Author Archives: Jay Butchko
Student Debt: The Dropout’s Dilemma
Opinion pieces about how the cost of college isn’t worth it are older than the Internet; they might even be as old as the 20th century shift in the mission of universities from finishing schools for young gentlemen and ladies to institutions that prepare students for a wide variety of professional careers. The trouble… Read More »
The Personal Representative’s Guide To Debts Owed By The Estate Of A Recently Deceased Person
Grieving the loss of a family member is hard enough, but settling the financial affairs of a recently deceased relative comes with its own set of hassles. The relatives of people who were averse to decluttering often dread going through the possessions of a deceased family member and making the agonizing decision about which… Read More »
When Are You Obligated To Pay A Family Member’s Credit Card Debt?
Spending beyond one’s means is a frequent source of conflict between family members, but most of the time, the conflict is not really about the credit card bills themselves. Most of the people who are angry or worried about a family member’s credit card debt are not themselves legally responsible for paying back the… Read More »
Are Debt Collectors’ Threats About Sending You To Jail Credible?
Even though there are rules against harassment by creditors, collection agencies and debt collectors still often play on people’s fears in an effort to get them to make payments on debts, even if the borrowers’ budgets are already stretched so thin that they can only afford the barest necessities. Sometimes they make it sound… Read More »
Court Awards Chester County Couple More Than $200,000 In Lawsuit Against Home Construction Company
A favorite subject of standup comedians is how boring it is to socialize with homeowners, who seem to be able to find no better topic of conversation than grumbling about the cost of repairs to the luxurious amenities of their houses. The truth is that houses require maintenance, and if DIY home repairs are… Read More »
Debt Collectors Are Allowed to Contact You on Social Media, but They Must Follow the Rules
Even before 2020, there were plenty of ways social media could ruin your day, from the humblebrags of your acquaintances and the way everyone except you seems to look ageless and flawless in their pictures to the out-of-the-blue messages from old high school classmates that are thinly veiled multi level marketing sales pitches and… Read More »
At What Point in the Foreclosure Process Can the Mortgage Lender Enter Your Home?
To you, your house is home, the place where you have cooked holiday meals and where your children have lived since they came home from the hospital as newborns. To the bank that issued your mortgage loan, though, your house is collateral. The real asset is the money they get from you when you… Read More »
So, Creditors Are Threatening to Garnish Your Bank Account?
“Attachment” is a perfectly harmless word, except in certain contexts. You try to show your spouse that you care about them, and your spouse responds by telling you that you have an insecure attachment style. Your mother accidentally downloaded a virus onto her computer because you were one second too late saying, “Don’t click… Read More »
A Debt Collection Abuse Lawyer Can Help Spare You the Humiliation of Debtors’ Examinations
There are probably a lot of things you miss about being a kid, such as not having any financial responsibilities and having an unlimited capacity for junk food, but you probably don’t miss your parents butting into your business and auditing your personal belongings if they suspected you of lying. It was humiliating when… Read More »
Will Requesting a Mortgage Forbearance Make Things Better or Worse?
Things are looking more hopeful with regard to the COVID-19 pandemic than they have since the fall. The rate of positive tests and new infections has been on the decline in Pennsylvania for well over a month, and healthcare workers are not the only people who have received at least one dose of a… Read More »
