StudentLoanFilter: Should I use my student loan money to pay off my last credit card? long-ish explanation of my situation inside. [more inside]
posted by ThaBombShelterSmith on Oct 27, 2009 - 9 answers

Now that I am able, I would like to pay the debts I have accrued over the past few years. When confronted with debt collectors, what is the best way to deal with them so that this positively impacts my credit report? [more inside]
posted by Loto on Oct 15, 2009 - 12 answers

I have gotten two collection letters from law firms, one of which I found out is suing me. I am with a debt settlement firm and I would like to settle but they will not talk with my debt settlement firm. What are my options? I do not want to go to court and would like to settle these debts. One is for $9K and another for $1.7K
posted by WRivera125 on Oct 15, 2009 - 4 answers

Just graduated from a top business school in the United States (H/S/W/K/M, etc.). I am $130k in debt, with payments of $1200 per month staring at me from 6 months away. I'm still not sure what I want to do with my life. Help! [more inside]
posted by alternateuniverse on Oct 5, 2009 - 15 answers

Our deficit and our debt are at record levels, even compared to WWII. Then, the debt was financed internally, not by other countries, so the interest we could pay was lower and the money was recycled in the U.S. Now, the debt and deficit are mostly financed by other countries through bond offerings and the like. And as they grow, those debtor countries will want higher interest rates on repayments, which drains money out of the U.S. [more inside]
posted by CollectiveMind on Oct 5, 2009 - 4 answers

Help me figure out my options for a small (~$4000) student loan. [more inside]
posted by rossination on Sep 30, 2009 - 7 answers

I would love any input you might have, even though you are not my lawyer. Four years ago my husband moved out and left me with his unpaid medical bills. Since the debt was incurred while we were married and living together, we were legally considered co-debtors. He told me had worked out a payment plan and I didn't find out otherwise until we were separated and subsequently sued. I was able to settle this debt, but my savings was wiped out (while we were married we had a his, hers, and ours system of money management). As part of the divorce settlement I was granted a judgment totaling $5000 + 10% annual simple interest. He signed off on this and didn't contest the amount. [more inside]
posted by littlegreenboat on Sep 23, 2009 - 4 answers

How do I get my life on track with high debt and a chronic medical condition? [more inside]
posted by thegreatcokeolympics on Sep 19, 2009 - 9 answers

Use cash to start a business or for a down payment on a home. [more inside]
posted by mintchip on Sep 1, 2009 - 10 answers

I'm looking for a financial coach, someone who can help me develop better financial habits. Does such a thing exist? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Aug 12, 2009 - 12 answers

Credit Card debt for teh first time in my life, I'm lost as to what my options are. [more inside]
posted by bluehermit on Aug 4, 2009 - 20 answers

Can I persuade my landlord to let me use my security deposit for my last month's rent? If not, what's my next best option? ( I'm dealing with paying my credit card bills too.) [more inside]
posted by lblair on Aug 3, 2009 - 14 answers

Credit card charge off: pay in full or accept settlement offer? [more inside]
posted by Nickel on Aug 3, 2009 - 5 answers

Do debt collection agencies have to identify themselves as such when calling relatives of the debtor? [more inside]
posted by ishotjr on Jul 17, 2009 - 11 answers

Will my credit ever recover? I was trying to do better.. got a job, paid on time.. But I got rejected for a credit line increase today. Mind you, my current limit is already only $300! [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Jul 13, 2009 - 10 answers

Should I take out a full load of student loans to attend a top-6 law school right now? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Jul 13, 2009 - 28 answers

How to deal with Council Tax account being handed over to debt collection agency? (much more inside) [more inside]
posted by multivalent on Jul 11, 2009 - 7 answers

I am in debt to the tune of about 20,000 in credit card debt. However, I have great credit, (739) which I've finally cleaned up after a horrible year of ID theft. Most of my debt is on one credit card at 12% APR. I make about 35,000 a year, rent, and don't have any equity or a car. At the rate I can afford to pay at this point (450/month) I'll be in debt for about 8 more years. This seems unreasonable. Should I take out a personal loan, sign up for several low APR credit cards that offer no interest for a year, etc... I live off what I make at this point, and look forward to a credit card-free future. Thanks!
posted by letstrythis on Jul 4, 2009 - 23 answers

How can I get an emergency loan to pay the rent? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Jun 25, 2009 - 21 answers

Can anyone comment on the sovereignty implications of the putative debt agreements that the Icelandic government is seeking to enter into with Britain and the Netherlands? [more inside]
posted by laumry on Jun 18, 2009 - 7 answers

A few months ago, my father passed away, and it turns out he has left me and my two siblings each approximately $20,000. My problem is this: I have huge unpaid medical bills from the past three years - in excess of $100,000, and they are totally in default, as my ordinary income is not quite enough for me to live on without the occasional assistance of my roommate and my siblings. [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Jun 14, 2009 - 18 answers

For the third time now I've discovered that I've been improperly served a summons, and for the second time I've had a default judgment entered against me because I was unaware of the court date. It seems ridiculously difficult to take action against service processors for this behavior as it's your word against their affidavit and there are no regulatory agencies governing them. Are there legal avenues that I'm not aware of? [more inside]
posted by scharpy on Jun 9, 2009 - 11 answers

Seeking techniques for aiding/supporting/educating a financially irresponsible spouse who talks the talk but won't walk the walk. [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Jun 3, 2009 - 27 answers

So, I have about 25,000 I'm about to receive a bit from a settlement. With additional savings I have, I will actually have about $30,000 total.This is basically all my money, period- other than that I live hand to mouth. I also owe about 10,000 in student loans. I'd really like to get rid of those loans. However, would it actually make more sense to put my money in a high yielding savings account? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on May 20, 2009 - 31 answers

DebtFilter: I've been paying a credit counseling company (law firm, actually) $60 a month for the past three years to make my minimum payments to the credit card companies I owe. They lowered my annual interest rate to an average of 10% and threaten that if I cancel their service, my interest rates will reset. [more inside]
posted by anonymous on May 19, 2009 - 11 answers

I just got served papers showing that I am being sued for university tuition. What next? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on May 19, 2009 - 13 answers

Should I pay my full debt to a collection agency, or bargain the debt down? [more inside]
posted by Pinwheel on May 19, 2009 - 5 answers

Debtfilter: Employer provides signing bonus structured as forgivable loan (forgiven if employee stays with firm long enough). Employee leaves soon after, and employer seeks to collect on loan. Employee is now a broke grad student, so employer offers to defer collection of loan until grad school is complete. Question: If length of time in grad school exceeds state statute of limitations on original loan, does this mean the loan will discharge itself before it can be collected? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on May 7, 2009 - 16 answers

The closer I get to finishing this debt off, the more it seems to bother me. Help? [more inside]
posted by Raze2k on May 4, 2009 - 18 answers

I need help writing a strong letter to a collections company trying to collect a debt that isn't mine. [more inside]
posted by Jenesta on Apr 16, 2009 - 10 answers

My wife and I need to get out of our house ASAP for reasons both financial and mental-health-related. I've been told we may need to look into a short sale, but researching the process is making my head explode. What, if any, are our options? (more inside, obviously) [more inside]
posted by anthom on Apr 15, 2009 - 16 answers

This moving out thing, uh...how do I do this (financially)? [more inside]
posted by sixcolors on Apr 6, 2009 - 37 answers

Have you ever used a debt consolidation/management company? What was your experience with them like? Can you recommend one? [more inside]
posted by All.star on Mar 31, 2009 - 16 answers

What would happen if the United States defaulted on all of its debt, or simply said 'Screw off, I ain't payin!'. I know nothing about global finance, economics and power, but would like to understand what would happen if the U.S. could or would not repay its debt. If I default on a loan, someone is going to kick me out of my house. If the U.S. defaults on its loan, who would do the taking away, and what exactly would they take? [more inside]
posted by kaizen on Mar 25, 2009 - 19 answers

What responsibility does the Bush administration bear for the current financial crisis? [more inside]
posted by Lownotes on Mar 25, 2009 - 28 answers

I think I remember reading a while ago (not sure where I read this or if it was a reliable source) that a US citizen settled out of the US can be detained or have their passport confiscated for large unpaid debts if they come back into the US, even for a short visit. [more inside]
posted by Wroksie on Mar 18, 2009 - 7 answers

What's the deal with married people being responsible for each other's debts, even ones they incurred before they got married? In most states, are married people really considered to be like one person when it comes to financial matters? I mean after all, you're not "one person" until you get married, so how would you be responsible for past debts of someone before you even met them? [more inside]
posted by serena15221 on Mar 14, 2009 - 13 answers

Will my student loan interest rate and the rate of inflation cancel one another out? [more inside]
posted by delosic on Mar 9, 2009 - 17 answers

Should we apply for this store credit card or just pay the cash that we have? [more inside]
posted by ForeverDcember on Mar 6, 2009 - 12 answers

What is the statute of limitations for tuition debt in Illinois? [more inside]
posted by bodgy on Feb 19, 2009 - 8 answers

Is it realistic for me to expect that I can pay off my student loans with a lab tech job? [more inside]
posted by pullayup on Feb 19, 2009 - 14 answers

[I am asking this for a friend.] Legal troubles over a decade-old debt to a bank. I am being sued by a law firm representing a collection agency. I would like to find a way to resolve this situation that does not involve hiring a lawyer, since I cannot afford one. I receive income via Social Security Disability. [more inside]
posted by not_on_display on Feb 13, 2009 - 16 answers

What if I just stopped paying my credit cards? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Feb 12, 2009 - 16 answers

How do I know if I should be considering bankruptcy? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Feb 11, 2009 - 13 answers

What happens if I default on unsecured debt? [more inside]
posted by hardbop on Feb 10, 2009 - 9 answers

If there was a revolution and the British state was completely overthrown, what would happen to the Government debt? [more inside]
posted by popcassady on Feb 9, 2009 - 10 answers

New student loan regulations mean that govt consolidated student loans will be forgiven after 25 years but the balance may be taxed as income. Seems that's being debated but stands as taxable at this point. I work public service = make little cash. How to calculate how little I can pay through income-sensitive payment ($165/month currently on 48K at 6.875%) without getting slammed too much at 25 years? Want to see my options for cash flow/403b money now vs. balance later. Thanks!
posted by warsawjude on Feb 8, 2009 - 5 answers

An article in today's Huffington Post claims that the way to solve the economic crisis is to cut the cost of ALL debt. Is it that simple? [more inside]
posted by cjets on Feb 5, 2009 - 11 answers

KEYFINANCIAL.US a real debt collection agency? [more inside]
posted by defmute on Feb 4, 2009 - 7 answers

I don't know anything about dealing with collection agencies. I have medical debt from spring/summer 2008 totalling around $2500, from about 7 different billers (hospital, ambulance, doctors). Some of it has gone to collection. I do not have $2500. What should I do? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Feb 3, 2009 - 12 answers