Can Filing Bankruptcy Cost You Your Government or Postal Job?
Can bankruptcy cost your government or postal job? No — 11 U.S.C. §525 makes that illegal. Here is exactly what the law protects.
Government
How to Find an Attorney to Help With Your SBA EIDL Loan
Defaulted on your SBA EIDL loan? Here’s how to find the right attorney — and how to avoid the ‘loan relief’ scams targeting borrowers.
The IRS Cashed Her Check. Then the Late Notices Started Coming.
Quick Answer: Despite the IRS cashing Kathy Brenneman’s $108 tax payment check in March 2020, she continued receiving late notices starting in June due to processing backlogs. The agency’s struggles with administering $270 billion in COVID stimulus payments, combined with pandemic disruptions and declining funding, created widespread taxpayer paperwork delays affecting millions.Kathy Brenneman hears plenty …
Feds Garnishing Poor Seniors: What It Means
Quick Answer: The federal government can garnish 15% of Social Security benefits without a court judgment under the 1996 Debt Collection Improvement Act for unpaid taxes and student loans. However, most low-income seniors don’t know about available programs that can stop these garnishments entirely.By Eric Olsen, Executive Director, attorney, HELPS Nonprofit Law FirmIn 1996 a …
Education Department Staff Say Service Is Worse
Quick Answer: Department of Education employee satisfaction declined significantly between 2016 and 2018, with staff recommending the agency as a good workplace dropping from 60% to 46%. Survey results show decreased confidence across all metrics including mission accomplishment, leadership integrity, and workplace innovation encouragement. An outside contractor was hired at the Department of Education to …
CFPB: When It Helps and When It Hurts
Quick Answer: The CFPB under Acting Director Mick Mulvaney is attempting to rebrand as the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection, creating confusion with mixed messaging and materials. This name change appears to shift focus from consumer protection to helping financial markets work more effectively while wasting taxpayer money on rebranding costs.The Acting Director of the …
Bank of America Debit Card Fees: Legit?
Quick Answer: Bank of America debit card fees for South Carolina unemployment benefits are legitimate but controversial, as recipients face $3 ATM fees when using non-BoA machines. While the state saves $5 million annually versus mailing checks, rural residents without nearby Bank of America branches incur significant withdrawal costs.The state of South Carolina and Bank …
Can Stay-at-Home Moms Be Denied Credit?
Quick Answer: Yes, stay-at-home parents can be denied credit under proposed Federal Reserve rules that consider only personal income rather than household income. This post-2008 recession policy change would exclude those without steady paychecks from obtaining credit cards, despite having access to household funds.The Federal Reserve has recently proposed new rules in credit card lending …
Kevin Trudeau Free Money Book Review: Is It Legit?
Quick Answer: Kevin Trudeau’s “Free Money” book is not legitimate, as the U.S. government explicitly warns that few grants are available to individuals and none provide personal financial assistance. The infomercial appears on a fictional channel called QSN Direct that only sells Trudeau’s products, and legitimate government assistance can be found free at Benefits.gov and …
FTC Complaints: Media Gets It Wrong on Nestlé
Quick Answer: The FTC correctly targeted Nestlé’s “Kid Essentials” drinks for unproven “Immunity Protection” claims made through a “probiotic straw” that lacked FDA verification. Media criticism of the FTC’s action ignores that the agency appropriately protected children from deceptive health marketing when no scientific evidence supported the immunity benefits.The Christian Science Monitor posted an article, …
