Archive for April, 2010
Steps to Rent An Apartment With Bad Credit
Not too many people realize the damaging effects of having a bad credit until they’re stuck in the actual situation. For instance, renting an apartment can be a big challenge for those with bad credit. If you think your credit report would not be questioned by a landlord, you’re mistaken. Apartment owners often check on an individual’s credit report before accepting him as tenant.
Does bad credit mean you can’t rent an apartment? Fortunately not! If you need a place to rent, there are still many options available to you. Here are few tips on how to get the apartment that you want regardless of bad credit.
Look for apartments that do not have strict policies on credit. Use the internet to search for apartments that do not have a credit check policy. You may also look at the classified ads of your local newspaper to find home rentals, condos or apartments that are more lenient in accepting tenants. If you know some real estate agents, they might also know some properties for rent who do not necessarily check on a person’s credit.
Get recommendations from reputable people. You may get recommendations from your bank, lawyer, employer, or former landlords as a proof of your credibility. The letter should state why your credit history has been tainted. If you’ve been through a difficult situation, you can try to appeal with the landlord’s consideration.
Seek a co-signer.
If you have a friend or a relative with excellent credit, you can seek their help to vouch for your credibility. Remember, having a co-signer means your co-signer will be held accountable to pay for your debts in case you default on your lease. If you’re going get a co-signer, make sure that he understands this condition before signing the agreement. In addition, respect your co-signer’s good will and make sure that you do not cause any problems for your co-signer’s credit.
Offer a bigger security deposit.
Expect that you need to put down a bigger upfront payment to make up for the absence of your credit. A higher deposit would give your landlord more security if he’s worried about the possibility of defaults. Some landlords have asked for up to 6 months in advance from renters that not only have bad credit, but have a history of being evicted from prior lodgings. If your landlord ask for such a hefty deposit, try to work out a payment program, Its not unheard that they will take 3 months down and allow you to pay the additional security over a certain agreed upon time period. Make sure you can make these payments, defaulting on these side agreements can mean immediate eviction.
Clearly, not having good credit to back you up does have its consequences. If you know that you have a bad credit problem, the best thing to do is try to improve your credit even before you start looking for a new place.
If you have unpaid debts with a creditor, pay it in full and request that a letter from your creditor stating that you have already settled the accounts reflected in your credit report. Better yet, if you know that you’ll be moving out soon, do all the necessary steps to settle your debts and make sure that your payments are properly reported to the credit bureaus. Do your best to boost your credit rating as early as possible so you can have more freedom in choosing the apartment you want.
The Tax Implications of Forgiven Credit Card Debt
Let’s be honest, the economy is a nightmare. No one’s job is safe, people are losing their homes, and relying on their credit cards to make ends meet. Credit card companies are feeling the pinch too, and are responding by settling delinquent accounts for a fraction of what is owed.
Why would they do this? Simple: collection activities cost credit card company’s money. They have to pay the person calling you to nag about payments, they have to pay for all the letters and notices. And they may never recover all the money you owe. So, when a customer offers a lump sum payment to settle the entire debt, many companies are jumping at the chance. Moreover, whatever balance is not covered by the lump sum, the credit card company just forgives. Which is great for consumers… in the short-term.
Aside from the damage to your credit (though the delinquent payments certainly are not any better), there is a problem laying in wait for you next tax season. If your credit card company forgave your debt, the IRS calls that taxable income, reported to the IRS on a 1099-C. Oh yes, if you settle your $25,000 Visa bill for only $5,000, the “forgiven” twenty grand is now considered income. So, if you are taxed at 15%, your tax bill will increase by $3,000. The increased “income” can even bump you up into a higher tax bracket!
(It is important to note that if your debt is mortgage-related and is forgiven, this may NOT qualify as taxable income, thanks to the Mortgage Debt Forgiveness Act of 2007.)
You get your credit card debt handled, only to find a brand new tax debt waiting for you. What a trade off, eh? Of course there are some ways to get around this. A title 11 bankruptcy can relieve you of the tax debt. Or you can claim insolvency (i.e. your total debts are higher than the fair market value of your assets). Neither option sounds very appealing.
One would hope that the government would see this problem as a major issue, given the large numbers of people currently dealing with overwhelming credit card debts. However, to date, no legislation on par with the Mortgage Debt Forgiveness Act of 2007 has been introduced. And with the inherent inefficiency of Congress, any new legislation would likely be too late to help the millions of struggling Americans with debt today.
Become a New Jersey Cash 5 Winner Today
Would you like to be the New Jersey Cash 5 Winner? Then do not waste any of that precious time and money anymore. Stop relying on sheer luck or dumb dreams in winning the lottery. Only proven systems and strategies truly give you the chance in gaining your first million.
In case you do not know yet, the internet provides you with the means to that golden dream. Books, guidelines and software that will make you the New Jersey Cash 5 Winner are available for sale and could be easily ordered online. These books or software detail the methods and styles that you need in order to get the winning numbers and thus give you that life-changing chance.
New Jersey Cash 5 is a numbers game that began in 1992. Originally, a player needs to choose five out of thirty eight numbers to play. By matching three numbers, a player wins the pari-mutuel prize.
In year 2000, the choice became 1 to 40, adding more numbers. The winner of 5 out of 40 numbers gets the jackpot. Prizes are given in a lump sum. The game is drawn seven times a week. The prize depends on the sales, the odds and number of winners. The prize is rolled over to the next drawing if nobody wins the current one. Each bet is worth one dollar ($1.00).
The odds of becoming a New Jersey Cash 5 Winner are one out of 658,008. This odd makes it the best lottery bet in New Jersey. However, this is very possible if you get the books that could reveal to you the secrets on how you can choose which five numbers can give you the winning edge.
The available books online can give you the secret to winning. The methods stated in the books and the available software are proven already and have won many people over a hundred million dollars in prizes already. Testimonials and newspaper articles regarding these winners are also presented to serve as proof of how effective these systems and strategies are.
I will give you a sneak peek on how these books and software can help you become the next New Jersey Cash 5 Winner. Methods of number selecting can be made through different techniques. One of these techniques is the number sum advice. The sum of the five numbers you chose should range from 75 to 125. If it does, then there’s a large possibility that you hit the jackpot.
There are other ways of choosing your winning number combination. This may be done by playing the probabilities, tips on how to combine odd and even numbers, guides on the high numbers and low numbers as used in a number field, strategies and techniques on number groups, strategies in skipped games and other tips on number sum advice and repeat hits. These tips and strategies would be detailed thoroughly through the books and software which could be bought online.
Now, do you want to be the New Jersey Cash 5 Winner? If your answer is yes, then buy these books and software so you could start building your first million.