A Timeline for a Hospital Bill You Can't Pay
A week-by-week plan for a hospital bill you cannot afford: checking for errors, applying for charity care, payment plans and handling collectors.
What Is a Matched Savings Program and How Does It Work?
Matched savings programs add money to every dollar a low-income saver deposits. Learn how IDAs, match rates, caps and eligibility rules work.
Getting Started With Debt Settlement
How for-profit debt settlement works, which federal rules limit its fees, and the risks to your credit, wallet and taxes before you sign anything.
After You Pay Off a Payday Loan: A Checklist
Paid off your payday loan? Follow this checklist: get proof of payoff, cancel ACH authorizations, fix credit report errors, and start a small buffer.
Tapping Your Emergency Savings? What to Check First
A checklist for deciding whether a bill justifies dipping into your emergency fund, taking out only what you need, and refilling it quickly.
How to Make a Debt Collector Stop Calling You
How to ask a debt collector to stop contacting you under the FDCPA, why to put the request in writing, and what a collector can still do afterward.
The Real Cost of a $500 Emergency Without Savings
What a $500 emergency really costs when paid by payday loan, title loan, app, overdraft or credit card, and how a small savings cushion changes the math.
Can I Get Help Paying My Phone or Internet Bill?
Lifeline can cut up to $9.25 off your monthly phone or internet bill, or $34.25 on Tribal lands. Learn who qualifies, what to submit and how to avoid scams.
Does Debt Settlement Hurt Your Credit? What Really Happens
Debt settlement can hurt your credit through missed payments and a settled status. Here is what shows up on reports, plus the tax rules and timelines.
If You're Sued Over a Payday Loan: What to Do First
Served with a lawsuit over a payday or title loan? Learn the response deadlines, how to file an answer, validate the debt, and settle before judgment.