Staff Writer
Bill Fay
Bill “No Pay” Fay has lived a meager financial existence his entire life. He started writing/bragging about it in 2012, helping birth Debt.org into existence as the site’s original “Frugal Man.” Prior to that, he spent more than 30 years covering the high finance world of college and professional sports for major publications, including the Associated Press, New York Times and Sports Illustrated. His interest in sports has waned some, but he is as passionate as ever about not reaching for his wallet. Bill can be reached at [email protected].
1099 forms are federal income tax information forms from businesses and other institutions to document certain financial transactions conducted during a tax year. The forms are filed with the U.S.…
The state of New York is ready and willing to help first-time homebuyers who want to fulfill that part of the America dream. If home ownership seems out of reach,…
When the coronavirus hit in March of 2020, governments and businesses scrambled to create programs that would soften the gut punch they knew COVID-19 would deliver to the U.S. economy.…
We help you build financial strength Advertiser Disclosure Expand Debt.org wants to help those in debt understand their finances and equip themselves with the tools to manage debt. Our information…
Just as there is no such thing as a free lunch, there’s really no such thing as refinancing a mortgage for free, no matter how appealing a no-closing-costs refi may…
Talking to a credit counselor is probably the last thing on your mind when you’re shopping for a home. The list of people you already have to speak to —…
The reality is about half of all marriages end in divorce, a shattering experience that forces partners to divide assets and debt. Things can get really complicated, especially when mortgage…
There’s a lot to think about when buying a house. Deciding between a 15- or 30-year-mortgage may not seem like something you want to use a lot of mental energy…
The United States operates under a progressive tax code, which means — all things being equal — the more you earn, the more income taxes you owe. (Exceptions apply; we’ll…
Even if you weren’t a fan of the hit TV comedy “The Office,” you may sympathize with its main character, office manager Michael Scott, whose financial difficulties and general cluelessness…
More than 50 million people depend on Social Security benefits for part or all of their income during retirement. Although most working Americans do not plan on funding their retirements…
Choose Your Debt Amount Consolidate Debt in Minutes Advertiser Disclosure Expand Debt.org wants to help those in debt understand their finances and equip themselves with the tools to manage debt.…
Advertiser Disclosure Debt.org wants to help those in debt understand their finances and equip themselves with the tools to manage debt. Our information is available for free, however the services…
You can get a mortgage with bad credit. Just ask Scott and Sally Champion, 30-somethings in Dallas, who set a goal of becoming homeowners no later than five years after…
Differences in Services & Costs The debate over receiving treatment at a hospital emergency room versus treatment from an urgent care center is worth having for anyone concerned about medical debt,…
Ah, the credit card. Easy to get, lovely to hold, and for those hardwired to instant gratification, absolutely fabulous to use. In fact, now that the Great Recession is a mostly…
If you use a wallet full of credit cards, spend freely with them, struggle every month to make even minimum payments – and are tired of the financial fatigue that causes…
The spirited revival of the housing market over the last decade has re-opened the door for consumers to use home equity as their bailout tool for high-interest debt – the…
COBRA stands for the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act. While that may not sound like it has anything to do with health insurance, it’s actually a federal law designed to…
You don’t have to be drowning in debt to know what it describes: someone floundering in the deep end of the financial pool who’s about to go under if he/she…
Truth, they say, is the first casualty of war. And on March 13, President Donald Trump put America on a war footing. We’re coming for you, coronavirus. Speaking from the…
Surveys show most Americans will make a resolution to get out of debt in 2020. Surveys also show most Americans will fail miserably. If you want to get out of…
The announcement that FICO will put two new credit scoring models – FICO 10 and FICO 10T – into play this summer is the ultimate good news/bad news situation for…
Tempted to spend lavishly and spontaneously this holiday season? Looking for someone to blame? Leave the three wise men out of it. Yes, they launched the tradition of bestowing expensive…
Humans are creatures of habit, and a lot of us creatures are in debt. What habits got us there? How did we fall into a life of anxiety over credit…
You don’t have to be a millionaire to know what achieving that financial ranking means. Being a millionaire means you have crossed a huge economic threshold. Doors open. Opportunities are…
A drowning person wants somebody to throw them a life preserver. People drowning in student debt might have just been thrown a bowling ball. The government’s new student loan watchdog is…
Americans are taking on ever larger debt loads as they struggle to maintain living standards. They are borrowing more on their credit cards, taking on a soaring levels of student…
With Donald Trump being credited or blamed for virtually every imaginable good or ill (depending on the observer, of course), we in the world of personal finance and debt management…
The U.S. economy might be bustling for civilians, but not all active enlisted members of the military are thriving in it. More than one-third of enlisted military members do not…
People are supposed to relax when they retire, not worry about financial problems. Studies show that a lot of retirees turn to alcohol for debt relief, but there is a…
Security breaches have become so commonplace in the United States that news around them barely causes a ripple these days. Even if it’s news that provides consumers an extra layer…
Across America, home values are on the rise again, surging with the economy. With that surge, homeowners eager to scratch a pent-up-demand itch once again are taking out HELOCs, or home…
The loan business is getting personal. We’re talking personal loans, and they are exactly what they sound like. You borrow money from a lending institution and pay it back. The…
A very rich person once said, “We don’t pay taxes. Only the little people pay taxes.” Her name was Leona Helmsley. Guess what? She went to jail for not paying…
Compound interest is a powerful tool for building wealth. It’s also a devastating tool that can destroy wealth. It just depends on which side of the financial equation you use…
Fed up with being in debt? Congratulations. Rearranging your mindset is the first step to managing, then eliminating, your money troubles. Dumping debt may require a lifestyle change, but we’re…
The era when almost anyone with a pulse could get a loan or mortgage from a commercial bank ended with the financial meltdown of 2008. Today, tightened regulations and a…
Here’s a warning for anyone who must borrow money for college. There’s an assault under way on the most cost-effective and popular student-loan repayment programs. Lines are being drawn and…
Bankruptcy is a life-changing experience, but if you want it to be a positive one, it’s best to know what NOT to do before filing. Too many consumers attempt to…