Crushing Debt

Do you know the five factors that make up your credit score?

Do you know what drops your score or how to improve your score?

This week's guest on The Crushing Debt Podcast is Kristi Nowrouzi. "Credit Kristi" has been a mortgage loan officer for more than ten years and was a short sale negotiator at my previous law firm for four years. Kristi is a credit specialist and has seen thousands of credit reports and helped hundreds of families obtain their dream of home ownership. Kristi's passion is to teach and guide about the foundations of credit, which is vitally important to have and to protect.

Kristi and I discuss:

• Myths about credit
• Why credit is so important
• How to improve your credit score
• How to re-establish credit after a bankruptcy
• And more!

You can contact Kristi at [email protected] and subscribe to her podcast Credit Coaching by Kristi.

Please introduce our sponsor to attorneys and title companies you know - [email protected] and www.AttorneysFirst.com.

If one of your 2021 goals is to become debt free, please visit www.ShawnMYesner.com/BecomeDebtFree.

This has been an unprecedented year, filled with highs and lows.

The year will, unfortunately, be defined by a global pandemic that has taken countless lives and affected each and every one of us.

But today, on Thanksgiving, we want you to take a step back, take a break, and consider all you have to be thankful for. While we've all suffered hardship and loss this year, the purpose of The Crushing Debt Podcast is to provide a sense that "everything will be okay."

As with previous years, today I look back since last November on all that I have to be thankful for. What do you have to be thankful for this year?

In addition to everything else, we are very thankful for our sponsor Sam Cohen at Attorneys First Insurance - [email protected], www.AttorneysFirst.com.

What do you do best?

If you own investment property and your answer is anything other than "property management" then this episode of the Crushing Debt Podcast is for you.

In today's episode, I interview Mark Sorokurs of Central Pinellas Realty and Collman Properties. I've known Mark about five years and he's been in real estate for about eight years now after "retiring" from IT in 2012.

Mark and I discuss:

• What is property management?
• Why would someone need or want to hire a property manager?
• How do property managers save their clients money?
• How property managers can help find and screen tenants?
• The impact of COVID on finding (and removing) tenants?
• What happens when things go wrong with a tenant?
• What happens when the tenant owes more at move-out than the amount of the security deposit?
• Craziest property management story, and more!

You can reach Mark at www.centralpinellasrealty.com, www.collmanproperties.com, and [email protected].

You can pick up a FREE digital copy of my latest book at www.ShawnMYesner.com/BecomeDebtFree

Remember to refer our sponsor to an attorney or title company you know - [email protected] or www.AttorneysFirst.com

Imagine coming home from work and having to tell your spouse that he/she HAS to go back to work to make ends meet.

Unfortunately, that's where I found myself a few years ago.

In 2008, I left the first firm I first founded to start Yesner Law, from scratch, again. This time, however, I had an established network and knew a little about how to generate referrals.

Still, I needed to find a way to have more money at the end of the month, rather than more month at the end of the money. One of the ways I did that was to start this podcast, write my first book - Crushing Debt: 9 Strategies to Eliminate Financial Bullies - and then my second book - Become Debt Free in Less Than One Hour.

Come on! Can you really become debt free in less than one hour? No - but the strategies in my new book can be implemented in less than one hour and, over time, can create the income you need to pay off your debt!

Strategies like:

• Getting Educated about your Credit Score;
• Creating a Budget
• Getting Good Habits about Money
• Decreasing Your Taxes
• Starting a Side Hustle
• Selling Products
• Reducing Expenses
• Negotiating with Creditors

You can get your FREE copy of my newest book at www.ShawnMYesner.com/BecomeDebtFree

Please also remember our sponsor, Sam Cohen at Attorneys First Insurance, [email protected] or www.AttorneysFirst.com.

Florida had a moratorium on evictions and foreclosures. That moratorium ended with some controversy, but ultimately was not renewed because the Federal Government also has a moratorium in place; evictions potentially halted by the CDC and foreclosures of federally-backed mortgages halted by the CARES Act.

At some point, tenants will have to pay rent again, and homeowners will have to pay mortgage payments again. None of the moratoriums, state or federal eliminate the obligation to pay.

When that day comes, will the tenants / borrowers be able to pay?

In this week's episode of The Crushing Debt Podcast, I interview Brenda Kennedy, a licensed real estate and short sale specialist with over 14 years' experience. Brenda is a Tampa native, offering a wealth of knowledge and experience working with sellers. In fact, Brenda modified her own loan with Bank of America in the last market crash!

Brenda and I discuss:

• Association foreclosures
• Forbearances
• Foreclosures
• Both state and federal moratoriums
• Subordinate (second) mortgages
• Relocation incentives
• Brenda's craziest short sale story
• and more!

You can reach Brenda at Brenda@KennedyHomeSales or 813-732-9593.

Please also refer our sponsor to an attorney or title company that you know - [email protected] or www.AttorneysFirst.com.

If your goal in 2021 is to become debt free, start with my newest book, Become Debt Free in Less Than One Hour, which you can pick up at www.ShawnMYesner.com/BecomeDebtFree!

Have you engaged your Information Network?

How do you create a Support Network?

Do you feel like your business is struggling as a result of the pandemic? Could you use some outside opinions to help kick-start your revenue?

What would your business look like if you could: (1) make your business #1 in your industry, (2) have fun with your peers and mentors, (3) create lasting relationships to help you solve your most burning questions, and (4) create systems to catapult your business to new levels of income?

In this week's episode, I interview Tiffanie Kellog and Tom Fleming of Asentiv, as we discuss Asentiv Mastermind Communities.

Both are repeat guests on the show.

For the last 15 years, Tiffanie has been helping people save time, make money, while having fun. She is the author of three books, she's nerdy, and she loves craft beer and socks!

Tom has been coaching individual business owners and groups for more than 20 years. He has literally facilitated thousands if not tens of thousands of meetings. Tom is an expert at asking the right questions that allow people to reach their own conclusions on a path to self-discovery for he believes "For your business to grow, you must grow."

In today's episode, Tom, Tiffanie and I talk about:

• What is Asentiv
• How did this idea of a Mastermind Community start
• What is the Goal of the Mastermind Community
• What are the different types of Masterminds offered
• People, Programs and Progress
• Some breakthrough results already created by Asentiv Masterminds
• The timing, and investment of the Mastermind Community, and
• Other perks of being a part of the Community.

For more information, and to register for an upcoming Mastermind, please visit www.Tampa.Asentiv.com/AMC

Of course, also refer our sponsor, Sam Cohen at Attorneys First to an attorney or title company that you know - [email protected] or www.AttorneysFirst.com.

Remember, you can get a FREE copy of my latest book, Become Debt Free in Less Than One Hour at www.ShawnMYesner.com/BecomeDebtFree.

When negotiating, do you make the first move, or wait for your counterpart to offer first?

When selling, do you ask the prospect how you can help, or let them window shop?

Every six (6) months, my community association has a garage sale. Since garage sales are low-intensity sales negotiations (for most) I use the time to practice a sales or negotiation skill. If I miss, I'm out a few bucks, or I don't make a sale of a few bucks, max.

You can hear previous "garage sale" episodes like:

• 68 - Negotiation
• 86 - Presentation
• 118 - Patience
• 168 - Preparation

What is your "Approach" when selling or negotiating? That's the subject of this week's episode.

Please remember to visit our sponsor, Sam Cohen at Attorneys First Insurance - [email protected] or www.Attorneysfirst.com

If you enjoy this content, please share on social media, and if you want tips to increase your revenue and decrease your expenses, all to eliminate debt, please visit www.ShawnMYesner.com/BecomeDebtFree

Do you know how to buy property for a fraction of its value?

This isn't some late-night infomercial scam - this week's guest on the Crushing Debt Podcast is Melanie Finnegan of Tax Lien Wealth Solutions, who helps her clients buy tax deed properties.

Tax Deed investing is a great strategy because:

• You get reimbursed your investment plus some rate of interest, or
• You get property at a fraction of its value, and
• Tax Deeds are (check the laws in your state) superior to all other liens including mortgages, judgments, and association liens.

Melanie started her career in tax liens in 2008, perfected her strategies in 2013, and started Tax Lien Wealth Solutions in 2017 with the purpose of adding value, building relationships, and teaching her clients how to put their money into this investment vehicle as a winning strategy.

Melanie is the first female to become a certified tax lien professional by the National Tax Association.

You can visit Melanie's website at www.taxlienwealthsolutions.com or watch their introduction to tax lien video at https://youtu.be/2Vowd5emhJg

Please remember to visit our sponsor, Sam Cohen at www.AttorneysFirst.com or [email protected].

You can find other strategies to increase income and decrease expenses in my newest book, Become Debt Free in Less Than One Hour, at www.ShawnMYesner.com/BecomeDebtFree.

Is there a tidal wave of evictions and foreclosures coming in Florida?

Recently, Florida's Governor DeSantis refused to extend an Executive Order that put a freeze on foreclosures and evictions in Florida, where the payment default was due to a loss of income caused by COVID.

What can someone do who is in fear of being able to pay their bills due to a loss of income caused by COVID?

This week's guest on the Crushing Debt Podcast is attorney Bryant Dunivan of Owen Dunivan. Bryant focuses his practice primarily in the fields of Debtor's Rights including Foreclosure Defense, Bankruptcy, Fair Debt Collection violations, Fair Credit Reporting violations, and Credit Card/Debt Negotiations.

Bryant and I talk about the various federal laws that exist that provide protection for borrowers, homeowners, tenants and landlords due to the Coronavirus including:

• Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA)
• Truth In Lending ACT (TIL or TILA)
• CARES Act
• CDC Orders & Guidelines

For someone afraid of losing their home or being evicted, please reach out to Bryant or to me to understand your rights during this pandemic.

Bryant can be reached at www.OwenDunivan.com or [email protected].

Please also visit our sponsor if you are an attorney or title company who wants a competitive quote on malpractice insurance. [email protected] or www.AttorneysFirst.com.

Finally, to find 30+ ideas on how to increase income, decrease expenses, and become debt free, please go to www.ShawnMYesner.com/BecomeDebtFree to get a FREE copy of my newest book - Become Debt Free in Less Than One Hour!

What type of student loan do you have? Federal? Subsidized? Unsubsidized? Private?

What repayment options are there? Consolidation? PSLF? IDR? Settlement?

Can a bankruptcy discharge student loans and what are the options available in bankruptcy court?

This week's guest on the Crushing Debt Podcast is Joshua Cohen, the Student Loan Lawyer. Joshua's practice is focused solely on Student Loan resolutions. Today marks the release of his book, The Student Loan Lawyers' Guide to Understanding Student Loans in Plain English.

You can pick up a copy of Joshua's book on Amazon, or at www.TheStudentLoanLawyer.com/the-student-loan-lawyers-book.

Joshua and I discuss:

• The beta program here in Tampa Bankruptcy Court to resolve student loans in bankruptcy court;
• What is a PSLF (Public Service Loan Forgiveness) Loan;
• What is an IDR (Income Driven Repayment);
• How student loan repayments have been impacted by COVID and the CARES Act;
• In-roads into bankruptcy dischargeability brought about by some recent case law; and
• Student loan servicer sanction cases.

Finally, if you want to know what type of student loan you have, which often drives your available workout options, we have a website for you (but you have to listen to the episode to get it).

Please remember to visit our sponsor, Sam Cohen, if you are an attorney or title company that wants a competitive, realistic, apples-to-apples quote on malpractice insurance - [email protected] or www.AttorneysFirst.com.

Some of these strategies discussed in this episode are also available in my new book, Become Debt Free in Less than One Hour, which is available at www.ShawnMYesner.com/BecomeDebtFree