Synopses & Reviews
The world of borrowing and debt managementhas changed dramatically, leaving peopleconfused about how best to secure their financial future. This book is the only guide with detailed advice to help you become debt-free or masterthe debt you have, based on the latest lawsand new government programs and policiesimplemented under the Obama administration.
Is the information and advice on debt management different than in years past? Definitely, and in this savvy, engaging guide, bestselling author and financial expert Jordan Goodman will show you how to:
Win the mortgage game: avoid foreclosure,obtain the best refinancing, and modify your mortgage even if it's "under water"
Clean up your credit report and dramatically boost your credit score
Negotiate new terms and payments forburdensome medical bills, student loans, and credit cards
Protect yourself from the devastation of identity theft
Master new credit card rules, and avoid the rate and fee traps
Learn a revolutionary strategy that will help you become mortgage-free in five to seven years, change the way you pay all your bills, and save hundreds of thousands of dollars
Master Your Debt contains many pioneeringstrategies as it lays out an innovative planfor achieving the elusive goal of financialsuccess. This reliable resource is filled withhelpful Web sites, toll-free numbers, association and government agencies, and vetted companies and services to help you implement the adviceoffered here.
In today's volatile economy, getting out ofdebt is the key to surviving and thriving, and with this book, Jordan Goodman provides you with the strategies and tools to live debt-free.
Review
Goodman (Everyone's Money Book), former Wall Street correspondent for Money magazine, offers a lifeline to Americans drowning in debt—with attention to explaining the new rules that the government has put in place since unveiling its stimulus package, including new borrowing guidelines by banks and new policies to avoid mortgage foreclosures. After a brief sketch of the origins of the credit crisis, the author provides a way to determine just how much debt one is in and shares tips on negotiating various payments. Addressing refinancing and paying off mortgages, avoiding identity fraud, selecting the right car deals and student loans, and surviving bankruptcy, the book covers virtually all the debt bases with hard-hitting advice. Goodman offers a detailed appendix with contact information for further reading as well as various resources to empower readers and help them regain their financial footing. (Feb.) (Publishers Weekly, December 21st, 2009)
Synopsis
Finally, after the dramatic mortgage crisis and stock market collapse over the past few months, people are beginning to recognize that the only way to secure their financial future is to take charge of their own spending and saving habits. In this book, Goodman and Westrom will walk readers through the ways they can begin to live debt free--from new types of mortgages that allow homeowners to pay off their mortgages far sooner than with traditional mortgages; how to improve credit scores; how to negotiate payment of various debts from medical bills to student loans. This is the book that will offer the strategies that lenders would rather borrowers not use
Synopsis
"Being in debt does not have to be a life sentence. Jordan Goodman gives you the key to getting out of your debtor's prison in Master Your Debt."
Terry Savage, nationally syndicatedChicago Sun-Times personal financialcolumnist and author of The New Savage Number
"Master Your Debt gives the skinny on today's most pressing personal finance issues. This type of advice is a rarity, as is Jordan's level of expertise. It's little wonder that he's known as America's Money Answers Man!"
Curtis Arnold, founder of CardRatings.comand author of How You Can Profit fromCredit Cards
"Whether your goal is to whittle down your debt or boost your bottom line, Jordan Goodman shows you how to succeed in this book!"
Gerri Detweiler, author of The Ultimate Credit Handbook and advisor to Credit.com
"Winning strategies are the key to saving money! Jordan is a master of them. He has, once again, created another excellent, up-to-date, easy-to-use consumer guide that will help people save thousands of dollars on their debt."
Scott Bilker, creator of DebtSmart.com and author of Talk Your Way Out Of Credit Card Debt
Synopsis
Strategies and tools to live debt free
The world of borrowing and debt management has changed dramatically, leaving people confused about how best to secure their financial future. This book is the only guide with detailed advice to help you become debt free or master the debt you have, based on the latest laws and new government programs and policies implemented under the Obama administration.
Is the information and advice on debt management different than in years past? Definitely. In this savvy, engaging guide, bestselling financial expert Jordan Goodman will tell you how to
- Win the mortgage game: avoid foreclosure, obtain the best refi, and modify your mortgage even if it is "under water"
- Clean up your credit report and dramatically boost your credit score
- Negotiate new terms and payments for burdensome medical bills, student loans, and credit cards
- Protect yourself from the devastation of identity theft
- Master the new credit card rules, and avoid the rate and fee traps
- Learn a revolutionary strategy that will help you become mortgage free in 5 to 7 years, change the way you pay all your bills, and save hundreds of thousands of dollars
Master Your Debt recommends many pioneering strategies as it lays out an innovative plan for achieving the elusive goal of financial success. The book is filled with helpful web sites, toll free numbers, associations and government agencies, and vetted companies and services to help you implement this advice. In today's volatile economy, getting out of debt is the key to surviving and thriving, and author Jordan Goodman provides you with the strategies and tools to live debt free.
About the Author
JORDAN E. GOODMAN is a nationally recognized expert on personal finance. He is the authorof the bestselling Everyone's Money Book and twelve other books. For eighteen years, hewas the Wall Street correspondent for Moneymagazine and also served as a regularcommentator for NBC News at Sunrise andMutual Broadcasting System's America in the Morning. Today, Goodman appears regularlyon many radio shows, including public radio's Marketplace as well as on TV programs on Fox, CNN, CBS, CNBC, and MSNBC. He also speaks regularly to large groups such as the Harv Eker wealth seminars. Visit Goodman's Web site: www.moneyanswers.com.
BILL WESTROM is a consumer advocate and veteran mortgage professional who has become a critic of the traditional banking system. His own businesses, IFS Development Group and TruthInEquity.com, focus on educating and empowering homeowners so they can make smarter choices about mortgages and employ an innovative mortgage reduction strategy; equity acceleration. Westrom's mission is to "change the financial landscape of this country by helping homeowners get more out of what they own and what they earn."
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments.
Introduction: Master or Victim? You Decide.
Chapter 1: How Did We Get Here? and Where Are We?
Chapter 2: Find out Where You Stand.
Chapter 3: Other People Are Grading You, Too.
Chapter 4: Avoiding A Modern-Day Identity Crisis.
Chapter 5: Win the New Mortgage Game.
Chapter 6: Mortgage Free in Five to Seven Years.
Chapter 7: Credit Cards: Just Because It's Called MasterCard Doesn't Mean It's the Boss of You.
Chapter 8: Car Deals: Making Sure You're In the Driver's Seat.
Chapter 9: An Education in College Costs.
Chapter 10: Don't Let Bad Luck Derail your Finances.
Chapter 11: Surviving Bankruptcy.
Chapter 12: Debt Strategies for Every Age.
Chapter 13: Permanent Mastery, Going Forward.
Appendix: Resources.
About the Author.
Index.