Are you a stock market beginner? The amount of “civilians” that have become involved in the stock market has increased markedly over the past few decades. So you may be asking yourself “how can I get a cut of the deal and make money investing?” There are many varying approaches to finding businesses that may be worthwhile to invest in, but two basic methods are fundamental analysis or technical analysis. Fundamental analysis involves analyzing companies by their financial statements found in SEC Filings, general economic conditions, business trends and the like.

In a business column dated January 20, Baltimore Sun writer Jay Hancock seems to be thrilled by the fact that a prominent accounts receivable management firm filed bankruptcy in the midst of an unemployment-driven recession. Speculation suggests Hancock’s intentions were to threaten violence against collectors.

When you find yourself in a situation that may lead to larger complications down the road, you try to find the fastest and most headache-free solution to the problem. It is always the best way to nip the problem in the bud before it even starts.

Exactly who is trying to get me to pay up? The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act was unleashed in the 1970s and provided many protections for consumers. There are strict rules and regulations that a debt collector must abide by, and if any of these regulations are violated, there is a good chance that you could sue that agency. But what about that friend of yours who owes you five bucks? Do you have to grant them thirty days to refute the claim? Clearly, you do not.

Your credit history. It could be your best friend, or your worst enemy. Most of the time it’s like a nosy mother in law coming to visit. You know that she’s coming, and that’s always bad news, but you are too afraid to ask or even consider how long she will be staying. Even though that was the worst analogy ever, read on to see how long negative marks stay on your credit history!