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College Student Credit Cards: Friend or Foe?
There is much debate surrounding college student credit cards. Some swear up and down that they’re a disaster waiting to happen while others vehemently object and insist they are a must-have financial tool for college students. Which side is right?
When deciding whether college student credit cards are good or bad, you need to weigh the facts. These three truths will help you come to your own conclusion.
1. Aggressive Marketing
College student credit cards have gotten a bad rap when it comes to their marketing tactics — and some would say that it’s for good reason. You can’t hit a single college campus without coming across at least one application for college student credit cards.
That being said, while the applications are definitely readily available (to put it lightly), no one is forcing college students to sign the application. It’s the responsibility of a parent to instruct their children on wise financial decisions.
The credit card companies are marketing their product — that’s what they do. Parents need to do their part and make sure that they instruct their children in the ways of the credit world.
2. They’ve Got to Grow Up Sometime
Everyone has to grow up sooner or later and college student credit cards can provide some priceless lessons in the world of adult finance. For the first time, college students can be responsible for their own spending and their own monthly bills.
Yes, college student credit cards can provide the potential for disaster (but so can a number of situations that students encounter in college). Just because student credit cards have the potential to be misused, it doesn’t mean that they will be. Have some faith in today’s college students!
3. Paving the Way
Once a college student graduates, they’re going to need some things (a place to live and a car to name a few) and they’re going to need credit to get the things they need. If they don’t start building their credit history in college, when are they supposed to do it?
If a college student wants to be completely prepared when they graduate, they’re going to need to work on building a solid credit history while they’re in school. College student credit cards can be the means to that end.
If you know a college student (or are a college student) who has been debating about whether college student credit cards are good or bad, consider the above three facts and remember, it’s not college student credit cards themselves that are good are bad — it is who is using them and how they are being used that make the difference.
Feldman Law Center – Ten Tips for a Successful Home Loan Modification (Page 1 of 2)
Feldman Law Center – News by Feldman Law Center – A home loan modification, for many homeowners, is the only option standing between them being able to stay in their homes and being forced to move after a foreclosure, a short sale, or a “cash for keys” negotiation. If events are unfolding rapidly, the modification is one shot deal that must be done correctly and as quickly as possible. The following tips will give you the best chance at getting your home loan modification completed with terms that you can sustain for the long term. They are:
1) Be realistic – If youre behind on your payments without relief in sight, magical thinking isnt going to get it done. Its time to figure out who is going represent you in your modification.
2) Hire a professional Getting a loan modification executed, with terms that address your specific needs is not childs play. This is the roof over your familys collective head. Hire an experienced attorney to make sure the modification happens and that the terms are within your budget and sustainable for the long term.
3) Pull your paperwork together – Youre going to turn in about as much documentation as you did for the original loan. Have it copied and ready to go. Keep an extra copy just in case the lender needs a re-submittal.
4) Bring statements for all your credit card and consumer debt to your initial consultation Your attorney is going to need to know the total of your monthly expenses to be able to negotiate the right loan modification for you. Additionally, there may be an opportunity to set up a debt negotiation to run concurrently with your loan modification. The debt negotiation can save you more money and increase the odds of getting your modification approved.
5) Be honest with your attorney – Whether you were stating assets and income or something else, come clean with your representation. If you got creative with your tax returns during the application process, the new 4506-T form could work against you by permitting your lender to verify that the tax returns used to apply the first time are the same as the ones you turned in to the IRS. Let your attorney know about the situation so that he can prepare for it.
6) Be honest with your lender Trying to put one over on your lender isnt likely to work. Remember, they still have all of your original documentation, so forgetting about bank accounts or enhancing your “resume” will be caught and definitely frowned upon.
7) Write a compelling hardship letter – This will be the basis of your loan modification. Its basically a chronology of how events unfolded to put you in need of a loan modification and how youre going work your way out of it. 8) Be patient Loan processors have more than they know what to do with at present. Working with a law firm will expedite the process but the workload on the lenders side is so heavy that process will take time.
9) Respond to requests for additional information quickly You may be asked for updated versions of statements and paystubs as the modification process moves forward. Responding quickly will keep your file moving and on the top of a processors stack of applications.