money.”

When it comes to teaching your kids about money — just like when you’re helping them study for a test — you can’t expect to know it all. I don’t, nor do I pretend to. When one of my kids asks me a question that I don’t have the answer to, we look it up together and discuss what we find. It’s so much better than putting the discussion off altogether because the earlier we start teaching our kids financial basics, the less likely they are to fall into traps.

To encourage people to talk, I’ve joined with American Express to create resources for the first National Money Night Talk, set for Sept. 16.

To take part, parents pledge to talk to their kids about saving, budgeting, credit cards and credit scores. Visit moneynighttalk.com for free tool kits I created to give you the talking points, questions, answers and exercises you and your kids can do together. There’s one for middle school-aged kids, another for high schoolers and another for college students.

Here are a few key concepts to keep in mind when you have your talk.

HOW MUCH TO SHARE

A reason many parents shy away from a big money discussion is that they don’t want to share their own financial information — salaries, debts — with their kids. That’s okay, you don’t have to, but you also don’t want to send the message that money shouldn’t be discussed, said Jill Russo Foster, author of “Cash, Credit and Your Finances: The Teen Years.”

“I’ve taught classes and asked how many kids know if their parents own or rent their home. If they don’t know, I send the question home and I’ve had parents who wouldn’t answer. I’m not asking you to tell them how much you make each week, but this is a basic question,” Foster said.

I like real-life examples, but it’s okay to pick ones that aren’t so personal. Kids want to know how much it will cost to live on their own. Pick ones you feel comfortable discussing: How much you spend on groceries each week, the phone bill, the cost of a MetroCard and the percentage of your salary you try to save.

THE GREAT RECESSION

Today’s teens know they’re experiencing tough times. Maybe a parent or a friend’s mom or dad lost their job, or there were foreclosures in the neighborhood. They may be wondering about the impact on you and your family but have been reluctant to ask.

This is a good way to work in lessons about living within your means, saving money and creating an emergency fund in case of a layoff, unexpected expense or emergency.

SET AN EXAMPLE

This year, try a different approach to your back-to-school spending: Tell your kids you’ll be spending a set amount of money. (Decide how much you can afford before the talk.)

Together, make a list of what you need to buy. Then pick a day to go shopping and let them budget their money.

If they pick out a pair of $100 sneakers, help them figure out what they still need to purchase — and whether they can afford the pricey kicks.

Your Money columnist Jean Chatzky is financial editor of NBC‘s “Today” show, a contributor to “The Oprah Winfrey Show” and the author of seven books, including, “Money 911: Your Most Pressing Money Questions Answered, Your Money Emergencies Solved.” Check out her blog and learn about her Debt Diet Online at jeanchatzky.com.

Are you getting the correct credit report?

How do you know if you are getting your correct credit score? This is a dilemma for many people.

Fair Isaac and Company, known as FICO, is what the lenders and creditor use when you apply for credit This is one of the factors that you are judged as creditworthy or not A while back, people tried to introduce a new credit scoring system That wasn’t successful in over taking FICO as far as lenders where concerned.

But when you as a consumer want to know your credit score, you may be getting something totally different Many companies, including the credit bureaus may be selling you a score calculated differently and on a different scale than FICO FICO uses a scale that tops out at 850 If you have a score of 760 or higher, you have an A+ FICO score With others use scales that go well into the 900’s, that 760 or above score isn’t A+ like you are thinking You would be considered a B You see how this is confusing.

To top it off, when you order your FREE credit report form www.AnnualCreditReport.com, you don’t get your credit score To get your FICO credit score, you will need to go to www.MyFICO.com and pay a fee to see your credit score Remember that each of the three credit bureaus, have a score and they are not necessarily the same number at each.