James C. Molet's Blog, page 5

April 10, 2020

Does Medicaid Cover Portable Oxygen Concentrators?

For people who are suffering from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases (COPDs) such as asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, and other lung diseases may prefer a portable oxygen concentrator (POCs) rather than dragging heavy oxygen tanks around to help with their breathing problems.

These POCs are much smaller and easier to carry around since they can be placed inside your shoulder bag and you may continue breathing easily as if you are not carrying any oxygen support device. However, these POCs may be considered as medically unnecessary if you will just request them for your convenience since the traditional tanks are the standard care for people with breathing difficulties.

Therefore, before you give up with the traditional oxygen tanks, make sure that your primary insurance provider under Medicare or Medicaid will cover the cost of your POC rental by checking if you are eligible for the coverage.

Medicaid and Medicare Coverage on POCs

Both Medicaid and Medicare indeed cover the rental for oxygen equipment and other accessories, which is classified as Durable Medical Equipment if your primary care physician (PCP) prescribed it for home use. However, to get you covered for free rental of POC, you must meet the following conditions.

This article will reference Medicare, but Medicaid policy should follow Medicare’s quite closely. As always, please check with your local Medicaid office and insurance provider first!.

Medicare/Medicaid Portable Oxygen Guidelines

If you are eligible for Medicare, Medicare will help you cover the cost of your oxygen equipment and supplies only if you meet the following criteria:

A chest examination that proves you have a severe lung disease and you have difficulty breathing in
A doctor’s order that recommends your health will improve with the use of oxygen therapy and includes the following information such as full name, detailed description of all the oxygen equipment and accessories, how long you will need the oxygen equipment, and the date of the order
You have below normal arterial blood gas
Other alternatives to meet your oxygen needs failed

Hence, if you meet the above conditions, the coverage of oxygen equipment and supplies include the following:

Containers that will store oxygen
Systems that will provide oxygen
Oxygen accessories such as tubings that will help in delivering oxygen

Make sure you have submitted properly and completed all the necessary paperwork and documents so that you’ll get approved for Medicare coverage Once you get the approval from Medicare, make sure you know what is the extent of the coverage, which you can read the details below.

Medicare Deductible and Coinsurance

Since portable oxygen concentrator and other oxygen equipment falls under the category Durable Medical Equipment (DME) and is covered on Medicare Part B. It says that you need to pay 20% of the Medicaid-approved amount (this is the amount a doctor or the supplier that accepts an assignment can be paid), and then the Part B deductibles (the amount you must pay before the Medicare) will apply.

Therefore, if you have been approved for the coverage of oxygen equipment through Medicare, the cost for oxygen equipment rental from the accredited supplier will be covered by Medicare for 36 months. Once 36 months have passed, you will be covered for another 24 months of oxygen equipment and other supplies until you will be covered for a total of 5 years, or as long as you medically need oxygen therapy.

Aside from the oxygen equipment, here are some oxygen accessories and services that are also included in the coverage for monthly rental payments:

Oxygen machine servicing
Oxygen contents
Tubings or a mouthpiece
Oxygen machine repair and maintenance

What to Expect After the 36-month Free Rental Coverage

So, initially, you will be given 36-month period coverage for the free rental of the oxygen equipment by Medicare, once you got approved and you found an accredited Medicare local supplier. Hence, here are some things you must know after the first period of coverage.

1. The Supplier Must Maintain the Oxygen Equipment in Good Condition

Once the 36 months coverage is over, you will be assessed whether you still need the oxygen equipment for another 24 months as long as you meet the maximum 5-year free rental coverage. Hence, the supplier must continue in furnishing and maintaining the oxygen equipment in good working condition, without charging you for these services.

2. For Oxygen Equipment that Needs Gaseous/Liquid Oxygen Content

Once the 36-month rental period is over, Medicare will still continue to pay every month the delivery of these contents. For these deliveries, you are required to pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount.

3. You Must have a Consistent Supplier for the Next 24 Months

Your supplier for the last 36 months must be able to provide this oxygen equipment as long as you need them for the next 24 months. This simply means that you must have a consistent supplier for up to 5 years.

4. You are Free to Choose Replacement Equipment Supplier After the 5-Year Period

Once the 5-year coverage period is done and you still medically need the oxygen equipment, your supplier for the last 5 years no longer needs to continue the supply for your oxygen equipment and other accessories. Hence, you may look for another equipment supplier that is accredited as a Medicare supplier.

5. Another 5-Year Rental Period if the Initial 5-Year Rental Period is Over

What’s good about the oxygen equipment coverage of Medicare is that once your initial 5-year rental period is over, you can still get another 5-year rental coverage, if you still medically need the oxygen equipment. However, this means that a new 36-month rental period and a 5-year supplier obligation will roll over again.

Remember: If you own your oxygen equipment, Medicare will help you cover the cost of oxygen contents and other supplies, and even the delivery of oxygen once you have met all the set conditions mentioned above.

However, there are some unexpected situations that you may not want to happen during the coverage of your oxygen equipment, especially the consistent 5-year supplier obligation. You might be wondering, what if the supplier closes out its business during your free rental period or you move to another area during the 36-month period? What would you do?

Well, here is a direct and straightforward answer that is based on Medicare.

What to Do if the Oxygen Equipment Supplier Closes Out Its Business During Your Rental Coverage Period?

The supplier must give you a 90-day prior notice in writing stating that they can no longer supply you or provide any oxygen equipment and other services. The notice that they provide must be in any of these forms:

A notification letter stating their intent that they will no longer provide oxygen therapy services. Moreover, it must also include the last day of the supplier’s operation
A letter to your new supplier stating the transfer of responsibility for oxygen equipment and supplies. It must also include the starting date of the new supplier.

To know more about how to get oxygen equipment and other supplies for different situations on Medicare, you may check this site.

Cheap Portable Oxygen Concentrator Units

If you don’t happen to be covered under Medicaid (or Medicare), you should not let that deter you from getting the help that you need. Perhaps, going for a more affordable portable oxygen concentrator unit will be more feasible for you.

Here are the best and recommended POCs that are cheap yet do not compromise the machine’s quality.

1. CAIRE Freestyle Comfort Portable Concentrator

This is a small, compact, and lightweight POC that you can take it wherever you go. It is designed to be quiet to maximize the user-friendliness of the machine. You may contact the supplier since they offer installment plans for the unit.

Hence, here are some amazing features of this portable concentrator unit:

Price: $2,495
Flow type: Pulse dose
Battery life: 4-hour battery life
FAA approved: YES
Accessories: includes Freestyle Comfort, small 8 cell battery, power supply with AC input cable, carry bag and strap, vehicle power cord, cannula and manual

2. Inogen One G3

Inogen brand is one of the leading manufacturers of portable oxygen concentrators. The G3 unit typically is the perfect choice for everyday use because it is lightweight, compact, and easy to carry around making your life easier and convenient. They offer low-cost maintenance keeping your unit in good working condition.

Price: $2,295
Flow type: Pulse dose
Battery life: 4-hour battery life
FAA approved: YES
Accessories: includes Concentrator, 8- or 16-Cell Battery, AC Power Supply, DC Power Cable, Carry Bag, User Manual (AC Cord based on country code)

You may also look for a financial assistance program such as The Partnership for Prescription Assistance, wherein some POC manufacturers offer applications for a discounted cost of portable concentrators for people with financial hardships.

What to Look for in a Cheap Oxygen Concentration Unit

Portable oxygen concentrators are a great investment since you can have a gasp for extra oxygen wherever you go and whenever you need it. They are very convenient for people with breathing difficulties, or people with heart problems that can affect their normal oxygen level.

It would be easy to get one if you are eligible for Medicare or you have private health insurance since you will just pay a portion of the approved amount. However, for uninsured people, looking for cheap portable oxygen concentrators might be a daunting task.

When looking for a portable oxygen concentrator, there are things you must consider to assess the quality of the POC.

Weight and Bulk of the Machine. It is important that the POC is compact and lightweight so that it is convenient for you or your loved one to carry it around.

The Type of Filter. It is better if the filter type has an antibacterial property so that people with weak immune systems or those who are immunocompromised could benefit from this.

Battery Life. Assess your oxygen needs, whether you need pulse or those with continuous flow. However, continuous flow type has a shorter battery life; therefore, it is not recommended if you are traveling for a long period of time.

FAA Approved. Choose a unit that is flight-safe and ready so that you can go with it while you are onboard. Make sure that the battery life is twice as long as the flight to meet your oxygen needs throughout the flight.

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Published on April 10, 2020 03:13

Does Your Insurance Cover Cataract Surgery?

Cataract surgery is a common medical procedure, wherein most Americans had undergone this type of procedure. You may be a bit worried about the cost of the procedure since it is costly; however, you may be wondering as well, does insurance cover cataract surgery? Therefore, you do not need to worry anymore, because most of the health insurance programs will cover cataract surgery since it is medically important for everyone.

There are two major types of cataract surgery, the Phacoemulsification, and the Extracapsular. Luckily, both of these cataract surgeries are covered by Medicare and private medical insurance either fully or partially. Unfortunately, for people who are not qualified for Medicare and do not have health insurance, the average cost of cataract surgery is around $3,450 per eye. Moreover, the cost may vary by state and depends on the patient’s condition and needs.

In general, the procedure that is covered by Medicare and your health insurance is the standard cataract surgery and services related to the procedure itself. Hence, those that are not considered medically necessary or the premiums that are added to the cost of the standard cataract surgery will be your out-of-pocket expenditures and it will not be shouldered by either Medicare nor your health insurance.

How Do Medicare and Private Health Insurance Cover Cataract Surgery?

Cataract surgery involves replacing the natural lens of the affected eye with an artificial one. It is usually conducted on an outpatient basis with an outstanding success rate that provides a long-lasting solution since it cannot develop a new cataract once it was replaced with an artificial lens.

You have two options on how to cover the expenses for the procedure, either you are eligible with Medicare or your health insurance helps you cover the cataract surgery. However, it may be also nice to know how much it would cost if you do not have any insurance at all. Therefore, let’s find this out below.

What Does Medicare Pay Toward Cataract Surgery?

The standard cataract surgery, which uses the standard intraocular lenses is covered by Medicare, but, if you want to upgrade and place specialized lenses, most probably, you will be the one who will pay for this cost.

In general, here are the services covered by Medicare in the cataract surgery:

Lens implantation
Cataract removal
A pair of prescription glasses with standard frame or contact lenses (if needed)

For other services related to the surgery but not fully covered by Medicare, you need to pay 20% as Medicare coinsurance and other deductibles of the expenses, before Medicare will pay its share. These are directly related to the procedure such as the following:

Electrocardiogram (ECG) to determine your heart condition before you will undergo the surgery
Comprehensive eye examination that includes precise eye measurements of the refractive errors
Professional fee of the anesthesiologist or the attending nurse anesthetist during the procedure
Follow up procedure or medical care needed for any complications related to the cataract surgery. This is outside the 90 days given for post-operative care.

If you have a pre-existing condition that is not covered by Medicare before developing cataracts, you may treat that condition during the surgery, but Medicare will not pay for the fees that are not related to the cataract surgery.

To know more information about Medicare’s coverage, it has four main parts: Part A, B, C, and D. Each part has a certain coverage for healthcare expenses and services. Hence, you may also consider buying supplemental plans such as Medigap to cover some costs that are not covered by the usual Medicare.

If you have original Medicare coverage, the cataract surgery, the ophthalmologist, and the facility are covered under Medicare Part B. This also covers your doctor appointments before and after the procedure. However, Medicare will only pay the approved amount; therefore, make sure you have talked to your local Medicare office about the approved coverage amount for the surgery.

Medicare Coverage on Eyeglasses, Contact Lenses, and Intraocular Lenses

Usually, Medicare will not cover the routine eye examination such as refraction tests; however, if you are prescribed with an eyeglass, contact lens, or intraocular lens after the surgery to enhance your vision are covered.

Under Medicare Part B, the coverage for eyeglasses offers standard frames only, if you prefer expensive and fancy frames, you will pay the cost that is not covered by Medicare. Make sure to ask the doctor, which frames are covered by Medicare. Moreover, ask your doctor to send the bill to Medicare for the eyeglass so that Medicare will settle the fees.

Another thing to ensure is that your supplier must be accredited by Medicare and has a Medicare supplier number since Medicare will not cover the eyeglass if the supplier does not have a Medicare supplier number.

Private Medical Insurance Coverage on Cataract Surgery

Private insurance companies have different coverage standards when it comes to cataract surgery. Just make sure you ask your insurer, how much is the covered amount of your plan, what are the services covered before and after the surgery, and how much is your copay?

Well, most of the private insurance companies provide coverage for basic cataract treatment and services, just like the following:

Standard cataract surgery itself
A comprehensive eye examination to determine the appropriate intraocular lens to be used in the surgery
The monofocal lens to be replaced in the eyes
Prescription eye drops and post-surgery glasses after the surgery

Hence, here are some of the major health insurance that follows the standard coverage just like Medicare.

1. Aetna

For insured members who have a visual acuity of 20/50 that is due to cataract is medically important. Like Medicare, this insurance plan covers preoperative tests such as routine eye tests, cataract surgery, reading glasses or contact lenses if medically necessary after the surgery.

2. Cigna

Cigna does cover cataract surgery and treatments for most eye-related problems, except in the following situations:

Removal of the cataract
Lens displacement
A vision that is no longer corrected by prescription glasses or contact lenses
Absence of a lens in the eye (congenital aphakia)
Cataracts that are formed in the utero

Despite that Cigna will not cover the cost for cataract surgery, it will provide coverage for the cost of an intraocular lens to treat those conditions listed above since the procedure can help in improving the vision of the insured.

3. Pacific Prime

Cataract surgery is medically necessary that is why even though cataract surgery is considered as an outpatient procedure, it will be covered under the inpatient services of the healthcare plan. They may also provide coverage for prescription glasses or contact lenses after the surgery; therefore, make sure to talk to your insurer about the overall coverage of the surgery.

4. United Healthcare

Just like Medicare, and other private health insurance consider cataract treatment and surgery is medically necessary; therefore, it is covered by United Healthcare. Aside from the surgery, the plan covers the following:

The procedure and the pre and postoperative diagnostic test
A pair of prescription eyeglasses (if needed) after the procedure
Contact lenses (if ever) after the procedure

Unfortunately, the plan does not cover the following:

Prosthetic lenses
More than one pair of eyeglasses or contact lenses
Sunglasses for reducing, managing, and preventing cataracts

Bottom line:

Both Medicare and private medical insurance companies typically cover only the standard cataract surgery, which includes standard intraocular lenses (IOL) and prescription glasses with standard frames. However, if you want to go with premium IOLs and eyeglasses after the cataract surgery, you will be the one who will pay for the added cost of the premium.

Name of the procedure/premiums
Does Medicare cover these premiums
Does private medical insurance cover these premiums
If NO, how much is the average added premium

Laser arcuate incisions
NO
NO
$1,241 per eye

Laser cataract surgery
NO
NO
$1,000 per eye

Limbal relaxing incisions
NO
NO
$777 per eye

Presbyopia -correcting IOLs
NO
NO
$2,194 per eye

Toric IOLs
NO
NO
$1,521 per eye

How Much Does Cataract Surgery Cost Without Health Insurance?

Since most people who undergo cataract surgery in the U.S are over 65 years old, typically covered by Medicare or if not, he/she is covered by private health insurance. Therefore, it is really interesting to know how much would be the cost of the procedure if you are not covered by any health insurance.

Certain factors can influence the cost of your surgery such as the following:

Factors that can affect the cost of cataract surgery

The state or the country where you have done your surgery
The skills, reputation, and experience of the doctor
Whether it is performed, inpatient or outpatient
The type of intraocular lenses you preferred
Pre and post-operative eye examinations

Hence, for standard cataract surgery, the average cost will be around $3,500 per eye. If you want a premium IOL, whether to correct your presbyopia (refractive IOLs) or your astigmatism (toric IOLs), the average cost is $5,300 per eye for astigmatism-correcting IOL, while for presbyopia-correcting IOL, the average cost range from $4,700 to $6,900 per eye.

Well, if you cannot afford even the standard cataract surgery, there are still ways on how to get your cataract surgery covered.

Mission Cataract USA

They offer free cataract surgery for people of all ages, who do not have the means to pay for the procedure.

People who are eligible to get the free cataract surgery must have the following criteria:

Poor vision due to cataracts that cannot be corrected by wearing glasses
No Medicare
No Medicaid
No private health insurance

Gailey Eye Clinic

Offers monthly installment in 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months with no interest, wherein you can pay the procedure at your own convenience. If you cannot pay within the 24-month installment, they also offer extended payment plans with a low fixed interest rate.

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Published on April 10, 2020 02:35

April 8, 2020

Here’s How To Get An MRI Without Insurance And How Much It Costs

Do you need an MRI scan, but you are not insured? Or your health insurance does not allow it? Well, here is a simple and brief explanation on how to get an MRI without insurance.

To get an MRI without insurance, first, you need to obtain a doctor’s referral that you need an MRI scan. Once you have obtained a doctor’s referral, you may now look for local freestanding imaging facilities or local urgent care clinics that have resources to perform imaging tests.

The MRI cost without insurance varies depending on which part of your body requires scanning. In California, the most expensive MRI scan is the MRI of the cervical spine that costs ranging from $450 to $1200, while the least expensive is the MRI of the foot that costs around $300 to $750. That is why, if you don’t have health insurance or your health insurance is unwilling to help you cover the fees of an MRI scan, then that would be costly.

Well, here are the ways on how to get a low-cost MRI scan without the help of your health insurance company.

Where to Get a Cheap MRI Scan?

Most probably your physician will not inform you where to get a low-cost MRI scan, that is why you must do your own research on where to find these cheaper imaging facilities that conduct MRI scanning so that you can get the lowest possible quote.

Another tip you may do is to tell the doctor right away that you cannot afford the MRI scanning fee in the hospital. In this way, you will be dropped out from the list of prey they need to pressure to get the MRI scan in the hospital. However, you must make sure to get a doctor’s referral since this is the initial step in finding the local facilities that offer affordable prices for an MRI scan.

Here are some suggestions on where to get low-cost MRI scan:

1. Local Freestanding Imaging Facilities

When we say freestanding facilities, these are outpatient facilities, ambulatory centers, or diagnostic and imaging facilities that are not affiliated with any hospital. They usually offer cheaper, yet effective services than those in hospital-based for specific outpatients, such as those needing imaging tests.

Freestanding imaging facilities are more preferred nowadays to get quality and affordable diagnostic imaging needs. It will cost you ¾ less than the usual fee for imaging tests and you can assure that the quality will not be at risk since the professionals on duty are trained and capable of doing the procedure.

Hence, you may check this site to see the directory of freestanding facilities in California.

2. Local Urgent Care Clinics

These are walk-in clinics or services owned by a hospital, group of doctors, or some investors so that they can provide services for extended periods and they usually operate during weekends.

Urgent care clinics can treat minor injuries and illnesses wherein they are not serious enough to go to the Emergency Room (ER). These centers usually cost cheaper and the waiting time is shorter than an ER.

Most urgent care clinics and centers are equipped to perform diagnostic tests; therefore, you may ask for a price quote before you make an appointment.

Hence, here are some of the best Urgent Care Clinics in California.

1. Pay in Cash and Save 40% to 80%

What’s good about having your MRI scan in standalone clinics is that you can negotiate or you will be given discounts as a privilege for paying in cash. This is because the imaging center will be less hassled dealing with insurance companies and they can save money on billing costs; therefore, giving you large discounts on the test.

You can save as much as $400 for an MRI scan if you go to these standalone clinics and pay in cash. What a life hack!

2. Consider Having MRI Scan in Large Metro Cities

In large cities such as Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Chicago, where they offer competitive rates because of the increasing numbers of freestanding medical facilities in their area. Therefore, you may consider having an MRI scan in these areas.

MRI scan in Los Angeles California: One of the most numerous standalone clinics in the states. The price for an MRI scan cost around $250 to $700
MRI scan in Phoenix, Arizona: One of the best MRI centers in the state because of their fully-equipped freestanding centers. The cost of an MRI scan range around $350 to $700
MRI scan in Chicago, Illinois: It offers both cheap and expensive MRI scan locations where the cost for an MRI scan is around $350 to $800

However, you must remember that you need a doctor’s referral before setting an appointment with these standalone and urgent care clinics since most of them will require you to do so. Otherwise, here is a cheap MRI scan without a doctor referral, wherein you can get an MRI scan for as low as $399.

For instance, your health insurance approves your MRI scan, what are the steps to get an MRI? Will you be covered right away? Or you need to meet a lot of requirements before you get covered? Well, you will get to know all of these on the next topic below.

How to Get an MRI Approved by Insurance?

Your doctor will recommend you get a diagnostic test such as an MRI, x-rays, and others so that your doctor will know better your condition. The cost to get this test is kinda expensive if you are not covered by your health insurance or your insurance is not willing to cover your diagnostic test.

But, if you are a luckily insured and your health insurance approves the coverage of your diagnostic test, let’s say you need to have an MRI scan; therefore, you need to meet the requirements in order to qualify for the coverage.

Hence, here is a guide or just a simple reminder you must know on how to get an MRI approved by your health insurance.

Step 1: Pre-plan Your Coverage

Make sure you know the covered facilities of your insurance company. You may get the contact information through the provided directory of your insurance company’s website. Look which is the nearest to your area and the most affordable one.

Get an estimate quote based on your health insurance coverage. Visit the nearest facilities around your area and inquire how much it would cost you, plus the health insurance coverage.

Take note of the estimated cost of every facility you have visited. Alongside with the cost, you must take note as well as the name of the person you have talked with and the date. In this way, you can decide and choose, which facility has the best affordable price to get an MRI scan. Keep the notes in hand, just in case you need to negotiate the bill for later use.

Step 2: Get a Prior Authorization

Once you have chosen the accredited facility covered by your health insurance company, they will require you to get a prior authorization in the form of a doctor’s referral. This is because your insurance company wants to assure you that you badly needed the procedure so that they contain the cost of the diagnostic test.

Make sure to request a doctor’s referral certificate and then submit it to your insurer. However, there are some health policies that no longer require prior authorization; therefore, try to contact your insurer to confirm so that you can get an MRI scan right away.

Step 3: Thoroughly Check the Medical Bill Before Paying

A couple of weeks before your appointment date to the procedure, you will be receiving documents from your insurance company and the facility you will be having the test with. You will be receiving an explanation of benefits (EOB) and your portion of the bill that you need to pay.

Your EOB statement provides a detailed list of the procedure codes on the medical insurance claim that explains the portion billed to your insurer and whether they were already paid. Any portion of the statement that is not covered by the insurance company such as your health insurance deductibles will be billed by the facility and that is your responsibility to pay directly to the facility.

If you are not satisfied with the amount you will be expecting to pay (it is higher than what you expected), you may call the facility and request a more detailed and itemized code for individual charges. Moreover, you may consider negotiating the medical bill to reduce the fee. Here is a guide, which you may find useful during those times.

You may also check if the facility provides any assistance program or discount if you pay in cash. In this way, it can help in reducing your medical bill.

Conclusion:

It is indeed that medical procedures such as diagnostic tests are expensive if you do not have any health insurance or you are having a hard time haggling with your insurer. Therefore, if this happens, you must be prepared for an alternative solution such as finding a local standalone clinic or centers, which offer quality and affordable diagnostic services. Make sure to obtain a valid doctor’s referral certificate, so that the procedure will be carried right away.

On the other hand, if your insurance company approves the coverage of your diagnostic test, just do the following steps above to get the most out of your health insurance policy.

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Published on April 08, 2020 22:53

April 7, 2020

Best Ways I Can Get A Personal Loan If I Have A Poor Credit Score

There are so many provisions for obtaining funds. for instance, you can borrow money online or from friends and family members. Lenders first look at a loan applicant’s credit score before approving or declining their application. This fact means, getting a loan with a poor credit score is close to impossible. Yes, close to impossible, but not impossible. There are loopholes that you may explore to get a personal loan even with a poor credit score. Which are these? This article highlights the best ways I can get a personal loan if I have a poor credit score.

Using A Co-Signer

Who is a co-signer? He/she is a person willing and ready to enter into a joint responsibility for another one’s debt. Using a co-signer is my first option to get a personal loan, even with my bad credit score.

When I make my application, the lender will consider my guarantor’s credit rating and not mine. Lenders do not mind cosignatory as long as the co-signer has an excellent credit score.

Does everyone qualify to be my co-signer? No! For the bank to allow someone to take responsibility for my loan, the other party must have a better credit score than mine. Besides, they should have high income that is enough to cover the loan with ease. These two are the main requirements for one to pass the cosignatory test.

Well, it would be an added advantage if the co-signer to be has a history of borrowing and repaying loans on time. It will make it easier to get my approval confirmed by the lender.

There are other options available just in case my application gets rejected. Read on.

Get A Loan Security

Loan security is another possible way to skip the credit score barrier. It helps the lender loosen their stance on indigent credit scoring clients.

I can opt to secure my loan using my title deed, car logbook, or any property in my possession. Using assets to guarantee my loan is another way to get my loan application approved despite a low credit score.

Get Loans From Online Lenders

Online lenders are known for risk-taking qualities. They can give me a loan even with a poor credit score. Although online lenders charge high-interest rates to mitigate the risks involved in online lending. To borrow money online you may click here

Once I get my loan, there comes a chance to improve my credit score. Repaying on time and in full will surely improve my credit. As a result, securing a loan the next time I apply for will be more comfortable.

Although, there is one thing I need to be cautious about with online lenders. They take advantage of borrowers by making them pay extra high interest. This act makes the loan expensive, and repayment becomes a problem.

I should be a worried person if I acquire a costly loan. Financially, it is not viable. Why? Because it may make you land into more troubles. It may become too expensive for you to repay, causing you to default payment.

The consequence of loan repayment default is a further decline in credit rating.

Shylock

Shylocks and the law are perennial enemies. While this business is illegal in some jurisdictions, it is allowable in others. Do not engage shylocks if it is illegal in your state.

If I am fortunate enough to reside in a state where it is legal, then this is another option for me. A poor credit score won’t hinder me from acquiring a loan from a shylock.

The question is, what do shylocks need from you to give you a loan? As long as you have proof of a steady income, you qualify to get a loan from a shylock even with a poor credit score.

Pause! Do I know why some jurisdictions are anti-shylocking? Let me think about it. Could it be because of the high-interest rates they charge? Could it be because of the barbaric ways they use to recover their money from defaulting clients? Yes, it is. Shylocks will rough me up in case I delay their payments.

I should only go for loans from shylocks on a need basis. They use threats and force in case a client delays refunding their money. What are the options left for me to consider?

Peer-To-Peer Borrowing

A financial institution will deny me a loan because of my poor credit score, but my colleague may not. He/she may not even bother checking my credit score. As long as he/she looks at me as a trusted acquaintance, then I can get the loan without much ado. isn’t this better than to borrow money online?

The only problem with this option is I will be putting my relationship at risk. If I delay or default repaying the money, then I am sure my lender will not understand.

Therefore, I need to be cautious not to throw my relationship to the bin because of a loan.

The advantage of peer borrowing is I will not incur any interest. If I will, then the rate will be relatively low. Whether we do a written or verbal agreement, the best way to handle peer to peer lending is through paying back the money on time and in full.

Get A Personal Loan From A Friend Or Family

Blood is thicker than water. When bad comes to worse, the only option I may have left is getting a loan from my family members. During hard times, friends too may be an alternative to borrowing since financial institutions tend to snub borrowers with poor credit scores.

This also puts your relationship at risk, but it is a cheap and convenient way to get a loan. Just as it is last on this list of options to get a loan if I have a poor credit score, let it be my last option on the ground.

CONCLUSION

Getting a personal loan with a poor credit score is a challenge though a possibility. This article has highlighted some of the borrowing options I have. I should settle for the option with the least risk involved.

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Published on April 07, 2020 01:06

Can I Get A Loan With A Temporary Job?

Unstable economic conditions and increasing needs make it difficult for people to meet all their needs. Looking for a loan to cover needs is an alternative choice that is very attractive to the community, especially when they have very urgent needs. However, problems arise when your documents are complete, but you are not a permanent employee. You only rely on temporary work or you are a contractor. Some loan service providers require us to have a permanent job so they believe that we can pay off the loan. However, some other loan companies do not require permanent work so that we are free to borrow money.

Is It Possible?

Of course, there is always a chance to get a loan despite you only have a temporary job. Even though there are so many requirements to apply for a loan, you still have the opportunity to borrow money with a temporary job. However, you may not be able to get a loan from a bank because most of the banks require a permanent job with a good salary. The only solution to get a loan with a temporary job is to count on an online loan provider. Nowadays, there are so many online loan providers available. Moreover, the conditions or requirements are easier than the bank loan. The online loan only requires you to have an ID card and phone number. Then, you can fill the registration form online by visiting the provider’s website. Do you want to get an online loan? Well, you can check this website to borrow money online.

What Are The Requirements To Get A Loan?

Administrative conditions for applying for a loan must be met to make a submission. After the file is complete, then the lender like a1credit a legit online lender continues the loan submission process to the next stage, which is analyzing credit. Each provider can set different requirements for credit applications. However, in general, the conditions requested are:

General Conditions, including:

Fill in the application form.

Photocopy of identification like ID card, Passport, Driver License, etc.
Photocopy of marriage certificate (for those who are married).
Photocopy of family card
Photocopy of a bank account in the last few months.

Meanwhile, for the particular requirements, you also have to meet several necessary documents. However, this condition also depends on the provider policy. Some examples of particular conditions are like salary slip, a working certificate from the company, a Certificate of income details, and much more. The loan provides may require this condition in a certain case. This is so important when you want to borrow a large amount of money. Many banks require these conditions, but some small loan providers do not require it.

What Are The Basic Principles Of A Loan Being Accepted Or Rejected?

There are some factors for how your loan application is approved or rejected. A credit analyst is a person who will make sure that you are qualified. But, there are some basic principles that they commonly pay attention to such as:

1. Character

This principle is seen in terms of the personality of the prospective debtor. This can be seen from the results of interviews between customer service to prospective borrowers who want to apply for credit, regarding the background, life habits, lifestyle of prospective borrowers, and others. The core of this character principle is to assess prospective debtor candidates whether they can be trusted in undergoing cooperation with banks.

Banks usually use credit history to find out the character of prospective debtors. The process, the credit history of prospective borrowers is sought by accessing the Debtor Information System of the central bank. All history of people who have applied for credit is stored in the database.

So, if a potential debtor has been in arrears, don’t expect the credit application to be approved. However, that does not mean that you are the first to apply for credit, then you will be approved by the bank. There are still many other considerations that will determine.

2. Capacity

This principle assesses potential borrowers for their ability to run finances, both as employees and entrepreneurs, whether a prospective debtor has experienced financial problems before or not. That way, banks can find out the ability of prospective borrowers to pay credit.

To measure capacity, calculate and compare income and expenditure every month. Remember, if you want your credit application approved, try to ensure that all credit installments covered do not spend 30% of your income every month.

3. Capital

This is related to the condition of assets and wealth owned, especially those owned by prospective debtors as entrepreneurs. Capital is assessed from the annual report of the prospective debtor. From this assessment, the bank or the lender can determine whether or not a potential debtor gets a loan. Or how much credit will be given?

4. Collateral

This principle needs to be considered by prospective debtors if they cannot fulfill their obligations in paying credit installments. If this bad thing eventually happens, according to the existing provisions, the bank will confiscate the assets that have been pledged as collateral.

This collateral can be in the form of land, buildings, motor vehicles, gold, or deposits. In principle, the value of collateral assets must be higher than the loan nominal. If a bad credit occurs later, the collateral will be auctioned off by the bank to pay off your remaining credit. Banks generally have a standard loan requirement of a maximum of 80% of the collateral value.

5. Condition

This principle is influenced by factors outside the bank or prospective debtor. That is, the economic conditions of a region or country are very influential. Therefore, this principle is referred to as the precautionary principle in analyzing the potential risk of disruption to the income of prospective borrowers due to economic conditions.

Economic conditions are usually associated with the work of the prospective debtor. For example, prospective debtors work in the tourism service sector. Let us say that the tourism sector is currently not good. Banks may conclude that these conditions have an impact on the income of prospective borrowers. And it is risky if the bank gives a loan to this kind of debtor.

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Published on April 07, 2020 00:54

How To Pay Off Your High-Interest Debts With A Lower Interest Loan?

Interest payments on our credit card utilization are always stressful, and nobody likes them. On top of that, these dues keep on increasing as the balance goes down only a small amount goes to our owed amount. So, what’s the solution?

It is paying off all of these high-interest debts first. It’ll not only reduce our debt difficulty but will also help us to save in the long run. But is it possible for you to pay those high amounts from your pocket right away? Will you be able to afford it? Would you be able to deal with your present financial hardships by planning your future savings based on this plan? Thinking about the logical answers to all these questions, this certainly doesn’t look like a good idea.

But when there is a problem, there’s always a solution to it somewhere. All you have to do is work it out. And the best thing to get over this financial trouble is to get a low-interest loan to bail you out. Let’s see how we can help ourselves to come out of high-interest debt trap.

Prerequisite For Applying To A Lower-Interest Loan

After making up your mind to deal with your high-interest debts this way, you should start steering in this way with a set plan, and the first thing to do is fulfilling all the prerequisites to secure a low-interest loan. But if you compare loans online, you will see why fortune credit offers low-interest loan, you would see various qualifying factors to obtain low-interest loans.

Improve Your Credit Score

Having a good credit score is imperative to have a loan at a low rate of interest. You have fallen in the high-interest debt trap in the first place only because of your low credit score. Higher your credit score, lesser will be the interest rate of your loan. So, if you are determined to secure a low-interest loan, do everything you can to improve your low credit score.

Meet All Your Financial Obligations On Time

The next thing should be to meet all your fixed obligations on time. No more default payments in credit card dues or Equated Monthly Installments (EMIs). This would help you to strike a better deal while taking a low-interest loan.

Improve Your Professional Credentials

Not having a good credit history doesn’t mean that you can never have a loan at low-interest. Your work can play an important role here. If you are employed in a highly reputed company or are quite well-off financially, simply highlight this fact while securing a deal of a low-interest loan. The moneylender would be more than happy to know that his money is not at any risk.

Steps To Pay Off Your High-Interest Debts With A Lower Interest Loan

We all have had a debt, small or big, to pay off at some point in our lives. And if it is a small amount, without having realized how did that happen, it becomes pretty big somehow with all the compounded interest dues. Then starts a debt cycle. All we need to break that circle is follow some steps.

1. Make A List Of All Your Debts And Payments Thereon.

To clear all of your high-interest debts, firstly you must know how much in all you are supposed to pay after all. And to ascertain that, make a list of all your monthly obligations, i.e., the interest amounts due or all the balances owing on each credit card. This would help you to finally know the quantum of the balance you need to pay each month.

2. Look Out For All The Lower Interest Loans Available.

When paying off high-interest debt, you should always consider paying it with a loan carrying a low-interest rate. Just to end the current troubles, many people opt to pay them off with just another credit, without paying attention to its interest rate. If you happen to be one, don’t commit another blunder and look only for comparatively low-interest loan options. And they are many. Banks, financial institutions, peer-to-peer lenders, online moneylenders, instant borrowing options. Just pick the one that suits your needs.

3. Apply For The Loan With Lowest Interest Payout

Once you have short-listed the few best loan options available, apply for a loan from the one offering it at the lowest interest payout every month. Do not hesitate to go ahead with your decision, thinking it as a new burden in exchange. Think of it in a way that now you’ll be paying a lesser single amount every month rather than higher multiple amounts. You’ll also be saved from managing all these various cut-off dates.

4. Pay Off Your High-Interest Debts.

Now once you have completed all the loan formalities and verification, the loan will be sanctioned to you. And the moment funds are credited to your account, do not delay as it will cost you another day of high-interest. Moreover, seeing money in your account can also tempt you to spend it somewhere else. Do not commit such a big financial mistake. You are already in a debt trap, and spending this money would mean another interest charge along with an existing high-interest fee. After paying off the old debt, just try not to use your credit card for some time. However childish it may sound, lock the credit card in a safe for a few months. It always works.

Wise Words

Securing a loan from a licensed moneylender is undoubtedly the first option for all of us. But if it is not possible to exercise it, there are few other ways to borrow money at a low-interest rate:

Asking your creditors for a low-interest loan could just be another option only if you are not a serial defaulter. Many credit card companies oblige in such cases.

Borrowing money from your friends is another option but not free of charge. Offer him to pay a particular interest; he might oblige.

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Published on April 07, 2020 00:37

Find Out Why It Is Wise to Get a Consolidation Loan

Loan consolidation means rolling all your multiple debts with different interest rates, repayments amounts, and due dates into a single payment. It is an option you take when you have several high-interest debts. It helps you to combine them into one lower-interest payment and reorganize the repayment duration and amount, thus reducing your total debt.

You can apply for a personal loan and use it to consolidate all your debt, thus saving you the extra money you pay on interest or the extra work of tracking the multiple loans you have. It is also a wise step when paying off debt or working on getting out of debt.

Although loan consolidation is a good idea, you need first to figure out if it is the best option. In this article, you’ll learn how the consolidation of loans work, when it is a good idea and when it is a bad option.

How Does Consolidation Of Loan Works?

Consolidation of loan entails bringing all your debt or bills together into one loan with a single monthly repayment. You may have several loans from different lenders. For instance, you may have overdraft balances, credit card debts, cash advances, payday loans, a title loan, a pawn shop loan, or a personal loan.

Each of these loans has its own repayment terms and interest rate. Some of these loans are extremely expensive, while others are reasonably priced. Further, the repayment amount and due date are different, thus making it hard to track each of them. Therefore, you need to take a new, larger loan and use that money to pay off these smaller ones. In essence, you’re bringing them together or consolidating them.

You can access the debt consolidation loan from your bank, finance companies, or credit unions. More so, there are several debt repayment programs for individuals that are experiencing challenges paying off their debts. Loan consolidation makes your life easier, for it simplifies the repayment of your debt. First, you only have one repayment to make at the end of the month.

Thus, you don’t need to panic every time you receive a phone call from an unknown person, thinking that you have failed to pay one or the other. It gives you an opportunity to get a bigger loan at a lower interest. For instance, a payday loan has an interest rate of 400% APR while a personal loan as a lower one of 4-36% APR. Thus, having a low-interest rate saves you money.

On the other hand, people argue that a larger loan has a longer repayment duration. However, you can reduce that period by using the extra cash you have saved from the multiple loans you had before to increase your current loan repayment. That means you will keep your monthly repayment pretty much the same as it was before.

Why Consolidating Your Loan Is A Nice Idea?

Loan consolidation is beneficial, particularly when you get a bigger loan with a lower interest rate and monthly payment. It makes it easier for you to afford the new monthly loan payment.
It allows you to use the funds you’re saving on the interest rate to reduce the cost and duration of the new loan; thus, you will complete paying it in full sooner. You can also use the extra amount to settle your emergencies instead of getting another online loan.
Debt consolidation alleviates financial stress, especially when struggling to keep up with the loan repayment. It helps you to avoid falling behind on your payment, thus damaging your credit score.
Debt consolidation enables you to access the debt management plan that is provided by various debt management organizations. These companies are able to secure lower monthly payments from your lenders. The option helps you to make a single consolidated payment to the firm, and they use it to settle your debt with your creditors.
It’s a good plan that prevents you from running into debt again. It is a light at the end of the tunnel since a three-year term loan will end in the three years if you make your payments on time. On the other hand, credit card loans or advance may take months if not years before they are paid off entirely. Therefore, they accrue more interest than their principal amount.

Why You Need To Be Careful

You could end up paying more since the repayment terms of a personal loan are longer, although the interest rate is lower.

Consolidation of loans is only accessible by individuals with a good credit score and if you have collateral for a personal loan. You can only qualify for an unsecured loan with a decent interest from a bank or credit union if you have a high credit score.

Debt consolidation is only effective if you have a plan that will prevent you from getting back to debt again. It doesn’t address your overspending habit that created multiple debts in the first place. Thus, it is not an ultimate solution when you’re overwhelmed with debt and will not benefit from reduced payments if there is no hope of making the reduced payments.

The Bottom Line

It is really a hassle to track or make multiple payments to different lenders. Having debts with a high-interest rate is also expensive; thus, taking a single loan to consolidate your debt is a wise idea. You can take a personal loan with a lower interest rate and a more extended repayment period and use the amount to settle your smaller debts.

However, consolidation of loans does not address the excessive spending habits that plunged you into debts in the first place. More so, you can only access a bank loan if you have a good score. Therefore, if you took multiple loans because your score was weak, then debt consolidation will remain unachievable for you.

However, you can seek debt management assistance since these professionals are able to negotiate with the creditor. Thus, you can make a single payment to the debt management company, which will pay the lenders on your behalf. If you are in dire need of instant cash loan when in Singapore, check online to look for legit lenders that can provide you the amount you need!

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Published on April 07, 2020 00:16

April 5, 2020

What Is The Best Retirement Gift For A Teacher?

Well, we all have that one special teacher that we will never forget, maybe he/she was our teacher during grade school, high school, or during our university days. Without even knowing, that male or female teacher is already tattooed on our hearts because that teacher has made an impact on who we are now today. That is why on his/her nearing retirement, you wanted to show your gratitude by giving your teacher a gift that is memorable and creative.

The best gift for teacher farewell is a collage of all their yearbook photos. This would require you to put much effort and time since it takes hard work to finish this one. This might not be a material thing, but this one is something handmade that can move your teacher’s heart.

If you plan on buying a gift instead of giving a handmade, make sure you know what their plans are for their retirement. Whether it’s a hobby or a destination your teacher wanted to visit, you choose the best gift by basing on these ideas. Here are a few gift suggestions you can give to your retiring teacher:

Hobby Equipment/Tools

Kitchen Equipment

If you know that your teacher loves to cook or bake, you may buy a kitchen toolset that includes a spatula, meat tenderizer, grater, and other helpful tools for cooking or a baking toolset as a retirement gift for your teacher. This is a good gift idea since he/she has all the time to do this hobby. Another option is that you may enroll your teacher in a cooking class so that he/she can learn more about their hobby.

Gardening Tools

Same with giving your teacher a set of kitchen tools, you may also consider giving your teacher a gardening toolset, if he/she loves to plant. This is a great way to keep him/her busy when your teacher has already retired. The toolset must include the basic equipment such as a shovel, weed cutter, spray bottle, folding bucket, and a pair of gloves.

Fishing Gear

If you know that your teacher loves fishing, you may buy him/her a box of new fishing gear or a fishing rod. Most retirees will spend their retirement days doing their hobbies that they rarely do due to their busy schedules as teachers; therefore, giving a fishing gear as a retirement gift is not a bad idea at all.

Travel Or Concert Ticket

If you are generous enough to fulfill your teacher’s dream destination, you may do so by booking him/her a flight as your retirement gift. Your teacher will surely love this gift because, for his/her entire career, your teacher always faces on a board, students, or just inside the classroom. Therefore, by giving this opportunity to your beloved teacher, it is a great way to start their retirement if they see new places and meet new people.

If booking a ticket seems expensive, you may also consider giving your retiring teacher a concert ticket as a gift. You may ask about his/her favorite band, artist, singers, etc. You might not know that by giving your teacher a concert ticket, he/she will be able to catch them live and see his/her idol for the first time. In this way, you helped your teacher fulfill his/her once in a lifetime moment. Talk about nice!

Subscription Or Memberships

Retiring teachers are still thirsty for new learnings; therefore, why not give your teacher a museum membership as a retirement gift, so that he/she may still learn new things outside the classroom.

Other options might include giving them a subscription to gym or yoga classes, as this can keep them physically fit and another way to meet and socialize with other people.

Personalized/Engraved Items

If you are tight in budget, yet you still want your teacher to feel appreciated for his/her dedication to teaching, you may give your teacher some personalized or engraved items.

You may give your teacher a personalized mug and t-shirt with your teacher’s name and you may also add his/her quotable line during lectures. If they are a golfer, you may consider giving them personalized golf balls with his/her name printed on it.

Other gift options you may consider are engraved items such as a watch, necklace, pen, or a bracelet. You may engrave your teacher’s name or nickname on the metal part of the item.

Throw A Retirement Party

You may prefer a surprise party, or not, but throwing a party is a very touching gift anyone will appreciate. This is a great idea to have a mini-reunion with all the people your retiring teacher has worked with. You may invite your batchmates to celebrate with you in this very important milestone of your beloved teacher. Just make sure, you set the program nicely and the place, so that it will be the most epic send-off party you can give to your teacher.

Gift Certificates To A Massage Spa

After long years of hard work, most probably, your teacher wanted a break from holding a pen, writing a lesson plan, and standing for long hours to lectures. Therefore, why not give the retiree gift certificates for a whole-body massage, hair salon, and nail spa. Pampering your teacher with these services will help him/her relax and a great way to start his/her retirement.

If you are generous enough, you may also set your teacher together with his/her spouse to a romantic dinner date in a restaurant with a stunning night view.

iPad Or Kindle

I know that buying this kind of gift may be lavish, but if you have the means to do so, why not? This gift would be great if the retiree is an English teacher who loves to read books, especially if they do not own one. Aside from reading books, an iPad may be used in other ways such as for taking pictures, for internet browsing, and for social media. It is an all-in-one kind of gift that your teacher will surely love.

Books

As an alternative to idea gift #7, especially if your budget is tight, you may give the retiree books with his/her favorite author as your retirement gift. In my opinion,(if I am the retiree) I find this gift very touching because my former student knows very personal detail about my life, my favorite author. In this way, you can help your teacher get throughout the day by reading some of his/her favorite books.

Write A Card

Writing a card never goes wrong, therefore, you might write a thank you card to your teacher attached in a bottle of wine. It does not need to be long, yet it must be short but sweet. You may greet him/her with a “Happy Retirement”, and then your short message wishing your teacher well. You may write as well a funny quote about retirement, for example, “Old teachers never die; they just grade away”, and then you may add at the end “Congratulations on your retirement!”

For me, this is a simple yet sweet act of remembering your retiring teacher.

Scrapbook Or Collage Of All Their Yearbook Photos

Lastly, giving a scrapbook or collage with your teacher’s yearbook photos is something out of the box gift idea. You need a lot of time preparing this one if you want to look and finish it nicely. Others may find it simple, but your teacher will surely love it seeing all his/her photos from the time he/she started teaching up until before your teacher’s retirement days.

To make a good scrapbook you need to buy a good scrapbook album and print all your teacher’s pictures. Hence, here are the steps on how to design and make a good scrapbook.

How To Make A Good Scrapbook

Making a scrapbook makes a wonderful gift for your retiring teacher. As he/she turns the pages, memories bring back during those days that may give your teacher the feeling of nostalgia. Hence, here are the steps on how to create a good one.

1. Prepare your scrapbook materials

Scrapbook photo album
Printed photos
Scrapbook decorations
Glitters
Pearls
Decorative stickers
Lace
Colored papers

2. Get inspiration of scrapbook designs

If this is your first time to make a scrapbook, fear not, since there are a lot of scrapbook designs that you can get inspiration from the internet. You may check this site to see different scrapbook designs and ideas.

3. Sort your photos

Once you have your idea on how your scrapbook will look like, sort out now your teacher’s yearbook photos. Make sure to arrange them accordingly and make a timeline of the events during that year. Choose the best photos that will make up to the list of final photos you will put in the scrapbook.

You may contact your teacher’s family to do you some favor and ask them some of your teacher’s old photos.

4. Start designing the scrapbook

Okay, so you have now the final list of photos that you will put on the scrapbook, you already have your design inspiration in mind, and you have your scrapbook decoration. I think it is now the right time to create your scrapbook.

Once you are done, you can now give it as a retirement gift to your teacher. Make sure that pages do not stick out with each other, or else it might tear the other pages.

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Published on April 05, 2020 00:33

April 2, 2020

Which Is The Best Government Phone Service?

If the US government offers a medical assistance program for people who cannot afford or do not have health insurance to access for quality health care through Medicaid, they offer as well an access to free government phones for people with low-income through Lifeline Assistance. Moreover, they also provide cheaper and accessible cell phone plans. Hence, here is the best government phone program you can get through the Lifeline Assistance Program.

The best government phone service in the United States depends on where you reside. If you reside in California, EnTouch Wireless Lifeline Cell Phone Provider is the best. This is because of its good network coverage across the state and it covers free cell phones to more than 30 states in America. Moreover, it offers two kinds of plans for California residents.

However, before you may avail of this program, you must be eligible enough to apply, so that you can meet the qualifications set by the Federal Communication Commission (FCC). In fact, if you have submitted all the necessary documents, you may be allowed to avail of the free government phone within the week. Otherwise, it will take you 30 days, if you submitted insufficient documents.

How To Apply And Qualify For A Free Government Cell Phone?

The US government has implemented a Life Assistance Program for US citizens laying on the poverty line. Hence, how will you know if you are one of those people who lay on the poverty line? That is why listed below are the qualifications you must meet in order to apply in the program.

1. Income score

Your income score must be below 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. This guideline is to determine those who are eligible for certain state programs.

To serve as a proof that you have below 135% income score, you must submit the following documents:

Paystub
Latest W-2 form or your Internal Revenue Service (IRS) tax form
Letter from a government agency that you are a member with.
This brings you to Requirement #2

2. You must be enrolled in any of the following state’s program

The FCC follows strict guidelines for applicants who wish to qualify for this program. Hence, less hassle for people who are already enrolled in the following state’s program since this is another requirement to become eligible:

Federal Public Housing Assistance
Medicaid
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
Tribal-specific programs: Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance, Tribally-Administered Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TTANF), Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), and the Head Start Program

Therefore, here are the requirements you must submit to your state’s Lifeline Assistance Program authorities to submit your application, or you may visit their website for further information.

Once you qualified in the program, you may now avail the free government phone and choose the best service provider that is accredited in the Lifeline program.

Top 3 Best Lifeline Government Phone Providers In California

People residing in California may now enjoy the benefits of the Lifeline Assistance program from different government phone services. These service providers are already accredited by the FCC to provide free government cell phones for those citizens who cannot afford to buy one.

As a piece of advice, make sure before you submit your application, you have checked the requirements if you are qualified for the assistance program.

Here are the top 3 California best government phone program and services offered by Lifeline Assistance Program.

1. Access Wireless

If you reside in California, the most popular and recommended Lifeline cell phone provider is the Access Wireless. This is because of its good coverage in the entire state of California, but also it reaches more than 30 states in America.

Moreover, California residents get more privileges than other states.

California Access Wireless Plans:

SERVICES
PLANS

Government phone
1 (free)

Calls
Unlimited

Text
Unlimited

Cellular Data
2GB data

Other states Access Wireless Plans:

SERVICES
PLANS

Government phone
1 (free)

Calls
Limited to 1000 minutes/month

Text
Unlimited

Cellular Data
200MB data

Access Wireless Compatible Phones

Alcatel OneTouch Pop 3
TracFone LG Fiesta
Jitterbug Flip
Samsung Galaxy S7
LG Optimus Zone 3
Samsung Galaxy J3
Apple iPhone 6
Google Pixel 3 XL-128
Jitterbug Smart2
HTC Desire 626s

2. EnTouch Wireless

This is an active participant of Lifeline Assistance Program, which is powered by Boomerang Wireless. It provides coverage in more than 20 states including in California wherein Californians have two options to choose and enjoy the plan.

Hence, here is the comparison of the two plans in the state of California.

NON-TRIBAL PLAN
TRIBAL PLAN

Free government phone
NONE

Unlimited Calls
Unlimited Calls

500MB of monthly data
4GB of monthly data

Unlimited Texts
Unlimited Texts

As you can see, a non-tribal plan is still way better than a tribal plan, because of the free government phone. You may check their website to check the requirements and other necessary documents to qualify.

Other states EnTouch Wireless Plans:

SERVICES
PLANS

EnTouch/Boomerang cellphone
1 (free)

Calls
Limited to 1000 minutes/month

Text
Unlimited

Cellular Data
100MB 4G data

3. Safelink Wireless

This Lifeline Cell phone provider operates in more than 40 states, which covers most states in America. It is a subsidiary of Airvoice Wireless. They offer good network coverage throughout the state.

SERVICES
PLANS

Android cell phone
1 (free)

Calls
Limited to 1000 minutes/month

Text
Unlimited

Cellular Data
2GB data

Other services include:

Free calling access to 911 and 411
Free call to customer care
Voicemail

Other states Safelink Wireless Plans:

SERVICES
PLANS

Free android cell phone
1 (free)

Calls
Limited to 1000 minutes/month

Text
Unlimited

Cellular Data
1GB data

Just in case you need extra minutes of calls in your plan, you may purchase a TracFone airtime card to any Walmart and Walgreen stores.

Safelink Wireless Compatible Phones

Samsung Galaxy J3 Luna Pro
ZTE ZFive 2 4G
Alcatel IdealXcite
LG Rebel 4G
ZTE Maven 3
LG Phoenix 3
Alcatel Cameo X 4G
Samsung Galaxy S4
Motorola G4
Samsung Galaxy Sol 4G

Full List Of Government Phone Services

If you’re outside of California and want to know which phone services you can get in your state, here is a table of phone services by state:

Hence, here is a rundown of the government phone services available. Make sure to check which carriers are only specific to your state.

If you fail to qualify in the Lifeline Assistance Program, no worries, since there are other cheaper prepaid carriers that offer cheap cell phones with low-cost phone service.

Here are some to name a few:

FreeUP

This is America’s largest and fastest 4G LTE Network with no speed restrictions that runs on AT&T’s network. They offer low-cost plans, which are very affordable starting with $15 for a month of unlimited global call and text with 500MB of cellular data.

Gen Mobile

Gen Mobile works with Sprint network, which you can find a plan worth $5 for a month as the cheapest and a $25 monthly plan as the most expensive, which offers unlimited calls within the country and unlimited texts both international and within the country. Moreover, it offers 3GB of monthly cellular data.

What’s good about Gen Mobile is that they sell secondhand mobile phones, wherein you can buy for $19 a Samsung flip phone, whereas an iPhone 4s can be purchased for $39. Well, it’s not free, yet very affordable.

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Published on April 02, 2020 22:19

March 28, 2020

Getting Cash Now With Online Installment Loans Instant Approval

When looking around for loan options online, you’re likely to find yourself bombarded with all kinds of things that sound too good to be true. You might find some lending sites promising “no credit checks,” “all credit welcome,” “guaranteed approval,” and so much more. This can make it difficult to separate the good lenders from the bad lenders.

Of course, there are some platforms online that specialize in matching you with the best lender for your needs, instead of you spending hours looking at countless websites. When you’re in need of online installment loans instant approval, let the lenders come to you! You can find online installment loans instant approval with Achieve Finance and similar online lender networks that match you with the best lender for your needs.

If you opt instead to look for lenders on your own, you should be aware of a few things first. You’ll want to make sure you’re working with a reputable lender to get the money you need, when you need it, and not falling into something that you may regret later.

Promises of Zero Credit Checks

When you’re shopping around for an installment loan, no matter what needs you have, you’re bound to come across a few lending sites that promise “no credit checks!” This is especially true if you’re checking out the sites of lenders who claim to specialize in bad credit loans.

While the promise of absolutely zero credit checks sounds delightful to those who may be suffering from bad credit, many of the lenders making this promise are predatory, imposing high fees and exorbitant interest rates in return for the no-credit-check benefit.

This is why it is always important to do your research on any lender before you fill out a loan application with them, especially lenders making dubious claims. Even if there is no hard credit check at all, you may find yourself biting off more than you can chew when it comes time to pay the loan back.

Know the Difference in Loan Types

There are several different kinds of loan types out there available from different lenders. Some of the most common ones are payday loans and installment loans, and each has their benefits and drawbacks that you should consider before making a final decision.

Payday Loans

Payday loans are so named because they typically are required to be paid back within two weeks, since most American employees are paid on a bi-weekly cycle. A payday loan is good for people who have unforeseen expenses come up in their lives, and may not have the money to cover them. These could include things like medical bills or trouble with their vehicle.

With payday loans, interest and fees may be higher than installment loans, and the entire sum will be expected to be paid back in a shorter amount of time.

Installment Loans

Installment loans are some of the most common types of loans taken out by people both with good and bad credit. They can include auto loans to purchase a new car, mortgages to help folks afford a home, or long-term personal loans for debt consolidation or something else entirely.

Installment loans are so named because they are paid back in installments, usually over the course of one to three years, or sometimes even more, depending on the amount of money borrowed. Instead of paying the entire sum of money back immediately (as with payday loans), borrowers are able to pay a set amount each month, just like any other monthly bill.

What Does Instant Approval Mean?

Instant approval doesn’t necessarily mean that prospective borrowers will actually be approved for a loan. Instead, it refers to the fact that you will get your decision in a matter of minutes, instead of days. When applying for a loan at a physical location, you have to wait for your decision to be mailed to your home.

When applying online, however, you’ll be notified of whether or not your application was approved or denied in just a few minutes, and sometimes even seconds. This can be a big help in expediting the loan process and getting you the money you need as soon as you need it.

Research and Apply

Now that you know all about things to look out for when researching online lenders, the different types of online loans, and more, you’re ready to find the best lender for you and apply for the loan that you need. If approved, you could have cash in your bank account in no time, providing you with a little financial peace of mind and allowing you to have the money you need right away.

The post Getting Cash Now With Online Installment Loans Instant Approval appeared first on Retirement Savvy.

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Published on March 28, 2020 22:41

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