Originally published here by The New York Times. By TARA SIEGEL BERNARD Published: September 6, 2013 The spigot on reverse mortgages has been slowly tightened over the last several years. Borrowers can no longer tap as much of their home equity as they could before the housing crisis. Now the rules are about to change […]
Undue Hardship and the Discharge of Student Loans
Earlier this year a Wisconsin Bankruptcy Court decided that debtor Bradley A. Mhyre was entitled to have his student loans discharged in bankruptcy under the Brunner Test for determining undue hardship. In 1994 Mhyre sustained a neck injury that left him paralyzed from the chest down leaving him limited use of his shoulders and arms. […]
NJ SANDY HOMEBUYER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
The Greater Vineland Chamber of Commerce (GVCC) wants to make you aware of a new program to help homebuyers, particularly those impacted by Superstorm Sandy. The New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (HMFA) has recently launched the Sandy Homebuyer Assistance Program, providing up to $50,000 in forgivable mortgage assistance to qualified borrowers seeking to […]
Super Heroes Fight Debt
by Cathy Moran, California Bankruptcy Lawyer The GetOutOfDebt guy is my hero. He’s not quite as swashbuckling as Batman and Superman. Not as suave as Elliot Ness, battling crime gangs. But he’s fighting for a better world, nonetheless. He fights Debt, a blight on too many in our squeeze-the-middle class, consumer society. Steve Rhode sings […]
How Payday Lenders Escape State Crackdowns
Need money fast? Hope you don’t mind an annual interest rate of nearly 700 percent. By Paul Kiel on Wed. August 7, 2013 3:00 AM PDT Originally published at http://bit.ly/19eP4WD Thomas Hawk/Flickr This story first appeared on the ProPublica website and in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. In 2008, payday lenders suffered a major defeat when […]
Over a Million Are Denied Bank Accounts for Past Errors
A version of this article appeared in print on 07/31/2013, on page A1 of the NewYork edition with the headline: Million Denied Bank Accounts For Past Errors. Published originally in the New York Times. Chang W. Lee/The New York Times Tiffany Murrell, who had a $40 overdraft in 2010, was rejected repeatedly for an account. […]
Julie Miller, Oregon Woman, Awarded $18.6 Million Over Equifax Credit Report Errors
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — A federal jury in Oregon awarded $18.6 million to a woman who spent two years unsuccessfully trying to get Equifax Information Services to fix major mistakes on her credit report. Julie Miller of Marion County was awarded $18.4 million in punitive damages and $180,000 in compensatory damages, though Friday’s award against […]
Mortgage Payments and Credit Reporting After Chapter 7 Bankruptcy
After bankruptcy, you can use all the help you can get when it comes to maximizing your chances for a new loan. Don’t let your old mortgage get in the way of refinancing or getting a new loan. When you file for bankruptcy and get a discharge of your debts, you’re no longer personally liable […]
Banks Seen as Aid in Fraud Against Older Consumers
Laura Pedrick for The New York Times Bradly D. Swartz, of Meshoppen, Pa., said his credit was ruined by telemarketers who emptied his checking account. The pitch arrived, as so many do, with a friendly cold call. A Vulnerable Age Articles in this series are examining financial challenges and pitfalls faced by older Americans in […]
5 Money Talks to Have Before You Get Married
You finally found your soul mate — someone who is sympathetic, nurturing, loving and caring. You’re ready to tie the knot. But before you say, “I do,” can you honestly say, “We did?” No, I’m not talking about that. I am talking about the talk. Not the one about sex and family but rather the […]
