According to an article in the Dallas Morning News, medical debt can have a huge impact on a debtor’s credit score affecting their ability to obtain home loans, credit cards as well as the interest rate they’re offered. The article focuses on the story of Steve Smith who suffered a heart attack during a lapse [...]

According to an article in the Dallas Morning News, drivers and homeowners in North Texas with poor credit ratings pay an average of 35 percent more for insurance coverage than those with good credit – even when driving records and recent damage claims on homes are identical.
The article said:
“Rates submitted by the 35 largest [...]

Unless you’ve been living in seclusion these past couple of months you’ve probably heard about the new credit card legislation that will prohibit or limit several of credit card billing practices that are unfair or difficult for consumers to understand.  But let’s take a closer look at one of the most important changes you will [...]

We’ve all heard the saying that those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it.  An article in Investopedia.com highlights the most recent lessons from our recession.  Lisa Smith lists five basic principles that should be garnered from this financial crisis:
1.  Risk matters…but protecting what you have is just as important as trying to [...]

There be sharks out there…and they’re called debt collectors!  As the economy gets tougher and more people default on their credit cards, mortgage loans and other debt obligations, more debt collectors are crossing the line and engaging in illegal debt collection practices. If you are considering bankruptcy and have faced illegal collection actions by creditors, [...]

Lie Number One – Bankruptcy will ruin your credit forever! Let’s face it, the majority of people considering bankruptcy already have bad credit.  They have defaulted on personal debt such as credit cards and are delinquent on essentials such as their mortgage.  For many, filing bankruptcy will actually improve their credit score by bringing their [...]

According to an article in the Star-Telegram, a widow is claiming that debt collectors hounded her husband to death with as many as nine harassing and illegal calls per day, causing stress that contributed to his fatal heart attack. She’s suing Green Tree Servicing for damages, claiming that their illegal collection practices that led to [...]

After bankruptcy, a credit history statement can make your credit report look better.
After your bankruptcy is complete, you need to get your financial life in order.  Of course one of the first steps to doing this is to improve your credit report.  You probably have heard all of the common ways to improve your credit [...]

It’s seems to be getting tougher out there for Americans who are struggling financially, facing foreclosure and/or bankruptcy. According to an article in the Dallas Morning News, as millions of Americas face job losses, more employers are choosing to run credit checks on prospective workers. And what’s on a candidate’s credit report may affect [...]

One reason declaring bankruptcy terrifies so many people is the fact they have to admit they’ve lost control over their finances–and life in general.

Prescreened credit card offers are a disaster waiting to happen when you consider identity theft.
Whether you are considering bankruptcy, or if you have already filed for bankruptcy, protecting yourself from identity theft is always a good idea.  Identity theft can take a long time to recover from and nobody wants the headache involved with getting [...]

Most debtors remember that a credit counseling course is required before filing bankruptcy; but many forget or don’t realize that they must also take a personal financial management course within 45 days after filing bankruptcy.  Whether you’re filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy or Chapter 13 bankruptcy, all debtors are required to take this course.  If [...]