What Female Leaders Would Certainly Inform Their Youngers

Outstanding debts can inflict severe dents in even the best retirement plans which have been carefully crafted over a lifetime. Incurring a debt is seemingly unavoidable in the modern age,as a result of both higher cost of living and consumerism.

With each passing year,more and more Singaporeans are diving into the debt pool as they struggle to cover their daily expenses and make ends meet. As of December 2016,the average Singaporean household incurs an estimated $55,000 of debt,which is a 3% increase over 2015. Easily 75% of this household debt stems from unresolved mortgage loans. Some of this unsettled debt may even force retirees to expend their assets to cover their debt rather than passing it on to their beneficiaries.

However,there are several ways to effectively settle outstanding debts to ensure it doesn’t put a crimp on some of those best retirement plans you’ve come up with.

1. Establish a Budget and Track It

Creating a proper budget is a great way to analyse and plan finances. By allocating a set amount of money towards a specific expense per month,the amount of expenses can be monitored more stringently and precautionary steps can be swiftly undertaken if the expenses overshoot the stipulated budget. It is only through proper budgeting can individuals or households create the necessary surpluses to pay off any existing debts.

Certain financial tools,such as Excel spreadsheets or even Mint.com,are particularly useful in keeping track of a personal or household budget.

The main problem for an individual who does not keep track of his/her monthly expenditure is that he/she does not know if he/she ends the month with a net reduction in savings,i.e.,spending exceeds income and eats into savings. Knowing the amount of leftover balance is crucial since a continuous negative balance might lead to the creation of new debts. It is this type of debt that is the most dangerous as it rolls over at seemingly manageable interest rates month after month. Before the individual knows it,he/she would have made hefty payments on interest alone.

Tracking tools are thus crucial in identifying areas of weakness in one’s monthly spending habits,but an individual must take affirmative action to reverse the negative balance situation. This can be done via listing out the monthly expenses and employing necessary cut backs on certain expenditures. Discipline is the key.

2. Laddering Debts by Interest Rate

Laddering debts is another technique used in settling outstanding debt. It involves listing out all current debts by interest rate,starting from the highest interest rate to the lowest interest rate. The debt with the highest interest rate costs the most money,so this debt needs to be settled first.

By paying off the most expensive debt first,the overall debt will be reduced significantly faster. Some individuals who incur multiple debts per month and employ laddering in their finances usually settle the minimum payment required for each debt,and use the balance cash from their payments to settle more of the debt with the highest interest rate.

For example,let’s compare two debt instruments: one,a credit card with an outstanding balance of $4,000 with an interest rate of 24% and another,a credit line with an outstanding balance of $8,000 with an interest rate of 16%. Ideally,the minimum monthly payment required to settle each debt would first be made,and any leftover finances would be funneled to repaying more of the credit card debt even though the amount owed may be lower.

Laddering is especially useful in tackling multiple debts while avoiding the accidental creation of another new debt. Laddering also instills a sense of financial discipline that is good in tackling unresolved debts and preventing those debts from inflicting too much harm on those retirement plans you’ve kept in mind.

3. Balance Transfers

Balance transfers is another tool used to cut back on interest expenses whilst settling an attempt to pay off a debt over several months.

For example,given the competitive nature of the unsecured credit market,banks often provide very low teaser rates for clients who transfer their existing unsecured debt from other banks. The effective interest rates could be as low as 4% p.a. versus the normal 24% p.a. one pays on credit card balances. However,the catch is such promotional rates lasts only for a certain period,for example 6 months. Nevertheless,balance transfers can lower the interest costs of an existing debt.

Balance transfers do carry their own risks. Individuals transferring balances must remember to either settle the debt after the transfer or look for another such opportunity before the lower interest on the account to which the balance is transferred expires,otherwise he/she risks paying an even higher interest rate.

Individuals using the balance transfers may also fail to address the continuous build-up of debt,thus wiping out any benefit from such a strategy. In the end,despite this cost-saving strategy,individuals end up with even more debts that impinge on savings,not to mention any future retirement plans.

4. Contacting Consumer Credit Counseling Services

If a person is having immense trouble settling their debts or even coming up with the minimum monthly payments,they should consider engaging a consumer credit counseling service. In Singapore,this service is aptly named as the Credit Counseling Singapore (“CCS”) and offers solution-based credit counseling for individuals beleaguered by financial debt.

The CCS’s debt management services only cost $130 and pairs up debt-laden individuals with a credit counsellor. The credit counsellor will assess the indebtedness of an individual’s situation and assist him/her by making a financial estimate of the debts owed,identify available resources which can be used to cover the debts and even plan a monthly budget which incorporates all living expenses. Solutions to tackle the debt problem and monthly negative balances will be meted out to alleviate the burden of debt.

If one is concerned over how his/her debt would affect his/her retirement plans,contacting the CCS would be the right way to go. If the retirement plan has already taken the old debt into account,proper financial restructuring could reduce the interest and installment payments that need to be made.

Even the best retirement plans may be in jeopardy in the face of unresolved debts. By adopting better financial habits such as establishing a budget,laddering debts and transferring balances,an unsettled debt situation might become easier to handle. If a debt problem persists,the CCS can be engaged to work out a solution to stave off unresolved debts. Financial advisers may also be consulted to better streamline finances and handle monthly expenses,thus ensuring a more secure and better retirement in the future.

If you have been thinking about filing for bankruptcy,consider an Arizona tax relief program first. Bankruptcy is a huge stressor,not to mention costly,so it’s a good idea to weigh your options first before you do anything drastic. A qualified Arizona tax attorney can:

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Analyze your entire tax bill to see if there are any areas where you could be saving money. Then,review your financial circumstances to figure out just how much you could afford to pay to the IRS in one lump sum or in smaller monthly payments. Explain the various Arizona tax debt options to discuss each choice and explain why you feel that using them is in your best interest. A qualified Arizona tax relief attorney can make suggestions as to how to get started with getting your debts back under control and how to continue making your payments in a responsible manner once you have done so.

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Once you and your attorney have determined that you are eligible for an Arizona tax relief program,you will be given approval to set up a payment plan. This plan will outline how you will pay your debts over a certain period of time,usually years,until they are completely paid off. You will then be required to make a small monthly payment to the company handling your debt,which will be taken directly from your bank account on an installment basis. Your tax relief company will handle making the required monthly payments on your behalf until all of the debt is eliminated. In Arizona,non-profit organizations such as churches,charities,and nursing homes are some of the qualifying organizations for this type of program.

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So many people are in debt,and that includes the majority of Alabamans. It is critical that people know where to find debt relief help to get rid of their debt. Some debt relief programs are available in every state in the country and Alabama has a huge selection of companies to choose from. The reason that Alabama is so well known for being debt free is because it has so many companies that help consumers with their debt. Most people don’t realize the amount of financial stress that is caused by this type of problem. There are a lot of things that go into debt and it is not always easy to determine what it is that needs to be done about it. When it comes to a company trying to help consumers figure out how to get out of debt,there are a number of things that need to be done first. The company needs to look at the amount of debt that is owed,and then figure out how much it will cost to try to get it paid off. This will be based on the amount of money that is being spent each month. The best companies that offer debt relief help in Alabama all have a fee structure that they charge for their services. It is important to find a company that charges a reasonable fee for their services. Most people think that they can get rid of their debt by themselves, but this is only going to result in further problems that may come about down the road.