Atlanta Bankruptcy Attorney Blog

First food prices, then gas - now it looks like ATM fees are on the rise. But the good news is, you can choose not pay the higher price, say Atlanta bankruptcy attorneys.

Currently, using another bank's ATM means about a $2.50 charge from the competitor bank - and a fee of $1-$1.50 from your own bank. But Chase recently shared its plan to hike ATM fees for non-customers in Illinois to an unheard-of $5 per transaction. Rates in Texas, another state involved in the trial, will increase to $4. That means that, for a simple $20 withdrawal, you would be paying 20-25% interest - or 30% interest when you include the charge by your own bank.

Financial wisdom has long held that you can get more with cash than with credit, because you don't have to pay a premium - i.e. credit card interest - to use paper money. But if customers simply roll over and pay these crazy new rates, we could lose the freedom to save money with cash.

Continue reading "Big Bank Raises ATM Fees for Struggling Consumers in Some States" »

Remember the paycheck raise you got back in January? No? You're not the only one.

In 2011, Uncle Sam boosted most people's paychecks by rolling back Social Security payroll taxes from 6.2 to 4.2 percent. Less money withheld meant fatter paychecks. But unfortunately, most of us haven't even noticed, say Atlanta bankruptcy attorneys. That's because the rapidly-rising cost of living is canceling out our federally-funded raise.

Continue reading "Payroll Tax Cut Canceled Out By Increasing Food and Fuel Costs" »

American consumers say the economy has changed their spending habits for the better - but is the change permanent?

While 63% of people in last year's Citigroup survey reported that the recession has had a positive effect on their spending and saving behavior, only 52 respondents say the same today. Perhaps now that incomes are rising once again, we feel a little more secure. And maybe some of us are so used to the new economy that we've become numb to possibilities that once struck fear into our hearts - like pay cuts and layoffs. That's understandable. What's not so understandable? The fact that consumer debt is increasing, say Atlanta bankruptcy attorneys.

Continue reading "Are Improved Financial Habits Falling By The Wayside As Economy Picks Up Steam?" »

Uncle Sam was hoping a recent tax cut would get pumped back into the economy - but it looks like it might just get pumped into our gas tanks.

In December, President Obama signed a payroll tax cut that would slash Social Security withholdings from 6.2 percent to 4.2 percent in 2011- essentially a 2 percent annual raise. But just as the cut started taking effect this month, gas prices began climbing upward. Prices today are 37 cents a gallon more than they were at this time last year. And economists estimate that more than half of all drivers will have to adjust our finances accordingly, say Atlanta bankruptcy attorneys.

Continue reading "Atlanta Consumers Look For Ways To Pay Increasing Gas Prices" »

Millions of Americans are about to finally get a pay raise. But here's the really surprising part - millions aren't even going to realize it until the money's all gone.

If you haven't already heard, President Obama signed a payroll tax cut into law in December. Starting this month, just 4.2 percent--instead of the typical 6.2 percent--will be withheld from your paycheck for Social Security. That means you'll get to keep the extra 2 percent--or about $1,000 for a person earning $50,000 a year ($2,000 if you also have a spouse who brings home 50K). But because the money will be divided throughout the year among your paychecks, chances are most people won't even notice the increase--and therefore won't spend it wisely, say Atlanta bankruptcy attorneys.

Continue reading "Increase the Impact of Your Tax Cut By Paying Down Debt" »

What would you do with an extra $1,000 or more a year? You might be about to find out.

Part of the tax plan between President Obama and Congressional Republicans includes a 2 percent cut in Social Security payroll taxes. So if you're making $60,000 annually, for instance, you'll get to keep an additional $1,200 of your income each year. In the great scheme of things, it might seem like a fairly insignificant amount - but it depends on how you use it, say Atlanta bankruptcy attorneys.

Continue reading "Tax Cut Agreement Could Help Atlanta Workers Lower Debt" »

Remember when having a million dollars meant you were filthy stinkin' rich? Now it just means you have enough to live modestly - though probably still comfortably - when you retire.

Being a millionaire has lost some of its allure. That's the bad news. The good news? It's still pretty sweet to have a million bucks to draw on in your retirement. And getting there is easier than ever before, say Atlanta bankruptcy attorneys. It just requires that we stop adding to our debt problem and instead start adding to our nest egg.

Continue reading "How Making a Million Dollars By Retirement Is Possible For Atlanta Savers" »

If it seems like you always wind up with one too many bags of Halloween candy in your house, your credit card habit might be to blame.

It turns out that paying with plastic can encourage consumers to buy unhealthy food, according to a recent study by the Journal of Consumer Research. Fortunately, shoppers can avoid eating too much junk - or accumulating too much debt - by modifying the way they use credit and debit cards, say Atlanta bankruptcy attorneys.

Continue reading "Using Credit And Debit Encourages Atlanta Consumers to Make Unnecessary Purchases " »

What's the secret to making it through this ongoing recession? According to a recent study, it's quite possibly being a woman - particularly a woman in Atlanta.

After decades of trailing men in paycheck size, women are finally closing the wage gap - and then some, say Atlanta bankruptcy attorneys. Females between 22 and 30 years old are earning 8 percent more than men on average, according to a study by Reach Advisors. And in Atlanta, young women are earning more than 20 percent more than their peers. For those of us women who are struggling to pay down debt, knowing that a bigger paycheck is within our reach can be just the motivator we need to take charge of our finances.

Continue reading "Atlanta Women Earn Some of the Highest Paychecks in the Country" »

As if it's not bad enough that we may fall victim to yet another recession, we also have to worry about falling victim to double-dip scams.

With the economy looking poised to take another nosedive, more folks than ever are dealing with recession-related difficulties - things like getting laid off, losing our homes to foreclosure and struggling to pay the bills. And scam artists are taking full advantage, say Atlanta bankruptcy attorneys. Fraudsters know many of us will do anything to earn a steady paycheck or save our home, including giving them our hard-earned dollars.

Fortunately, there's a way to tell the scams from the real deal.

Continue reading "Ways Atlanta Consumers Can Avoid Double-Dip Recession Scams" »

If you've managed to keep your job in this economy, you probably already consider yourself lucky. But now consider yourself luckier.

As it turns out, the recession might actually offer positive benefits to the employed. According to the New York Times, wages are up, inflation is down and layoffs have all but leveled out. That means that, if you play your financial cards right, you might be able to walk out of the Great Recession in better shape than you walked into it.

Continue reading "Slow Economy Might Pay Off for Atlanta Workers" »

Being optimistic is one thing; being in denial is another. And unfortunately, it seems that millions of American workers are currently in denial about the job market.

It's not that folks are naïve enough to think they won't lose their job. On the contrary, 55 percent of Americans are worried that they could soon be out of work, according to MSNBC.com. And for one in 10 of us, that worry will come true.

The problem is that - even though we know getting laid off is a distinct possibility - we aren't doing anything to prepare for it. But by not preparing for it, we're making the worst case scenario, well, worse.

Continue reading "Building an Emergency Savings Fund Can Help Atlanta Workers Survive Job Loss" »

Not much compares to the surprise of finding a forgotten $10 bill in the dryer - except stumbling upon $1,000 in forgotten money.

Believe it or not, it happens, say Atlanta bankruptcy attorneys. No, not in the dryer. But occasionally money gets forgotten in closed bank accounts, payments relating to long-ago jobs, insurance policies, dividend checks, and more. It used to be that the money went unclaimed for the rest of our lives. But thanks to the Internet, there's a new way to track down that missing cash.

Continue reading "Identifying Missing Money Is One Way to Increase Your Income" »

Just when we think the economic downturn might be safely behind us, economists start talking about a double-dip recession. Talk about bad timing.

Thanks to unemployment, the dire debt situation in Europe and an unstable housing market, it seems that the current economic recovery might not stick. For folks who have been barely scraping by for the last couple years, the news is understandably discouraging. But the truth is, the economy has always been unpredictable - this is nothing new.

Instead of focusing on whether things get better tomorrow, in six months, or in two years, why not focus on what we can do to make them better? You don't have to wait for the economic green light to improve your credit, lower debt or start a savings plan, say Atlanta bankruptcy attorneys. But if you do those things, you'll be better able to handle another downturn - and you'll be better poised to take advantage of the economic upturn, whenever it comes.

Continue reading "Atlanta Consumers Ready Finances for Potential Double-Dip Recession" »

Most folks today don't think picking up a penny is worth the effort. After all, it's only one-hundredth of a dollar, right?

But over time, one percent adds up - especially when you've been slacking in the saving department thanks to a lot of debt, too little pay and overall financial fallout from the recession.

Don't believe me? Just check out a new calculator tool from the New York Times. A few more dollars saved today can become a lot more tomorrow. Let's look at an example.

Continue reading "A Little Savings Today Can Add Up to a Big Nest Egg Tomorrow for Atlanta Residents" »