Five financial numbers you need to know (Reuters)

Personal Finance | Tue Oct 20, 2015 9:29am EDT Related: Money Five financial numbers you need to know NEW YORK | By Chris Taylor A shopper rides an escalator as traffic passes by the Beverly Center mall in Los Angeles, November 8, 2013. REUTERS/David McNew A shopper rides an escalator as traffic passes by the Beverly Center mall in Los Angeles, November 8, 2013. Reuters/David McNew Numbers matter in our finances, but some are more meaningful than others. Just ask any lender: your hobbies or pleasant disposition do not figure in its loan decision. Numbers do. "Some of these numbers might seem like a foreign language, but they are very important for people to know," said Shawn Gilfedder, president and chief executive of McGraw-Hill Federal Credit Union. "You would be surprised how much information is available to lenders these days." Here are a few of the key numbers lenders look at: 1. FICO score A score of 760 or better puts you in the top consumer category, likely granting you the lowest rates for loans. Consider a 30-year mortgage on a $500,000 house, for instance: Getting a 4 percent interest rate instead of 4.5 will save you over $50,000 over the life of the loan. Even if your credit is not pristine, at least make sure the trend is improving, Gilfedder said. You can check your numbers from the three main reporting bureaus, Experian, TranUnion and Equifax, at FreeCreditReport.com, which provides one free report each year. A version of your FICO score or your VantageScore, an alternate credit rating, also appears on monthly statements from many banks and credit card issuers. 2. Capacity It matters greatly how much credit you have available right now. "Think of it as how much gas you have left in your tank," said Gilfedder. "You don't want to be driving around town with only a gallon left." For example, if your credit card limit is $10,000, and you have used up $2,000, your remaining capacity is $8,000. Make sure you have plenty of capacity left, and are not continually bumping up against the ceiling. Use all your credit lines every once in a while, even if you pay them off immediately. If your credit line is dormant, lenders might yank it, which would lower your overall capacity. 3. Debt-to-Income Ratio If more than 42 percent of total adjusted gross income is earmarked for paying off debt like car loans and mortgages, that could get you in real trouble, Gilfedder said. The lower that ratio, the better. This may be difficult in high-cost housing areas like San Francisco or New York City. Exceed 42 percent, and "hawkish" lenders may deny a new loan. 4. Liquidity Ratio For companies, this means the ability to meet short-term liabilities with short-term assets. For individuals, it is a fancy way of referring to your emergency fund: whether your cash on hand is enough to cover monthly bills. Since so many people live paycheck-to-paycheck, financial planner Cathy Pareto of Coral Gables, Florida, said it is critical to aim for three to six months' worth of savings to handle any bills that come along. 5. Net Worth While banks do not consider such a broad number for loans, most people want to track their wealth with a big round number. Net worth is simply your total assets minus your total liabilities: the equity in your house, plus your savings, investment portfolios and any other assets such as cars, minus what you owe on them. Net worth is one of the best ways to keep score even though it can be greatly affected by stock market gyrations, for instance. "It can be surprisingly difficult to tell if you are actually getting ahead," financial planner Elizabeth Grahsl of Prosperity Bank in Dallas said. "Net worth sums up everything going on in your financial life." (Editing by Beth Pinsker and Richard Chang) ================== Debt Consolidation: The Pros and Cons of Your Major Options Debt Consolidation: The Pros and Cons of Your Major Options Advertiser Disclosure September 19, 2013 Debt Consolidation: The Pros and Cons of Your Major Options Do you want to have fewer bills to pay each month and save money at the same time? Who doesn’t?! But simply consolidating a bunch of debts at a lower interest rate won’t necessarily get you there. Consider the pros and cons of all your options – and then manage your debts and cut back on spending over time. Once you choose a debt consolidation method, make sure you keep the total cost as low as possible. Here are three tips to up the odds that your debt consolidation plan will work: 1.Don’t take the maximum amount of time possible to pay off your new loan. Instead, come up with a plan to get out of debt in three to five years. 2.Read the fine print so there are no surprises, such as a balance transfers or application fees. 3.Ignore all offers that sound too good to be true. What Is Your Lifetime Cost of Debt? What Is Your Lifetime Cost of Debt? How much will you pay in interest over your lifetime? You may be surprised. Find Out Now » Homeowners Have Great Options If you’ve built up some equity and the interest rates remain favorable, it may make sense to refinance your home and use the additional cash you can borrow, over and above what you owe on your current mortgage, to pay off more expensive debts. Or you might be better off taking out a home equity line of credit (HELOC) or a fixed rate home equity loan. Pros: •You can save a fortune by switching debts from the double-digits of typical credit card bills to the much lower rates on home equity loans and refinances. •There’s the possibility of being able to deduct the interest on home loans, whereas that’s not possible with credit card debts. •If you shop carefully, you’ll be able to get a good deal on closing costs, saving you more money. Cons: •You’re putting your home on the line, which is extremely risky unless you are certain you can trust yourself to stop overspending and to faithfully pay off the home loan(s). •If you go for a variable rate loan, remember that what goes down may well go up, increasing your cost of borrowing. •Don’t unwittingly extend the length of time you’ll be in debt or it might cost you more over the long run than if you’d simply paid off those higher rate bills. Tips: •Don’t pocket the money your refinancing frees up every month. Instead, use it to create an emergency fund (if you don’t already have one). Once that’s set up, use the money as a pre-payment against your home loan or to boost your retirement savings. •Ditto with any tax refunds that come your way. Cardholders Have Great Options One of the easiest ways to consolidate your credit card debts is to call your current card issuers and ask them to give you a better deal. If the customer service representative seems unwilling, don’t be shy! Ask to speak with a supervisor. Lenders know the competition is tough, and it’s cheaper for them to keep you than it is to get a new customer to replace you – especially if you’re a “low maintenance” borrower who pays bills on time. While you have them on the phone, ask about these three issues: 1.Getting a special rate on any new balances that you transfer to their card. 2.Getting the interest rate lowered on new purchases. 3.Getting any annual fee waived. Pros: •A phone call or two to a toll-free number is all it takes. It doesn’t get much easier than that! •You have nothing to lose and you may save yourself a lot of money – now and over the long haul. Cons: •Especially if you have a spotty payment record, it may not work! •Instead, try getting a new, low rate credit card. This is admittedly more of a hassle than making one toll-free call, but if you’re honest about your credit situation as you look over the offers, you may find a lower rate card without too much trouble. Tips: •Ask that any balance transfer fees be waived. •Don’t apply for too many new cards at one time. It can hurt your credit score. So choose carefully! •Watch out for teaser rates. While you can save the most by strategically transferring your debt to another low introductory rate card whenever the last “teaser” rate is about to expire, the constant balance swapping can burn you out, and if you flub it, you could pay for it. Instead, try to find a card with a steady, low interest rate. •Be sure to plow your savings back into your debts. Get a Free Credit.com Account Get a Free Credit.com Account Sign up for Credit.com and get your FREE Credit Score & Personalized Action Plan to help improve it. Free & updated every 30 days. Get Started Now » Can You Borrow from Your Nest Egg? The answer is “Yes!” if you have: 1.A 401(k), 403(b) or certain other kinds of pension plans 2.An IRA 3.Investments, such as stocks and bonds (loans against them are called “margin” loans) This raises many issues worthy of your consideration! But if you were to withdraw retirement funds early instead, from your 401 (k), for example, you’d have to pay taxes and a 10% penalty. The interest rates on these loans tend to be low – or even interest-free. For example, you can use money from your IRA interest-free for 60 days. However, you must “roll it over” to another IRA account within 60 days. Don’t use your IRA to pay debts unless you are 100% confident the money will be replaced within two months, say, with a tax refund you are guaranteed to receive. Otherwise, you’ll be hit with a penalty and taxes on the funds. (Of course, while you’re using your IRA money, it won’t be earning you any interest either.) Pros: •If you have no credit history or a poor one, these borrowing options might make sense, since they require no credit check and are easy to get. •The interest rates are generally low, and since you’re the lender, the interest gets paid to you (in the case of retirement funds). As far as margin loans and IRAs are concerned, you don’t have to make interest payments on them at all. Cons: •Should you lose your job, you might have to pay back your retirement fund loan immediately … or pay taxes and penalties and have it treated as an early withdrawal. •You could end up robbing your retirement fund if you rely too much on these loans. •If you fall behind on your repayments, even though they are to yourself, the IRS will treat a retirement fund loan as an early withdrawal — 10% plus taxes. •Since there’s always a risk of a “margin call” if the market crashes, most advisors urge caution here – that is, keep margin borrowing at 20-25% of your investment account. (With a margin call, you may be called on to immediately pay back the loan, which may mean selling stock at an unfavorable time.) •Don’t use your IRA to pay debts unless you are absolutely certain that you can come up with the funds within 60 days. Otherwise, you’ll be hit with a penalty and taxes on the funds. Speak with a tax professional before undertaking an IRA rollover to be certain your plan is sound. For example, the funds have to be returned to an IRA account (same one or different). Debt Consolidation Using Personal Loans From friends and family: These loans can be your best bet or worst nightmare. Ideally, you offer your parents or another private lender an interest rate that’s better than what they’re getting at the savings bank. Pros: •Everyone can win! They get a higher rate, you get a lower rate, and you’ll be able to quickly get out of debt. •Depending on how the deal is structured, you both may even be able to get some tax perks. Talk to a tax pro or a lawyer. Cons: •If you blow it, and can’t pay the money back, you may ruin one of the most important relationships in your life. Even exerting some heavy pressure on hesitant loved ones can make things very difficult, whether you get the loan or not. •The IRS can be a real pain when in comes to family loans. Below market interest rates may inspire Uncle Sam to look to your family for taxes on the interest you would have had to pay a traditional lender. And there may be tax consequences if you can’t pay back the loan. Tips: •Getting good tax advice is a must. •Come up with a concrete plan before you approach family and friends. Know what interest rate you’d like to propose and how much your monthly payments will be. •Get the agreement in writing, and be sure it states what the late charges will be (not that you would dare miss a payment), and what will happen if you default on the loan. A tip for Mom and Dad: If your kids ask you for a loan – for debt consolidation or any other purpose – even if you can easily afford the requested amount – take a good, hard look before you agree. If you do go for it, keep it on as professional a level as possible. Not only will you be bailing out your children at an important time in their lives, but you’ll be giving them an excellent borrowing experience. From Banks and Credit Unions: In days of yore, when people needed a hand catching up on their bills, they strolled into the neighborhood bank, spoke to branch manager, shook hands on a loan, and got a check for the amount they needed. These days, while you can still get personal loans from banks and credit unions, there are generally lower rate options, such as the ones we have been discussing. The rates are better when the loan is secured and you’ve been a bank customer for years than when the loan is unsecured and given solely against your good name. So check where you currently bank. Pros: •Depending on your circumstances and the local competition between lenders, you may be able to get a great rate. •If you set up the loan for three to five years, you will be “forced” to stay on your debt consolidation schedule. If you let the bank take the payments from your account automatically, you may get an even better rate! Cons: •If you have a spotty credit history with many outstanding debts, you will not be offered a great rate from a bank. •While there are many online offers for personal loans, be wary. Only go to sites you trust before you even consider borrowing in this fashion. Tips: •Don’t hesitate to ask your bank or credit union to give you a better deal if they want to keep your business! •Discuss the situation with a lender before your credit report is pulled. If the bank’s terms are not to your liking, there’s no reason to have its inquiry show on your credit report. The Most Important Tips of All: •Don’t ever let yourself get so deeply in debt again. •Pay your bills on time – even if all you can afford is the minimum. Always try to send in more than the minimum. •If you’re in a financial jam because of a situation that’s beyond your control – say an illness or job loss – get help now. You do have other options! Before You Apply, Find Out Where You Stand Be sure that your credit score is high enough for you to be approved for your best debt consolidation option. You can check your credit each month using Credit.com’s Free Credit Report Card. This completely free tool will break down your credit score into sections and give you a grade for each. You’ll see just how much debt you have and how it is impacting your score. You’ll get recommendations for steps you may want to consider to address problems and get matched with offers from lenders that best match your needs. Checking your own credit reports and scores does not affect your credit score in any way. 14  5    Comments on articles and responses to those comments are not provided or commissioned by a bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by a bank advertiser. It is not a bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered. Please note that our comments are moderated, so it may take a little time before you see them on the page. Thanks for your patience. • http://www.coralseamercantile.com.au Coral Mercintile A very well written article about debt consolidation. You can consolidate your loan by credit card balance transfer and debt consolidation loan. • http://www.Credit.com/ Gerri Detweiler Have you consulted with a bankruptcy attorney? If not, that’s what I would recommend as your next step. • http://www.Credit.com/ Gerri Detweiler I think the writer was trying to recap the options above. If you feel like you are at the end financially, then by all means you want to consult a bankruptcy attorney. They may be able to help you get a fresh start. • http://www.Credit.com/ Gerri Detweiler We have written an article about that! You’ll find it here: Will Debt Consolidation Help or Hurt Your Credit? • http://www.Credit.com/ Gerri Detweiler Paying off the debt with the highest interest rate first will save you the most money. • Tina I’ve read quite a bit about debt consolidation/debt relief…My husband is on permanent disability and on a fixed income. He’s now doing debt consolidation on his credit cards because he’s fallen behind. I don’t make much money either, but I’m not doing debt consolidation, How will this affect me and my credit cards? I’ve heard that my creditors will demolish my credit because of his consolidation. ◦ http://www.Credit.com/ Gerri Detweiler Tina, I assume by debt consolidation you mean that he is repaying his debts through a credit counseling organization. (By credit counseling I mean a program where he pays back 100% of the debt; not a program where they negotiate settlements for less than the full amount.) If he is in credit counseling it shouldn’t destroy his credit. Yes, he has to close his accounts but he pays them on time and will still have an on-time payment history. As for your credit, the only impact to your credit rating is if joint debts are included in the program. Those joint debts will appear closed on your credit reports and that could have an effect on your credit scores. But again, it shouldn’t demolish them. I know this is a very tough time for both of you and I know it’s not easy to take a hit to your credit. But as negative information becomes older it has less impact and you can rebuild your credit. So focus on trying to get rid of the debt and then you can focus on your credit reports and scores. Hopefully you’ll have a lot less stress once the debt is paid off. • rosanna My husband is thinking we should refinance and pull all the money out of our equity to pay off our 50k credit card debt. Our “new” payments will go up about $70 for our already low mortgage payment; however it extends the mortgage a new 30 year loan. Is this a good idea? We had previously considered a debt consolidation which would help us pay off our credit cards and loans in about 5 years with a very high payment. I’m afraid to make this commitment in the event that an emergency happens and we need to pay for groceries one time using our credit card. I still want the flexibility of using our credit when we need it. We’ve made great progress this year so far and have not utilized our cards. We have high balances now and would like to be debt free! So, refinance or debt consolidation??? ◦ http://www.Credit.com/ Gerri Detweiler How much equity do you have? Would there still be enough to pay off the home if you had to sell for some reason? Have you thought about getting a home equity loan and paying it off faster? • Luke does consolidation affect your current card credit limit or result in loosing the cards? ◦ http://www.Credit.com/ Gerri Detweiler If you mean a consolidation loan then no, it shouldn’t. If you mean credit counseling then yes, you will have to close your current credit cards (at least most of them).