Year: 2015

What are the statute of limitations in my state?  That is a question we hear every day from consumers who are facing a lawsuit or garnishment.  But its usually the wrong question.  Most consumers have the misconception that a statute of limitations is a limit of time that a collector or creditor can pursue collecting […]

The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (“FDCPA”) is the federal statute that was enacted to protect consumers from abusive collection tactics of debt collectors.  Under the statute, only a debt collector can be liable for conduct that is in violation of the FDCPA.  If a creditor is contacting you to collect a debt that you […]

Earlier this month the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”), the agency in charge of regulating consumer protection in the financial sector, ordered two of the largest debt collection agencies in the country to pay a combined penalty of $79 million for violating debtors’ rights under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (“FDCPA”).  The two collection […]

Building your credit score may seem like an impossible feat.  In a world where consumers live and survive on credit, when you have none or have negative credit, buying necessities can be difficult.  Using a credit card is a sure fire way to improve or damage your score, depending on how you manage it.  While […]

Note: This is a guest post contributed by Robert W. Glantz, Esq. In a recent decision, In re Michael D. Schwartz and Aseneta Schwartz, the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit (Illinois is within the Seventh Circuit), the Seventh Circuit warned debtors who plan to file for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Protection to not spend […]

When preparing yourself for a job interview, you need to do more than just freshen up on your interviewing skills.  Most employers today want to do more than just speak with you in an interview or read your resume.  They want to conduct a thorough background check and take a look into your credit report […]

Your credit report is the stepping stone to your financial well being.  Good credit or bad credit can make or break your chances at getting  a mortgage, being approved for a credit card, getting an automobile and earning a favorable interest rate on a loan. If you are in the market for a loan, the […]

When making the decision to pay off a debt after being contacted by a debt collector, some consumers opt to write several post dated checks to the collection agency so that they are relieved of the responsibility to make timely payments.  What is becoming more popular in the electronic age is automated withdrawals from bank […]

If you are aware that you are carrying debt, your stress may become heightened when a collection agency starts to contact you. The letters start coming, the phone starts ringing.  But the essential question becomes, who can a debt collector contact when they are calling to collect your debt? Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices […]

After launching an investigation against Citibank Card Serves, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”), recently ordered the credit card company to repay its card holders $700 million and fined the bank $70 million as a punishment for conducting misleading and deceptive business practices.   According the to the CFPB, the agency in charge of consumer […]