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GOOD DEBT BAD DEBT USING CREDIT WISELY: WHAT YOU REALLY NEED TO KNOW

good debt, bad debt, credit card debt, balloon payments, APY – Annual Percentage Yield, debt, credit, expense ratios, cash flow, trusteeGOOD DEBT BAD DEBT USING CREDIT WISELY

Good debt bad debt using credit wisely: Introduction

Good debt bad debt using credit wisely are another one of those financial terms like Balloon Payments, APY – Annual Percentage Yield, Expense Ratios and Cash Flow that are often misunderstood. As we continue our series of confusing financial terms we thought that the holiday season seemed like the opportune time to explore the concept of good debt.

Good debt bad debt using credit wisely: What is good debt?

Typically we define good debt as borrowing money for something that will appreciate in value and increase your net worth. Examples of good debt are taking out a mortgage to purchase your home and investing in your education.

Good debt bad debt using credit wisely: What is bad debt?

Typically we define bad debt as borrowing money for something that will depreciate in value and does not increase your net worth. Examples of bad debt are credit card debt and debt for luxury items you can’t really afford like fancy cars and expensive vacations.

Good debt bad debt using credit wisely: Is good debt a myth?

The old adage that there’s no sure thing except for death and taxes is true. Although taking out a mortgage to buy a home and investing in your education seem like sure things, sadly that isn’t always the case. If you take out a mortgage that’s the maximum you can handle and the interest rates go up, how will you pay for your house? What would happen if you lost your job? Would you lose your house as well? Investing in your education isn’t a sure thing either. There are many PhDs waiting tables. A good education is no longer a guarantee of a good paying job. Good debt is a myth, unless you are also using the credit wisely. At the end of the day, debt is still debt and must be repaid.

Good debt bad debt using credit wisely: What to do about your debt?

Canadians are struggling with debt like never before. Whether you’ve taken on what you consider to be good debt or bad debt, it still needs to be dealt with. And, to deal with debt you need the help of a debt professional – a trustee. Dealing with debt is not a DIY project. Call Ira Smith Trustee & Receiver Inc. today and make an appointment for a free, no obligation consultation. We can give you back peace of mind and put you on the road to debt free living Starting Over, Starting Now.

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Brandon Blog Post

I NEED FINANCIAL HELP IMMEDIATELY

I need financial help immediately: Introduction

“I need financial help immediately” is something we hear daily. With so many people struggling to make ends meet and living paycheque to paycheque, it’s not a surprise that they’re looking for ways to get ahead. Unfortunately it’s easy to get seduced by financial newsletters or websites that offer nothing more than get rich quick schemes disguised as financial advice. Please keep the old adage in mind when considering investment opportunities – if it’s too good to be true, it probably is.

I need financial help immediately: 3 things to watch out for

The Ira Smith Team has fully licensed, federally regulated financial professionals and we don’t have any get rich quick advice for you. However, we do have advice about how to protect yourself from get rich quick financial newsletters. Here are three things to watch for:

  1. Run, don’t walk from headlines like “beat the market”. There is no such thing as a get rich quick scheme that works. Remember Bernie Madoff? He paid unbelievably high returns to his investors and that ended up with Bernie in jail for life and many others in financial ruin. Even savvy investors got seduced.
  2. Watch out for newsletters with confusing terminology. They’re designed to confuse you so you won’t really understand that what they’re selling is all hype and no substance. Financial terminology is so confusing that we’re doing a series of blogs about it. So far we’ve covered Balloon Payments, APY – Annual Percentage Yield and Expense Ratios. Knowledge is power.
  3. Creating a sense of urgency is a classic ploy to suck you in before you’ve had the time to really scope things out. Beware of offers that are only open to the “first 100 that sign up” or “register within the next 48 hours or you’ll miss out”.

I need financial help immediately: What to do if this is you

We know there are many people who feel “I need financial help immediately”. Our most viewed blog ever is from May 2014 that people looking for cash find through a Google search because it is titled: Bad Credit Loans Guaranteed Approval.

We’re certainly not saying that there are no legitimate financial opportunities out there, but you really have to be careful about where and who you take financial advice from. If you’re walking a financial tightrope, a get rich quick scheme is not the answer. Contact a licensed trustee. Ira Smith Trustee & Receiver Inc. will review your file, discuss your options and come up with a solid, financial plan that will put you on the road to debt-free living Starting Over, Starting Now.

Call a Trustee Now!