We cover the basics and more about personal finance, answering frequently asked questions about credit and debt, identity theft, saving for college, retirement, estate planning, insurance, taxes, job hunting, and raising money-savvy kids. Check out the articles, columns, blog posts, radio shows and videos for tons of personal finance advice.
Are You Behind in Your Bank of America or Countrywide Mortgage? Call This Number
On the show this morning, we heard from Doug, who bought his house with an 80/20 loan (100 percent mortgage, no down payment) four years ago. He and h...
Consumer Bankruptcies Rise Nearly 30 Percent
The number of consumer bankruptcies filed in September rose 28.6 percent compared with a a year ago, according to the American Bankruptcy Institute. M...
Personal Finance Tips For Financial Crisis
Many consumers struggle to stay confident during this financial crisis. What can you do to strengthen your personal finances? Ilyce offers personal finance actions and tips that you can follow to give yourself some security and peace of mind during the financial crisis.
Lower House Payment: Buying a House With No Mortgage.
If you had the choice, would you buy a house with no mortgage? Would you pay all cash for a home? What would it take for you to lower your house payments to a level that you could retire and no longer carry a mortgage?
Social Security Spousal Benefits
We've had a couple of calls about Social Security benefits today. Our first call was from Timothy. He's 62, and has a severance package (from being l...
Financial Planners — Where to Find One
Mike called the Clark Howard show today wondering whether he should use a free financial planner from Vanguard or Fidelity or if he should hire his ow...
Commuters Persist in Driving Alone
For a while it seemed that commuters were changing their driving habits in response to high gas prices. Apparently, the change was less dramatic than ...
Many ‘Household CFOs’ Lack Emergency Funds
A recent survey found 68 percent of "household CFOs," those responsible for managing their families' budgets, don't have an emergency fund. Consumer ...
Foreclosures Increase By 55 Percent In A Year
RealtyTrac reports today that the number of foreclosures increased by 55 percent in July, as compared to one year earlier. Foreclosures rose by 8 per...
Condominium Foreclosure Home Equity Loan Default Affects Future Credit
A former condo owner describes losing his condo to foreclosure and asks how defaulting on a home equity line of credit will affect his credit score. Will defaulting on a HELOC affect his credit score after the condo foreclosure? What are the ramifications of a foreclosure on credit and obtaining credit in the future?