Wage garnishment can affect your eligibility for certain debt relief options, but not in the way some borrowers may assume. Hanizam/Getty Images If you find yourself increasingly worried about your personal financial health now, it’s easy to see why. Inflation in March surged to its highest level in years, and a frozen Federal funds rate … Read more
Certain debt relief strategies may protect your Social Security or retirement benefits, but the context matters. Francesco Carta/Getty Images It makes sense to assume that once you’ve retired, the financial battles that came with your working years are behind you. And, in some ways, that’s true. You’re no longer focused on earning a paycheck and … Read more
A bank levy and a wage garnishment occurring simultaneously can cause serious issues with your finances. Gary Alvis/Getty Images Many borrowers assume that falling behind on a debt means dealing with collection calls, a damaged credit score and the slow grind that comes from an uptick in financial stress. Few expect to check their bank … Read more
While debt collectors have lots of tools at their disposal, their authority certainly isn’t unlimited. Hanizam/Getty Images Debt collection is becoming a common reality for borrowers who are stuck trying to balance this high-cost credit environment with today’s economic hurdles. With average credit card rates still hovering above 21% and household debt levels at record … Read more
While it may seem impossible to negotiate debt with no money, there are scenarios where it can happen. Getty Images/iStockphoto Rising credit card and household debt balances, coupled with persistently high short-term borrowing rates, have left many borrowers stuck in a difficult position this year. With average credit card APRs still hovering above 21% right … Read more
A lawsuit threat from a debt collector may seem like a scare tactic, but it is not something to dismiss outright. Getty Images/iStockphoto When debt collection letters start arriving with phrases like “court action pending” or “final notice,” many borrowers assume it’s simply a scare tactic with legal-sounding language designed to pressure payment — and … Read more
Knowing how multiple garnishments work could be the difference between recovery and a major cash-flow issue. Getty Images/iStockphoto Borrowers are carrying more debt than ever right now, and it’s having a big impact on their overall financial health. Total household debt has climbed to its latest record high of over $18.5 trillion, and delinquency rates … Read more
If your bank account is frozen, the bills keep coming, and the consequences for missing them compound quickly. FrankvandenBergh/Getty Images Americans are currently carrying more debt than ever before. Total household debt surpassed $18.5 trillion in the final quarter of 2025, with credit card balances alone exceeding a total of $1.23 trillion nationwide, according to … Read more
Being judgment-proof doesn’t make you immune to debt lawsuits, but it does change how the issue plays out. Andranik Hakobyan/Getty Images Debt pressures have been building rapidly over the last few years amid a landscape dotted by high borrowing rates, inflationary pressures and other hurdles, and those challenges have continued to accelerate over the last … Read more
Stricken with severe abdominal pain, Randy Slaughter spent three days at a nonprofit hospital in College Station, Texas, in April 2024. But doctors couldn’t determine the cause and sent him home, Slaughter said, advising him to change his diet. Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content. His … Read more