9. K E Y Q U E S T I O N S
• How much do I earn?
• How much do I spend?
• What is my
credit score?
• How much debt
• How does my debt
do I have?
compare to my income?
10. YOU NEED TO KNOW
HOW MUCH IS COMING IN
VS. HOW MUCH IS GOING OUT
11. NO ONE LIKES
FACING THE NUMBERS,
BUT YOU NEED TO KNOW
EXACTLY WHERE YOU STAND.
32. Does your employer or union provide a loss of
income protection plan like short or long-term
disability insurance?
How robust is your medical insurance plan?
What is your level of fixed expenses and debt?
You should still have an emergency fund of at
least $1,000 if you’re dealing with debt.
Does your family have additional sources of
income?
Do you have access to a home equity
line of credit?
33. WHERE TO STASH YOUR
EMERGENCY FUND:
• CHECKING
• SAVINGS
• MONEY MARKET DEPOSIT
• CERTIFICATE OF DEPOSIT
36. WHAT MAKES A CREDIT SCORE?
• 35% - Payment History
• 30% - Total Debt & Utilization
• 15% - Length of Credit History
• 10% - Types of Credit in Use
• 10% - New Credit
45. • Your written request
• Satisfying a federal court order
or subpoena
• Financial institution completing a credit
application for a loan
• Utility companies
• Insurance underwriters
46. • Government agencies for certain licenses
or government benefits
• Landlords
• Potential Investors
• Current creditors for collections efforts
• Child support enforcement
• Prospective employers
(only with your written consent)
50. WHY MONITOR YOUR CREDIT REPORT?
1 in 4 people have an error
in one of their credit reports.
1 in 20 people have a SERIOUS
error in one of their credit reports.
51. WHERE TO MONITOR FOR FREE
Credit Karma - Experian & TransUnion
Quizzle - Equinox
Credit Sesame - TransUnion
These aren’t FICO scores, but some banks are
starting to offer those for free, as well.