Money-myth debunks: a widely-believed false belief, corrected with a verified, primary-source-anchored truth. Steve Rhode brings the truth to assumptions about debt, credit, student loans, and consumer finance.
The $54 million Roblox settlement is child-safety money paid to states, not a refund you can claim. Here’s how to actually get your kid’s Robux charges back.
No real business, government agency, or debt collector accepts gift cards as payment. The FTC confirms: that request always means a scam.
The government does not hand out personal grants for bills or debt — and never charges a fee to release one. Here is the FTC’s own warning, verified.
Told to pay a credit repair company before it helps you? Federal law bans advance fees — and you can dispute credit report errors yourself for free.
Prepayment penalties aren’t extinct, but federal law banned them on federal student loans and most mortgages. Here’s how to check your own loan.
A caller says your Social Security number is suspended for criminal activity. It cannot be, ever. Here is what the FTC and SSA say about this scam call.
In most of the U.S., marriage alone doesn’t make you liable for your spouse’s debts. But in 9 community-property states, it’s a different story. Here’s the real rule.
A debt settlement company telling you to pay a fee before they settle anything isn’t industry standard — it’s a federal violation. The FTC’s Telemarketing Sales Rule has banned advance fees since 2010.
Refinancing federal student loans to a private lender permanently strips income-driven repayment, PSLF, forbearance, and disability discharge — and cannot be undone.
No company can get your federal student loans forgiven faster — applying is free at StudentAid.gov, and charging upfront fees is often illegal. Here’s the proof.
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