Author Archives: Jay Butchko
Fraudulent Online Sale of Used Cars
Nothing is what it seems on the Internet, but the Internet is often the fastest and least expensive way to buy things. The Internet is also responsible for a sharp decline in fraudulent business practices by car dealers, because customers could now research the cars they were interested in buying before they went to… Read More »
Is It a Good Idea to File for Bankruptcy If You Are Unemployed?
They say that you have to have a job to get a job. What do you do, then, if you have been searching for employment for months, but none of your applications or interviews has resulted in a job offer? How do you avoid defaulting on the debts that keep piling up? Will the… Read More »
Documents You Need for a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Filing
Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection is the closest thing you can get to a “get out of debt free” card. The court discharges your eligible debts within weeks of your initial filing, and most applicants can get through chapter 7 bankruptcy without having to liquidate any of their assets. The rationale behind chapter 7 bankruptcy… Read More »
Should Aspiring Entrepreneurs Take Out a Loan or Borrow From Family?
Many families include at least one member who is full of ideas for business projects but never has two pennies to run together and another who is boring but financially secure. All of those YouTube channels designed to get you psyched about entrepreneurship would never tell you this, but sticking with your boring salaried… Read More »
Consumer Protections for Automobile Buyers Could Become Stronger This Summer
For the past year and a half, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has been working to impose a new set of regulations that protect consumers from fraudulent and abusive tactics when buying cars. The FTC first proposed the rules in the summer of 2022, and if all goes well, they will go into effect… Read More »
Congratulations on Being Frugal, but Now It’s Time to Get Out of Debt
In the 90s, working adults who were struggling with debt used to get a lot of finger wagging from personal finance experts about how they could easily pay down their debts quickly if they could avoid the temptation to stop at Starbucks on the way to work. The following decade, when the oldest millennials… Read More »
Huntingdon Valley Home Contractor Convicted of Defrauding Nine Clients
Home renovation projects do not always go according to plan. Even when contractors give you a good faith estimate about the timetable and the cost of materials, unexpected delays can always arise. A winter storm can require the contractor to take a week or more off of work, waiting for the snow to melt. … Read More »
How to Buy and Keep Your Own House in Philadelphia
Homeownership is a big financial goal for a lot of people. Unfortunately, it is very hard to achieve unless you already have some assets other than the percentage of your employment income that you have managed to put into savings. Qualifying for a mortgage and following through with the purchase is only the first… Read More »
Is It Bad If a Home Contractor Asks You to Pay a Deposit?
Do you have enough money sitting in your bank account right now to replace your roof or replace broken pipes and repair the damage they caused? You probably do not, because most Americans do not have $400 of available funds to cover an unexpected expense, and all home repairs except the most minor ones… Read More »
It’s Not Fair That You Are in Debt, but You Can Fix It
In a perfect world, no one would be judgmental of others for circumstances that are beyond their control, but in practice it happens all the time. How many times have you not told other people about your financial problems because you were embarrassed. Perhaps your closest friends and family members do not even know… Read More »
