As many Tennesseans face increasing medical costs, a recent article about the financial woes of the Medicare program may cause many to fear that their medical debt will soon become unmanageable. The article, authored by Tennessee Congressman Scott DesJarlais, noted...
Stop Worrying. It’s Going To Be Ok.
Ben Sissman, Attorney at Law
New study ranks Tennessee personal credit 10th worst in nation
According to a recently released study by CardRatings.com, personal credit conditions in Tennessee are the 10th worst in the nation. The study based its findings on five criteria: unemployment, personal bankruptcies, average credit scores, credit card delinquencies...
Foreclosure proceedings are reaching high-end homes
A recent foreclosure proceeding against former NFL player Terrell Owens illustrates that, in this time of recession, asset forfeiture has begun to affect higher-end homes in Tennessee and nationwide. The former NFL wide receiver last played for the Dallas Cowboys in...
American spending habits are changing
Several recent tabulations suggest that the economic recession may have produced a shift in the habits of consumers in Tennessee and across the country, possibly including their approach to debt management and credit card spending. The first report, recently issued by...
Mother of Olympic gymnast utilized Chapter 13 protections
Tennessee readers might be surprised to learn the identity of one consumer's Chapter 13 bankruptcy filing. The woman, who utilized the bankruptcy code's legal protections in order to avoid foreclosure and other enforcement collection actions against her, is the mother...
Credit card interest rates among highest in the industry
Consumers beware: although paying with plastic may be convenient, it comes at a cost. Compared to other loan industries, credit card interest rates remain disproportionately high. Between 2007 and the end of the first quarter of 2012, the average interest rate for...
Private student loan borrowers struggle with debt
Federal student loan borrowers in Tennessee and nationwide may be faring better in the economic recession, for several reasons. As a preliminary matter, many private educational loan borrowers might be in worse shape for simple reason that they didn't qualify for...
Tennessee consumers favor Chapter 13 over Chapter 7 filings
Although overall bankruptcy filings in West Tennessee increased in the past 3 months, Chapter 7 filings slightly decreased. That may be good news for Tennessee's economy. According to one commentator, Chapter 7 filings may have been more popular in 2009-10 because...
Mortgage companies step up enforcement efforts
According to a foreclosure listing firm, the number of U.S. homes entering first-time foreclosure proceedings in Tennessee and nationwide increased on an annual basis for the second month in a row. Lenders initiated foreclosure proceedings on 12% of loans behind in...
Monthly surge in credit card spending may not be a good sign
A recent publication reports that Americans put more on their credit cards in May than in any single month since November, 2007 -- around the start of the economic recession. Specifically, the Federal Reserve reports that consumer borrowing rose by $17.1 billion....
