Author Archives: Jay Butchko
Bureau Of Consumer Financial Protection Arbitration Rule
Somewhere in the fine print of the credit card agreement that most people sign with their banks is a clause that requires the person signing the agreement to consent to arbitration if any disputes arise between the consumer and the bank. This is known as the arbitration clause. This usually means that for example,… Read More »
Forbearance And Mortgage Loans
Most people with student loans, especially government backed loans, are familiar with the concept of forbearance. When a person owing student loans gets forbearance on the loans, it means that the person does not have to make payments, or only has to make reduced payments for a set period of time. Not many people… Read More »
Protections Under The New Vehicle Damage Disclosure Act
Consumers buying a new car do not usually expect the car to have problems. They are therefore surprised if their car develops a problem, and may wonder if they are covered under Pennsylvania Lemon Law. Not every new car sold in Pennsylvania is covered under the Lemon Law, and sometimes the owner of a… Read More »
Predatory Lending And Consumer Debt
While people should be expected to take ownership of their choices and responsibility for the debts they acquire, falling into unmanageable debt cannot always be blamed on the borrower. In some situations, one of the main factors in the borrower defaulting on the debt is that he is the victim of predatory lending. Predatory… Read More »
Life Insurance Policies And The Contestability Period
A life insurance policy is a contract that a person enters into with the insurance company. Under this contract, the person promises to make premium payments to the insurance company and in exchange the insurance company promises to make a payment to the beneficiaries named in the policy upon the insured’s death. However, even… Read More »
Threats To Publish Consumers’ Names For Failing To Pay Debts
Among the many things some debt collectors threaten consumers with are the threats of publishing the consumer’s name and a list of their unpaid debts, and labeling the consumer a deadbeat who refuses to pay his debts. The thought of the public shaming is calculated to make people make payments, sometimes even if the… Read More »
Avoiding Auto Repair Shop Fraud
Car trouble often means a trip to the repair shop for car owners. Depending on what issues are discovered, the car owner could be asked to pay hundreds or even thousands of dollars in repairs. While some of these repairs are necessary in some cases, in other cases, the repairs are unnecessary or inflated,… Read More »
HOA Foreclosure Pennsylvania
Foreclosures are not always initiated by a mortgage lender seeking to collect on the balance owed on the mortgage loan. In some cases, foreclosures can be filed by a third party who has an interest in a property. One situation in which this happens is with Homeowner’s Associations, or HOAs. It is possible for… Read More »
Homeowners Getting Sued On Mortgage Loan After Foreclosure
When a homeowner loses his home to foreclosure, it can be a devastating blow. However, in some cases, the homeowner may think of the foreclosure as a new start. Unfortunately, for some homeowners, the loss of the home does not end their financial or legal problems. This is because in some cases, if the… Read More »
Harassment By Debt Collectors And What You Can Do About It
Debt collector harassment is a problem for many consumers in Philadelphia. What a particular consumer considers harassment can be different from what another consumer considers harassment. Some consumers are more willing to put up with a great deal of harassment; this may be because they do not understand their rights under the law, or… Read More »
