Guides
Understand your options first
Every guide is written from primary sources like the CFPB, FTC and IRS, links to a tool that runs your own numbers, and is checked by a credentialed reviewer before it goes into search.
Cards, personal loans and other unsecured debt
Credit card & unsecured debt
Start hereHow to Pay Off Credit Card Debt: Every Way Out, Honestly
How to get out of credit card debt: every path from a payoff plan you run yourself to counseling, loans, settlement and bankruptcy, with what each costs.
13 min read
Guide
Are There Grants to Pay Off Credit Card Debt?
No government grant pays off personal credit card debt, and offers of free grant money are scams. Here's what can free up money, and the red flags to watch for.
7 min read
Guide
Credit Card Hardship Program: How to Ask, What to Expect
A credit card hardship program is your card company's own plan to pause or lower payments. How to ask, what to get in writing and what it can cost you.
8 min read
Guide
Credit Card Interest: How It Works and How It's Charged
Credit card interest is often charged daily: your APR divided by 360 or 365, times each day's balance. How grace periods, cash advances and payments change it.
7 min read
Guide
Credit Utilization: What It Is and How to Lower It
Credit utilization is your card balances divided by your credit limits. How to work it out per card and overall, what the CFPB says, and how to bring it down.
9 min read
Guide
Debt Avalanche vs. Snowball: Which Pays Off Debt Faster?
Avalanche pays the highest rate first and can save you money. Snowball clears the smallest balance first. See both run on the same debts, in dollars.
8 min read
Guide
Debt Consolidation vs Debt Settlement: Cost, Credit, Risk
Debt consolidation vs debt settlement: one repays all you owe with a new loan, the other pays less but usually means falling behind first. How they compare.
8 min read
Guide
Debt Management Plan: How It Works, Costs and Catches
A debt management plan is one monthly payment to a nonprofit credit counselor, who pays your cards, often at lower rates. How it works, fees and the catches.
10 min read
Guide
Debt Settlement Pros and Cons: Costs, Credit and Taxes
Debt settlement can close large card debt for less than you owe, but it hurts credit, adds fees and can bring taxes and lawsuits. Here is what to weigh.
9 min read
Guide
Form 1099-C: What Canceled Debt Means for Your Taxes
A 1099-C reports debt a lender canceled, and the IRS generally counts that as income. How the form works, what to check, and how insolvency can reduce it.
10 min read
Guide
How to Negotiate Credit Card Debt: Hardship to Settlement
How to negotiate credit card debt yourself: ask for a hardship plan first, what a settlement costs, and why to get the deal in writing before you pay.
8 min read
Guide
How to Pay Off $10,000 in Credit Card Debt: The Real Math
How to pay off $10,000 in credit card debt: what each monthly payment costs at 22% APR, avalanche vs snowball, and what to do if you can't cover it.
12 min read
Guide
What Happens If You Stop Paying Credit Cards?
What happens if you stop paying credit cards, step by step: late fees, a penalty rate, credit damage, charge-off, collectors and a possible lawsuit.
10 min read
Guide
What Happens to Credit Card Debt When You Die?
Credit card debt doesn't pass to your family. The estate pays it, and if the estate can't, it usually goes unpaid. Here are the exceptions and your rights.
10 min read
Guide
What Is a Charge-Off? What It Means and What Happens Next
A charge-off is when a lender writes an unpaid card off as a loss, usually by 180 days late. You still owe it, and it can stay on your credit report 7 years.
10 min read
Guide
What Is Debt Relief? Every Option, Its Cost and Its Risks
Debt relief means changing what you owe or how you repay it, from a hardship plan to settlement or bankruptcy. See how each works and what it costs you.
10 min read
One loan instead of many payments
Debt consolidation
Start hereWhat Is Debt Consolidation? How It Works and What It Costs
Debt consolidation rolls several debts into one payment through a new loan, card or plan. How each route works, what it costs, and when it doesn't help.
12 min read
Guide
Balance Transfer vs Personal Loan: Which Costs Less?
Balance transfer vs personal loan: a transfer is often cheapest if you clear it before the promo ends; a loan gives a fixed payment and end date. Compare both.
9 min read
Guide
Can I Use 401k to Pay Off Debt? Loans, Taxes and Risks
Can you use 401k to pay off debt? Only if your plan allows a loan or a withdrawal. How each one works, the tax risks, and gentler options to try first.
9 min read
Guide
Does Debt Consolidation Hurt Your Credit? What Changes
Does debt consolidation hurt your credit? It can, at first. How a balance transfer, a loan or a debt management plan touches each part of your credit score.
9 min read
Guide
What Is a Balance Transfer? How It Works, Fees and Rules
What is a balance transfer? You move card debt to a card with a low intro rate, usually for a fee. How it works, the six-month rule and when it backfires.
9 min read
Budget, credit and the first steps
Money basics
Start hereHow to Make a Budget: 5 Steps That Work With Debt
To make a budget, list your take-home pay, list every bill and expense, and subtract. Here's how to handle minimums, uneven pay and a month that won't add up.
11 min read
Guide
What Is a Good Debt to Income Ratio? The Real Benchmarks
What is a good debt to income ratio? There's no single number. See the CFPB's planning guidelines, VA and USDA-backed loan limits, and how to work out yours.
8 min read
Coming topics
We open one topic at a time so each one is done properly.