Susan Tompor Detroit Free Press Published 5:00 AM EDT Jul 20, 2019 DETROIT – Karl Swiger couldn't believe how his 20-something daughter somehow borrowed $1,200 online and got stuck with an annual interest rate of roughly 350%. "When I heard about it, I thought you can get better rates from the Mafia," said Swiger, who runs a landscaping business. He only heard about the loan once his daughter needed help making the payments. Yes, we're talking about a loan rate that's not 10%, not 20% but more than 300%. "How the hell do you pay it off if you're broke? It's obscene," said Henry Baskin, the Bloomfield Hills attorney who was shocked when he first heard the story. Baskin decided he'd try to take up the cause for Nicole Swiger, the daughter of Karl Swiger who cuts Baskin's lawn, as well as other struggling households caught in a painful debt trap. Super-high interest loans should be illegal and several states have tried to put a stop to them through usury … [Read more...] about Loan hits woman with 350% interest rate, and loophole allows it
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Should I act as guarantor for my dad’s nursing home fees?
The decision to move into a nursing home is an important one and I am sure these are difficult circumstances for all your family. Before a resident enters a home, he or she must sign a contract of care. This is an important legal document which sets out the rights and responsibilities that both the nursing home provider and the resident will be bound by. It may be the case that a nursing home requires the resident and also a guarantor to sign the contract of care, either separately or jointly. It is important that both you and your father fully understand what you are agreeing to before you sign the contract. A guarantor is a third party who agrees to pay a resident's fees if he or she is unable to continue paying themselves. Agreeing to such a financial responsibility is a considerable commitment. Therefore if you are going to be a guarantor, it is essential that you are provided with all of the information you need to understand and assess the practical implications for you, … [Read more...] about Should I act as guarantor for my dad’s nursing home fees?
Elmbridge election candidates tell you why they deserve your vote
Elmbridge residents head to the polls on May 2 to select councillors for 16 wards in the borough. Elmbridge Borough Council is currently run by the Conservative Party , with 24 councillors in the 48 available seats. The rest of the council is made up of 15 residents' association (RA) members and nine Liberal Democrats . Labour, Green and UKIP parties do not currently have any representatives. In 2016, when the council was reduced from 60 councillors to 48 and wards from 22 to 16 on recommendation from the Boundary Commission, an RA and Lib Dem coalition took shock control of the council following a dramatic full election. However, the 2018 elections proved fruitful for the Conservatives, who won ten seats to the Lib Dem's and RA's combined six. Now it's your chance to have a fresh say on how the borough council is run and which party takes control. With the balance at 24 Tories and 24 RA/Lib Dems, each vote could be crucial. SurreyLive gave candidates 100 words to sell … [Read more...] about Elmbridge election candidates tell you why they deserve your vote
Your Questions: Is there any financial assistance to help me out as a landlord?
Answer: There are a few measures which you could explore. While it was scrapped in the last Budget, the Home Renovation Incentive offers a relatively generous tax relief to landlords who carried out qualifying home repairs, improvements or renovations on their home between October 15, 2014 and December 31, 2018. The tax credit is payable over the two years following the year in which you carried out the work, so you would still be eligible to apply if the work was carried out in late 2017, according to the commercial director of Taxback.com Eileen Devereux. One important caveat is that the work must have been completed by a fully tax-compliant contractor. If this has been the case and your application is successful, relief is calculated at a rate of 13.5pc on all qualifying expenditure over €4,405 - up to a maximum of €30,000 - before Vat. You mentioned you are still paying a mortgage on the property. If you can prove that you have registered tenancies in the property with … [Read more...] about Your Questions: Is there any financial assistance to help me out as a landlord?
How to make the most of your garden this summer with lighting and plant tips
EVERY Saturday, The Consumer Crew are here to solve your problems. Mel Hunter will take on readers’ consumer issues, Amanda Cable will give you the best advice for buying your dream home, Maddy Tooke rounds up the best coupons to save you money and Judge Rinder will tackle your legal woes. Jane Hamilton, property expert AS the British love affair with gardens wilting? Research from online estate agent Housesimple shows almost a third of properties for sale in major towns and cities do not have outside space. Gardens, terraces and balconies are being sacrificed so developers can squeeze in more homes. As National Gardening Week starts on Monday, we look at how to make the most of your home’s garden, no matter what the size. With a small terrace, balcony or patio, make it seem bigger by letting it “flow” from the home. Interiors experts advise using the garden as an “outside room”, so match the colour scheme for the walls, rails or fence and add a … [Read more...] about How to make the most of your garden this summer with lighting and plant tips