The long stories were annoying to me and, from a writing perspective, was, like many other rich dad poor dad books, used to fill up the pages with words, not necessarily content. I know this is the abcs, but I was expecting a lot more concrete material. There wasn't a lot on using good debt, mostly just the reminder that it existed and was preferable to bad debt.
Notes:
Consider using a home equity line of credit to pay off debts
-Bad debt is easier to get than good debt. ex: Getting a loan on a rental property or to start a business is more difficult than if you want a car loan or new credit card (xvi).
-To people are savers and debt averse, I often ask them 'How long would it take you to save $7 million?'
-A very important lesson in one's life is to know how to minimize bad debt and responsibility use good debt to one's advantage (xvii).
-Robert Kiyosaki
There are 4 types of borrower profiles (p.7-10):
Wishers-Want to keep up with the "Joneses" and are optimistic about credit, focusing on the monthly payments
Wasters- Use money to purchase things to feel better (low self-esteem), relieve stress, and escape their problems
Wanters- Instant gratification; they want it now and the credit industry caters to that desire
Winners- Use good debt.
Good Debt- Involves someone else paying off the debt for you. Ex: a real estate investment loan in which a tenant pays rental income in excess of the mortgage and related expenses, or an SBA (Small Business Administration) loan that allows your business to grow (so long as your business can pay it off). "The best loans are nonrecourse loans, which require no personal guarantees. Good debt leds to wealth (p.11)
Bad Debt: Something you pay off yourself. Ex: credit cards, car loans, consumer loans, and home mortgages. Some bad debt is better than other bad debt. For example, "buying a personal residence is in most cases better than buying a car on credit."
To get a out of debt
Based solely on the number of months, begin ranking each debt. Your first priority is the debt with the lowest number of months. The come up with an additional $150-200 per month. Pay the minimum amount on every debt that you have listed, but add the extra money to your number 1 debt; keep doing this until the first debt is paid off. Then, continuing to pay the minimum amount on every debt, your new top debt will be paid with all the money you used for the first payment (P.18-19).
"The ideal scenario for someone with debt is to get a ow-rate consolidation loan and pay it off in 3-4 years." (p.27) "For winners, though, a consolidation loan is just a way to lower costs in order to get out of debt faster." (p.28)
One of the most popular ways to consolidate your debt is to use the equity in your home. There's always a risk that you could lose your home if you can't pay a home equity loan or the new mortgage.When you trade credit card debt for home equity dent, you're giving up the opportunity to take the home equity to turn it into good debt (p.31).
Refinancing usually isn't free. Closing costs usually add up to about 4% of the mortgage amount. Some lenders offer no-cost refinancing, but you'll pay a higher interest rate (p.33).
Bankruptcy can stop collection effort, giving you time to deal with your debts. But even a Chapter 7 won't erase all debts (p.51).
"The greatest danger for a family in financial distress is not bill collectors. The greatest danger is false optimist"-Elizabeth Warren (p.52).
If you die with an outstanding student loan, your federal loan debt will be discharged. Your estate will not owe any money on your loan (p.67).
Forbearance: If you are temporarily unable to meet your repayment schedule but are not eligible for deferment, you may receive forbearance for a limited and specified period. During forbearance, your payments are postponed or reduced. Whether your loans are subsidized or un-subsidized, you will be charged interest. Forbearance may be available because you are making federal student loan payments that are equal to or greater than 20% of your monthly gross income (p.68).
If you move, change your name or Social Security number, or reenroll in school, you must make sure your loan holder won't lose track of you (p.69)
FICO Scores
Scores above 720 are usually considered excellent. Those in the 680-720 range are still quite good, while those in the 650-680 aren't terrible, but will carry higher rates. (p.90)
A way to build your credit is to "Borrow someone else's good credit" by have them add you onto their major credit card as an authorized user. This is not a co-sign (p.135).
Your goal should be to have "four or five positive references always paid on time--and as little bad debt as possible." (p.135)
Simply getting married won't merge your credit history. You'll have to add your new spouse to your accounts or vice versa for them to be reported on both your credit reports (p.147).
A collection account is automatically considered negative information, so simply paying it may not make a significant difference in your credit score (p.152)
"While you are creating your plan to get out of debt, at the same time figure out how that will free up cash flow for you to devote to your positive wealth-building goals. Keep your eye on the real prize." (p.171)