I understand that the Federal Trade Commission has been looking into regulating the debt settlement industry. I feel the time has come to finally address the needs of consumers for representation in credit counseling and debt settlement matters. I have provided a statement to the FTC in order to support the acceptance and regulation of for-profit credit counseling and debt ... Read More »

At ByDesign Financial Solutions, a debt-counseling service in Modesto, Calif., they’re working overtime these days. “Our call volume went up 97% in the past five weeks, which has left us scrambling,” says Martha Lucey, president of the nonprofit agency. “[The callers] are close to the max on their credit cards, and they just can’t figure out how to manage. We’ve ... Read More »

I can dream, can’t I? If I could get a wish for debtors it would be to wave a wand and implement this perfect debt assistance or debt relief program. Here is what the program would look like. A Sliding Scale Nominal Charge – Consumers would have to pay a sliding scale setup fee. It is too expensive to start ... Read More »

This weeks personal finance brain trust question was: Which U.S. presidential candidate will most likely do more to help debtors and/or reform current bankruptcy regulations? Feel free to elaborate. WC – A 27-year-old writer living in Chicago and writing about personal finance through The Writer’s Coin. This question seems like a veiled attempt at asking “who are you voting for?” ... Read More »

People are often so confused or uninformed about debt management plans in the US that I wanted to share some truths with you. Here are the five biggest misconceptions people have about debt management plans, in no particular order. Debt Management Plans Are Not Designed for You to Get Out of Debt Since the DMP terms are really dictated by ... Read More »