Top Advantages of Debt Consolidation – Why you should consider it

Are you looking for the best solution to avoid your increasing debts? Debt consolidation is the best solution for you that will help you to pay off all your pending debts in one go. Debt Consolidation provides you the best solution of combining multiple outstanding loans into a single payment with a lower interest rate. If people qualify for debt consolidation then there are several advantages of debt consolidation that can be availed to pay off your debt. One of the best bankruptcy and debt relief lawyer Brian Linnekens shares top advantages of debt consolidation.

Low Interest rates –

Debt consolidation programs can help you to save you a lot of money. Many people have several credit cards, credit accounts and they have pay a big amount of interest rate compared to other interest rates in the market. After using debt consolidation you will be able to get low interest rates and lower fees and you need not pay extra money on every credit card and loan you have used. Debt consolidation will help you to pay off all your pending debts in the form of monthly payments, which will help you to save you a lot of money.

Single monthly payment –

When you are using debt consolidation, you don’t have to worry about paying off your multiple payments to individual creditors at different rates of interest. Because debt consolidation program helps you to make a single monthly payment towards your bills and debts. The Debt Consolidation Company will distribute your money to all your creditors. Also your monthly payment will be much smaller because you have a longer time to pay off your loan.

Improve your credit score –

This is the biggest benefit of debt consolidation plan because your late payments, defaults, skip payments have a negative impact on your credit score. By using debt consolidation loan program you pay your debts properly and when you pay all your accounts properly then it will help you to rebuild your credit again.

Reduce your Stress –

Debts are the biggest and common reason of increasing stress. But after using debt consolidation plan you don’t have to worry about your debt, because debt consolidation will help you to stop worrying about your debt. The debt consolidation will help you pay off your debt timely and properly with your monthly payments. Good thing of debt consolidation is it will help you to decrease your debt stress.

Stop Creditors calls and massages –

When you are not paying your bills and loans timely at that time your creditor’s calls and messages can hurt your peace of mind. After getting a debt consolidation loan program you don’t have to worry about creditor’s calls and messages any more. Debt consolidation will help you to pay off your all outstanding balances and stop creditor’s calls and messages.

No worries about late and penalty fees –

When you are getting loans and credit cards, there are lots of things you need to remember. First pay bills and installments timely, if you are not paying timely you have to worry about late charges, penalty, and accrued interest since it piles up with time. But when you are in a debt consolidation program, you need not worry about these late fees and penalty fees. You have to make a single monthly payment only.

Six ways to improve your credit score real quick

If you find that your credit card and loans are not getting approved then you need to make sure that you improve your credit score if the reason for rejection is a low credit score. Credit score is the first thing that is checked when a financial institution approves a loan for a new car, land, new home or even a personal loan. In case you want to improve your credit score, it is not going to happen overnight. Improving the credit score is a long process which involves a lot of smart work from your end. Experienced Bankruptcy and Debt Relief Lawyer Mr. Brian Linnekens share some important tips which will help you to improve your credit score quickly and start afresh in terms of your credit health.

Study your dispute errors–

When you start working to improve your credit score, your first step is to study your dispute credit errors. You need to ask for a copy of your credit report from credit bureaus, be sure to look it over for errors. After knowing your credit errors you need to clear them. Seek help from professionals who will work with you on your dispute and help you correct the errors on your credit report.

Credit score generally look like this:

Excellent Credit Score – 750+
Good Credit Score – 700-749
Fair Credit Score – 650-699
Poor Credit Score – 600-649
Bad Credit Score – below 600

Don’t close your old credit accounts –

It is important to know, don’t close your old credit accounts even if you don’t use them anymore. If you already have credit cards, it will help you to improve your credit score. Try to pay your debts so that your score can be improved.

Get a new credit card –

If you want an improvement in your credit score try and get a new credit card. After getting a new card, if you are planning for a major purchase with your card go for it however make sure that you pay your bills on time. If you pay your bills and loan timely it will help you to increase your credit score.

Don’t make old mistakes and pay bills on time –

Do not make the same mistakes when you start new. Try not to be days past due the due date of clearing your credit card, loan or mortgage installment. Your small mistakes can damage your credit and hurt your credit score. So it is important to pay your loans and bills timely.

Contact an experienced Debt Relief Lawyer –

If you’re trying everything to improve your credit score but you still are not able to improve and you don’t know the way to improve your credit score then you need to consider consulting an experienced debt relief lawyer. A debt relief lawyer will provide you the best advice which is will help you improve your credit score.

Make a plan to improve your credit score –

Planning to do anything is pertinent. You need to plan to improve your credit score. To improve your credit score make a plan, ideally after consulting your debt relief attorney. Your pan needs to involve paying your debts and not closing your unused credit cards because this is a quick fix strategy to improve your credit score.

Six things not to do when filing for Bankruptcy

Bankruptcy is a tough time for the person undergoing bankruptcy. When you are filing a bankruptcy case, it will help you eliminate debts and start fresh. Filing bankruptcy is not easy and should not be taken lightly. Before proceeding you need to know everything about bankruptcy. You need to be aware of what you need to do and what you should not to do when you are applying for bankruptcy. An experienced bankruptcy lawyer like Brian Linnekens shares six things you need not do when you are filing for bankruptcy. Always avoid mistakes which might create problems in your bankruptcy.

Don’t abuse your creditors

When you are filing for bankruptcy and creditors are calling you in spite of you having filed for bankruptcy do not message back on your creditors message in anger or frustration. It is important not to say anything wrong and not to be abusive with your creditors. These types of mistakes might create problem for you in your bankruptcy case. Don’t try to communicate directly with your creditors, always ask your bankruptcy lawyer to give you the best advice; advice that is always perfect for your situation.

Avoid moving assets

It is important when filing bankruptcy to avoid moving assets, transferring, selling or even hiding them. Don’t try to move assets because if the court knows you are trying to it will amount to a fraud, your case may be dismissed altogether. You need to talk to your attorney about your assets that you might be considering to transfer. The bankruptcy attorney will help protect your assets.

Don’t giving any false information

This is really most important thing, don’t give any wrong information about your property and assets when filing necessary paperwork. Always share correct information with your lawyer so that he/she can fight for you. If you don’t complete all information correctly and honestly there are chances that the bankruptcy court might dismiss your case.

Don’t make any large purchase

Don’t purchase anything new with your credit cards. When you know you can’t pay your credit and loan. Avoid this type of mistake because it can create more problems. In general bankruptcy rules if you are purchasing luxury items during the 70 to 90 days before filing bankruptcy then it is considered as fraud. Only use credit card to purchase items which are considered as necessities.

Avoid failing to file income taxes

When you are filing a bankruptcy, remember your taxes should be up to date. If you want your bankruptcy to go fine remember that filing taxes is pertinent. Before filing bankruptcy you need to check your income tax returns. It should be filed properly because without your returns and completing paperwork it will be next-to-impossible to consider your bankruptcy application for the court and this might stop your bankruptcy in its tracks.

Don’t hire an inexperienced bankruptcy lawyer

This is the biggest mistake many people make. Sometimes people just to save money tend to hire a lawyer with low fee However one should understand that every lawyer with a low fee might not be able to present you case properly to the bankruptcy court. When you are hiring a lawyer for your bankruptcy case, the lawyer should be local, experienced, professional, honest and well reputed. If you are hiring an experienced bankruptcy lawyer, there are more and more chance to get a good deal.

How to Stop Creditor Harassment after Bankruptcy


When you file bankruptcy, creditors have to automatically stop phone calls, emails, and letters. This is the best and strongest way to end creditor harassment. Creditors cannot contact you to collect debts after you’ve filed for bankruptcy. Creditor harassment is really stressful. If you are suffering from creditor harassment even after filing for bankruptcy then you need to hire an experienced bankruptcy lawyer. An experienced bankruptcy lawyer will help you, work to stop the creditor harassment and also will discuss all legal rights that you are entitled to.
Experienced bankruptcy lawyer Mr. Brian Linnekens shares a few top tips to stop creditor harassment after filing for bankruptcy –

Explain the creditors you have filed bankruptcy

After filing bankruptcy if any creditor calls, you can tell the creditor that you have filed for bankruptcy. If the creditors know that you filed for bankruptcy, they will stop calling you but few may not. After filing for bankruptcy continued collection activity by creditors is illegal.

Take note after every creditor calls

It is important for all creditors to stop calling, mailing and messaging you after filed bankruptcy. Thus it is in your favor to keep record of every call you receive from the creditors. You can write down their number and what they have to say. This is great evidence for your bankruptcy lawyer to use in court if necessary.

Hire an experienced bankruptcy lawyer

Creditor harassment is a common issue during and after bankruptcy. You do not deserve harassment after filing for bankruptcy. If you are suffering from creditors interfering and harassment, it is most important that you need to hire an experienced and reputed bankruptcy lawyer. An experienced bankruptcy lawyer will help you to stop contacting you.

Drag the creditors into court

If you think creditors calling and harassment has not stopped when you file bankruptcy you can fight against your creditors in the court. You have every right to file a case against your creditors for harassment and emotional suffering they’ve caused. You have the right to protect yourself and the bankruptcy court may punish the creditor for contempt.

Stand up for your legal rights

If your creditors are harassing you and you are suffering from creditors because they will not stop making the phone calls, emails, and letters and you need legal help in stopping creditor harassment, do not wait. You just need to talk to your bankruptcy lawyer. An experienced bankruptcy lawyer will protect your rights and offer guidance on what your next steps should be. Apart from that a lawyer will stop creditor’s harassments and take more aggressive steps.

Most common Myths about bankruptcy

Bankruptcy is a complicated process and many people have misconceptions about it. Due to which people hold themselves back from filling bankruptcy. But in reality bankruptcy is the best debt relief option. You just need to put little a bit of extra effort so that you can understand the process of bankruptcy and take the benefits. Here we will discuss the most common myths and try to understand the facts of bankruptcy as outlined by Brian Linnekens which will underline the statement that bankruptcy is not such a tough process.

It is a difficult process

In bankruptcy there are many rules due to which it seems a difficult process. But according to Brian Linnekens with the help of proper assistance from an experienced attorney you can take the benefits of bankruptcy. The attorney you hire to file for bankruptcy has all the rules in the back of his mind and in the various books that he is going to consult over a period of time which of course will make it a cake walk for you provided you follow every advice in letter and spirit offered by your bankruptcy attorney.

Filing for bankruptcy will show that you are a bad person

Many people have an assumption that if you are filing for bankruptcy you will be shown in bad light to the world. But the fact is that by fling you are using your constitutional rights so that you can regain control over your finances.
It’s not only you who are facing financial crisis, lot of people around you going through the same situation and the reason can be any – medical emergencies, loss in business and downturns in economy due to which they cannot pay their debts on time. And under such circumstances if you are filing for bankruptcy you are securing yourself as well as your family members.

After filing for bankruptcy you will never own anything

This is the most common myth about bankruptcy, but this is completely wrong. In actual this will give everyone an opportunity for a fresh start, you can own all new properties like you have been owning before filing. For that you need to receive your discharge in bankruptcy.

Your family will be in trouble if you are filing for the bankruptcy

Many people believe that if they are filing for bankruptcy there will be a problem in the family and the family members will have to face the situation of separation or divorce. We know every family is different but the fact is completely opposite of it, once you decide to file for bankruptcy you can handle your family in a better way. Since by filing you have taken some action so that you can regain control over your finance.

Creditor will still harass you and your family even after you file for bankruptcy

After filing for the bankruptcy court orders an automatic stay so that creditors will not contact you in any way. With this stay in place creditors are not allowed to call and text you. If in any condition the creditors violate the court orders then he/ she will be penalized but there are rare chances of them to do so.
Your credits will ruin for 10 years

These are two different concepts which make the confusion. This is a fact that after filing for bankruptcy it will be visible on your credit report for 10 years, but the credit will not be damaged for the same time period. Mostly before filing for bankruptcy you damage all your credit as you are not able to pay your bills or debts on time. And after filing you start paying bills on times and slowly start rebuilding the credit. By doing this you can rebuild your credits within two to five years. And you come out clean from your bankruptcy there are chances that financial institutions will use their discretionary powers and provide you credit for the time you are looking for.

Brian Linnekens provides tips to improve credit score after bankruptcy

Individuals who file for bankruptcy in the court will definitely have to see a negative impact on their credit scores. If you recently filed for bankruptcy chapter7 and chapter 13 protections, it is very important for you to manage and improve your credit scores afterwards. Healing your credit scores will help you get your life back on track. According to Brian Linnekens there are several things you can do to start re-establishing your credit score after bankruptcy. Follow these expert tips and improve your credit scores in a very small period of time.

Brian Linnekens Advises to clear your credit reports of errors

One of the most important steps of managing your credit is to clear your credit reports of errors from TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, It is your right to dispute inaccuracies. Ensure that your credit reports have correctly labeled your pre-bankruptcy debt as “included in BK”. If a debt you included in the bankruptcy is not being reported correctly, contact the credit bureau reporting the information to start a dispute and have the information corrected.

Brian Linnekens asks you to Track your finances and credit reports in a regular manner

After a bankruptcy, you must be extra vigilant about your finance and credit reports. Keep a regular eye on your finance and credit conservatively. Be cautious with spending. This is a high time when you essentially require making a budget for your expenditures. A definite budget or effective spending plan will help you to manage your cash flow. Have a budget with a line for saving, so you can deal with future emergencies and unexpected events easily. Stop racking up unnecessary debt. Keep your employment stable.

Brian Linnekens advises you to pay your current bills in a timely manner

After filing for bankruptcy in court you are required to make timely payment of your current bills and rents. Just for the reason that missed payment can hurt your credit score. Bankrupt’s payments are being tracked by the credit bureau Experian, so it is very important for a bankrupt to pay his bills in a timely manner. Repaying existing bills as agreed in court will be one of the single, most powerful things that a bankrupt can do to restore his finances and credits. It will positively affect his credit score and will help him to release his case shortly from court.

Brian Linnekens advises to apply for a new secured credit card

Give up on your unsecured credit cards and apply for a secured credit card. Secured cards are useful tools for rebuilding credit. Secured cards need a cash deposit and offer lower credit limit than unsecured cards. Take a close look at the interest rate and fees before committing to a secured card. Ensure you are keeping your spending in control and paying in full and on time each month. Doing this will help you get most benefit for your score.

Know your financial needs before hiring a financial advisor

External financial advice is very important, particularly, for established businesses. However, financial advisers have a mixed reputation in the market for their services offered feels Brian Linnekens. There is pool of financial advisers in the market but many of these are known for their insightful advice.

Clear you doubts of hiring a financial adviser

The first and most important question to know is your requirement. You must know whether you need advice or just information for your finances. For people who are just seeking some information like what should be done with pension etc. you can log on to several websites. These websites include information about mortgages plus the best savings and credit card deals.

However, in case you are short of time and are not confident about your finances, seeking financial adviser’s advice is crucial. An adviser can recommend several appropriate products. Usually, advisers expertise are in different areas- some are financial advisers while some are stockbrokers, tax advisers etc. Make sure you hire an independent adviser who can recommend you appropriate products from the market. Some of the pointers to hire financial advisers according to Brian Linnekens are:

Hire professional financial adviser from the market-

Ensure to check the certificate of the financial adviser to avoid any disappointments. You can’t hire anyone from the market to advice you on your finances. Professionals are trustworthy and their professionalism is their real power. Generally, financial advisers must have certification from Certified Financial Planner or Personal Financial Specialist. Be sure about his reputation the market and his previous clientele.

Ask and discuss around from friends and colleagues-

To hire a financial adviser, you can ask around from friends and business colleagues. You can check registries with professional associations such as Associations of Personal Financial Advisers to locate good financial adviser.

Know your requirements-

As mentioned above, you must know why you want to hire a financial adviser. If you are clear about your needs then locating the right person to advice should be quiet easy. Since financial planners expertise is in different areas make sure to hire the person that suits your needs by interviewing several different financial advisers.

Understand how the adviser gets paid-

Some financial planners are paid a fixed amount during their tenure so they don’t charge commissions for the services. On the other hand, commission based planners don’t charge their clients for frequent visits rather they owe some portion in the products and services. Fee-only advisers are rare so the majority of financial advisers are commission based.

Know the alphabet soup-

A Certified Financial Planner (CFP) is a person who would be able to advise you on the whole financial picture. However, the CFA is the person with expertise in investing and CPA is a person tackling with tax issues. You would have to choose the one who fits your requirements.

In current market scenario, picking the right financial help is really tedious. Clients have to be extra careful about hiring the best one. If you hire the wrong person, it could be disappointing for you in future. Finances have to be managed by a person who is an expert in his area and trustworthy. Research and planning is crucial and do as much as research you can to get the right one.

The importance of your credit reports as explained by Brian Linnekens

Your Credit Score comprises all the info about you: your own title, address, your financial health check-up just about everything. Based on Brian Linnekens in today’s financial state this is the most essential record that is in order. Perhaps even a single mistake as well as blunder on the actual credit score can mean misfortune not just for a person also for the whole family and everyone that’s based on you for funds.

Not many individuals are conscious that they are able to challenge the actual problems and get these rectified from the particular credit reporting agencies. In reality Brian Linnekens advised us that a majority of the people may accept and live with the truth that their particular credit reports have a mistake that’s restricting their odds of acquiring a loan or finance regarding something that they really need. These consumers are of the perception that the credit bureaus don’t have ears and are not going to pay attention to these people. Sometimes people today don’t have an understanding that something is actually wrong on their credit report since they never go through them in detail.

Brian Linnekens stresses the importance of keeping an eye on your credit report as you have to be familiar with the several alterations that happen onto it. Virtually all transactions which you make with regard to your finances exist on the credit reports. Maintaining an eye on your credit report will serve a number of purposes which have been important. You may be alerted in the event of identity fraud. If someone has already been employing your name address or phone number to undertake financial transactions which could hamper your long term financial health. Scams done in your name can be easily detected should you be watchful in terms of your credit report.

If ever you discover an problem on your credit report you’ve got full right to repair this and since it doesn’t involve virtually any heavy expenses it is the first thing to do with out getting specialist guidance. However if one chooses expert assistance it’s likely that things may move at a better pace feels Brian Linnekens, a specialist in financial things.

To correct your credit report you have to get in contact with the particular credit reporting businesses that is Equifax, Experian as well as TransUnion. Make sure you have determined all the items that you’ll be arguing on your credit rating. Your statements in your correspondence need to be crisp and clear so that the Credit Unions are able to process your request quickly along with exact. You have full right to dispute as well as request modification or even deletions for the items which you believe happen to be mistakenly placed on your credit score. Don’t forget to attach duplicates of the supporting docs that you’ll be sending in order to substantiate your current claim for a correction.

Post all the documents as well as correspondence to the credit reporting agencies via certified mail, return receipt requested so that you recognize that they have received your request. The Credit Bureaus may investigate your claim and take away any kind of errors or even red marks that are present on account of oversight or maybe wrong reporting nevertheless the changes will only be visible when the subsequent credit report will probably be produced which might have a TAT of 3 months.

Things you always wanted to know about Credit Reports – Brian Linnekens

Credit Reporting is but one ingredient that will keep virtually all Americans on their toes. Although it’s a simple process and a straightforward reporting nevertheless persons are frightened to death at the mere mention of a credit report observed Brian Linnekens. There are various misconceptions which have rendered their way straight into the public domain by way of word of mouth. Misconceptions don’t possess solid ground still persons are afraid as a result of ignorance regarding how credit reporting is done. Once men and women know the process and the fact that credit reporting in addition to credit scores tend to be for the benefit on the common individuals and can be useful to enhance their personal credit abilities it might be quite easy to manage daily finances which are today sort of burden for the average American today.

Experts such as Brian Linnekens recommend people to at least check out their particular credit ratings . one or more times a year. While major credit scoring businesses provide a copy of one’s credit score per annum space them out allowing you to have a fair chance of examining your credit rating every 4 months that should make sure that you aren’t blind to your financial health. Having a mere look at your current credit file is not going to take you anywhere. You’ve got to be able to tell the facts from the common myths that encircle credit scoring indicates Brian Linnekens.

Persons keep questioning precisely why they aren’t being qualified for any debt with a low APR no matter paying off most former debts where a few problems endured. Well the truth is that resolved debts don’t get dropped from a credit report. Late payments and also bad debts aren’t dropped instantaneously from the credit report even though they have been resolved peacefully. The particular late payments as well as bad debts exist about the credit score for a good seven years. Even worse a bankruptcy tag might be there for 10 years on your credit report.

There are several who believe should they cease using the credit card their own credit score will certainly shoot up. This isn’t the case you can utilize cash for all your purchases but that is certainly not intending to make any impact on your credit history. Don’t stop working with credit rather make use of it conscientiously. Making your payments in time will certainly provide a bonus and you are guaranteed to receive a win within your credit score in case you start using your credit card more responsibly.

Closing on a credit card is capable of doing more damage than good. Organizations involved with credit reporting need to see a low credit utilization which is the ratio involving the credit you are using and the credit that’s available. So closing credit cards will certainly reduce this specific ratio when you are not reducing the outstanding credit however you are concluding on the available capital.

Don’t be worried to make queries regarding your credit rating advises Brian Linnekens. It rarely affects your credit history should you be making soft requests for personal reasons. When a bank or a financial institution is making an inquiry then there is a tiny influence on your credit rating. The effect will be small yet it’s measureable. So the best choice would be to make a soft inquiry in case you are in a doubt relating to your credit history.

A substantial income does not affect your credit score. Mainly because credit rating is a measure of how you cope with your credit thus income has a minimal part in the credit rating. Nevertheless Brian Linnekens states that when you’ve got a fat paycheck be sure you manage your credit in the very best manner while it will certainly help in a better credit scoring.