• There are Rules Governing Debt Collectors Debtor collectors are not allowed to call you before 8 am or after 9 pm (your time zone, not the caller’s).  They cannot yell, swear, use crude language or [...]

  • Published On: April 18, 2019

    Ever wonder why you make really stupid decisions, especially when you are overwhelmed, worried or distracted? Perhaps you are focused on one task, like dealing with a difficult child or employer, and you completely miss [...]

  • Published On: April 13, 2019

    Reprint from Consumer Affairs Desperate consumers enter into these agreements without fully understanding how they work. Generally, debt relief or debt settlement companies offer a service to debt-burdened consumers to intervene with creditors–in most cases [...]

  • UPDATE: July 9, 2019 Freedom Debt Relief agrees to pay $20 million in restitution and $5 million in civil penalty to settle the claims for deception, abusive actions, misrepresentation, failure to disclose. […]

  • Company and Its Former CEO Engaged In Illegal Debt Collection Practices (Reprint from CFPB announcement 7/13/18) The Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau) announced a settlement with National Credit Adjusters, LLC (NCA), a privately-held company [...]

  •   Fairy tales are not the way to make adult decisions. We know that most fairy tales are fables designed to teach children a healthy respect for rules and society’s expectation.  Some fairy [...]

  • Published On: March 5, 2018

    Life for the next 20++ years – caught between a rock and a hard place. Query from a new doctor: I am a newly graduated medical professional and single mom. In the past [...]

  • Sued for Fraud – Federal Debt Assistance Association, LLC and Financial Document Assistance Administration, Inc. “FDAA The CFPB alleges that FDAA’s so-called “debt validation” programs violated the law by falsely promising to eliminate consumers’ debts [...]

  • Published On: October 10, 2017

    Lenders Must Determine Upfront If Consumers Have the Ability to Repay Loans Payday and title loan traps October 5, 2017 The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has developed a new rule which has common-sense protections [...]

  • Published On: September 4, 2017

    By Liz Weston NerdWallet.com, Aug 30, 2017 (a summary from South Bend Tribune) Many people believe that hiring a company to settle their debts is better on their credit, will cost them less in the [...]