In a post last week, our blog began examining how Congress, via a provision buried deep within the 2015 highway funding bill, called upon the Internal Revenue Service to once again start outsourcing some collection efforts to third party debt collectors Specifically,...
Negotiated Resolutions For Tough Legal Problems
Firm News
Senators accuse IRS’s third party collectors of illegal, abusive tactics
When most people hear the term debt collector, they invariably envision those companies attempting to collect money owed to purely private enterprises. In other words, the last thing they think of is government entities. While this has long been the case, things...
How to maximize 529 college savings plans in Florida
Attending college today is more expensive than ever before. According to the Orlando Sentinel, a college graduate in Florida carries an average of $23,000 in student loan debt. If you're a parent preparing your student for a post-secondary education, you might be...
Just how problematic are subprime auto loans?
One of the many consequences of the recent recession was that lenders became far more reluctant to extend other types of credit outside of just home loans. Interestingly enough, however, there was at least one anomaly: auto loans. Indeed, this type of credit proved...
Consumer rights hit with major setback in important FDCPA case
Back in April, we discussed how the number of justices on the Supreme Court of the United States was finally restored to nine, as Justice Neil Gorsuch officially took his place on the bench for oral arguments. We also discussed how one of the first cases in which he...
What you should know about your rights under the ECOA – III
In a series of posts, we've began exploring how those individuals who find themselves in the unenviable position of having a loan application rejected -- whether for a home purchase, business opportunity, educational pursuit or other prospect -- shouldn't be too hard...
CFPB report highlights vulnerability of older consumers
The population of older Americans here in the U.S. is growing at a remarkable rate, fueled almost entirely by the baby boomer generation, whose members are enjoying longer, healthier lives. If you don't believe it, consider that statistics show as many as 10,000...
How you can help yourself when your identity is stolen
Thanks to everything from news reports to the experiences of friends and family, most people are well aware of the damage that can result when a person's identity is stolen. It's for this reason that so many are careful to shred their mail, devise complex passwords...
How debt collectors are modernizing their tactics — II
In a post last week, we started discussing how consumers should be aware that debt collection companies are finally starting to evolve from a technological perspective, jettisoning antiquated tactics and deploying everything from avatars to ringless voicemails. We...
Don’t Let Zombie Debt Collectors Get You
You don't have to be facing bankruptcy to be a victim of zombie debt collectors. So, what is zombie debt? Zombie debt is debt that is very old or is no longer actually owed. It's called zombie debt because the debt has "come back from the dead" to haunt or "get" you....