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Tables of Contents for The Everything Get Out of Debt Book
Chapter/Section Title
Page #
Page Count
Introduction and Debt Quiz
xi
Where Are You? Assessing Your Financial Picture
1
16
The Advantages of Being Debt-Free
2
1
Look at How You Got Here
3
1
The ABCDs of Getting Out of Debt
4
2
A Household Project
6
1
Knowledge Is Power
7
1
Looking for Trouble Spots
8
3
Finding Financial Information
11
1
The Steps to Change
12
3
A Case Study
15
2
Credit Reports
17
10
The Contents of Your Credit Report
18
1
How Credit Reports Are Made
18
2
How to Obtain a Copy of Your Credit Report
20
1
Making Your Credit Report Work for You
21
1
Credit Scoring
22
1
How to Dispute an Error
23
1
Credit Fraud
23
2
A Case Study
25
2
More Money? Assessing Your Earning Power
27
14
How Earning Power Affects Debt
28
1
What Is Earning Power?
28
1
Your Profession
29
2
Changing Jobs
31
4
Part-Time Work
35
2
Why Should You Care About Earning Power?
37
1
A Case Study
37
4
Visualizing Financial Health
41
16
Where Do You Want to Be Financially?
42
1
More and Enough
43
4
Where Your Patterns Came From
47
3
You Are Not Your Money
50
1
Organize Your Life Around What Matters
50
2
Time and Money
52
1
A Case Study
53
4
The Great Escape: Paying Down Your Debt
57
14
Take Inventory
58
2
Interest Logic
60
2
Always Consider Interest Rates First
62
1
Lower the Interest Rate
63
2
Using Home Equity to Reduce Debt
65
2
When You Can't Make the Minimum Payments
67
1
A Case Study
68
3
Help! Credit Counseling Services
71
10
Warning Signs
72
1
Wishful Thinking
72
1
When Do You Need Professional Help?
73
1
Buyer Beware!
74
2
How Credit Counseling Agencies Can Help
76
1
Negotiation with Creditors
77
1
What If You Can't Do It?
78
1
A Case Study
79
2
Slim and Trim: Budgeting to Reduce Debt
81
16
The Starvation Approach
82
5
The No-Cash System
87
1
The Envelope System
88
1
Multiple Accounts
89
2
Figuring Out Your Budget
91
3
When Ends Don't Meet
94
1
A Case Study
94
3
More Help: Using a Financial Planner
97
16
When You Might Want a Planner
98
1
Where to Start Looking
99
2
Finding the Right Financial Planner for You
101
1
The Kind of Help You Want
101
2
Other Questions to Ask
103
4
Planning for Your Particular Needs
107
3
Payment and Fees
110
2
Are You Ready for Financial Planning?
112
1
Repair Work: Mending Your Credit History
113
10
The First Step
114
1
Credit Card with Strings Attached
115
2
Secured Personal Loans
117
1
Cosigners
118
1
Don't Be Late with Payments
119
1
Credit Repair Clinics
119
1
Ten Mistakes to Avoid
120
1
A Case Study
121
2
Till Debt Do Us Part: Dealing with Joint Debt
123
14
Financial Independence
124
1
Joint Property
125
2
Debt Trouble
127
1
The Team Approach to Getting Out of Debt
127
3
The Rest of the Household
130
1
Meeting Resistance
131
1
Other Joint Debtors
132
3
A Case Study
135
2
The Last Resort: Filing Personal Bankruptcy
137
14
Exactly What Is Bankruptcy?
138
1
Who Can File
139
1
Types of Personal Bankruptcy
140
1
Deciding Whether to File
141
3
What Happens Next?
144
3
Status of Creditors
147
1
Your Day in Court
148
1
The Emotional Side to Bankruptcy
149
2
Borrowing Wisely: From Appliances to Weddings
151
14
Planning for Big Expenses
152
1
Cars
153
3
Financing the Car Purchase
156
1
Planning Ahead for Your Next Car
157
1
Education
158
3
A Vacation Fund
161
1
Paying for Appliances
162
1
Weddings
163
2
The Roof over Your Head: Homes and Home Equity
165
14
Trading Up and Down
166
1
When It's Wise to Rent
166
1
Mortgages
167
4
Refinancing
171
3
Home Equity Loans
174
1
Home Equity Lines of Credit
175
1
Home Improvements
176
3
Basic Finances: U and Using Banks
179
16
Banks and Credit Unions
180
2
Checking Accounts
182
4
Savings Accounts
186
2
Certificates of Deposit (CDs)
188
2
Bank Money Market Accounts
190
1
ATM Cards
191
1
Christmas Clubs
192
1
Your Relationship with Your Bank
192
3
Long-Term Planning: Investment Basics
195
12
Time Your Investments to Fit Your Goals
196
1
Getting Started
197
1
Money Market Mutual Funds
197
2
Bonds
199
3
Stocks
202
2
Mutual Funds
204
1
Your Style, Your Goals
205
2
Retirement Investing: Planning for the Future
207
14
401(k) Plans
208
3
403(b) Plans
211
1
SIMPLE
212
1
SEP Plans
212
1
Plans
213
1
Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs)
214
3
Annuities
217
1
Low-Income Retirement Savings Credit
218
2
Ongoing Management
220
1
Plastic: Using Credit Cards Wisely
221
12
Not All Cards Are Created Equal
222
2
Limit Your Credit Card Use
224
2
Payments
226
2
Emergencies
228
2
Balance Transfers
230
1
Cash Advances
230
1
A Word on Debit Cards
231
1
Learn Discipline
232
1
Insurance: Making Sure You're Covered
233
14
Life Insurance
234
2
Disability Insurance
236
1
Health Insurance
237
1
Insurance on Your Home
238
1
Car Insurance
239
2
Insurance You Don't Need
241
1
Legal Documents for Death and Disability
242
5
Taxes: Understanding Your Responsibility
247
16
The Taxes You Pay
248
1
The Tax Return Form
248
2
Reducing Gross Income
250
2
Standard or Itemized Deductions
252
1
Avoiding Tax Surprises
253
1
When You Retire
254
2
Using a Tax Preparer
256
4
Balance Due or Refund
260
3
Financial Health: Living the Vision
263
12
Attitudes About Money
264
1
Focus on What's Important
265
1
Good Deals: Getting the Most for Your Money
266
6
What Makes You Happy?
272
2
In Conclusion
274
1
Appendix A Reading Resources
275
2
Appendix B Sample Credit Report
277
2
Appendix C Sample Loan Chart
279
2
Index
281
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