| Volume 143 Number 16 |
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The People’s Lawyer’s Tip of the Day
It’s Valentine’s Day! Lots of us have profiles on online dating sites, apps or social media to find “the one.” But that interesting person who just messaged you could be a sweet-talking romance scammer trying to trick you into sending money. Click here for more.
U.S. consumers pay more for healthcare but receive little in return, Fed Chairman says
Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell has taken the U.S. healthcare system to task for delivering little in return for what is spent. Powell appeared Wednesday before the Senate Banking Committee to provide routine testimony that focuses on Fed policy and employment issues. But when Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) asked Powell about the effect of the healthcare system on the economy, the Fed chief didn’t hold back. Click here for more.
Your Money
Retirement brings with it many changes. Your income may be reduced and your lifestyle may evolve as well. The big house where you raised kids may no longer fit your needs or your budget. If you're ready to move someplace new as a senior, here are seven options to consider: Click here for more.
For the Lawyers
Suit over Collection of phantom debt dismissed. The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a student-loan borrower's claims against the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act The court rules the guaranty agency does not qualify as a debt collector under the statute. The court found that the guaranty agency does not qualify as a debt collector under the statute. In a 2-1 decision, the appeals court agreed with the agency that it was not acting as a debt collector under the FDCPA when it tried to collect payment for nonexistent student loan debt from Georgia resident Hope Darrisaw. The statute excludes from its definition of "debt collector" anyone "collecting or attempting to collect any debt owed or due or asserted to be owed or due another to the extent such activity … is incidental to a bona fide fiduciary obligation." A guaranty agency acts as a fiduciary to the federal government and is thus exempt from limitations placed on debt collectors, according to the opinion. Darrisaw v. Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency, case number 17-12113, in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. Click here for more.