Bank finance articles and tips

Debt collection agencies have your number? It can feel like harassment even when it is not, but knowing how to handle those calls can save you a lot of grief. First, find out about legal debt collection and The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). You can get the full PDF file online. Armed with this knowledge you can identify illegal debt collection practices and protect yourself and your family and acquaintances against them. You can even turn them to your advantage by negotiating the debt down to something you can live with. Debt collectors are known for their abusive behavior as it is, and the because of current economic downturn, many of them have crossed the line into illegal and unfair collection practices....

Declaring a Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy is a great financial option for those struggling with crippling debt - but there may be a few questions that you're asking yourself: what exactly happens to your credit score when you declare bankruptcy? How will your credit be affected once your bankruptcy is confirmed? What should you do in order to take advantage of the second chance that bankruptcy gives you?

Luckily, the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) is there to help curious consumers to shift through any credit confusion. Passed in 1970, the Fair Credit Reporting Act is a law enforced by the Federal Trade Commission that protects the basic rights of credit consumers in the United States. While the FCRA was established to put an end to extreme harassment from creditors and debt collectors, this act also allows consumers to receive one free credit report per year in order to check for any reporting errors that may cause a person's credit score to be lower than usual.