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Experian to Answer for Data Breach
Senator Sherrod Brown, a Democrat from Ohio, is leading the charge against credit-reporting giant Experian, demanding that it release details ...
Posted By
Omar Sulaiman
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Plaintiff Who Filed for Bankruptcy is Harassed by a Financial Servicing Company
On April 16, 2007, the Plaintiff executed a mortgage loan from Bank of America, N.A. After the Plaintiff failed to make adequate payments, Bank of ...
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Atlas Consumer Law
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Capital One Is America's Largest Subprime Lender and Most Aggressive Filer of Lawsuits
By: Matthew Hector According to a story published by ProPublica and The Daily Beast , Capital One filed the most credit card collection lawsuits in ...
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Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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Regulations X and Z Impose Stricter Rules for Mortgage Loan Servicers
It has been two years since the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau (CFPB) enacted amendments to Regulation X of the Real Estate Settlement Protection ...
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Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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Robert Jackson, et. al. v. Blitt & Gaines, P.C. Argued Before The Seventh Circuit
On October 27, 2015, Atlas Consumer Law senior associate, Matthew Hector, presented an oral argument in Robert Jackson, et. al. v. Blitt & Gaines, ...
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Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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Missouri Man Finally Clears Credit Report of Errors
One man in Missouri has finally reached the conclusion of a three-year quest to clear his credit report of errors after a U.S. senator stepped in to ...
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Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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New Tax Bill Provides Relief to Homeowners Struggling with Debt
A tax package unveiled last week could help some struggling homeowners get the tax relief they need. Normal tax law imposes income taxes on any debt ...
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Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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Why It's Important To Know Your Rights As A Consumer
Many people are unaware of their rights under the various federal consumer protection statutes. Even more are unaware that many of these statutes have ...
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Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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Summary of Judgment Reversed in Prescott v. Seterus, Inc.
In April of 2004, Kevin Prescott obtained a loan of $160,000 from Bank of America in order to purchase a piece of real estate in Pembroke Pines, ...
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Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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Congress Consents to an Exception that Allows Some Automated Calls
It has probably happened to you at least once before. Your phone keeps buzzing with calls from random numbers and finally, you answer. To your dismay, ...
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Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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RCS's Post-Trial Motions Denied in Hammer v. Residential Credit Solutions, Inc.
In our previous blog , we reported that national mortgage loan servicer Residential Credit Solutions (RCS) was ordered to pay punitive damages ...
Posted By
Atlas Consumer Law
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Appellate Court Upholds Decision in 1010 Lake Shore Ass'n v. Deutsche Bank National Trust Co.
Last week, the Supreme Court of the State of Illinois has just affirmed the trial court decision in the case of 1010 Lake Shore Ass’n v. Deutsche Bank ...
Posted By
Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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The World's Wealthiest People Now Own Half of the World's Riches
According to a story published by CBS News, the world’s wealthiest citizens now own about one-half of the world’s riches. Earlier this year, the ...
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Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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Are You Wondering When to Start Social Security?
If you are approaching retirement and are wondering how to maximize your Social Security benefits, you may have questions about when the best time is ...
Posted By
Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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SCOTUS Hears Oral Arguments in Spokeo, Inc. v. Robins
You may remember back to our previous blog where we discussed what is at stake in the case of Spokeo v. Robins , a case tackling the question of ...
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Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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Tentative Budget Pact Will Allow Robocalls to Debtors' Cell Phones
A tentative budget deal struck on Monday by the White House and Congressional leaders will result in some irritating consequences for Americans with ...
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Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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The Story of a Debt-Ridden Former Military Member Victimized by The World Law Group and Orion Processing
Recently, a former military member who was struggling to make payments on a few Federal Credit Union Visa credit cards reached out to The World Law ...
Posted By
Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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Ocwen Is Sending Out Misdated Letter Claim Program Notices
Our office recently received a communication from Ocwen (on behalf of a client). Last October, the New York Department of Financial Services alleged ...
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Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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Student Loan Debt Relief: How Much Hardship Does it Really Take?
The Department of Education has recently intervened in the case of a 65-year-old man named Robert Murphy, who has struggled for over three years in a ...
Posted By
Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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Hack of the Month
Living in a world centered on data and the channels through which it travels, high-level hacking is an all too familiar occurrence. Not too long ago, ...
Posted By
Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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Security-Chipped Credit Cards Replace Magnetic Strip Credit Cards
Credit card fraud has been one of the most common types of fraud for quite some time. In fact, the Federal Reserve reports that in 2012, over 13.7 ...
Posted By
Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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Why Student Debt is Worse Than You May Think
It is no secret that student debt is becoming a massive problem in the United States, threatening both the financial futures of students bogged by ...
Posted By
Atlas Consumer Law
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Spokeo v. Robins: Privacy and Rights to Public Information
Oral arguments in the U.S. Supreme Court case Spokeo v. Robins are scheduled to be heard on November 2. If you haven’t heard about this case yet, you ...
Posted By
Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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Can a Credit Score Alter Your Chances of Finding Love?
When it comes to “perfect” relationships, many people imagine romantic dates and getaways, bouquets of roses, and nice walks on the beach. However, ...
Posted By
Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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Collection Lawsuits Disproportionately Affect Black Neighborhoods
Financial distress can happen to anybody at any time, but new analysis by ProPublica reveals that black neighborhoods are drastically more likely to ...
Posted By
Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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Return of the Homebuyer
The ups and downs of the housing market have greatly influenced America’s economy over the last decade. After taking a disturbing plunge in the ...
Posted By
Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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Security-chipped Credit Cards Will Become the New Standard
On October 1, 2015, the standard for credit and debit cards will be renewed. Security chips will become the new standard for the credit card industry. ...
Posted By
Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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Tuition Payments and Bankruptcy
Recently, a bankruptcy trustee in New Haven Connecticut filed suit against Johnson & Wales University alleging that tuition payments made by the ...
Posted By
Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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Residential Credit Solutions Ordered to Pay $1.5M in Punitive Damages
Earlier this year, Alena Hammer, a resident of Illinois’ DuPage County for the past 27 years, was awarded a total of two million dollars from ...
Posted By
Atlas Consumer Law
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CFPB Takes Action Against Encore Capital Group and Portfolio Recovery Associates
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) announced on September 9, 2015 that it has taken action against Encore Capital Group (ECG) and ...
Posted By
Atlas Consumer Law
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OMG! Did you know the Telephone Consumer Protection Act Applies to Text Messages?
Many of us have, at one point or another, received an unsolicited call to our cell phones. Whether they come from debt collectors or telemarketers, ...
Posted By
Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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What Do I Do if Creditors Harass Me After I Have Filed for Bankruptcy?
One of the benefits of filing for bankruptcy is the protection of the automatic stay. During the bankruptcy process, creditors are forbidden from ...
Posted By
Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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2015 Avvo Clients' Choice Award to Attorney Ahmad T. Sulaiman
Attorney Ahmad T. Sulaiman has been honored with the 2015 Avvo Clients’ Choice Award for his outstanding legal contributions to his community. His ...
Posted By
Atlas Consumer Law
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Steps That Service Members (And Others) Can Take To Protect Their Credit
According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau , service members have submitted 650 complaints about credit reporting since 2012. One in six of ...
Posted By
Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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Is It Time for Your Annual (Credit) Checkup?
When most people think about annual checkups, a visit to the doctor comes to mind. Annual checkups are an important part of maintaining your physical ...
Posted By
Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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Can You Sue if a Credit Reporting Mistake Ruined Your Credit?
Credit inaccuracies can be very problematic for anyone trying to obtain credit. Your credit score also has an impact on how much you pay for things ...
Posted By
Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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First Wave of Student Loan Forgiveness Coming Soon
Of all consumer debts, student loans have the highest rate of default and delinquency rates. As many as 43 million people make up this $1.3 trillion ...
Posted By
Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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U.S. Supreme Court Ruling May Threaten Consumer Protection Laws
A recent ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court may jeopardize consumer protection statutes like the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. In Reed v. Town of ...
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Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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How Dishonest Wall Street Bankers Managed to Stay Out of Jail
The dishonesty and profligacy of Wall Street bankers, traders, and executives has always been a problem, but it has been made most evident in recent ...
Posted By
Atlas Consumer Law
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Credit Repair Scammers Pay Up
We’ve all heard the saying, “where there’s smoke, there’s fire.” Just as sure as that statement was, is, and always will be, there will always be ...
Posted By
Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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Not Too Shocking: HAMP Has Not Helped Many People
The Home Affordable Modification Program was designed to help homeowners weather the foreclosure crisis and (hopefully) keep their homes. ...
Posted By
Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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Talkin' Bout My Generation-The Age of Credit Worthiness
Growing up in middle class America, most people are aware of credit cards, auto loans, student loans, and other ways to obtain credit. What many ...
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Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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Is Student Debt Financially Crippling Young Americans?
The Federal Reserve Bank of New York revealed that, according to research, students in the United States collectively owe roughly $1.2 trillion in ...
Posted By
Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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The CFPB Is Conducting A Debt Collection Study
According to a letter sent to debt collectors, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has requested that debt collectors complete a survey regarding ...
Posted By
Sulaiman Law Group, LTD
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The CFPB's Most Complained About Financial Companies
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau recently released a list of the most complained-about financial services companies. While companies like Bank ...
Posted By
Matthew Hector
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Hammer's $2 Million Verdict
On April 20, 2015, after a six-day trial at the Everett McKinley Dirksen United States Court House in Chicago, Illinois, Alena Hammer was awarded a ...
Posted By
Sulaiman Law Group, LTD.
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Strategic Default: What Is It and Can It Help Me?
Strategic default can be useful to relieve yourself of the burdens of a mortgage while minimizing the negative consequences. Let’s say that the home ...
Posted By
Sulaiman Law Group, LTD.
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NCLC Proposes New Debt Collection Regulations To The CFPB
The National Consumer Law Center (NCLC) has issued recommendations to the CFPB that would further regulate when and in what manner debt collectors can ...
Posted By
Matthew Hector
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OCC Report: $131 Billion in HELOC debt to reset
ke The OCC's latest Semiannual Risk Perspective says that out of the nine largest home equity lenders face a big problem from 2015 to 2017—the ...
Posted By
Matthew Hector
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Protect Yourself! Recognize the Warning Signs of Creditor Harassment
By law, creditors are not allowed to contact debtors to demand payment after a debtor files for bankruptcy. What you may not realize is this practice ...
Posted By
Sulaiman Law Group, LTD.
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FCC Announces New Proposed Rules To Make The Telephone Consumer Protection Act More Consumer-Friendly
FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler recently announced new proposed rules that strengthen the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), making it more ...
Posted By
Matthew Hector
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Portfolio Recovery Associates Hit With $83 Million Jury Verdict
A jury in Missouri has ordered Portfolio Recovery Associates (PRA) to pay Maria Mejia almost $83 million for violations of the Fair Debt Collection ...
Posted By
Matthew Hector
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The hidden costs of paying off debt vs. bankruptcy
Most people want to pay off unpaid bills because they feel it is the morally correct and most responsible thing to do. Financial experts preach ...
Posted By
Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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Bank of America, Chase To Change Credit Reporting Practices For Discharged Debts
According to the New York Times , Bank of America and JPMorgan Chase will be fundamentally changing how they report debts that were discharged in ...
Posted By
Matthew Hector of Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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Supreme Court rejects bankruptcy appeal
A recent decision by the United States Supreme Court regarding a bankruptcy case could have an affect on Illinois debtors who want to file for ...
Posted By
Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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Credit Invisibles
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's Office of Research recently released a research report regarding credit invisibles--adults that have no ...
Posted By
Matthew Hector of Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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How The Sale Of Discharged Debt Thwarts The Bankruptcy Discharge
BloombergBusiness has published an interesting article about the sale of discharged debts. Many consumers do not know that banks will sell debts that ...
Posted By
Matthew Hector of Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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Developing debt reduction strategies for Illinois residents
Illinois residents have options when it comes to paying off debt and improving their financial situation, according to a book called "The Debt Escape ...
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Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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Major $2 million verdict for Illinois homeowner
On April 21, 2015, a jury rendered a $2 million verdict in the case of Elena Hammer v. Residential Credit Solutions, Inc. Via our firm, Ms. Hammer ...
Posted By
Matthew Hector of Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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U.S. Supreme Court To Decide Fair Credit Reporting Act Case
On April 27, 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court granted a petition for writ of certiorari in Spokeo, Inc. v. Robbins , an appeal from the ruling of the 9th ...
Posted By
Matthew Hector of Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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Chapter 11 filings declining
Illinois business owners may be interested to learn that the rate of filed business bankruptcies is falling across the country. Illinois Chapter 11 ...
Posted By
Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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Federal lawsuit exposes massive debt collection fraud
Consumers in Illinois should beware fake debt collectors that use intimidating tactics to defraud people of money they do not owe. The Consumer ...
Posted By
Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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Many homeowners remain in their homes after foreclosure
Homeowners in Illinois who are facing foreclosure may be able to keep living in their homes, according to a recent report. The article concluded that ...
Posted By
Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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Changes in credit reporting may be good news for consumers
Some recent changes in credit reporting could be good news for many Illinois residents. The changes, which were instituted by the federal Consumer ...
Posted By
Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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Things to consider before filing for bankruptcy
Illinois consumers who might be considering bankruptcy may be interested in a recent article that discusses issues that a person might need to ...
Posted By
Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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Credit card debtor rights in Illinois
According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, credit card companies have taken steps to limit consumer rights in the event of a credit card ...
Posted By
Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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Debtors may find bankruptcy better than ignoring the problem
According to a new report from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, debtors in Illinois and around the country are more likely to avoid filing ...
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Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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Tax debts may be eligible for discharge with bankruptcy
Illinois residents who have outstanding tax debts may be interested in ways to discharge those debts through bankruptcy. While this is not always ...
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Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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DOJ Announces $50 Million Settlement With JP Morgan Chase Over Robosigned Docs In Bankruptcy Cases
According to the DOJ's press release , JP Morgan Chase has agreed to a $50 million settlement with the U.S. Trustee Program. As part of the settlement ...
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Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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Mandatory Arbitration and Credit Card Companies
The Washington Post ran an article today entitled, "Why it's nearly impossible for you to sue your credit card company." It discusses the prevalence ...
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Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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Can They Really Call Me This Much?
In my experience, many of my clients are plagued by collection calls. Many of these calls violate a bankrupcty discharge, or are made once the debt ...
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Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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When cancelled debt is treated as taxable income
An Iowa resident who receives forgiveness for part or all of one or more outstanding debts by a creditor might be surprised when a 1099-C federal tax ...
Posted By
Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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Working with collection agencies for reduced payments
People in Illinois who have outstanding credit card or other financial obligations may be able to negotiate with debt collectors for a settlement. If ...
Posted By
Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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Defending against Illinois foreclosures
If you are involved in a dispute with your mortgage lender, you may have the specter of foreclosure looming. Alternatively, you may owe far more on ...
Posted By
Atlas Consumer Law
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National Consumer Law Center to CFPB: Ban The Collection Of Time-Barred Debt
The National Consumer Law Center has issued a policy paper entitled, "Zombie Debt: What the CFPB Should Do About Attempts To Collect Old Debt." The ...
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Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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Understanding the differences between Chapter 7 and Chapter 13
Illinois residents who are struggling with credit card debt may be interested in information on the types of personal bankruptcy available to them. ...
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Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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CFPB To Issue New Rules For Payday Lenders
According to this article in the New York Times , the Consumer Financial Bureau is set to release its first set of rules for payday lenders. Full ...
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Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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When is discharge in bankruptcy possible?
Discharging a debt after personal bankruptcy is an issue that many Illinois residents might be curious about. There are circumstances where a person ...
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Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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Consumers' rights dealing with debt collection agencies
Many Illinois residents have credit card or medical debts that they have had trouble paying off, and in some cases these obligations are assigned to, ...
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Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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Mortgages and bankruptcy in Illinois
When a person files bankruptcy, an automatic stay goes into effect preventing the creditors from continuing further collection activity. What will ...
Posted By
Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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Aereo permitted to auction technology assets
In dealing with a significant amount of debt, an Illinois resident or business might decide to sell off material goods to satisfy some of their ...
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Sulaiman Law Group, Ltd.
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