Harvard study finds 50 percent increase from 2001, most of those bankrupted by illness were middle class and had insurance EMBARGOED until: June 4, 2009, 12:01 a.m. EDT Contacts: David Himmelstein, M.D. Steffie Woolhandler, M.D., M.P.H. Elizabeth Warren, J.D. Deborah Thorne, Ph.D. Mark Almberg, (312) 782-6006, cell: (312) 622-0996, mark@pnhp.org Medical problems contributed to nearly […]
My Personal Credit Crisis
New Jersey bankruptcy Article By EDMUND L. ANDREWS Published: May 14, 2009 If there was anybody who should have avoided the mortgage catastrophe, it was I. As an economics reporter for The New York Times, I have been the paper’s chief eyes and ears on the Federal Reserve for the past six years. I watched […]
Students’ First Lesson: Beware Loans’ Fine Print
New Jersey Bankruptcy Article By GRETCHEN MORGENSON Published: May 2, 2009 HIGH school seniors, thrilled at receiving fat envelopes from the colleges of their choice last month, must now figure out how to pay for the privilege of attending these institutions. For many, this will mean a journey into private student loan land, where financial […]
Does God Want You to Be Bankrupt?
New Jersey Bankruptcy Article By RON LIEBER Published: May 1, 2009 This week, yet another Washington debate over who deserves a break on their debts drew to a close. On Thursday, the Senate voted against allowing judges to adjust the terms of the mortgages of people filing for personal bankruptcy. Scratch the surface of the […]
Debt Settlers Offer Promises but Little Help
By DAVID STREITFELD Tyna Carter, burdened with $25,000 in credit card debt, did not want to be a deadbeat. After looking for help on the Internet, Mrs. Carter, a West Virginia homemaker, wound up in the hands of a sweet-talking ³credit specialist² from Texas. He claimed his company, Credit Solutions of America, could set her […]
In Grim Market, Student Loans are a Costly Burden
New York Times Article By TARA SIEGEL BERNARD Published: April 17, 2009 They bought into the notion that if they went to college — never mind the debt — their degree would lead to a lucrative job. And repaying their student loans would never be a problem. But the economic crisis has turned those assumptions […]
Ten Things Your Credit Card Company Will Not Tell You
1. “We’re just waiting for you to screw up.” Many things can bump your credit card interest rate into the red zone, but nothing faster than what’s called “universal default.” You can make all your credit card payments religiously and for a long time, but fall behind on your electric bill and, suddenly, you’re a […]
Faulting Credit Firms on Fixing Errors
New Jersey bankruptcy Article The New York Times By BOB TEDESCHI Published: February 6, 2009 MANY consumers are unaware what their credit score is until it’s time to apply for a home mortgage, but by then it is often too late to fix any mistakes that they might uncover in their credit reports. A new […]
Amazing whistle blowing video by former employees of credit card companies
Student Loans. Restore Bankruptcy Fresh Start
To the Editor: It is time to restore fairness to the bankruptcy system and allow government and private student loan borrowers the same bankruptcy protections as consumers with other types of unsecured debt now. Accounts of alleged abuse of the bankruptcy system by student loan borrowers were never really well substantiated. Regardless, the new bankruptcy […]
