How To Decide if Debt Consolidation Is for You

November 19, 2024

"Making a balance transfer can be a great tool for managing debt," says April Lewis-Parks, director of financial education at Consolidated Credit. "One of the main benefits is moving high-interest debt to a card with a lower or even 0% introductory interest rate. This saves you money on interest charges allowing you to pay off your balance faster."

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9 Ways you’re wasting money at the supermarket

November 13, 2024

A surefire way to overspend at the grocery store is to go without a shopping list. That causes “one of the biggest budget leaks,” says April Lewis-Parks, director of financial education at Consolidated Credit, a debt relief company. “You wander the aisles, picking up extras, and before you know it, your cart is full of things you didn’t plan for or really need.” By walking into the grocery store armed with a meal plan and an accompanying shopping list, you’ll be less susceptible to tempting displays and shiny packages. “You’ve got a plan, and sticking to it means no more impulse buys that inflate your bill,” she says.

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Smart Strategies to Escape Credit Card Debt

October 8, 2024

"Missing credit card payments can harm your credit score, making it harder to get credit when you need it for emergencies or to improve your quality of life," explains April Lewis-Parks, director of financial education at Consolidated Credit in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. "It can also cause interest rates on your current debt to go up, adding more pressure to your finances.

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What to Do If You Trigger a Penalty APR

July 26, 2024

"A penalty APR is the company's way of saying, 'If you don't pay on time, we'll charge you more to make up for the risk and inconvenience," says April Lewis-Parks, communications director at Consolidated Credit, a nonprofit credit counseling agency.

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How long can a debt collector pursue old debt?

July 16, 2024

“Debt collectors are companies that collect unpaid debts for others,” says April Lewis-Parks, director of education and corporate communications at Consolidated Credit. “It’s usually more cost-effective for companies to hire debt collectors than to continue to spend their own time and staff pursuing payment on delinquent accounts.”

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Sandra Tobon, Director Of Housing Counseling & Community Outreach For Consolidated Credit Elected To Community Reinvestment Alliance Of Florida Board

March 19, 2024

“Representing Consolidated Credit on the Board of the Community Reinvestment Alliance of Florida is an esteemed honor. The Board’s mission perfectly aligns with our commitment to helping Americans achieve affordable and sustainable homeownership, while eliminating debt through sound financial education and counseling, thus stabilizing and enriching lives,” said Tobon.

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Defaulting on a Loan Can Have Serious Consequences, but You Have Options to Avoid Default. Here’s How to Take Action

February 3, 2022

Although missing or being late on a payment for your loan can have serious consequences, “lenders are willing to work with people, so you shouldn’t be afraid to reach out,” says April-Lewis Parks, Financial Education Director for Consolidated Credit. “As soon as you miss or are late on a payment, your loan is considered delinquent.” Explaining your situation to your lender, in most cases, will allow you to negotiate a payment plan to get back on track.

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Why I Budget for the Holidays on January 1

December 21, 2021

While charging holiday expenses on a credit card is nothing new for many Americans, in fact a 2020 survey by Consolidated Credit found that 30% of people use their credit cards for gifts, many of them will struggle for an average of 14 weeks to pay off that spending. Figuring out your expenses beginning January 1st, will give you a good idea of what your budget will look like come holiday season.

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Rebuilding Credit After Bankruptcy

August 17, 2021

If you've recently been in a situation where you had to file bankruptcy, it most likely did serious damage to your credit score. However, that damage is only temporary and you can rebuild quickly with the right strategy. Financial education director April Lewis-Parks talked to Bankrate about how to avoid common credit traps as you rebuild your score after bankruptcy.

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7 Ways To Retire With $1 Million

May 19, 2021

Many people don’t realize that by taking small financial steps they can turn their dreams of becoming a millionaire into a reality. Consolidated Credit’s Director of Education and Corporate Communications, April Lewis-Parks, gives Channel 3000 advice on how to retire with $1 million.

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How long can a debt collector pursue old debt?

May 6, 2021

April Lewis-Parks, Consolidated Credit's Director of Education and Corporate Communications, spoke with Bankrate about the importance of clearing debt early. “[They] can also attempt to find out where you work and garnish your wages…[and] try to find out where you bank too, and freeze your accounts,” explains Lewis-Parks as she describes what happens when you put off paying debt collectors.

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Stimulus checks: What to do if you haven’t received your payment

May 4, 2021

While many have been able to take advantage of the three government-issued stimulus checks, some have still yet to receive any COVID-19 economic relief. April Lewis-Parks, Consolidated Credit’s Director of Education and Corporate Communications, tells NBC4 WCMH-TV why you might not have gotten your payment, and what steps to take to get the money you’re owed.

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Coronavirus hardship loans: What you need to know

March 19, 2021

Bankrate talks to Consolidated Credit’s Director of Education and Corporate Communications about the low to zero-interest benefits of coronavirus hardship loans. April Lewis-Parks explains where and how to apply for this short-term COVID-19 financial aid.

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How To Manage All the Extra Debt You Piled Up in 2020

February 22, 2021

GOBankingRates spoke to Consolidated Credit’s Director of Education and Corporate Communications about managing debt from 2020. April Lewis-Parks had this advice for consumers looking to get out of any debt they piled up last year: "Always payoff the highest APR debt first to make the most of your money."

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Women have more debt: Here’s how to pay it off and break the cycle

February 3, 2021

Women often face disproportionate earnings and heavy debt burdens. Due to workplace discrimination and family obligations, women can struggle to build wealth. April Lewis-Parks, Director of Education and Communications at Consolidated Credit, talks to CreditCards.com about the career moves women can make to increase their net worth.

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The FHA Increased its Loan Limits for 2021. Here Are the New Guidelines:

January 13, 2021

Consolidated Credit's Housing Counselor Program Manager, Barry Rothman, spoke with NextAdvisor about the state of Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loans. "Lenders have what are known as overlays, their own set of rules that they put on top of the FHA requirements," explains Rothman, as he describes the realities of applying for — and securing — a FHA loan.

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Comerica Bank Raising Expectations – Florida Market

December 13, 2020

In its continued effort to provide community assistance, Comerica Bank has allocated $3,750 to Consolidated Credit's Housing Counseling. Consolidated Credit's Director of Community Outreach and Housing Counseling, Maria Gaitan, remarks on the partnership as an huge benefit to Broward County renters and homeowners.

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What Is Mortgage Underwriting?

December 9, 2020

While the red tape involved in mortgage underwriting may seem burdensome, Consolidated Credit's Housing Counselor Manager, Barry Rothman, tells NerdWallet that the mortgage underwriting process is this way due to the 2008 housing market crash and the economic effects of the current coronavirus pandemic.

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Coronavirus hardship loans: What you need to know

September 11, 2020

The pandemic has left many Americans without a stable income for months on end. Consolidated Credit's Director of Education and Corporate Communications, April Lewis-Parks, tells Bankrate that there are special loans for this particular group of people. Coronavirus hardship loans can help Americans who have lost their jobs during this crisis.

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