Sean Pyles is a debt writer at NerdWallet whose work has been featured in The New York Times, USA Today and elsewhere. He works to challenge the stigma of debt and show consumers the best options for handling their own debt. Beyond writing about personal finance, Sean enjoys watching RuPaul's Drag Race and gardening.
With recent changes to credit reporting, civil judgments no longer appear on credit reports. This change means civil judgments have no effect on your credit score. Previously, civil judgments remained…
Tax liens — paid and unpaid — are no longer counted on credit reports. That means a tax lien won’t impact your credit score anymore. Previously, tax liens stayed on…
Foreclosure happens when you default on your mortgage and your lender takes ownership of the home. A foreclosure will remain on your credit report for seven years and bring down…
In this series, NerdWallet interviews people who have triumphed over debt using a combination of commitment, budgeting and smart financial choices. Responses have been edited for length and clarity. Budgeting…
Whether you’re planning a trip to a country across the globe or packing the car for a weekend road trip to a local campground, you can have a debt-free vacation…
With a swipe here and a swipe there, it can be easy to live your life on plastic and pile up debt. You’re not alone: U.S. households carried credit card…
Maybe you lost your job, bought too much car or got into a loan you just can’t afford anymore. No matter why your car payments have become unaffordable, it’s important…
Good for: Borrowers who want flexible loan terms and like the services offered by a credit union Consumers Credit Union offers an array of auto loans to a wide range…
Before you take on any debt, consider whether a car loan or new credit card will help meet your financial goals — or cripple them. The kind of debt you…
Monthly credit card payments can seem endless. Use this credit card payoff calculator to see when you’ll be debt-free, and how much sooner you can be out of debt by…
