The digital edition of Surviving Debt is free to all during the COVID-19 emergency. Read it at www.nclc.org/readsurvivingdebt.
Use the bookstore to purchase print copies. E-books are available from your preferred retailer here.
A leading resource for over 25 years, this fully updated, 50th NCLC Anniversary commemorative edition of Surviving Debt provides precise, practical, and hard-hitting advice from the nation’s consumer law experts on how to deal with crushing debt affecting millions of Americans.
Surviving Debt tells you what consumers need to know about:
- Stopping Debt Harassment
- Dealing with Credit Card, Medical, and Student Loan Debts
- Which Debts to Pay First
- Essential Information about Credit Reports
- Collection Lawsuits
- Vehicle Repossessions
- Saving Your Home from Foreclosure
- When and When Not to Refinance
- How to Defend Collection Lawsuits
- Debts Related to Criminal Law
- When and Whether to File for Bankruptcy, and much more.
The below articles are excerpts from the 2019 edition of Surviving Debt. Read the 2021 edition by purchasing the print edition at the bookstore.
Getting Money Back for Scammed Consumers by Lauren Saunders
December 15, 2020
This article explains scammed consumers’ best approaches to retrieving their payments, depending on the method used for that payment. The article covers unusual payment methods preferred by scammers, such as gift cards, wires, prepaid cards, remotely created payment orders, express mail of cash, and money orders, and not just credit or debit cards.
Reducing Hospital Bills by Andrea Bopp Stark
February 12, 2020
Hospital debt poses a significant problem for millions of Americans. This new NCLC Digital Library article provides a nine step approach for lower-income patients seeking to eliminate or reduce hospital debt.
Deciding Whether to File Bankruptcy by John Rao
September 18, 2018
This article describes how bankruptcy can help consumers, and when it may be the wrong solution. It also describes the difference between chapter 7 and 13 bankruptcies, the best time to file for bankruptcy, and what a bankruptcy will cost. The article also corrects common misconceptions about bankruptcy.
Essentials About Credit Reporting by Chi Chi Wu
September 6, 2018
Understanding how a credit report works and how it affects a family is critical in allowing families to make the right choices in dealing with debt and other obligations. This article sets out what families in financial difficulty should know about credit reporting and credit scores, including what they are, at what point non-payment affects a credit score, as well as who sees a credit report and who does not.
Student Loan Repayment Rights by Joanna Darcus
August 2, 2018
The federal government has extraordinary powers to collect federal student loans if borrowers don't pay. This article explains consumer rights to cancel, reduce, or delay federal student loan payments. Also covered are ways to get out of default short of paying past due amounts, how to respond to the government’s collection methods, and rights concerning private student loans.
Defending a Home from Foreclosure by Geoff Walsh
July 26, 2018
This article, the third in a series that deals with home mortgages, explains a homeowner’s general rights to defend or delay a pending home foreclosure, how a chapter 13 bankruptcy can avoid foreclosure, the homeowner’s rights after the foreclosure sale, and additional rights to deal with nine special types of foreclosures.
Current Options to Lower Mortgage Payments by Geoff Walsh
July 19, 2018
This article, the second in the series that deals with home mortgages, details options to lowering or delaying mortgage payments for Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, FHA, VA, and RHS mortgages.
What Every Homeowner Should Know About Mortgage Payments by John Rao
July 9, 2018
Mortgage problems tend to have a snowballing effect if not resolved quickly. This article covers how to obtain information about your mortgage payments, what happens if you make only a partial payment, disputing the amount due, and key information about escrow, property taxes, and insurance.
Criminal Justice Debt by Brian Highsmith
July 2, 2018
Widespread criminal justice debt—arising from fines, fees, costs, and more—has an outsized impact on consumers, including millions of drivers losing their licenses, seizure of income and assets, and even incarceration. This article provides advice on limiting these consequences and asserting rights against collection of criminal justice debt.
Consumer Advice: Dealing with Debt Collectors After New Reg. F by April Kuehnhoff
February 1, 2022
Advice to consumers in dealing with debt collectors, taking into consideration new consumer rights and new consumer risks flowing from federal rules that just went into effect on November 30, 2021. This article provides nine ways to stop debt harassment, with sample letters; explains the limits of what collectors can really do; and lists illegal debt collection conduct that can lead to consumer claims.
Wage Garnishments and Bank Account Seizures by Carolyn Carter
June 18, 2018
Creditors and debt buyers bring millions of collection lawsuits which usually result in a court judgment for the creditor or debt buyer. This article focuses on consumer rights and strategies to deal with your civil court judgment debt.
Unpaid Taxes Owed to the IRS by Elizabeth Maresca
June 11, 2018
This article also outlines consumer rights and tactics when past-due federal taxes are owed to the IRS, including how to reduce or pay the tax debt over time, a spouse’s legal obligation, why one should file a tax return even if one cannot pay the taxes, and more.
Motor Vehicle Repossessions by Carolyn Carter
June 4, 2018
The focus of this article is on motor vehicle repossession including limits on self-help repossessions, ten strategies to prevent repossessions, six steps to take after your car is repossessed, and advice on responding to the creditor’s demand for additional payment even after the repossession.
A Reverse Mortgage Primer by Sarah Bolling Mancini
May 24, 2018
This article provides guidance for consumers on who should consider a reverse mortgage, how it works, foreclosure risks, impacts on spouses, partners, and heirs, and whether it is advisable.
Dealing with Medical Debt by Jenifer Bosco
May 17, 2018
This article focuses on medical debt, including debt owed to hospitals, doctors, dentists, and other providers.
December 15, 2020
This article explains scammed consumers’ best approaches to retrieving their payments, depending on the method used for that payment. The article covers unusual payment methods preferred by scammers, such as gift cards, wires, prepaid cards, remotely created payment orders, express mail of cash, and money orders, and not just credit or debit cards.
Reducing Hospital Bills by Andrea Bopp Stark
February 12, 2020
Hospital debt poses a significant problem for millions of Americans. This new NCLC Digital Library article provides a nine step approach for lower-income patients seeking to eliminate or reduce hospital debt.
Deciding Whether to File Bankruptcy by John Rao
September 18, 2018
This article describes how bankruptcy can help consumers, and when it may be the wrong solution. It also describes the difference between chapter 7 and 13 bankruptcies, the best time to file for bankruptcy, and what a bankruptcy will cost. The article also corrects common misconceptions about bankruptcy.
Essentials About Credit Reporting by Chi Chi Wu
September 6, 2018
Understanding how a credit report works and how it affects a family is critical in allowing families to make the right choices in dealing with debt and other obligations. This article sets out what families in financial difficulty should know about credit reporting and credit scores, including what they are, at what point non-payment affects a credit score, as well as who sees a credit report and who does not.
Student Loan Repayment Rights by Joanna Darcus
August 2, 2018
The federal government has extraordinary powers to collect federal student loans if borrowers don't pay. This article explains consumer rights to cancel, reduce, or delay federal student loan payments. Also covered are ways to get out of default short of paying past due amounts, how to respond to the government’s collection methods, and rights concerning private student loans.
Defending a Home from Foreclosure by Geoff Walsh
July 26, 2018
This article, the third in a series that deals with home mortgages, explains a homeowner’s general rights to defend or delay a pending home foreclosure, how a chapter 13 bankruptcy can avoid foreclosure, the homeowner’s rights after the foreclosure sale, and additional rights to deal with nine special types of foreclosures.
Current Options to Lower Mortgage Payments by Geoff Walsh
July 19, 2018
This article, the second in the series that deals with home mortgages, details options to lowering or delaying mortgage payments for Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, FHA, VA, and RHS mortgages.
What Every Homeowner Should Know About Mortgage Payments by John Rao
July 9, 2018
Mortgage problems tend to have a snowballing effect if not resolved quickly. This article covers how to obtain information about your mortgage payments, what happens if you make only a partial payment, disputing the amount due, and key information about escrow, property taxes, and insurance.
Criminal Justice Debt by Brian Highsmith
July 2, 2018
Widespread criminal justice debt—arising from fines, fees, costs, and more—has an outsized impact on consumers, including millions of drivers losing their licenses, seizure of income and assets, and even incarceration. This article provides advice on limiting these consequences and asserting rights against collection of criminal justice debt.
Consumer Advice: Dealing with Debt Collectors After New Reg. F by April Kuehnhoff
February 1, 2022
Advice to consumers in dealing with debt collectors, taking into consideration new consumer rights and new consumer risks flowing from federal rules that just went into effect on November 30, 2021. This article provides nine ways to stop debt harassment, with sample letters; explains the limits of what collectors can really do; and lists illegal debt collection conduct that can lead to consumer claims.
Wage Garnishments and Bank Account Seizures by Carolyn Carter
June 18, 2018
Creditors and debt buyers bring millions of collection lawsuits which usually result in a court judgment for the creditor or debt buyer. This article focuses on consumer rights and strategies to deal with your civil court judgment debt.
Unpaid Taxes Owed to the IRS by Elizabeth Maresca
June 11, 2018
This article also outlines consumer rights and tactics when past-due federal taxes are owed to the IRS, including how to reduce or pay the tax debt over time, a spouse’s legal obligation, why one should file a tax return even if one cannot pay the taxes, and more.
Motor Vehicle Repossessions by Carolyn Carter
June 4, 2018
The focus of this article is on motor vehicle repossession including limits on self-help repossessions, ten strategies to prevent repossessions, six steps to take after your car is repossessed, and advice on responding to the creditor’s demand for additional payment even after the repossession.
A Reverse Mortgage Primer by Sarah Bolling Mancini
May 24, 2018
This article provides guidance for consumers on who should consider a reverse mortgage, how it works, foreclosure risks, impacts on spouses, partners, and heirs, and whether it is advisable.
Dealing with Medical Debt by Jenifer Bosco
May 17, 2018
This article focuses on medical debt, including debt owed to hospitals, doctors, dentists, and other providers.
National Consumer Law Center's Consumer Debt Advice series is targeted directly to a consumer audience and includes information about legal rights and best strategies for dealing with debt. Readers are encouraged to share these articles with individuals who may benefit—clients, counselors, community groups, clergy, and others.
For detailed advice from more than 20 consumer law experts on dealing with financial difficulty, buy Surviving Debt (2019), with information on dealing with debt collectors, which debts to pay first, student loans, credit reports, credit card debt, and more.
For detailed advice from more than 20 consumer law experts on dealing with financial difficulty, buy Surviving Debt (2019), with information on dealing with debt collectors, which debts to pay first, student loans, credit reports, credit card debt, and more.
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