Unless your ultimate dream is to live a self-sufficient life off the grid in a yurt, you’ll likely end up carrying a few debts. Debt itself isn’t inherently bad. Without debt in the form of a mortgage, for example, many people could never buy a home. Auto loans, home equity loans and credit card balances […]
Category: Consumer Law Center
National Elections in the United States of America
General elections in the United States of America fall on the first or second Tuesday of November. The general elections are, by statute, set to occur on “the Tuesday next after the first Monday in the month of November.”1 The date can fall anywhere between November 2 and November 8. While there are general elections […]
How Long Does Credit Card Debt Stay on Your Credit Reports
Credit cards can be either incredibly useful tools or dangerous weapons. Without sound money management skills, it’s easy to end up over your head financially. The way you manage your credit cards today impacts the credit you’ll qualify for in the future. Credit card companies report every payment that you make, or don’t make, to the credit bureaus. […]
How Much Do Missed Payments Damage Your Credit Score?
In a world governed by automatic payments, few people verify that their banks are, in fact, paying their creditors. Unfortunately, bank issues, identity theft or even a simple error could result in missed payments. Mailed payments are even less secure since this method depends upon the reliability of the postal service. Paying a debt a […]
Illegal Debt Collection: Protect Yourself From Abusive Collection Agency Tactics
Consumer protection laws exist to protect individuals from unethical business practices. Collection agencies must not only adhere to standard business laws but also to a special set of rules specifically for the collection industry. The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) was put into place in 1977 to regulate collection activity in the U.S. If […]
Can Debt Collectors Tell Family and Friends About Your Debt?
Money problems are inherently embarrassing. If your financial obligations have become enough of a burden that you find yourself fielding collection calls, the last thing you want is for your family and friends to discover that fact. Fortunately, with few exceptions, the law is on your side. Federal guidelines strictly regulate the circumstances under which […]
What to Do and Not Do in a Traffic Court Hearing
Just about all of us have been pulled over on a traffic stop and issued one or more tickets. Some people have worse driving habits than others, so they probably have more traffic convictions on their driving record than other drivers. Given the fines, court costs, points against your license and drastically increased insurance premiums […]
Force Debt Collectors to Stop Calling You at Home and at Work
By: Ciele Edward Debt collector harassment is a common problem in America. Collection agencies know that one of the most effective ways to obtain payment from a debtor is to telephone him incessantly until he pays the debt out of either frustration or fear. Although the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) restricts debt collectors […]
Is Bankruptcy or Debt Consolidation Your Best Option?
Life is stressful when you have unmanageable debt, which may cause you to make a rash decision about taking out a debt consolidation loan. Although it can be helpful in less severe cases, lenders often don’t discuss the possible drawbacks. If you haven’t yet decided whether debt consolidation or bankruptcy is right for you, then […]
Avoiding Credit Card Debt Traps
There has been a huge increase in credit card spending recently which is largely a result of credit card companies’ increased advertising efforts. Over three billion bank card offers are sent to people each year. Weekly, most of us get many offers for brand new bank cards. In addition, bank cards are advertised everywhere. We view commercials […]