sshinn's blog

Just when we think we can't take any more bad news about student loans we are now finding out that senior citizens are becoming overwhelmed with student loan debt. Not their own student loan debt, necessarily, but rather student loans that they either borrowed themselves, such as a parent-plus loan, or may have cosigned with their children and even grandchildren.

You may be surprised to find out that Americans love using their credit cards.

No one likes going down Memory Lane to recall regrets but as we get older and wiser most would say that the greatest learning experiences are revisiting past failures or mistakes.

It's actually amazing to think that after going through a bankruptcy, completing the paperwork and the process, making sure that all creditors and collectors are listed, and receiving a discharge that one might still-years later-get a collection notice from a collection agency about an old debt.

Not too many would be shocked to hear that topping the nation's list of consumer complaints during the year 2016 would be.

And the Winner IS……….

At Bond and Botes we are definitely all about sharing good news, especially if it involves overcoming financial hardships or getting a fresh start. But how about this great news……there are many Alabamians that may be owed money by the Internal Revenue Service and they don't know it.

We all have gotten the calls…..your phone rings and normally you wouldn't answer an unknown number. But this call caught you off guard or maybe it was a number very similar to one you are familiar with. You answer with "Hello" or some other greeting and then an automated voice identifies a business or agency. After the brief intro, the recording will ask:

"Can you hear me clearly?"

Okay. So here we are. Another new year and many of us hear all the noise in our minds about what it's going to take to make this year the most successful year ever!

This writing may be a bit premature for the Thanksgiving season, but several things have happened within the last seven to ten days and the above statement "gratitude costs you nothing" is a phrase that kept coming up in my mind over and over again.

In all sincerity, the above statements are certainly sarcastic, but they are meant to be so…..Why?