Consumer Alerts

SHOW ME THE BANKRUPTCYYYYYYYYYY!

01/24/12

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 inspired the Jerry Maguire character, Leigh Steinberg has declared [...]

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Tax Refund Loans … Bye, Bye ! … and Good Riddance !

01/21/12

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,  have conspired for years to convince needy tax filers to pay up to [...]

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What is Bankruptcy?

12/16/11

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 relief, however, for much of history, the concept of discharging debt was quite foreign. Historically, individuals who could not [...]

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Why Filing for Bankruptcy is a Better Choice than Credit Counseling

10/20/11

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 counseling is often a first step taken by those who have significant debt due to [...]

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7 Shocking (and Costly!) Facts About Consumer Credit Counseling

10/03/11

(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 former Assistant Attorney General for the state of Texas said this about Consumer Credit Counseling Services: [...]

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Reverse Mortgages: A Popular Way to Finance Retirement – But Beware of Scam Artists

08/24/11

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 common is their main asset — their home. Many elderly people own a home, and [...]

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Countrywide Home Loans Will Pay $108,000,000 to Customers Affected by its Unfair Lending Practices

08/24/11

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 is always prudent for homeowners to check with a lawyer specializing in financial rescue [...]

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7 Mistakes Lawyers Make That Could Put Your Confidential Information Into The Hands of Identity Thieves

08/14/11

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 Security Number and other secret information falling into the hands of someone who [...]

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WARNING TO California and Florida Residents

08/14/11

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 people owing far more on their homes than their homes are worth. [...]

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Feds For Foreclosures into Rentals, Hey! How About Stopping Foreclosures?

08/11/11

Today was a most interesting read of the newspaper. Financial stories abound each day, the news is filled with tales of the stock market crash and the double dip recession (was there ever a rise to double dip?). Here are a smattering of headlines that caught my eye: Student Loans: A Crisis in Waiting? Americans [...]

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