Susan Tompor Detroit Free Press Published 6:00 AM EST Jan 25, 2019 Plenty of people would jump at the chance to speed up getting some of their tax refund cash, especially in light of the government shutdown, job cuts and other financial headaches. But Tiffany Vernier's story should make some who are desperate to pay their bills think twice about handing over a few hundred dollars to get their taxes done in the hopes of snagging a tax refund advance of up to $3,000. We're bombarded with TV ads, window signs and other pitches for a loan product that some consumers might not even consider a real loan. Isn't this tax advance just a way to get some of your own refund money a few weeks early? Not exactly. And while tax refund advance loans may be popular and work OK for some people, they're not always a fast-cash guarantee — especially if you have a bad credit score. "A lot of people are going for this refund advance because you can't get a … [Read more...] about Tax refund advance loans not always fast-cash guarantee
Loan rates based on credit score
Why traditional credit scores still matter
Updated 7:18 am PDT, Monday, July 16, 2018 Photo: AP Image 1of/1 CaptionClose Image 1 of 1 FILE - This April 2017 file photo provided by NerdWallet shows Liz Weston, a columnist for personal finance website NerdWallet.com. (NerdWallet via AP, File) FILE - This April 2017 file photo provided by NerdWallet shows Liz Weston, a columnist for personal finance website NerdWallet.com. (NerdWallet via AP, File) Photo: AP Why traditional credit scores still matter 1 / 1 Back to Gallery Researchers and startups say all kinds of weird data can predict your creditworthiness. What kind of smartphone you have, who your friends are and how you answer survey questions may foretell how likely you are to pay back a loan. Don't expect this alternative data to displace the three-digit number most lenders use, however. Credit … [Read more...] about Why traditional credit scores still matter
Zillow: Houston homebuyers with lower credit scores pay $18K more in financing
By Katherine Feser Published 9:22 am, Thursday, May 17, 2018 Photo: Eyeshots/Getty Images Image 1of/1 CaptionClose Image 1 of 1 Homebuyers with a fair credit score would pay $600 more per year on mortgage payments than someone with excellent credit in Houston for a median-valued home of $196,200, according to Zillow. Homebuyers with a fair credit score would pay $600 more per year on mortgage payments than someone with excellent credit in Houston for a median-valued home of $196,200, according to Zillow. Photo: Eyeshots/Getty Images Zillow: Houston homebuyers with lower credit scores pay $18K more in financing 1 / 1 Back to Gallery Houston homebuyers with lower credit scores could get hit with monthly payments that are $50 higher than those with excellent credit, a Zillow report showed. That works out to $18,000 … [Read more...] about Zillow: Houston homebuyers with lower credit scores pay $18K more in financing
Don’t let your credit die of neglect
Updated 9:44 am, Monday, May 7, 2018 Photo: AP Image 1of/1 CaptionClose Image 1 of 1 FILE - This April 2017 file photo provided by NerdWallet shows Liz Weston, a columnist for personal finance website NerdWallet.com. (NerdWallet via AP, File) FILE - This April 2017 file photo provided by NerdWallet shows Liz Weston, a columnist for personal finance website NerdWallet.com. (NerdWallet via AP, File) Photo: AP Don't let your credit die of neglect 1 / 1 Back to Gallery Certified financial planner David Rae says he used to think that "anyone who could draw breath" could get an auto loan. Then one of his millionaire clients tried to buy a car — and failed. The 42-year-old client was turned down for a loan because he had no credit scores , says Rae, who is based in Los Angeles. Nineteen million American adults are … [Read more...] about Don’t let your credit die of neglect
Fly now, pay later: Are travel loans a good deal?
Updated 7:09 am, Thursday, April 12, 2018 window._taboola = window._taboola || []; _taboola.push({ mode: 'thumbnails-c', container: 'taboola-interstitial-gallery-thumbnails-3', placement: 'Interstitial Gallery Thumbnails 3', target_type: 'mix' }); _taboola.push({flush: true}); Photo: David Goldman, AP Image 1of/3 CaptionClose Image 1 of 3 FILE- In this Nov. 23, 2016, file photo, pedestrians make their way through the arrival terminal as bags are delivered on a carousel at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday in Atlanta. Major airlines including American Airlines, JetBlue, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines integrate buy-now-pay-later concepts into their online booking. less FILE- In this Nov. 23, 2016, file photo, pedestrians make their way through the arrival terminal as bags are delivered on a carousel at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta … [Read more...] about Fly now, pay later: Are travel loans a good deal?