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Managing Your Money All-in-One For Dummies

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Table of Contents
Book III: Dealing with Debt ....................................... 189
Chapter 1: Tackling What You Owe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .191
Taking Stock of Your Finances ................................................................... 192
Using a Budget to Get Out of Debt ............................................................ 193
Taking the Right Steps When You Have Too Much Debt ....................... 194
Handling Debt Collectors ............................................................................ 196
Getting a Financial Education .................................................................... 198
Chapter 2: Understanding How Credit Works. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .203
Defi ning Credit: Spending Tomorrow's Money Today ............................ 204
Meeting the Cast of Characters in the Credit Story ................................ 206
Understanding the Consequences of Bad Credit .................................... 208
Dealing with a Thin Credit File ................................................................... 211
Identity Theft: The Crime That Turns Good Credit Bad ......................... 213
Chapter 3: Consolidating Your Debts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .215
Knowing When Debt Consolidation Makes Sense ................................... 215
Considering Your Options .......................................................................... 216
Avoiding Dangerous Debt-Consolidation Possibilities ........................... 226
Chapter 4: Negotiating with Creditors and Getting Help . . . . . . . . . .227
Getting Ready to Negotiate ........................................................................ 228
Getting Down to Business: Contacting Creditors .................................... 232
Making the Agreement Offi cial: Putting It in Writing .............................. 234
Knowing the Deal with Credit Counseling ................................................ 235
Finding a Reputable Credit Counseling Agency ....................................... 236
Working with a Credit Counselor .............................................................. 240
Avoiding Debt Settlement Firms ................................................................ 243
Getting Relief If You Get Ripped Off .......................................................... 244
Chapter 5: Considering Bankruptcy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .247
Viewing Bankruptcy in a Historical Context ............................................ 248
Debunking Bankruptcy Myths ................................................................... 250
Understanding What You Can Gain Through Bankruptcy ..................... 253
Knowing What You Can Lose in Bankruptcy ........................................... 258
Considering Alternatives to Bankruptcy .................................................. 259
Introducing the Different Types of Personal Bankruptcy ...................... 260
Weighing the Consequences of Not Filing Bankruptcy ........................... 261
Using the Statute of Limitations ................................................................ 263
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