by John Skiba, Esq. | Mar 27, 2015 | Debt Collection Lawsuits, Debt Settlement
Debt collectors will often ask you set up a payment plan for to pay a debt over time. And typically they going to want more than just a promise to make the payments, they want you to give them your bank account information and sometimes even ask you to write them...
by John Skiba, Esq. | Mar 26, 2015 | Bankruptcy, Bankruptcy A to Z, Chapter 13 Bankruptcy, Chapter 7 Bankruptcy, Newsletter, Podcasts
In the world of bankruptcy lawyers Dave Ramsey is somewhat of a controversial figure. If you don’t know who Dave Ramsey is, he is an author and national radio talk show host who helps people get out of debt through his The Total Money Makeover: Classic Edition:...
by John Skiba, Esq. | Mar 24, 2015 | Collection Law Suits, Debt Collection Lawsuits, Newsletter, Podcasts
When it comes to banks, brand loyalty is a real thing. I am always somewhat surprised when meeting with clients who are preparing to file for bankruptcy and they express such remorse at filing bankruptcy on a certain credit card account because “they have always...
by John Skiba, Esq. | Mar 20, 2015 | Collection Law Suits, Debt Collection Lawsuits
Recently I met with a great woman who had been battling hard against junk debt buyer Midland Funding here in an Arizona court. Her preparation was more than adequate – she had a three-inch three-ring binder with all of her research, motions, and trial notes...
by John Skiba, Esq. | Mar 19, 2015 | Chapter 7 Bankruptcy, Debt Collection Lawsuits, Newsletter, Podcasts
So much of the stress associated with serious debt problems comes from the uncertainty of the whole process. Often creditors will not take any action for months and even years. This can even lull you into a false sense of security that you are finally through the...
by John Skiba, Esq. | Mar 17, 2015 | Chapter 7 Bankruptcy, Collection Law Suits, Debt Collection Lawsuits, FDCPA Claims, Newsletter, Podcasts
Almost without exception when I post an article dealing with debt collection or bankruptcy on the Facebook Page for the Consumer Warrior Project someone will leave a comment like “pay your bills, then you won’t have any problems!” or “life...
by John Skiba, Esq. | Mar 11, 2015 | Garnishment, Newsletter, Podcasts, Wage Garnishment
One of the most misunderstood aspects of the debt collection process is knowing when a creditor can garnish your wages. Most families in the United States live paycheck to paycheck – meaning that an interruption in pay via a wage garnishment can create total...
by John Skiba, Esq. | Mar 10, 2015 | Collection Law Suits, Debt Collection Lawsuits
Lately I have seen an pretty significant increase in the number of lawsuits filed by junk debt buyers like Midland Funding, Unifund, and CACH, LLC on old charged-off Bank of America credit cards here in the Phoenix area. When junk debt buyers place accounts to be sued...
by John Skiba, Esq. | Mar 10, 2015 | Bankruptcy, Chapter 7 Bankruptcy, Newsletter, Podcasts
At times it can be difficult for people to even say the word “bankruptcy” let alone take a rational approach in determining whether or not it is a good option for their debt situation. If anything families wait far too long before making the decision to...
by John Skiba, Esq. | Mar 5, 2015 | Collection Law Suits, Debt Collection Lawsuits, Newsletter, Podcasts, Self-Help Legal Services
T.M.I. – Too Much Information. People often put way too much unnecessary, and potentially harmful, information in their Answers. This is one of the biggest mistakes I see consumers make when they decide to draft their own Answer to a Debt Collection lawsuit....
by John Skiba, Esq. | Mar 3, 2015 | Podcasts
Did you know that over 95% of debt collection lawsuits end in a default judgment? Default judgments can wreck all kinds of havoc. Once a creditor is armed with a default judgment the creditor can do things like garnish wages, levy bank accounts, and even lien...
by John Skiba, Esq. | Mar 2, 2015 | Bankruptcy, Chapter 7 Bankruptcy, Debt Settlement, Newsletter
It is the time of year when people are gearing up to get their taxes filed. Many will get a nice tax refund check and while what I am about to propose may be some of the least fun things you can do with a tax refund check, you might be surprised that you can wipe out...
by John Skiba, Esq. | Feb 26, 2015 | Fair Debt Collection, FDCPA Claims, Newsletter, Podcasts
The job of a debt collector is to make you give them money. Debt collectors understand that if they can make you uncomfortable enough, whether it be through fear, embarrassment, or simply annoy unceasingly, that you will be more likely to cough up the dough. With...
by John Skiba, Esq. | Feb 24, 2015 | Newsletter, Podcasts
This may sound a little hippy-dippy of me, but in this episode I discuss the necessary mindset to finally deal with your overwhelming debt problems. Many people who are facing serious debt issues like foreclosure, debt collection lawsuits, and bankruptcy have been...
by John Skiba, Esq. | Feb 21, 2015 | Newsletter, Podcasts
In 2012 I launched the Consumer Warrior Podcast with the hope of being able to provide information and hope to people who are facing very difficult debt problems. Nearly two-and-half years later I have only released seventeen episodes and have been anything but...
