The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) was passed in 1978, but a recent court case may impact how the law treats some mortgage servicers and other financial entities. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit upheld a lower court’s decision on the communications made by debt collectors to third-party print vendors. According […]
Recent Bankruptcy Law Changes in 2021
The worldwide coronavirus pandemic of 2020 changed many facets of everyday life, and it even influenced some recent bankruptcy law changes for 2021. If you own a business or you’re an individual who is thinking about filing for bankruptcy, it’s important to understand how these bankruptcy law changes might impact your ability to file. Here’s what […]
What is a Tax Lien?
A tax lien occurs when the government places a claim against the assets owned by a business or an individual when there are outstanding taxes owed. If the business or individual fails to satisfy the tax debt, the government may move to seize the asset or assets and sell them to pay for the debt. […]
Will Student Loan Forgiveness Happen?
One of the most talked-about topics in politics at the start of the Biden presidency has been the prospect of student loan forgiveness. Millions of college students take out many thousands of dollars in loans to attend college, and millions more have paid on their loans for decades without seeing any dent in the overall […]
Are Unemployment Benefits from COVID Relief Taxable?
Nationwide, each state treats unemployment benefits differently, with some states requiring that income tax be paid on all unemployment benefits and other states leaving those benefits untaxed. The federal government does require that taxpayers pay federal income tax on their unemployment benefits, but 2020 has some taxpayers wondering whether those benefits received due to COVID-19 […]
What is the Consumer Bankruptcy Reform Act?
The federal government makes changes to its bankruptcy laws every so often and states also pass measures of their own when they feel their laws require an update. In December of 2020, Senators Warren and Nadler introduced a new bill called the Consumer Bankruptcy Reform Act of 2020, which would make some changes to the […]
Protecting Yourself from Ruthless Debt Collectors
The pandemic has brought financial misfortune to millions of Americans, and when the dust settles, and life slowly gets back to normal, it’s a good bet that debt collectors will ramp up their efforts to collect. The financial instability of 2020 has pushed the budgets of many Americans to the breaking point, and it’s only […]
Can You Buy a Foreclosed Home?
A home foreclosure occurs when a lender decides to sell a house because the homeowner has been unable to make payments on the house. With a home mortgage, the house is the collateral the bank or lender will sell if the homeowner doesn’t make payments. Although the prospect of facing foreclosure is something no one […]
What Happens When You Pay Taxes Late?
If you pay your taxes late, you may have some penalties to pay, but it’s unlikely your life – or business – will be turned completely upside-down as the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) seeks to take everything you own. Mistakes happen, and sometimes financial problems exist that make it impossible to pay the IRS what […]
Can Debt Collectors Collect During the Coronavirus Pandemic?
Debt collectors often act in ruthless ways that can create immense stress in your life, and some debt collectors even run afoul of the law and break the rules of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) in their zeal to obtain money from debtors (whether or not the money is actually owed). The coronavirus […]
