8 Tips for Paying Bills
...... before the insurance expires. Insurance is risk-management for your car, home, life, and health. Starting over will always be more expensive. E) Take care of car loans or lease payments. 90 days seems to be the limit these companies will grant before your car appears on their repossession list. Any late payments here, like with your mortgage payment, will be reported to the credit bureau. Some companies may report immediately. Communicate your payment plan and stay in contact with the lender. F) Pay the doctors, dentists, and hospitals. Review the monthly bills you receive from these sources carefully and be sure you understand every item. Ask any questions you have immediately. Late payments for health services rarely get reported to the credit bureau and rarely are there late charges added on. Call the provider involved and tell them of your plan to make regular payments of X number of dollars. Do not be embarrassed to continue to seek medical services because you cannot pay.
G) Give local business people their money. Late payments to the dry cleaners, plumbers, yard people, or handyman will probably not be reported to the credit bureau and most won't charge late fees. These people want and need your business. Remember that these are the people who also keep your household running on a daily basis. Help keep theirs running and pay the bill. H) Work with the IRS Work out a monthly payment plan to cover your taxes, back-taxes, interest, and penalties. Never miss one of these payments. The IRS can and very possibly will demand payment in full immediately if you do miss a payment. They can file a lien against you. The credit bureaus will hear about it and you will probably incur even more expenses to get rid of the lien. Draw up a plan and make those payments.
(c) 2002, Susan W. Miller. All rights reserved.
About the Author Susan W. Miller, President of Home Oasis International, a Denver-based company selling organizing products and services through home parties and online. She is the author of the "PRO NOTEBOOK" a Personal Resource Organizer, a life-planning tool to gain control over your personal and financial records. Home Oasis International professionals are available to speak to your group. 1-800-681-8681, http://www.HomeOasisInternational.com
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