You will not believe the craziness the Department of Education is undertaking to forgive student loans for many while punishing the folks that are in the most financial need. In today’s podcast, I talk about how insane this is. If you owe Parent PLUS loans, you can forget about reasonable forgiveness of student loan debt. …
New information out about housing in the Federal Reserve Bank of New York Housing Survey gives us a current snapshot of rent and renters. More than 35 percent of renters have been renting for ten years or more. Many people let outside of homeownership and real estate asset-building cycles. The issues that have caused people …
When I was a child, my parents were poor. That was OK because almost everyone in my little Oklahoma town was poor, and we all told each other that we were in the middle class. By the time I graduated high school, my parents had clawed their way into the actual middle class, and they …
Purchasing a home may be the biggest financial commitment you’ll ever make, so it makes sense to carefully consider the upsides and downsides of buying vs. renting. Stay tuned for a quiz that might help you decide. Rent or Buy a Home: Pros and Cons Advantages of Renting • Your landlord is typically responsible for …
A California-based company that provides background reports to property management companies will pay $4.25 million as part of a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission over allegations the firm failed to follow reasonable procedures to ensure the accuracy of its reports about potential tenants. In a complaint filed by the Department of Justice on behalf …
An Arkansas prosecutor has been fired after speaking out against the state’s criminal eviction statute in an October ProPublica story. Garland County deputy prosecutor Josh Drake was let go from his position on Oct. 31 by Michelle Lawrence, the prosecuting attorney. Arkansas is the only state where landlords can file criminal charges rather than civil …
It was bad enough when Jazmon Allen lost her waitressing job in March at a Hot Springs, Arkansas, barbecue restaurant during statewide closures meant to curb the pandemic. Then after she fell behind on her rent came the shock that only happens to tenants in Arkansas: In May, her landlord filed a criminal complaint for …
Living with roommates can be both a blessing and a struggle. After all, teaming up with a roommate could mean a bigger apartment with a little more space. If you’re lucky, roommates can sometimes even turn into built-in friends—people who will be there for you at 3 am when you need to cry on the …
In August 2018, Chermire Gladden sat on the dark wooden benches in Maryland District Court, waiting her turn as a judge churned through more than 90 cases filed against public housing residents. Gladden had informed the Housing Authority of the City of Annapolis two months earlier that she wouldn’t be able to afford the $604 …
Question: Dear Steve, I am a landlord whose Muslim tenants have not paid their rent in six months. What does the Koran say about repayment of a debt to a non-Muslim person? Susan Answer: Dear Susan, Well, that’s an interesting academic question but this is a matter first that is covered by your state law. …