Not gonna take it: one consumer’s battle with harassing collector
We mentioned in a prior blog post the sheer frustration — often accompanied by fear — that consumers in Texas and across the country feel when they are suddenly confronted by aggressive debt collectors. The tactics engaged in by individuals and firms within that massive industry, as well as the overwhelmed feeling often experienced on […]
Acknowledged: the singular nature of medical debt
Media pundits and a host of other commentators who focus closely upon debt relief matters in the United States have long noted that medical costs are flatly a different animal when compared with other forms of consumer debt. Any person in Texas or elsewhere who is saddled with a painfully high level of medical debt […]
Bankruptcy: a powerful and often underutilized consumer tool
It is perhaps apt imagery to refer to the slippery slope of debt when discussing the financial difficulties that over time ensnare many Americans and introduce material instability into their lives. Although the details vary from case to case, it is not uncommon for debt problems to first emerge for individuals and families after an […]
The Fair Credit Reporting Act: what it is, what it provides for
Sometimes distressed consumers — through no fault of their own — cannot even see one of the sources of financial challenges confronting them. That challenge is posed by adverse information appearing in their credit reports, which can work in insidious and unknown fashion to undermine their credibility with landlords, lenders and even employers. For obvious […]
Debt collectors: things a harassed consumer needs to know
Based on a wide number of media reports, as well as on the high volume of phone calls and letters received by state and federal offices, consumers dealing with debt collection companies are often at a total loss as to how to proceed. Put another way: Many persons in Texas and nationally seeking debt relief […]
The difficulty in reducing student loan debt
It is extremely unfortunate that filing for bankruptcy has such a negative connotation to it, as it is an important tool for debt relief. There are people throughout San Antonio who find themselves overwhelmed by financial problems of one kind or another. They turn to a bankruptcy attorney to discuss their options and, many times, […]
Regarding nation’s debt crisis, are we digging out or digging in?
So, are we doing better or not? Has the national economy at least stopped snarling at the middle class sufficiently enough over the past couple years to enable most challenged debtors to regain their financial footing? These questions certainly seem reasonable enough to ask, and at this time. After all, the monstrous housing collapse and […]
After bankruptcy, rebuilding credit is important
The decision to file for bankruptcy is a big one, and those who understand the implications of a filing do not take it lightly. Probably the biggest reason to be cautious about filing for bankruptcy is the impact a filing has on one’s credit. While a bankruptcy filing may not have an immediate drastically negative […]
Debt-settlement industry: persistently under fire
Talk about a business niche that has an unrelenting image problem. Once again, the debt-settlement industry is making media waves for the adverse repercussions visited on consumers across the country who solicit the “assistance” of companies that pledge debt relief and simply don’t deliver on their promises. As many of our readers in Texas and […]
Prescription drug costs drive heavy medical debt, even for insured
In a 2013 survey conducted by the Commonwealth Fund, respondents were asked if the cost of medication had caused them to go without it in the last year. Of the adults who answered, 27 percent responded “yes.” An analyst with the Commonwealth Fund said that percentage represents an estimated 50 million individuals. More than 20 […]