The Weekender

You know about payday loans – those high interest loans you get because (you think) you are desperate for a bit of cash.

Most Credit Unions are now offering alternatives to payday loans. These loans are typically for amounts under $500 and the monthly payments are small. Interest rates are small, too, and there is typically no collateral required.

If you’re not familiar with Credit Unions, they are much like banks but they aren’t owned by a corporation. They are owned by their depositors. Their fees and interest rates are typically lower than banks and they see their customers as valuable resources, not cash cows.

In the Dekalb and Sycamore areas (Illinois) contact the Illinois Community Credit Union. We cater to members who receive lower rates on services and loan interest on the Sycamore auto loans, mortgages, and title loans.

When you’re in debt, the debt collection harassment can be brutal. You will start to get phone calls at all hours of the day and night. If you decide not to answer your telephone you’ll discover that these firms aren’t afraid to leave intimidating messages. These messages will let you know what the next dire alternative will be if you fail to answer the phone.

Depending on what laws apply to your state the harassment can escalate quickly. Meaning that if the credit agency fails to resolve the debt with you in the amount of time they set, then they have the ability to take legal action. Some collection agencies may even threat that they will “throw you in jail” if you do not pay.

As with every situation in life, it is best to do some research and get yourself better informed. When you check things out, you will undoubtedly discover that third-party collectors are regulated by the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act known as the FDCPA. Since harassment is such a big problem, the government has set up this act to protect consumers from abusive or unfair collection practices.

Bankruptcy Lawyer – Filing bankruptcy? Call 800-290-1000. Legal Helpers, the largest bankruptcy law firm in the country has the experience to help you.

You will want to look for a bankruptcy attorney that has time to devote to your case and not pass you off to an associate or paralegal. This question is something you need to ask before selecting an attorney. You can ask friends or family for a referral. You can ask the court of courts secretary in your community for a list of reputable lawyers. You should do some research before hiring a bankruptcy attorney. For example, if you see a lawyer on television, that does not mean you are going to receive the best lawyer.

Commercial real estate lending is seen as a secure place to invest, even though a bank or other investment firm might be adding more money into it. Major financial institutions are very strict about which businesses receive these loans.

Commercial loans can include anything from an office building to a high-rise condominium complex. Residential loans are usually limited to several hundred thousand dollars, while commercial real estate loans can reach millions or even billions of dollars.

Small banks and financial institutions have difficulty competing on a level playing field with large capital banks in the commercial financing market, simply because of the large amounts of money needed to finance commercial products.

This situation makes the commercial market much less competitive than the residential market. Large banks increase their bottom line by being in the forefront of commercial lending, which benefits stockholders.

Unfortunately borrowers of commercial funds do not benefit from such a system. What is required is more smaller companies such as East Coast Commercial Finance – companies that offer better service and reduced fees.