Articles
55 reviews
Collections
What Is a Charge-Off? What It Means for the Debt and Your Credit Report
A charge-off is a lender writing an unpaid balance off as a loss, usually at 180 days past due for credit cards. You can still owe it. Here's the timeline, the 7-year reporting rule and your options.
Nov 13, 2026
Collections
How to File a CFPB Complaint Against a Debt Collector (and What Happens Next)
Filing a complaint with the CFPB is free and usually takes about 10 minutes online. Here's what to include, how companies respond, how the last year of debt collection complaints actually ended, and where else to report a collector.
Nov 12, 2026
Collections
Cease and Desist Letter to a Debt Collector: What It Does and Doesn't Do
A written request makes a debt collector stop contacting you, with narrow exceptions under the FDCPA. It doesn't erase the debt or stop a lawsuit. Here's how to send one, with sample wording.
Nov 10, 2026
Collections
Zombie Debt: What to Do When an Old Debt Comes Back
An old debt resurfacing doesn't mean you have to pay it right away. Here's what federal rules say about time-barred debts, partial payments that can restart the clock, lawsuits and credit reports.
Nov 9, 2026
Debt Settlement
Debt Settlement vs. Debt Management Plan vs. Consolidation: What's the Difference?
A debt management plan repays the full balance at lower interest, settlement tries to pay less than you owe, and a consolidation loan is new borrowing. Here's how fees, credit and taxes differ, from CFPB and FTC guidance.
Nov 6, 2026
Collections
New York Debt Collection Rules, Including the NYC SHIELD Rule From January 1, 2027
New York debt collection rules as of October 2026: the three year limit to sue, no revival by payment, and the NYC SHIELD Rule from January 1, 2027 explained.
Nov 3, 2026
Collections
Pay for Delete Letter: How It Works and Whether Collectors Agree
A pay for delete letter offers to pay a collection account if the collector removes it from your credit reports. Here's what the CFPB and federal law say, when it might help, and how to write one.
Nov 2, 2026
Collections
Texas Debt Collection Rules: Wage Garnishment, Bank Levies and What a Collector Can Do
Texas debt collection rules as of October 2026: no wage garnishment for most consumer debts, a four year limit to sue, and bank levy rules explained clearly.
Oct 30, 2026
Collections
Florida Statute of Limitations on Debt: Time Limits by Debt Type
How long a creditor or debt collector has to sue you in Florida, what can pause the clock, what Florida's collection law adds, and what to do if you're sued over an old debt.
Oct 29, 2026
Collections
Debt Validation, Step by Step: What to Check, What to Send and What to Track
Debt validation step by step as of October 2026: what the notice must contain, the 30 day window, how to request verification and track the reply in full.
Oct 28, 2026
Collections
Debt Validation Letter: What Reg F Requires and a CFPB Sample Letter
What a debt collector's validation notice must include under Regulation F, how long you have to dispute, what happens after you do, and a sample letter based on the CFPB's.
Oct 27, 2026
Collections
Wage Garnishment: Federal Limits and Where to Check Your State
How much of your paycheck can be garnished under federal law, which debts can take more, which benefits are protected, and where to check your state's rules.
Oct 26, 2026
Credit Score
How to Monitor Your Credit While You Pay Off Debt
A payoff plan changes your credit report every month. Baseline your reports free, then watch balances, utilization and new items, and act on errors while they're small.
Oct 23, 2026
Credit Score
Free vs. Paid Credit Monitoring: What You Actually Get
Free monitoring covers one bureau well. Paid monitoring adds dispute tools, three-bureau reports and identity coverage. What each tier really includes, what it costs, and who should pay.
Oct 23, 2026
Collections
The FDCPA in Plain English: What Collectors Can and Can't Do
What the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act covers, what collectors can and can't do under it and Regulation F, and your options if one breaks the law.
Oct 23, 2026
Credit Cards
How Long Does It Take to Pay Off $10,000 in Credit Card Debt?
At a typical card rate, the answer ranges from under a year to more than four, depending on your payment.
Aug 5, 2024
Credit Cards
Is a Balance Transfer Card Worth It?
The math, the fees and the traps, so you can decide in five minutes.
Jul 11, 2024
Credit Cards
How Do I Refinance Credit Card Debt?
Refinancing credit card debt swaps it for cheaper debt. Compare 0% balance transfers, fixed-rate personal loans and home equity, and weigh all the risks.
Jun 16, 2024
Consolidation
How Do I Compare Debt Consolidation Loan Offers?
A side-by-side checklist for comparing offers, without ranking lenders by who pays us.
Jun 11, 2024
Credit Cards
Can I Negotiate a Lower Interest Rate or Balance With My Credit Card Company?
What to ask for, what to say, and what to get in writing.
May 22, 2024
Consolidation
How Long Should a Debt Consolidation Loan Be?
How term length changes your payment and your total cost.
May 17, 2024
Credit Cards
How Can I Pay Off $4,000 in Credit Card Debt Quickly?
A $4,000 balance is very beatable in a year or two with a fixed plan.
May 12, 2024
Consolidation
Should I Roll Credit Card Debt Into My Mortgage?
Rolling credit card debt into a mortgage can cut your rate, but it puts your home behind the debt. Compare cash-out refinancing, equity loans and HELOCs.
May 2, 2024
Credit Cards
How Does Credit Card Debt Settlement Work?
The process, the fees, the credit damage and the tax bill, before you sign up.
Apr 27, 2024