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Business Wire
7 days ago
- Business
- Business Wire
Echo360's GoReact and Macmillan Learning Expand Partnership to Deliver AI-Powered Authentic Assessment at Scale
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- GoReact, now part of Echo360 's AI-enabled Echosystem™, announced the expansion of its strategic partnership with Macmillan Learning, and their long-standing commitment to advance the access and impact of authentic assessment through AI-enhanced video feedback. The collaboration aims to help students develop the real-world communication skills they need to thrive in college and throughout their careers. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) Job Outlook 2024, 73.3% of employers rated oral and written communication as very or extremely important for new graduates. Yet only 47.5% felt that students were proficient in these skills—highlighting a major gap. This expanded partnership gives instructors in communication courses a powerful tool to help close that gap through personalized, immediate feedback. The integration of the AI Assistant in GoReact into Macmillan Learning's Achieve platform gives instructors a trusted, efficient way to deliver targeted feedback faster that helps students practice, reflect, and build critical skills. Using the power of video, GoReact enables students to practice and demonstrate skill mastery from anywhere, review their performance or share it with others for feedback. With the AI Assistant in GoReact, learners and instructors are instantly provided with personalized AI feedback, enabling the student to reflect, identify areas for improvement, and build both confidence and competence through practice. 'Macmillan Learning has been one of our most innovative partners and this partnership is purpose-built to reimagine teaching and learning in a skills-first world. We couldn't be more excited to expand our partnership,' said Jeff Peterson, Global Chief Growth and Marketing Officer at Echo360. 'Macmillan Learning is committed to putting powerful, practical AI tools in the hands of instructors not just for efficiency, but to truly support student growth and skill development.' In 2017, Macmillan Learning became the first major digital learning company to integrate video-based assessment tools from GoReact. With the power of AI and the global scale and reach of Echo360's Echosystem, that foundation is poised for continued growth, meeting the demands of learners and their expectations for the skills they need for the workplace. 'Today's students need more than knowledge, they also need the confidence and communication skills to succeed in the real world. By bringing tools like GoReact into Achieve, we're helping instructors deliver the kind of personalized, skills-based feedback that prepares learners for life beyond the classroom,' said Susanne Jeans, Macmillan Learning Program Director. About GoReact GoReact, now part of Echo360's Echosystem™, simplifies skills-based learning and assessment by providing more chances to practice, reflect and evaluate progress using the power of video. By providing evidence of competency, along with personalized feedback and AI-enabled tools, GoReact elevates skill development that transforms potential into mastery. More than 800 academic institutions and companies worldwide use GoReact to enable skill development. See how GoReact helps all learners build skills for a brighter future at Macmillan Learning is a privately-held, family-owned company that inspires what's possible for every learner. We envision a world in which every learner succeeds. Through our content, tools and services, we aim to make that a reality. To learn more, please visit or join our Community.
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
5 Key Signs You Have a Serious Debt Problem — And How To Fix It
Most Americans carry debt, and that includes the high-interest debt that comes with credit cards. Finding yourself in credit card debt is severely unfortunate. But how do you even know when things have spiraled to a level that is nearly or totally out of control? GOBankingRates spoke with financial experts to learn five of the key signs you have a serious debt problem — and some steps you can take to fix it. Be Aware: Read Next: If you're making only the minimum payments due on your credit card every month, you're throwing money away at a hazardous rate. 'Have you found the lowest monthly payment on your credit cards?' said Shawn Carpenter, chairman and CEO at Stock Alarm. 'This is a classic sign that things are looking bad. It's easy to get caught in this trap, but how can you pay more on that debt and increase your interest rate? It's crazy.' Consider This: A clear and concerning sign of a serious debt problem is having one or more maxed out credit cards. 'Not only will your credit score suffer, it will also make it harder and more expensive to borrow money,' Carpenter said. If you notice a significant drop in your credit score, that often indicates a serious debt problem. 'A credit score drop is a big red flag,' Carpenter said. 'If it's because you're maxing out your cards or missing payments, you're in troubled waters.' How you feel in terms of mental health matters, and when a debt problem becomes serious, it can take its toll here. 'If you're having trouble sleeping at night, are anxious and stressed consistently, or feel your physical or mental health declining because of debt worries, then you likely have a serious debt problem,' said Erika Kullberg, a personal finance expert, an attorney and the founder of 'Don't hide from your debt, even if it's scary. Tackling it head-on is the best way to take control and lower your stress.' If you feel held back because of your debt, that's another key sign of a problem. 'Does your debt get in the way of your personal, professional or financial goals?' Kullberg said. 'Can you not afford to buy a home because of credit card debt? Can you not afford to take time off work to pursue higher education because you're drowning in an expensive car loan? If you can't reach your goals because of debt, you need to take paying it off more seriously.' Once you've understood that you have a serious debt problem that needs an urgent fix, you must explore the array of potential solutions available to you. The very first step is acknowledgment and the commitment to tackle the problem. 'Acknowledge there's a problem and that you are ready to take action,' said Sean Fox, president of debt solutions at Achieve. 'It's important to accept that it will likely require some belt-tightening and other changes in your financial behaviors.' It's one thing to say you're going to get out of debt; it's quite another thing to actually do it. Eliminating high-interest debt takes time, commitment and a concrete plan. 'You need to do your research and figure out a realistic plan that you can commit to,' Fox said. 'Each person will be different. The 'realistic' part is important. Many people anxious to work their way out of debt start out by cutting expenses so drastically and/or jumping into a program so quickly that there's no way they will be able to stick to it.' To get out of debt, you need to overhaul your budget and aggressively track your spending. Fox pointed out that there are a lot of budgeting apps available that can make budgeting easier. 'If you go that route, make sure you select a budgeting app that connects all financial accounts to give you a unified view of your finances, automatically tracks spending and organizes your finances into categories,' Fox said, adding that you should track your expenses (online and in-person) for a couple of weeks to see just where your money goes. 'Then you can identify areas to cut back and direct the savings to your debt payoff,' Fox said. If you can't budget your way out of debt, it's smart to look into a personal loan. 'A personal loan may offer a rate lower than on your credit cards (or other debts),' Fox said. 'The idea is to consolidate your other debts into one with a lower rate, and pay that one personal loan off faster. Interest rates can vary widely, and are generally dependent on your credit profile and scores (people with higher scores qualify for the lowest rates). This is also called a debt consolidation loan.' You may be able to qualify for a balance transfer credit card. These are great as they enable you to move all your credit card debt onto one card for a low interest rate. 'If you are eligible for one, know that the promotional interest rate is limited, often expiring in six-12 months (sometimes longer, up to 21 months),' Fox said. 'You must be able to pay off the balance within that window. In addition, fees can be high, so read the fine print and see if it's worthwhile for you. Also, understand that each balance transfer card issue has limits on how much debt can be transferred — something that may come into play for an individual with a significant amount of credit card debt.' Debt management plans, offered by credit counseling firms, are also potential solutions. 'These can lower the interest rate on a credit card by a small amount,' Fox said. 'Cardholders can also call their credit card issuers and ask for a lower rate. If you have a good track record of payment, and can explain why you are asking for the lower rate, the card issuer may agree. Assess carefully whether a slightly lower rate may not be enough to really get you out of debt.' If your debt problem is serious and you can't dig yourself out of it, heading into debt resolution may be the best move you can make. 'Debt resolution is the process of working on a consumer's behalf to lower principal balances,' Fox said. 'This can be a smart option for someone who is having a hard time making minimum payments, particularly if the reason is that they've had a real financial hardship (such as job loss, medical expenses or divorce). Programs are regulated by the Federal Trade Commission.' More From GOBankingRates 10 Genius Things Warren Buffett Says To Do With Your Money This article originally appeared on 5 Key Signs You Have a Serious Debt Problem — And How To Fix It Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Miami Herald
25-06-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
How to reduce student loans
How to reduce student loans If you've got student debt to repay, you're not alone. An estimated 42.7 million Americans are in the same boat. It's easy to stress over student loans, but take a deep breath. You just need a plan to pay them off - ideally sooner rather than later. In addition to showing you how to lower personal loan costs, Achieve looks at how to reduce student loan debt and unburden your budget. Key takeaways: Income-driven repayment (IDR) plans can help you pay less toward your loans monthly, and possibly get some of your student debt loan refinancing could help you reduce your interest costs and/or lower your payments so you can pay off your education debt and forbearance periods let you take a temporary break from federal student loan payments. 1. Choose the right repayment plan Federal student loans give you a choice about how you repay them. You can opt for: Standard repayment has a 10-year term with fixed repayment lets you pay less in the early part of your loan and more later repayment is designed to help you pay your loans off in 25 years. What if you can't make the payments under any of these plans? Then you can look at income-driven repayment (IDR) instead. IDR plans base your monthly payments on your income and household size. Some plans can put your payment as low as $0. You can take 20 to 25 years to pay off your loans. Any balance left after you've made all of your required payments (including payments for $0) might be forgiven. You can apply for IDR plans through the website. 2. Make extra payments when possible Student loans, whether federal or private, have a minimum payment requirement just like credit cards. This is the lowest amount you can pay each month to keep your account in good standing. Does that mean you can only pay the minimum? Nope, and it's actually a good thing to pay more toward your loans when you can. When you pay more than the minimum, you reduce your interest costs and shorten your payoff window. That could minimize student debt in the long run. Prepayment penalties for federal and private student loans are banned under federal law. So that means your lender can't tack on a fee if you pay your loans off early. Tip: Direct your lender or loan servicer to apply extra payments to the loan principal, not the interest. The principal is the amount you originally borrowed. 3. Consider refinancing Refinancing means you get a new student loan from a private lender to pay off your existing loans. So why do that? It could make sense to refinance student loans if you can lower your interest rate, your monthly payments, or both. You'll generally need good credit (or a co-signer with good credit) to qualify for the lowest rates on a student loan refinance. Here's one important thing to know, however. When you refinance federal student loans, they become private loans. That means you lose access to valuable benefits like: Income-driven repayment plansForbearance and deferment programs that let you temporarily pause loan paymentsEligibility for federal loan forgiveness programs A student loan refinance calculator could help you estimate what you might save, so you can decide if it makes sense. Tip: If you don't want to roll your federal loans into a private loan, you could apply for federal consolidation instead. 4. Take advantage of loan forgiveness and assistance programs The federal government offers several programs to help you reduce student loan debt in exchange for a work commitment. Some of the most popular options for federal loan forgiveness include: Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF). PSLF could erase your federal loan balance after you make 120 qualifying payments and work in an eligible public service role. You can minimize what you pay by enrolling in an IDR Loan Forgiveness. Teachers who agree to a five-year work commitment in an underserved school. Forgiveness maxes out at $17, repayment. Eligible military members could get some of their student loan debt repaid by the federal government. Your state may offer forgiveness programs or other options to help reduce student loan debt. You can contact your state's higher education authority to learn what kind of help may be available. 5. Look into deferment, forbearance, or employer contributions Deferment and forbearance let you take a temporary break from making payments. Federal loans offer deferment and forbearance options. One thing to be aware of is how deferment and forbearance affect interest on federal student loans. Deferment. Interest does NOT accrue on certain types of loans, so you don't have to worry about your balance Interest accrues on all federal loans, which can leave you with more to repay. Obviously, it makes sense to apply for deferments first, but you can only do that so many times. Once you exhaust your deferment period, you'll have to consider forbearance instead. The most important thing is to talk to your lender right away if you can't repay your student loans, so you don't risk default. If you only have private student loans, ask your lender if they offer any type of hardship relief or payment pause. Private lenders aren't required to offer the same benefits the federal government does, but some do. Here's one more tip for how to reduce student debt: Ask your employer to chip in. Some companies offer programs to help you manage student debt. For example, your employer might match the amount you pay every month or agree to pay off a lump sum of your student debt. Check with your human resources department to find out if this might be an option for you. This story was produced by Achieve and reviewed and distributed by Stacker. © Stacker Media, LLC.
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
3 Ways Personal Loans Are Helping People Reach Their Financial Goals in 2025
The words 'personal loan' might sound scary to you, as they can frequently be frowned upon as a last resort when you need money. In 2025, the script has flipped, and people are using personal loans to reach financial milestones, having the monetary flexibility to cross off some goals that might have been sitting on their list for years. Read Next: Consider This: GOBankingRates reached out to lending expert Kyle Enright, president of lending at Achieve, a digital personal finance company based in San Mateo, California, to get his take on three ways personal loans are helping people reach their financial goals in 2025. A big goal for many is to finally get out of debt and stay out for good. With a personal loan, lots of people are doing just that for the first time in their lives. 'Interest rates on personal loans can vary widely (from around 8% to 35% or even higher, depending on credit score), but are usually lower than credit card rates, which are averaging more than 20%,' explained Enright. If you can qualify for a personal loan at a rate lower than that on your credit card(s), Enright pointed out that you can use the personal loan proceeds to pay off the higher-rate credit card debt, then be left with just the one personal loan payment at the lower rate. 'This should make it faster and less expensive to pay off the debt,' said Enright. Explore More: 'You can use a personal loan for almost anything, and one of the most popular uses (after debt consolidation and payoff) is for the home,' said Enright. According to Enright, taking care of needed maintenance and repair items before they become major problems will save money in the long run and provide a safer, more functional, and more enjoyable living environment. 'With more homeowners planning to stay in their homes for longer — whether because of high interest rates making it harder and more expensive to sell and buy, or to age in place– they can use a personal loan to help them achieve these goals,' Enright added. The ability to budget for upcoming goals, as well as achieve financial resolutions, might come in many shapes and sizes, with a personal loan being one of them this year. 'A budget is intended to be a spending tool so that you can set life goals (short- and long-term) and then plan how and when you can achieve those,' Enright said. 'If personal loan payments fit into your budget, you may be able to achieve a goal you set for this year. 'Similarly, many people set financial resolutions at New Year's. This is a good time to review those, see where you're at, and make plans to make those resolutions [a] reality this year.' More From GOBankingRates Mark Cuban Says Trump's Executive Order To Lower Medication Costs Has a 'Real Shot' -- Here's Why This article originally appeared on 3 Ways Personal Loans Are Helping People Reach Their Financial Goals in 2025
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
How To Stop Living Paycheck to Paycheck When You Make Good Money
According to numerous reports, about half of all Americans say they live paycheck to paycheck. This isn't limited to low- or moderate-income households, either. Almost half of those earning six figures feel the same way. For You: Try This: If you're struggling to make ends meet and feel like you never have enough money to meet your financial goals — like saving for a down payment or paying off debt — you're not alone. But your situation isn't hopeless, either. GOBankingRates reached out to several financial experts about how to stop living paycheck to paycheck when you earn enough money not to. Here's what they said. Sean Fox, president of debt resolution at Achieve, suggested making a spending plan or a budget. 'Most people don't want to 'budget' because it sounds hard, tedious and complicated. It's not. It's just a way to understand your finances in simple terms, with an eye on goals you've set,' Fox said. 'That means taking time to consider what you really want in your life, both in the long run (e.g., retirement, vacations, buying a house) and short run (e.g., a new piece of furniture, clothing, time for your favorite hobby or pastime). Then you can build your spending plan around what it will take to reach those goals.' No matter how much money you earn, you should always keep track of your spending. It's all too easy to fall into the trap of lifestyle inflation, something that occurs when you start spending more because you start earning more. You could be earning $100,000 a year and still have very little to show for it at the end of the month…if you're not tracking your expenses. Knowing how much money you spend and on what can help you figure out where the problem areas are and fix them. 'Keep a record of every single expense (online and off) you and everyone in your household makes for a couple of weeks,' said Fox. 'Most people have some surprises, and are then in a better place to make some decisions on smart spending that's in line with the budget.' Find Out: The Federal Reserve found that 82% of American adults have a credit card, while over 40% regularly carry a balance. While not a guarantee, if you're living paycheck to paycheck while earning a decent income, chances are you have some credit card debt, too. If that's the case, Fox suggested paying off this debt first. 'With interest rates over 20%, this is a huge expense — both in terms of what you're paying to the credit card issuer and the fact that you're effectively paying much more than the purchase price of what you bought,' Fox said. 'Plus, if you are carrying debt and paying all that interest, you have no opportunity to do something positive with that money — like saving for retirement and other goals you've set.' If possible, increase your monthly payments to pay off your debt sooner. If that's not an option, see if you can get a balance transfer card or a low-interest debt consolidation loan instead. Depending on the new interest rate and term, you could end up paying less in interest and getting rid of your debt sooner. There are a lot of reasons why people who make plenty of money live paycheck to paycheck. One of the big ones is that they don't differentiate between wants and needs. 'Whether it's about 'keeping up with the Joneses' or just preferring to not do so, the lack of thinking about whether a given purchase will meet a 'want' or a 'need' fuels overspending and credit card debt,' said Fox. 'It is much easier to simply buy what you want than to develop the habit of stopping to consider each purchase, and whether you really need it in your life.' All of this leads to overspending and living beyond one's means. If you're living beyond your means, take the time to distinguish between your wants and needs. Once you've done that, see if you can take it one step further by living below your means. Living below your means 'provides some cushion, a way to save and insurance that you are not living paycheck to paycheck all the time,' said Fox. Similarly, find ways to limit your discretionary spending. 'Cutting back on nonessential purchases is a great way to stop living paycheck to paycheck,' said a Quicken spokesperson. 'It is important to consider how many nonessential purchases [you are] making each week that you could either go without or make more cheaply at home.' You don't have to do it all at once. You can use a budgeting app or expense tracker to see where your money is going. Or, once a month, you can look through your bank and credit card statements to find out what you spend money on — and start finding small ways to cut back. Having goals, whether they're short or long term, can help motivate you to get a hold of your finances. 'By prioritizing your financial goals and having a time frame in mind, you can maximize your savings, stay motivated and move closer to the finish line,' said the Quicken representative. But don't fall into the trap of trying to achieve those goals all at once. Having that time frame is key. With it, you can avoid taking too long for a certain goal while also keep yourself moving toward it. For example, say you want to save your first $1,000 in an emergency fund. If you don't have quite that much money at the end of the month, that's OK. Start with a smaller sum — like $100, $200 or whatever you're comfortable with. If you know you want to save that amount within three months, break down your monthly savings goals accordingly — $1,000 divided by three. Once you've achieved a few short-term goals, you can start thinking about those long-term goals — like retirement. Joe DiSanto, a financial expert, consultant and the founder of Play Louder, suggested making a 'financial independence roadmap.' 'This is a long-term plan to reach your retirement goal, which includes a savings plan and required levels of investment return,' he said. As you work on your spending and savings habits, it's important to be consistent. 'You need to be consistent and make it part of your life,' said DiSanto. 'You can't 'wing it' or 'go with your gut feelings.' It's like going to the gym or maintaining a healthy diet. I use those examples specifically because most people struggle with that, too.' You can go about this in many different ways. For example, you could get an 'accountabili-buddy,' someone who can help you stay on track financially. Or you can do things like automate your savings or use a budgeting app. Whatever works for you, do it and be as consistent as possible. More From GOBankingRates 3 Luxury SUVs That Will Have Massive Price Drops in Summer 2025 7 Luxury SUVs That Will Become Affordable in 2025 9 Downsizing Tips for the Middle Class To Save on Monthly Expenses This article originally appeared on How To Stop Living Paycheck to Paycheck When You Make Good Money
