Many Florida readers know that a bankruptcy filing stays on one's credit history for up to ten years, and that the financial repercussions can last even longer in some cases. However, most people don't know that while they are on the road back to a clean credit report...
Florida foreclosures persist despite national progress
After ravaging the nation's economy for over three years, the housing foreclosure crisis seems to be leveling off-at least for the rest of the nation. While homeowners on thin financial ice are proving more successful at holding on to their houses and avoiding the...
Zillow to publish data about Florida homes in foreclosure
When people face foreclosure here in Central Florida, they may have options to save their homes before it is too late. From refinancing, to short selling the home, to quit claiming to an investor, there are many decisions to consider when facing a foreclosure notice....
Chapter 7 bankruptcy and what it means for debt
For many of us in Florida, when we think of our debt we probably envision a few thousand dollars in loans and possibly a mortgage to be paid. Generally, our idea of debt doesn't float above a few hundred thousand dollars, unless we're talking about businesses and...
Borrowers struggle with student debt burden
A recent report indicates that Americans now hold more than one trillion dollars in student debt. This means that the total amount of student debt has surpassed credit card debt. While the staggering $693 billion in credit card debt is spread over about 80 percent of...
Many Americans still struggling with credit card debt
There are a lot of different indicators out there that economists use to try to assess the general state of the economy. The housing market is one that we hear about often, and most Florida readers know that things are still tough with many mortgages still underwater....
1 in 117 Florida homes are in foreclosure
Earlier in the week we talked about how aggressive Florida creditors are when it comes to foreclosure. The economy is still far from a complete recovery and it can be difficult for Florida homeowners to pay off their mortgages, keep up with their bills and keep their...
Debt collection process more aggressive for Florida foreclosures
Florida borrowers face a more aggressive debt collection landscape in the event of a foreclosure than borrowers in many other states. According to a government report released on the state of government-backed mortgage companies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, it is legal...
Regulators crack down on loan modification scams
Consumer protection and civil rights activists have been tracking mortgage modification scams for many years, since an uptick in that type of crime started with the wave of foreclosures after the recession. A database compiled by one of the leading civil rights groups...
Congress considers bill to remove medical debt from credit scores
The United States Congress is considering a change to the Fair Credit Reporting Act that would remove medical debt from credit reports, and help ease the financial impact of a major medical procedure. Particularly for patients who suffered from a serious injury that...
