The term zombie foreclosure conjures up visions of a house from a horror movie, stumbling around looking for a homeowner to feast on. The reality isn't too different - zombie foreclosure is a term used to describe houses that are in between owners and are not being...
Month: March 2013
State officials criticize agency over loan modification policy
Attorneys general from nine states sent a letter to the president recently asking that he replace the current acting head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency. The state officials are criticizing the acting regulator for the government-backed mortgage companies...
United States consumer debt increased at start of year
According to the Federal Reserve, Americans borrowed an additional $16.2 billion between December and January, mostly in the form of automobile and student loans. This brings the total amount of consumer debt up to $2.8 trillion, which is the highest it has ever been....
Improving your credit score after filing for bankruptcy
Even as the economy shows signs of improvement, the Great Recession had a huge impact on Tennessee residents' finances, and many are still dealing with economic issues related to the downturn of the last few years. The unemployment rate is still high, underemployment...
Consumer protection bureau adds oversight to more student loans
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has announced a plan to provide additional oversight for student loan collections practices, helping to ensure that borrowers with student debt are not subject to the stress and difficulty of dealing with disorganized...
Income tax exemption and liability is complex for cancelled debt
In one of our recent posts we discussed the impact that forgiven credit card debt can have on federal income taxes. With tax season approaching and many Tennessee readers in the process of preparing their tax return, it is important to take into account the variety of...
Regulators look for solution to payday lending debt trap
Regulators at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau have announced that they are investigating the practices of payday lenders, which are banks and other organizations that make loans to individuals using a post-dated check as collateral to advance a paycheck. The...
This tax season, don’t forget about forgiven debt
For Memphis residents who have been through the bankruptcy process this year, the process of restructuring debt offers much needed relief from the stress of being unable to make regular payments. The bankruptcy process does offer finality and a clear resolution to...
Don’t get scammed by phony ‘debt relief’ companies
With as many people as there are across Tennessee and the entire country struggling to pay their bills, it's no surprise that there are bad actors out there trying to take advantage of a bad situation. The story of what happened to one Tennessee woman should serve as...