Consumer Law

Home ownership is a life ambition for many people, but it is also a major undertaking with far-reaching consequences for an individual or family. Making sure that you are financially prepared to buy a…

A home modification adjusts the interest rate, reduces the principle or lowers monthly payments on a mortgage if a borrower has financial difficulty making his monthly mortgage payments. Lenders…

Adjusting the millivolts on your Heatilator fireplace ensures that the unit works efficiently and provides adequate heat for your home. A flame that is too low reduces the amount of millivolts that…

Credit card companies make revenue by charging businesses for every customer credit card transaction. Though this is good for the credit card companies, businesses lose a piece of their profit to…

An unpaid bill can lead to legal consequences. If you owe money to a creditor, that creditor may decide to sue you in civil court to obtain a judgment. A judgment is a decree issued by the court that…

Research and writing make up two of the basic elements involved in a legal practice. The Practical Law Company was established to assist lawyers in performing these essential tasks. This company…

When you die, your family and friends have more to do than just grieve their loss. In addition to funeral arrangements, the estate must be settled. Though a deceased person can no longer pay his…

Identity theft and fraud are major problems in the credit industry and credit-issuing companies like those that offer credit cards must take steps to avoid allowing fraudulent transactions. If you try…

Congress initially passed the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act in 1974 to help consumers against predatory and deceptive debt-collection practices used by third-party, credit-collection agencies.…

Owning a home can be an expensive investment to undertake. It often involves far more than just paying the mortgage and insurance on a monthly basis. Homes deteriorate throughout the lifetime of the…

As a business owner, you may use business credit cards and other methods of financing to help pay for the costs associated with running your business. As with personal debt, creditors may turn over…

Buying a foreclosed property may allow you to build your real estate investment portfolio while spending less than the market value of the home. In most states, lenders have the option of selling…

When an attorney works for a law firm in which he does not hold ownership, he works for that law firm as an associate. He may help a sole practitioner expand a firm or work for a law firm owned by two…

Buying a home can be an expensive process that may result in having to pay far more for a property than its stated price. Most home buyers take out mortgages to afford their homes and the mortgage…

Metadata is a type of data. It is data about data. Most people associate the term “data” with computers; however, any information, regardless of how it is stored or accessed, constitutes…

If you have money sitting in an IRA, or individual retirement account, you may be wondering how best to invest that money. You might have even considered whether or not you can buy a home with your…

A seller buyback agreement is a written agreement presented at the time of a purchase. It requires the seller to repurchase the merchandise under specific circumstances. The buyback agreement may…

The Hawaii legislature has not adopted the Uniform Common Interest Ownership Act. As such, homeowners' associations do not have superior lien rights to collect their delinquent assessments and dues.…

Some businesses do not have the manpower or time to devote to debt collections. Rather than hire someone to mail collection letters or telephone clients about past due accounts, some companies choose…

Homeowner's association bylaws are the rules and regulations that govern how a homeowner's association board manages and administers the association. These bylaws address issues such as board…

As an employee, a corporate credit card lets you avoid entangling business expenses required by your employer and personal expenses, but it can still affect your credit rating. In general, business…

Creditors may hire or sell an unpaid debt to a collection agency. Debt collectors have the right to pursue outstanding debt, but consumers have rights as well. Before you pay a collection agency, it's…

Collection agencies are hired by creditors to recover past due funds. In recovering funds, collection agencies typically send letters and telephone debtors in order to make payment arrangements. Some…

The purpose of loan modifications is to lower your monthly mortgage payment so that is affordable. Most lenders will not approve your loan modification reques, unless you are delinquent on your…

Dealing with the death of a parent is a challenge on many levels. An adult child may experience mixed emotions, especially if the death follows a long illness. The emotional grieving process is an…

A limited liability company is allowed to buy a home, but not every LLC should purchase real property. Buying a home through a limited liability company can take as much effort as acquiring one as an…

If you have fallen behind on the mortgage payments on your home, or you have experienced a change in income that will affect your ability to make your payments, a mortgage loan modification may be an…

When you take out a loan or a credit card, you are obligated to repay the amount you borrow. However, in some cases, your creditor may be willing to cancel a portion of a debt. This typically occurs…

Loan modifications have become common since the mortgage crisis began in 2008 to 2009. At that time, interest rates were high, but unemployment was low. Homeowners managed to stay in their homes by…

Buying a home requires the review of many documents and disclosures. Home inspections, title reports and appraisals are only some of the paperwork that you receive after signing a purchase contract.…

Buying a home in Pennsylvania is a way to build equity. Whether you work with a real estate agent or on your own to purchase a home in the suburbs, rural Pennsylvania or a major city like…

Whether the initial modification was insufficient or your situation has changed necessitating a new one, re-modifying your loan is a less cumbersome process than refinancing. A loan modification…

New York is not a community property state, and a creditor cannot hold you legally responsible for credit card debts your wife incurs. Creditors can, however, pursue your wife for any unpaid credit…

When someone dies, his family and friends inherit his worldly goods unless his will specifies otherwise. If the deceased carried a high amount of debt, his loved ones may assume that they will inherit…

If you request a loan modification from your lender, the lender will review your payment history and your interest rate to determine whether you are a potential candidate. In most cases, a lender…

Debt refers to money owed to a creditor. Secured debt is debt that is attached to a physical item, such as a home or car. Non-secured debt is debt that isn't secured by physical property. This…

If you own eligible property that has a useful, determinable life of more than one year and you use the property in your business or income-producing activity, you can depreciate the property on your…

The primary reason for forming a limited liability company is that, like a corporation, a LLC provides its members with insulation from personal liability for company debt. While a LLC provides a…

Buy a home after a deed-in-lieu and become a homeowner again. While a deed-in-lieu is somewhat damaging to a borrower's credit score, it does avoid a foreclosure and a borrower can usually requalify…

"Mystery Case Files: Dire Grove" is one of a series of hidden object games that takes place immediately after the "Ravenhearst Manor" entry. You'll eventually need to restore power…

In Nebraska, credit card accounts are considered open contract accounts. State statutes regarding debt collection and reporting follow federal guidelines, but the state of Nebraska stipulates statutes…

When life gives you lemons, re-gift them. Lemons are not just the garnish for drinks or seafood dishes. These fruits with the bright flavor and sunny color add a flair to homemade gifts. A little time…

An executor, also called the personal representative, is the person responsible for paying the debts and identifying assets of the deceased. The executor is commonly named in the deceased…

If a creditor expends the time and money required to sue you and obtain a court judgment, the creditor is likely to enforce the judgment on its own rather than lose money by hiring a collection agency…

If you are having difficulty making your monthly mortgage payments, a mortgage loan modification may lower your payments to help you avoid foreclosure. If you are behind on your payments, a…

A dollar devaluation occurs when the dollar's purchasing power goes down. Although a dollar will remain a dollar, it will buy less. This can eventually be felt through increased prices for energy or…

Your student loans report to your credit report and affect your credit score. If your student loan is a positive account without any derogatory marks, it remains on your credit report permanently. If…

Given your family's needs, desires and finances, you may already know what size house you want to buy. If your family is growing, your wish list may include a new home with greater square footage than…

The fact that you are unemployed is not a deterrent to a collection agency on a mission to satisfy delinquent credit accounts. Garnishing wages is not the only legal avenue open to a collection agency…

Writing a bad check can be an innocent mistake or part of a larger pattern of criminal behavior. A debt collection agency receiving a bad check may notify the debtor to immediately remit payment and…