Category:
Understand Debt

Stethoscope on mock up Credit Card in hospital desk representing medical debt.

How Long Does Medical Debt Stay on Your Credit Report?

By Robert Shaw | August 25, 2025

The one-two punch of high healthcare costs and inadequate insurance coverage is enough to make medical debt a significant financial and social burden that puts many Americans on the ropes.…

Woman calculating bills and credit cards representing delinquent accounts.

How to Handle Delinquent Accounts

By Robert Shaw | April 24, 2025

Better-late-than-never is a popular idiom, but it isn’t particularly helpful for the millions of Americans who’ve fallen behind in credit payments and face the financial consequences of delinquent accounts. An…

Man Reading Debt Collection Letter.

Should You Pay Collections?

By Tom Jackson | March 18, 2025

If a debt collection agency is harassing you to pay a long-overdue bill, a slightly edited version of Shakespeare’s “To Be” soliloquy probably comes to mind. “To pay or not…

Fixed income written in a note.

How to Pay Off Debt on a Fixed Income

By Michael Knisley | October 28, 2024

Your debt is daunting enough on its own. But when you’re trying to pay it off with earnings that don’t equal or exceed your monthly bills, it feels even more…

Two individuals negotiating credit card debt at a table

How To Negotiate With Debt Collectors

By Robert Shaw | August 10, 2023

Most people know when they have fallen behind on debts, so it’s seldom a surprise when the phone rings and it’s a collection agency on the other end of the…

Man calculating the difference between payday loan alternatives

How To Avoid Payday Loans

By Pat McManamon | May 31, 2023

Payday loans offer a fast but expensive and sometimes dangerous way to borrow money. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) calls a payday loan a “short-term, high-cost loan” that typically…

Letter from payday lender with urgent final notice stamped on it

Defaulting on a Payday Loan

By Tom Jackson | May 31, 2023

If you’re anxiously waiting on your next paycheck but need money fast, one question might pop into your head: “Is getting a payday loan a good idea?” Quick answer: Only if you’re…

Stack of unpaid bills that have been sent to debt collection

What Is Debt Collection?

By George Morris | May 25, 2023

Debt collection is what happens when you fall far enough behind on your required payments, especially credit cards, and creditors bring in a third-party agency to recover what you owe.…

Man at desk opening a bill that says final notice for debt

Judgment Proof

By Allan Taylor | April 28, 2023

Americans’ credit card debt is approaching a record $1 trillion,  delinquencies on auto payments are escalating, and steadily climbing interest rates only make matters worse for consumers struggling with credit…

Elderly couple on computer looking for a loan

Loans Available for Seniors on Social Security

By George Morris | March 12, 2023

Just because you’re retired doesn’t mean you won’t need a loan, but senior citizens may wonder if it’s still possible to get one if they’re on Social Security. The question…

Sources:

  1. A. (ND) How to get help with medical bills. Retrieved from https://www.usa.gov/help-with-medical-bills
  2. A. (2025, January 7) CFPB Finalizes Rule to Remove Medical Bills from Credit Reports. Retrieved from https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/newsroom/cfpb-finalizes-rule-to-remove-medical-bills-from-credit-reports/
  3. Walker, E. (2024, July 24) Does Medical Debt Affect Your Credit Score? Retrieved from https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/newsroom/cfpb-finalizes-rule-to-remove-medical-bills-from-credit-reports/
  4. Larson, K. (2025, July 15) Federal Judge vacates CFPB debt rule. Retrieved from https://www.usa.gov/help-with-medical-bills
  5. Sears, S. (2024, October 30) Medical debt, a growing crisis for Americans, and the Biden Administration’s bold move to tackle it. Retrieved from https://nclnet.org/medical-debt-a-growing-crisis-for-americans-and-the-biden-administrations-bold-moves-to-tackle-it/
  6. Davidson, J. (2025, April 2). Explaining Medical Debt and the CFPB Rule: What’s Going On With Medical Debt and How Does It Affect Consumers with Disabilities. Retrieved from https://www.aapd.com/cfpb-explainer/