#PersonalFinance | AM 1180 Radio

August 12, 2026

Nearly $11 Billion In Georgia Student Loans Now In Default

Local News, Local News Items #chattoogacounty, #ChattoogaInfo, #CollegeCosts, #CollegeDebt, #CollegeStudents, #DebtRelief, #Education, #EducationNews, #FederalStudentAid, #FederalStudentLoans, #FinancialNews, #GeorgiaColleges, #georgianews, #GeorgiaStudents, #highereducation, #LoanDefault, #LoanRepayment, #LocalNews, #northwestgeorgia, #PersonalFinance, #StudentDebt, #StudentLoanDebt, #StudentLoanDefault, #studentloans, #WZQZ, #wzqznews, georgia 0

Hundreds of thousands of Georgians are in default on their federal student loans, with the amount of defaulted debt across the state now approaching $11 billion.

July 27, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Georgia Ranks Among States With The Most $1,000-A-Month Car Payments

Local News, Local News Items #AutoLoans, #CarPayments, #ChattoogaInfo, #ConsumerNews, #GeorgiaDrivers, #LendingTree, #PersonalFinance, #WZQZ, #wzqznews, georgia 0

A growing number of Georgia drivers are making car payments of $1,000 or more each month, according to a new LendingTree analysis, placing Georgia fourth in the nation for borrowers carrying four-figure auto loan payments.

The study found that 12% of Georgians with active auto loans have at least one monthly payment of $1,000 or more. Only Texas, Alaska and Wyoming ranked higher. Nationwide, the figure is 9.6%. The analysis was based on approximately 180,000 anonymized credit reports from the fourth quarter of 2025.

Consumer finance experts say several factors are driving the trend in Georgia, including higher vehicle prices, elevated interest rates, the popularity of larger trucks and SUVs, long commuting distances and lower average credit scores, which can result in higher borrowing costs.

LendingTree Chief Consumer Finance Analyst Matt Schulz cautioned that qualifying for a large auto loan does not necessarily mean it’s affordable. He recommends buyers focus on the total cost of the vehicle rather than just the monthly payment, avoid unnecessarily long loan terms and purchase less vehicle than they think they can afford whenever possible.

June 14, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Car Insurance Costs Remain High for Chattooga County Drivers

Local News, Local News Items #AutoInsurance, #CarInsurance, #chattoogacounty, #ChattoogaInfo, #ConsumerNews, #GeorgiaDrivers, #georgianews, #InsuranceRates, #InsuranceTips, #northwestgeorgia, #PersonalFinance, #summervillega, #wzqznews 0

Drivers in Chattooga County continue to face car insurance rates that closely mirror Georgia’s already high statewide averages.

April 13, 2026

by WZQZ NEWS

Tax Season Scams On The Rise As April 15 Deadline Approaches

Local News, Local News Items #April15, #CommunityAlert, #ConsumerProtection, #FinancialSafety, #FraudPrevention, #georgianews, #IdentityTheft, #IRSScams, #NorthGeorgia, #OnlineSafety, #PersonalFinance, #PhishingScams, #PublicSafety, #ScamAlert, #StayAlert, #TaxDeadline, #TaxScams, #TaxSeason, #wzqznews 0

With the April 15 tax deadline just days away, officials are warning Georgia residents to be on high alert for scams targeting taxpayers during one of the busiest times of the year.

April 12, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

Rising Costs Forcing Families To Rethink Summer Vacation Plans

Local News, Local News Items #Budgeting, #chattoogacounty, #CommunityNews, #CostOfLiving, #economicimpact, #FamilyBudget, #FamilyTravel, #GeorgiaFamilies, #LocalTravel, #MoneyMatters, #northwestgeorgia, #PersonalFinance, #RisingCosts, #Staycation, #SummerPlans, #SummerVacation, #TravelCosts, #TravelSmart, #TravelTips, #VacationPlanning, #wzqznews 0

As summer approaches, many families across Georgia are reworking their vacation plans as rising costs continue to strain household budgets.

April 10, 2026

by Jimmy Holbrook

IRS Urges Taxpayers To File Now As April 15 Deadline Approaches

Local News, Local News Items #April15, #ConsumerNews, #DeadlineReminder, #DirectDeposit, #FederalTaxes, #FileYourTaxes, #InstallmentAgreement, #IRS, #IRSFreeFile, #IRSgov, #MoneyMatters, #PaymentPlan, #PersonalFinance, #RefundStatus, #TaxDeadline, #TaxExtension, #TaxFiling, #TaxHelp, #Taxpayers, #TaxSeason, #wzqznews 0

The Internal Revenue Service is reminding taxpayers that the April 15 filing deadline is just days away and is encouraging anyone who still needs to file to take advantage of free tools and resources available at IRS.gov.

March 20, 2026

by WZQZ NEWS

IRS Free File Available for 2026 Tax Season

Local News, Local News Items #AGI, #ChildTaxCredit, #EarnedIncomeTaxCredit, #FederalTaxes, #FileYourTaxes, #FinancialWellness, #FreeTaxFiling, #FreeTaxSoftware, #IRS, #IRSFreeFile, #MoneySaving, #PersonalFinance, #TaxCredits, #TaxDeadline, #TaxFiling, #TaxHelp, #TaxRefund, #TaxSeason2026, #TaxTips, #wzqznews 0

The Internal Revenue Service is once again offering its Free File program for the 2026 tax season, giving millions of Americans a no-cost option to prepare and file their federal tax returns online.