Category Archives: Consumer Law
The Age Of Social Media Debt Collections Is Here
The thrill of socializing on the Internet has always been marred by unpleasant social interactions. For all the camaraderie offered by text-only bulletin board systems of the 1980s that tied up the phone lies by being accessible only through dial-up connections, there were always a few abrasive characters among the amiably like-minded geeks. Millennials… Read More »
Can Credit Card Companies Hold You Responsible For Credit Card Transactions You Didn’t Authorize?
When you live paycheck to paycheck and struggle with debt, as most of us do, you probably experience mixed emotions when your bank statements or credit card billing statements arrive or when you view transactions on your bank account. On the one hand, just looking at how little money you have left for the… Read More »
What Could Go Wrong With Buy Now Pay Later Services?
Several decades ago, an affordable Swedish brand became all the rage in America. IKEA furniture costs a fraction of what most furniture retailers charge, and the shopping experience was unbeatable, from the trendy blue color scheme to the Swedish meatballs and non-alcoholic champagne. The feeling of euphoria would always dissipate, however, once you got… Read More »
Avoiding Debt Traps With Buy Now, Pay Later Services
Financial experts agree that budgeting is more useful for diagnosing debt problems than for paying off debts more quickly; even if you pare your food budget down to instant ramen noodles for dinner and peanut butter sandwiches for lunch, it takes a major effort to have more money available for debt repayment. An entire… Read More »
What Not To Say To Debt Collectors
In a perfect world, you would not have to deal with debt collectors at all. If you have debts you cannot afford to pay, as more than half of all Americans do, then eventually the debt collectors start calling you. Your instinct might be to curse them out and hang up the phone or… Read More »
The No Surprises Act Is Good News For Uninsured Patients, Too
Now that 2021 is well into its fourth quarter, the speculations are beginning about what 2022 will hold. New, scarier variants of the SARS-COV-2 virus? Midterm elections that are every bit as ugly as the last few election cycles have been? Rising prices of food and other consumer goods? One thing that has to… Read More »
Is A Credit Limit Increase On A Credit Card Good Or Bad For Your Finances?
Most people aspire to pay down their debts and encounter considerable challenges in doing so, but not everyone has the same motivation for paying more than the minimum payments on their credit card bills. A small but vocal minority wants to pay down their debts, including credit card bills and home mortgage, and never… Read More »
Is Having Multiple Credit Cards Good Or Bad For Your Credit?
Becoming debt free is a common financial goal, and so is getting approved for a large loan. To accomplish the first goal, you must concentrate on paying down the credit card debt you already have and very rarely make new purchases on your credit cards. To accomplish the second goal, your long-term strategy needs… Read More »
Student Loan Debt In Pennsylvania Is As Bad As You Think It Is
This year, the federal government has taken some steps to make it easier for struggling former students to receive loan forgiveness and erase some of their education debt, but millions of graduates, as well as millions of Americans who borrowed money for college but left without graduating, still have just as much federal, state,… Read More »
You Guessed It: Medical Debt Is The Leading Cause Of Bankruptcy
You might have a coworker who, given the opportunity, will grouse about her ex-husband who declared bankruptcy right after they divorced, and she thinks he only did it to reduce the amount of child support he would have to pay. After she filed for divorce, Mr. Wonderful bought a fancy new car and traveled… Read More »
