Here’s what’s new
Not sure where to start, in a crisis, or just looking for something? Ask me anything in the box below — it’s my search and my help desk in one. Or scroll down and catch up on everything — news, mythbusting, my weekday email, and the podcast.
Updated Saturday, October 17, 2026Looking for something, or not sure where to start? Just ask me.
This is my search box too — ask in plain words and I’ll point you to the right post, tool, or answer. It’s free, private, and it’s really me. Everyone else wants to sell you something; I sell nothing.
Here’s what I’ve been working on and watching this week — pick a lane and catch up.
📰 Debt Relief News & Enforcement
What’s happening — and who’s being sued or sanctioned.
- The 3.6% COLA Isn’t 3.6% for Every Military Retiree: Who Gets Less and How to Rebuild Your 2027 Budget Around the Real Number
- The $8.75 Million University of Phoenix Settlement Isn’t Student Loan Forgiveness. Here’s Who Can Claim It, and Where Phoenix Borrowers Should Actually Look
- The FTC Is Sending Walmart Wire-Transfer Scam Refunds (October 2026): Is Yours Real?
- DHS Made the End of Automatic Work Permit Extensions Final. If Your Paycheck Depends on an EAD, Here Are the Money Calls to Make Before Your Card Expires
💥 Mythbusting: They Said What?
A money myth, corrected — with the receipts.
- They Said My Student Loans Die With Me So My Family Is Safe. Federal, Mostly. Private Depends on the Loan.
- They Said Shopping Around for a Car Loan Will Wreck My Credit. The CFPB Says Do It Within a Window and It Generally Counts Once.
- They Said a 160,000-Person Study Proved Financial Literacy Classes Work. Its Authors Call the Evidence on Lasting Effects Inconclusive.
- They Said You Can Only File Bankruptcy Once in Your Life. The Law Sets Waiting Periods, Not a Lifetime Limit.
✉️ Your Money Actually: My Weekday Email
What I’m watching and what it means for your money. Free, every weekday.
- The check that looks like a scam may be real
- The 10 Things You Must Do After Bankruptcy
- The ones who need the Social Security raise the most keep the least of it
- Do you want the money back you left behind?
🎙️ The Podcast
Real conversations about money, fear, and getting free.
- 10 Things to Do After You File Bankruptcy
- Why Another Loan Won’t Fix Your Credit Card Debt
- Look Broke for a Year So You’re Not Broke for 10 Years
- Budgets Suck. Watch What’s Left at the End of the Month
