At the end of Q1 2019, more than 5.2 million Americans were seriously underwater on their mortgage. That means that 9.1% of all homeowners possess negative equity. If this applies to you, you’re probably wondering what you can do to minimize your losses. Refinancing may be a helpful solution. But is it possible to refinance your mortgage when you’re already underwater?

The move is a good one for those of us who are relying on our 401(k) as our primary way of saving for retirement. The ruling, which aims to provide better transparency for these types of fees, went into effect this summer and plan participants are now beginning to receive their annual and quarterly reports. And what you’ll learn may shock you. The fact is, those of us with 401(k) plans have been shelling out for everything from trading fees to administration fees.

When you retire, it becomes important to have reliable sources of income. As many people found out during the recession following the financial crisis, relying solely on what’s in your retirement investment account can be a scary thing. And, while Social Security is around for now, what happens if you end up with the short end of the stick, with benefits likely to be cut in the future?

Certified Financial Planner, Kimberly Foss, who founded the Roseville, California-based Empyrion Wealth Management, has heard complaints about annoying new fees from her clients and even her college-aged daughter. “It’s insane!” says Foss. “She uses a debit card, and after three withdrawals in a month, she was charged $25 for excess withdrawals.”

America has a complicated history with taxation. In fact, you could argue that our country exists at all because of the British colonies’ shared hatred of taxes. Fast forward a few hundred years, and we’ve put together a federal income tax structure far more rigorous than the one we escaped in 1776. Taxes are a fact of life, but are they just? Or is taxation theft? Let’s dig a little deeper.

“The results often proved disastrous…running up credit cards to the limit. Unable to make the monthly payments, they ended up with a poor credit score that followed them into the future,” noted Frizzi.

You’re in a financial crisis. Your debts have gotten out of hand. Your credit cards are maxed. Your car note is due. You owe back taxes. You don’t know where to turn. This might be the perfect time for a debt consolidation loan.

For people with an overwhelming amount of debt, debt consolidation is likely the only way to effectively pay back their debt. While debt consolidation does prolong the time that debt is paid back for, it is the only alternative to bankruptcy for many that are up to their eyeballs in debt.

It’s never too early to begin giving some thought to your taxes for next year. Get tax help now with these tax reduction strategies.

Conduct an Internet search for debt relief and you will likely find links to hundreds of sites suggesting you get a federal grant to help pay off your personal debts.