“When you’re in financial crisis, you don’t need a textbook. You need someone who’s been there to tell you what to do right now. That’s what these guides are for.”
A Medical Bill Went to Collections and Nobody Warned Me. Here’s What to Do Right Now.
Your provider doesn’t have to warn you before selling your account to a collector — but if it’s a nonprofit hospital, federal tax rules say it has to try to help you first. Here’s how to check, and what to do before you pay a cent.
A Debt Collector Called My Family About My Debt. Here’s What to Do Right Now.
A one-time call to confirm your address is legal. Telling your mother how much you owe is not — and it can be worth up to $1,000 in statutory damages. Here’s how to tell the difference.
A Judgment Lien Was Filed Against My House. Here’s What to Do Right Now.
A judgment lien doesn’t mean an immediate forced sale — it attaches to your equity and usually gets paid at your next sale or refinance. Here’s how your homestead exemption and bankruptcy’s lien-avoidance power actually protect you.
I’m Behind on Child Support and They’re Garnishing My Wages. Here’s What to Do Right Now.
Child support can take up to 65% of your paycheck — far more than ordinary debt. Here’s what the federal law actually says and your real options right now.
A Creditor Won’t Stop Collecting After My Bankruptcy Discharge. Here’s What to Do Right Now.
Once your bankruptcy court grants a discharge, no creditor can legally chase that debt again — but sometimes the phone still rings anyway. Here’s how to document the violation and get your own court to shut it down, at no filing cost.
What This Page Is: Emergency triage guides for the worst financial moments — garnishment, bank levies, lawsuits, repossession, medical debt in collections, and more. Every guide assumes the crisis has already happened and walks you through exactly what to do in the next 48 hours. Written by Steve Rhode, who has been helping consumers navigate debt since 1994 and filed personal bankruptcy in 1990.
Crisis Guides — When It’s Already Happening
These aren’t prevention guides. These are for the moment it hits — when you open your pay stub and money is missing, when a collector calls about a dead parent’s debt, when you find out your bank account is frozen. Each guide gives you the law, your options, and the specific steps to take right now.
A Merchant Cash Advance Company Froze My Bank Account. Here’s What to Do Right Now.
A merchant cash advance company can freeze your account through a confession of judgment, a Deposit Account Control Agreement, or a prejudgment attachment. Here’s how to figure out which one hit you, and what to do in the next 48 hours.
The State Says I Was Overpaid Unemployment and Wants It Back. Here’s What to Do Right Now.
Most states give you 10 to 30 days to appeal — and if the overpayment wasn’t your fault, you may qualify for a complete waiver. Here’s what the notice means and exactly what to do right now.
They Say My Unemployment Overpayment Was Fraud. Here’s What to Do Right Now.
A fraud finding is different from an ordinary overpayment — a non-waivable 15% penalty, possible loss of future benefits, and criminal exposure. Here’s how to appeal the fraud classification itself.
My Spouse Died and the Reverse Mortgage Company Is Foreclosing. Here’s What to Do Right Now.
Federal law may give you the right to stay in your home without repaying the reverse mortgage — but you have 30 days to act. Here’s what to do right now.
My Bank Account Was Just Frozen. Here’s What to Do Right Now.
Federal law protects 2 months of direct-deposited benefits automatically — but you have 10 to 21 days to claim exemptions on everything else before the money is gone.
A Collector Is Calling About a Debt That’s Years Old
In most states a collector can’t sue you once a debt is time-barred — but a partial payment can restart the clock. Learn what to say, what NOT to say, and how to protect yourself.
A Debt Collector Is Calling About a Dead Relative’s Debt
You are almost certainly not responsible for a dead relative’s debt. Know what to say, what NOT to say, and how to stop the calls permanently under the FDCPA.
I Didn’t Respond to My Debt Lawsuit in Time
Missing the deadline to answer a debt lawsuit usually means a default judgment — but it is often not the end. Learn how to ask the court to vacate it and what to do in the next few days.
I’m on Social Security and a Debt Collector Is Threatening Me
For credit cards, medical bills, and personal loans, a collector cannot take one dollar of your Social Security — even with a court judgment. The threat itself may be an FDCPA violation worth $1,000 to you.
Someone Opened Accounts in My Name and Now Collectors Are Calling
Identity theft debt is not your debt — and Section 605B can force fraudulent accounts off your credit report in 4 business days. What to do, including when the thief is family.
I’m Judgment-Proof but Collectors Won’t Stop
If your only income is Social Security, disability, or a federal pension, the law already shields it from private collectors — even after a judgment. Here’s how to prove it and make the calls stop.
I Was Just Served with a Debt Lawsuit
You have 20-30 days to respond before you lose automatically. 70% of people do nothing — every one of them gets a default judgment. Know your deadline, your rights, and your options.
The IRS Says I Owe Back Taxes
The IRS has 10 years to collect — and it can’t seize anything until it sends a Final Notice and waits 30 days. You almost certainly qualify for a payment plan, a hardship pause, or even bankruptcy discharge on old tax debt. Don’t ignore the letter.
A State Levy Just Hit My Paycheck
A “state levy” on your pay usually means a state or local tax authority — and the normal 25% garnishment cap may not protect you. Find out who issued it, then a payment plan usually releases it fast.
I Got an Ambulance Bill I Can’t Pay
Unlike an out-of-network doctor or an air ambulance, a ground ambulance isn’t covered by the federal No Surprises Act. Here’s what still protects you — 22 states now have their own rules, and the ERISA self-funded plan trap most people miss.
Debts Piled Up While I Was in the Hospital. Here’s What to Do Right Now.
A hospital stay doesn’t pause your mortgage, car payment, or credit cards — but there’s no automatic penalty for asking for help either. Here’s the order to call your creditors and the real deadlines behind each one.
I Have Multiple Wage Garnishments at the Same Time. Here’s What to Do Right Now.
Two or more garnishment orders on one paycheck can look like everything is gone, but ordinary creditor garnishments share one 25% cap while support, tax, and federal student loan debt run on separate rules.
A Debt Collector Won’t Validate the Debt But Won’t Stop Calling. Here’s What to Do Right Now.
Validation is a much lower bar than most people expect — usually just an account statement, not a signed contract. But once you dispute in writing, the collector has to stop calling until it sends real proof. Here is what to do when it does not.
My Parent Died in a Nursing Home and They Say I Owe the Bill. Here’s What to Do Right Now.
A facility billing you personally after your parent’s death is usually pointed at the wrong person — federal law bars a nursing home from requiring a family member to personally guarantee the bill. Here’s how to tell what you actually signed before you pay anything.
I Already Paid This Debt But a Collector Says I Still Owe It. Here’s What to Do Right Now.
A records error or a bad debt sale can put you right back in a collector’s queue even after you’ve paid in full. Federal Regulation F bars a collector from placing a debt for collection once it knows or should know it was already paid — here is how to prove it and make them stop.
I’m Falling Behind on My Chapter 13 Payments
More Chapter 13 cases are dismissed than completed — you are not alone. Here’s how to modify your plan, get a hardship discharge, or convert to Chapter 7 before dismissal happens.
A Creditor Is Making Me Come to Court to Answer Questions About My Money
A judgment gives a creditor the right to demand you answer questions under oath about your income and assets — but missing the hearing, not the debt itself, is what can trigger a bench warrant.
My Property Tax Lien Was Sold. Here’s What to Do Right Now.
An investor bought your tax debt or your home at a county tax sale — but under Tyler v. Hennepin County, no one can keep more than you actually owed. Here’s your redemption deadline and how to protect your equity.
A Creditor Violated My Rights While Deployed. Here’s What to Do Right Now.
The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act caps interest at 6% on pre-service debt, blocks repossession and eviction without a court order, and lets you reopen a wrongful default judgment — DOJ has recovered over $489 million for servicemembers since 2011. Here’s how to invoke your rights.
A Debt Collector Is Threatening Me with Deportation. Here’s What to Do Right Now.
A collector cannot legally threaten you with deportation, an immigration investigation, or a call to ICE — that is an FDCPA violation, not a power they hold, and your immigration status does not change your rights. Here is how to document the threat and turn it into leverage of your own.
Can I Get a Title Loan While in Chapter 13?
Most trustees require written permission before you take on any new debt during an active Chapter 13 — and a title loan pledges the same car your plan is protecting. Here’s what to ask before you sign.
A Sheriff Served Me a Writ of Execution. Here’s What to Do Right Now.
A writ of execution lets a sheriff seize non-exempt personal property to pay a judgment — but every state protects specific things, and you usually have only 10 to 20 days to file a claim of exemption before it’s gone. Here’s what to check first.
I’m Being Evicted and Debt Collectors Are After Me at the Same Time. Here’s What to Do Right Now.
Eviction court and debt collection are separate legal systems that don’t talk to each other — but the money to fight both comes from the same paycheck. Here’s how to protect your housing first, verify any debt before you pay a dollar toward it, and use bankruptcy’s automatic stay if you’re weighing that option.
I Paid a Credit Repair Company and Nothing Happened. Here’s What to Do
The Credit Repair Organizations Act bans charging you a dollar before the work is done — so if you paid and got nothing, federal law was already broken. Here’s how to get your money back fast, and your 5-year window to sue if the fast route has closed.
My Credit Dispute Was Rejected and They Won’t Say Why. Here’s What to Do Right Now.
A rejected dispute can mean two very different things under federal law — only one requires the bureau to explain why. Here is how to tell which, and what to do next.
My Car Was Repossessed and Now They Want More Money. Here’s What to Do Right Now.
The deficiency balance — the gap they say you still owe after the auction. Demand the sale math, challenge a bad sale, or wipe it out entirely. The 5 moves to make before you pay a dime.
My Car Was Just Repossessed. Here’s What to Do Right Now.
Getting your belongings back, redemption and reinstatement windows, and what happens next — the first-48-hours playbook for the tow-truck moment.
I Can’t Make My Minimum Payments Anymore. Here’s What to Do Right Now.
The tipping point before default. You have about 180 days before a charge-off — your window to call the hardship program, protect essentials, and weigh bankruptcy. Plus the costly mistake to avoid.
My Wages Are Being Garnished. Here’s What to Do Right Now.
Federal law limits garnishment to 25% of disposable income — but bankruptcy stops it the same day you file. Your 48-hour action plan.
My Business Failed and I Personally Guaranteed the Loan
Your LLC didn’t protect you — the personal guarantee is a separate contract, and now the lender wants you. But bankruptcy can discharge it, and the automatic stay stops collection instantly. SBA debt is the dangerous exception: the government can garnish wages with no court order. Here’s what to do before you sign or pay anything.
More Guides Coming
I’m building crisis guides for every major financial emergency — bank account levies, debt lawsuits, medical debt collections, car repossession, student loan default, IRS debt, and more. Each one follows the same format: what just happened, what your legal rights are, and what to do in the next 48 hours.
If you’re in a crisis not covered here yet, talk to Damon Day for free about your situation, or use the Find Your Path quiz to see all your options side by side.
What Makes These Guides Different
- Post-crisis, not prevention. The lever has already been pulled. Now what?
- Specific deadlines and dollar amounts. Not “act quickly” — “you have 10-30 days to file an exemption claim.”
- Inline legal citations. Every right I mention links to the actual statute.
- State-by-state differences. Federal law sets the floor. Your state may protect you more.
- No upsell. I don’t sell debt relief. I ran a credit counseling organization. I filed bankruptcy myself. I’m here to give you the same advice I’d give my own family.
Free Tools for Your Situation: Use the Wage Garnishment Calculator to see your state’s limits, the Judgment-Proof Checker to see if collectors can reach you at all, or the Scam-O-Meter to verify any company before you sign anything.
Key Takeaway: Financial crisis is not a character flaw — it’s a situation with legal solutions. Bankruptcy exists for exactly these moments. The people who come through this best are the ones who get the facts, talk to an attorney, and make a decision. You can make that decision too.
The Bottom Line
Every crisis guide on this page follows one rule: give you exactly what you need to protect yourself right now. Not next week, not after you’ve read three books. Right now. If you’re in trouble, pick the guide that matches your situation and follow the steps. If your situation isn’t here yet, take the Find Your Path quiz or talk to Damon Day for free. You’re not alone, and there is a way through this.
I Can’t Repay My SBA EIDL Loan
Business closed or struggling after COVID? Here’s what actually happens when you default: the $25K personal guarantee line, Treasury referral and 30% penalty, wage garnishment, and your real options — including bankruptcy discharge.
I’m Retired on Fixed Income and Debt Collectors Won’t Stop Calling
Federal law protects Social Security, VA benefits, pension, and federal retirement income from commercial debt collectors. A free certified letter stops the calls permanently — and FDCPA violations mean the collector owes you money.
I’m Facing Foreclosure
A foreclosure notice is the start of a process, not the end of your home. Federal rules give you a 120-day runway, loss-mitigation and appeal rights, and bankruptcy’s automatic stay can halt a sale instantly.
Debt Collectors Are Calling Me
Federal law limits collector calls to 8 a.m.–9 p.m. and a maximum of 7 per week. You can demand written proof of the debt within 30 days, send a legally binding cease-and-desist letter, or stop all calls instantly by filing bankruptcy.
A Debt Collector Is Threatening to Sue Me. Here’s What to Do Right Now.
Your rights under federal law, how to tell a real threat from a bluff, and what to do in the next 48 hours — including the one move that stops any lawsuit instantly.
I Paid a Debt Settlement Company and Nothing Happened
Federal law bans advance fees before a single debt is settled. If you’ve been paying into a program with no results, you have the right to cancel and get your dedicated-account funds back within 7 business days — and bankruptcy may get you to a fresh start faster.
My Spouse Just Died and Debt Collectors Are Calling
You’re generally not liable for a late spouse’s solo debts. What you owe, what you don’t, and how to protect your Social Security.
I Cosigned a Loan and They Stopped Paying
Cosigning made you 100% liable, not a backup. Your rights, whether the borrower’s bankruptcy helps you, and how to actually get out.
Should I Pay Student Loans With a Credit Card?
Putting it on a card doesn’t make the debt disappear — it trades income-driven payments, forgiveness, and an automatic death/disability discharge for an unprotected balance at roughly triple the interest rate.
Social Security Says I Was Overpaid and Wants It All Back
SSA can withhold up to 50% of your check for Title II notices issued after April 25, 2025 — but if you file within 30 days, withholding stops during review. The waiver can erase the debt entirely.
My Electric, Gas, or Water Is About to Be Shut Off
Federal LIHEAP crisis grants pay utilities directly — and applying often freezes the disconnection clock while your application is processed. Medical certifications block shutoff for qualifying households. Here’s exactly what to do in the next 48 hours.
Frequently Asked Questions About Crisis Guides
What is a Crisis Guide?
An emergency triage guide for the worst financial moments — wage garnishment, a frozen bank account, a lawsuit, repossession, medical debt in collections, and similar situations. Each guide assumes the crisis has already happened and walks you through exactly what to do in the next 48 hours.
What kinds of crises does this page cover?
Examples currently on the page include wage garnishment, a merchant cash advance company freezing a bank account, a state unemployment overpayment demand, a reverse mortgage foreclosure after a spouse’s death, a frozen bank account, a time-barred debt collector calling, a collector chasing a deceased relative’s debt, a missed deadline to answer a debt lawsuit, and a collector threatening Social Security income.
Are these guides prevention advice or “it already happened” advice?
“It already happened” advice specifically. The page is explicit: these aren’t prevention guides — they’re for the moment the crisis hits, written to give you the law, your real options, and the specific steps to take right now.
Who writes these guides, and why should I trust them?
I do — I’ve been helping consumers navigate debt since 1994 and filed personal bankruptcy myself in 1990 — direct, lived experience with the same system these guides walk readers through.
Is there a cost to use these crisis guides?
The guides themselves are free to read — no email, no signup, nothing to buy. Court costs are a separate question and vary by court: the guide on stopping a creditor who keeps collecting after your bankruptcy discharge specifically walks you through a route with no filing cost, but don’t assume that applies to every step in every guide. Each guide tells you what its own steps cost.
