| Volume 141 Number 91 |
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The People’s Lawyer’s Tip of the Day
After 7 years, most debts become obsolete and are no longer reported on your credit report. A debt cannot “re-age” and be placed back on your credit report even if it is sold to a new collector. The threat to put something “back on your report,” also violates federal law. Know your rights when it comes to dealing with a debt collector. Click here for more.
How to Pay Less to Use an Airport Lounge
If you’re traveling by plane this spring, you could find the airports crowded with college kids on spring break. That might be enough to send you looking for a quiet zone while you wait to board your flight. One option: Head to an airport lounge. Discreetly tucked away in airport terminals, lounges such as Delta Sky Club, Admirals Club, and United Club provide drinks, food, WiFi, charging stations, comfortable seats, and, yes, quieter surroundings. But they can also be expensive. Fortunately, there are other ways to use these facilities without spending a lot of money. Click here for more.
Your Money
Disposable income is an often-misunderstood term. It suggests we have "disposable" money that we really don't care about. But the truth is, most of us care about every penny of it, and many of us can't afford to waste any money. This is why it's always a good idea to understand what disposable income is. Understanding how much disposable income you have can help you improve your budget. Click here for more.
For the Lawyers
Best Buy’s “Geek Squad” is not a warranty under Magnuson-Moss. An Illinois federal judge has dismissed a suit claiming Best Buy’s “Geek Squad Protection Plan” doesn’t deliver as a warranty, ruling the plan does not fit the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act’s definition of a warranty and thus doesn’t fall under the statute. In the opinion, Judge Coleman wrote that the definition of a warranty under Magnuson-Moss comes down to whether it’s part of the purchase price of the item itself or if it’s a separately purchased agreement. The Geek Squad plan, she wrote, is listed as a separate item on the Wares’ receipt. She added that the “Wares’ complaint alleges they paid separately for it. While the Wares argued that buying the plan got them an overall discount on the “bundle” of the TV and plan, Judge Coleman wrote it still doesn’t count as a warranty. Click here for more.