Credit Card Debt

The average American has more than $9,000 in credit card debt. While having a credit card isn’t a bad thing, letting credit card debt pile up over time can place an enormous strain on your finances. Take a look at the articles, Q&A’s, blog posts and videos we have linked to this topic for ideas on how to handle credit card debt and your personal finances.

Use Retirement To Pay Off Massive Credit Card Debt?

Even if you’ve reached the age to withdraw from your 401(k) penalty-free, you’ll still have to pay taxes to take out a large chunk of it. If you’re considering using the funds from a 401(k) to pay off debts, think about using the equity in your home instead. Dipping into your 401(k) will cut into your retirement and could mean financial trouble during those golden years.

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Who Is Responsible For Deceased Person’s Credit Card Debt?

When a person dies, any assets left behind become a part of the estate. If you have debts, those assets will be sold to pay them off. Credit card debt typically dies with you if you don’t have any assets.

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Credit Card Balance Transfers: Are They Worth It?

Credit card balance transfers can be worth it, if you read the fine print, the new interest rate is worth it and it helps your credit score. But it’s important to keep the old credit card account open, even without a balance, because the longer you have a credit account open, the better your credit score. After you make the credit card balance transfer, make sure to continue paying down as much of the balance as possible to take advantage of the new interest rate and continue raising your credit score.

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Financing New Business Debt With Credit Cards

A small business owner wonders how to finance his new business debt that is currently on two low interest credit cards. It depends on how you set up your business and if the debt is personally guaranteed. If the new business debt is on business owned credit cards, he may not have to make good on the debt personally if the business fails – then he should not transfer the debt to his home equity loan.

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Non-US Citizen Wonders About Credit Card Debt

A non-citizen in the United States legally as a student wants to know about credit card debt. He has racked up quite a bit of debt and wonders about what would happen if he left the country without paying his credit card debt. In this situation he should do what anyone facing credit card debt should do: seek credit counseling or work within the system to find a way to pay his debt. This way, in case he ever wants to come back to the United State, he can do so without the credit card debt hanging over his head.

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Personal Finance Resolutions Help Pay Off Debt

What are some personal finance resolutions you can make in 2009? Many people want to pay off debt, especially credit card debt. How can you pay off debt? It helps to live below your means and pay yourself first and last when you want to pay off debt and improve your personal finance situation.

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Refinancing Mortgage To Pay Credit Card Debt Bad Idea

Refinancing a mortgage to pay off credit card debt isn’t a good idea, especially if your mortgage is at a good interest rate. Ilyce suggests other methods to pay off credit card debt, besides refinancing your mortgage. Besides refinancing your mortgage, you can get a second job or get a home equity loan to pay off credit card debt.

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Shopping For A Debt Management Program

When searching for a debt management program, it’s always a good idea to contact at least two companies for comparison. Looking at two different companies will allow you to see differences in their approach, and will be able to compare costs.

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Spouse Dies Leaving Large Credit Card Debt

A husband dies and leaves behind a large amount of credit card debt. His share of their assets would have to be used to pay off the credit card debt before the wife received what is left. The executor of the estate would have to find out what kinds of credit card debt the husband incurred and make a good faith effort to get them paid out of the estate monies.

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What’s Owed When Someone Dies

These days, the average American family owes more than $9,000 in credit card debt. That means more people are dying with balances on their credit card accounts. If the estate of the debtholder has the cash, then those funds must be used to pay off these debts before the estate can be settled and any leftover funds distributed to the heirs.

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