Why is My Loan Modification Taking Forever?

By John McCarthy, Housing Counselor

Loan modifications often seem to take far too long. Why should it take this much time? No finger pointing but… the problem may well start with you. Borrowers can pretty much halt the procedure by submitting incomplete or out-of-date information which will then sit on the lender's desk. It pays to know exactly what documents you are required to produce and submit them all quickly and completely. If you want your lender to work on your file as soon as they get it, make sure you do your part to submit accurate and complete documents for your loan modification.

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Budget Doesn’t Have to Be a Bad Word

By Darish Still, Director of Housing Counseling

Many consumers hear the word budget and run for cover - I understand why. To most people, the word budget holds the same meaning as the word "diet." They both conjure up thoughts

of a gigantic neon flashing "NO" sign. This is why credit counseling professionals use the phrase "spending plan" or "lifestyle plan" instead of budget.

For those of you who wonder what a spending plan actually is, I have a super simple explanation. A spending plan is… how you want to live on the way to realizing your dreams. The plan involves asking yourself three questions:

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FREE Florida Hardest Hit Open House

On Saturday, January 14, 2011 from 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM, CCMS will be hosting an Open House for homeowners who currently are or have been unemployed or under-employed, and who need help with their mortgage payments.  Come learn the benefits of the Hardest Hit Funds Program as well as other foreclosure prevention options and available government programs. Help is available but you have to take the first step. Don't lose your home to foreclosure!  Ask questions - get answers!

The Open House will be located at the offices of CCMS, 315 NE 2nd Ave., Delray Beach, FL 33444

Well... there's Bad news - but Good news is also available

By Bill Wood, Development Coordinator

For the bad news… here is the current financial research regarding how we, the general population and our families are doing.  You may not have known the actual percentages but if you’re breathing in and out with any sort of regularity, you probably will not be surprised by the study’s results.  

1)  75% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck.   
2)  53% of us don’t think we will have enough for a comfortable retirement – and just last month a survey of registered        
voters showed 88% were concerned about maintaining a comfortable retirement.
3)  34% of those age 50-64 who would be considered the “head of a family”, are without retirement savings.
4)  30% of us are in financial distress.
5)  Over the last 20 years, from 1989 to 2009, we have seen a 292% increase of median debt of middle –class families. ***

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Pictured are (left to right) Alex Borge, Housing Counselor; Kevin Maher, Director of Education and Bill Wood, Development Coordinator.

CCMS Reachs Out to Unemployed at Job Fair

CCMS recently participated along with 32 other employers, in a “Community Job Fair” sponsored by Representative Lori Berman of District 86 held at the Hagen Ranch Library in Delray Beach. Nearly 1,000 job-seekers attended the event.  

In August,  Palm Beach County's unemployment rate was a frightening 11%.  High unemployment is certainly a national problem but according to Representative Berman 1 in 10 people are unemployed in the state of Florida.  "As an elected official, I think it's important I take a proactive step in addressing unemployment in our community," she said. "I'm tackling this issue head-on by assisting the community in connecting job-seeking constituents with potential employers."

CCMS was there to help those unemployed or underemployed attendees understand what kind of assistance is available to them in several different areas including information about our counseling services.