Money 411: Personal Finance Tips & Advice

meta gold

Welcome to Money 411SM, a resource center containing articles, tips and advice designed to help you achieve your best financial health.


Choose a Topic:

Bad Credit Loans


Budgeting


ChexSystems


Check Cashing
Prepaid Cards


Identity Theft


Tax Information


Online Banking



Money 411 Question of the Month:

How do I file for bankruptcy?

Filing for bankruptcy is a big decision that should not be taken lightly. It can impact your financial future for years to come because after filing for bankruptcy, it is common to be denied a bank account or pay more for car insurance.

On the other hand, bankruptcy can allow those who need it to start fresh and regain control of their financial lives. Medical bills, lost job or other major life-changing events often precipitate bankruptcy. So, how can you decide if filing personal bankruptcy is the right decision? There isn't a one size fits all answer. Use this helpful checklist to help you begin discussing it with a reputable attorney.

1. Add up your debt. Stop ignoring it and pretending it will go away -- it won't. Instead, sit down and add up what you owe. Write down the minimum monthly amount due and the total amount due.

2. Add up your assets and income. Are you able to pay down or manage your debt with your current income? If not, can you sell something or get a second job to get caught up on your bills?

3. Would a debt consolidation loan help?

4. Seek professional assistance.

5. Decide what type of bankruptcy is right for you: Do you want to keep some of the items or are you more concerned with eliminating all of your debt? A bankruptcy attorney can explain what is allowed in your state.

6. Understand what won't be wiped out. Some debts cannot be eliminated by bankruptcy. Common examples include child support and student loans.

7. Decide who will file -- both spouses or just one.

8. Decide what you will keep, if anything. It varies from state to state, so understand what is allowed in your area.




""
-

100% Approval*
No Credit Bureau Check
$25 Direct Deposit Bonus§




Prepaid Debit Card
Money Tips & Advice
Site Map
Customer Testimonials
Refer-A-Friend
Press Room
Deposit Center
About AccountNow, Inc.
Compare Our Cards

Visa Logo- AccountNow Prepaid Visa
MasterCard Logo- AccountNow Prepaid MasterCard
MetaBank
Bancorp
Verisign
AccountNow, Inc. is a BBB Accredited Financial Service in San Ramon, CA

AccountNow Gold Visa Prepaid Cards are issued by The Bancorp Bank and MetaBankTM, Members FDIC, pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. Please see the back of your card for its issuing bank.

AccountNow Prepaid MasterCard Card (Classic) is issued by MetaBank pursuant to license by MasterCard International Incorporated. MasterCard and the MasterCard Brand Mark are registered trademarks of MasterCard International Incorporated.

AccountNow Prepaid Visa Card (classic) is issued by The Bancorp Bank pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc.

Accountnow Gold Visa Prepaid Cards and AccountNow Prepaid Visa Cards can be used wherever Visa debit cards are accepted. MasterCard prepaid cards can be used anywhere Debit MasterCard is accepted. Your deposits are FDIC insured up to $250,000. AccountNow, Inc. is an Independent Sales Organization ("ISO") pursuant to agreements with MetaBank and The Bancorp Bank.

*Obtaining Your Card: The USA PATRIOT Act is a Federal law that requires all financial institutions to obtain, verify, and record information that identifies each person who opens a Card Account. What this means for you: When you open a Card Account, we will ask you for your name, address, date of birth, and other information that will allow us to reasonably identify you. We may also ask to see your driver's license or other identifying documents at any time. "100% Approval" is contingent upon successfully passing this mandatory identification confirmation.

**The Visa Zero Liability policy covers U.S.-issued cards only and does not apply to ATM transactions, PIN transactions not processed by Visa, or certain commercial card transactions. Cardholder must notify issuer promptly of any unauthorized use. Consult issuer for additional details or visit www.visa.com/security.

***Conditions and exceptions apply – see Cardholder Agreement.

§ To qualify for the $25 direct deposit bonus, within 6 months after being approved to receive a card you must deposit at least $500 per month via recurring direct deposit in two or more consecutive months. See www.accountnow.com/help for additional direct deposit and bonus eligibility requirements.

† The Bancorp Bank is not affiliated in any way with this product and does not endorse or sponsor this offer.

†† Other cardholder fees may apply. Consult your cardholder agreement.

AccountNow reserves the right to modify or discontinue any product, services or special offers with or without prior notice.

AccountNow is a trademark of AccountNow, Inc. All other trademarks, service marks and other registered marks are the property of their respective owners.
© Copyright 2012 AccountNow, Inc. All Rights Reserved.