News Topic: Consumer Alerts

An important tax provision that allows underwater homeowners to short sell their home without tax consequences will expire at the end of this month. Earlier this year I wrote about this tax provision. You can review that article here: ... Read full article

Credit Score Accuracy: Theory or Reality? In theory, a credit score is an accurate reflection of the collective payment history of a borrower. Missed a credit card bill three years ago? Mr. Mortgage Lender will see it. Credit scores take on an important ... Read full article

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has recently implemented a very user friendly database to show consumers which credit card companies have the most complaints filed against them.  Although the database was just put into place on the web, and is ... Read full article

A judgment is a legal determination that you owe a debt A judgment is really just a piece of paper signed by a judge that says you owe a debt. For example, in the event you can’t pay a credit card on time, the bank has no immediate recourse. They can call ... Read full article

A judgment is a legal determination that you owe a debt A judgment is really just a piece of paper signed by a judge that says you owe a debt. For example, in the event you can’t pay a credit card on time, the bank has no immediate recourse. They can call ... Read full article

Problems With Reaffirmation Agreements of HSBC Subsidiary A couple months ago, I got a call from a prospective client (who we’ll call Jim). At the time he called, Jim was involved in a pro se adversary case involving a dispute over the terms of a ... Read full article

The Sheriff Came to My Home, Have I Committed a Crime? I received a call yesterday from a client who was concerned about a recent visit from the sheriff. After a Homeowners Association instituted foreclosure proceedings because of delinquent dues, the ... Read full article

California foreclosure laws are among the nation’s most complex but are also fairly consumer friendly. In this post, we will attempt to provide good answers to the most common questions California residents have about the foreclosure process, both before ... Read full article

When you are considering bankruptcy, you have often been behind on payments for months.  You have run up credit card debt, and missed payments on your car and mortgage.  And now, perhaps your lender is threatening to repossess your car.  What are your ... Read full article

You probably are more familiar with that line in its original form, “Show me the moneyyyyyyyyyyy!” as screamed over the phone by “Jerry Maguire” the sports agent played by Tom Cruise in the movie of the same name.  Well, now the real life sports agent that ... Read full article

Republic Bank and Trust Company of Louisville, Kentucky is the final bank in the country to be forced to eliminate their super high interest tax refund loans that prey on the financially strapped.  The bank, in conjunction with Jackson Hewitt tax service, ... Read full article

Bankruptcy Relief Hasn’t Always Been Available Bankruptcy is a process under federal law whereby individuals as well as businesses can shed unmanageable debt and start over. Under the right circumstances, filing for bankruptcy can provide tremendous ... Read full article

Is Credit Counseling a Step in the Right Direction? Credit counseling most often involves consolidating outstanding debts as much as possible and then developing a negotiated repayment plan for a reduced payment over time to all of your creditors. Credit ... Read full article

(NOTE: This information refers to credit counseling other than what is required for bankruptcy pre-filing credit counseling. Talk to the Fonfrias Law Group for approved agencies.) SHOCKING FACT #1: Credit counselors work for your creditors, not for you. A ... Read full article

Reverse Mortgages: A Popular Way to Finance Retirement – But Beware of Scam Artists Many seniors enter their “golden years” with bleak prospects because of increasing debts, poor debt management and decreasing buying power. One thing many seniors have in ... Read full article

Countrywide Home Loans Will Pay $108,000,000 to Customers Affected by its Unfair Lending Practices – and Give Adequate Notice of its Charges to Debtors in Bankruptcy   This Department of Justice News Release is Reprinted Here as an Educational Service It ... Read full article

If you live in California or Florida, your financial problems are probably more serious than if you lived in other states. The large number of residents in these states – combined with home values that skyrocketed and then collapsed – resulted in many ... Read full article

In each of the following mistakes, ask yourself whether you think a receptionist, delivery person, or cleaning crew could get their hands on your confidential legal documents. I think you’ll agree that any one of these mistakes could result in your Social ... Read full article