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Debt Settlement

Understand debt settlement—how it works, its impact on credit, potential risks, and alternatives to help you make the best decision for your financial future.

TransUnion Just Confirmed What I Saw Inside Credit Counseling: Debt Settlement Can Hurt Your Score Worse Than Bankruptcy

by Steve Rhode

TransUnion found settlement enrollees who were still current when they enrolled fell 96 points, 645 to 549, measured six months before to six months after. Here’s what it leaves out.

A Court Just Exposed Exactly How Attorney-Model Debt Settlement Works — Every Dollar, Every Rubber Stamp

by Steve Rhode

A bankruptcy judge traced every dollar through an attorney-model debt settlement firm’s own database. What she found should worry anyone enrolled in a similar program.

PHH Mortgage Misled Homeowners About Default Notices — Here’s If You Have a Claim

by Steve Rhode

PHH Mortgage’s misleading default notices left homeowners confused at the worst moment. $1.5M settlement — are you eligible?

Gryphon Healthcare Data Breach Settlement: How to Claim Your Share of $2.8 Million

by Steve Rhode

Gryphon Healthcare data breach exposed SSNs and medical records. $2.8M settlement — file a claim before the deadline.

Capital Health Data Breach: $4.5 Million Settlement — Are You Eligible to File a Claim?

by Steve Rhode

Capital Health breach deadline: April 6, 2026. $4.5M settlement at capitalhealthdatabreachsettlement.com — are you eligible?

Sprouts Farmers Market Receipt Settlement: $5 Million for FACTA Violation — How to File a Claim

by Steve Rhode

Sprouts Farmers Market agreed to a $5M FACTA settlement over printing too much card info on receipts. Deadline: August 5, 2026. File at settleinfo.com.

Are Debt Settlement Fees Fair? What the Law Actually Says They Can Charge

by Steve Rhode

Debt settlement fees are federally regulated — the FTC advance fee ban means companies cannot charge you before a debt is settled and you’ve made your first payment. Here’s what’s legal, what isn’t, and what to do if you’ve been overcharged.

What Happens If My Debt Settlement Company Doesn’t Settle and I Get Sued?

by Steve Rhode

Being sued while enrolled in a debt settlement program is one of the most urgent situations in debt relief. Here’s what a lawsuit actually means, what happens if you ignore it, and why it may not be too late to negotiate.

The Attorney Model Debt Settlement Loophole — And Why It’s Often Worse Than the Scams It Replaced

by Steve Rhode

Debt settlement companies found a legal loophole: partner with an attorney and the FTC’s advance-fee ban doesn’t apply. Here’s how the attorney model works, why it often costs more, and the red flags that reveal a scam hiding behind a law license.

Can a Debt Settlement Company Change Your Contract Without Telling You?

by Steve Rhode

A debt settlement company can’t change material contract terms without proper notice. Here’s what your rights are, what federal law says, and what to do if they changed the terms on you.

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Get Out of Debt Guy Podcast - Steve Rhode

Get Out of Debt Guy Podcasts

  • Credit Card Debt, Hospital Bills & the “Just Get a Loan” Trap
  • Look Broke for a Year or Stay Broke for 10? The Credit Card Debt Trap
  • Budgets Suck: Debt Traps, Emergency Savings, and Keeping Up Appearances
  • Are You Helping Your Kids—or Hurting Your Retirement? – The Money Choices That Cost Millions
  • Should Adult Kids Pay Rent—or Are You Sacrificing Your Retirement?

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