| Volume 9 Number 11 |
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The People’s Lawyer’s Tip of the Day
Buying a house through what is called a "contract for deed" does not offer you as much legal protection as when you use a more traditional mortgage. A new law, however, gives you the right to convert a contract for deed into a mortgage at any time by requesting the seller convey the property into your name and take back a mortgage.
Who Profits Most From Debt? Debt Collectors
If you think you've noticed an uptick in collection activity, it's not your imagination. New technology has sharply cut the cost of working a collection account, allowing agents to profitably pursue smaller debts. At the same time, collection firms are winning new business from cities and towns, targeting citizens who've neglected to pay municipal fines. And don't go thinking old debts are off limits - there's a growing army of debt buyers who specialize in ancient loans that the original creditor has long since forgotten. Click here for more.
It's Not Your Imagination -Spam is on the Rise
At a cyber cafe, the cappuccinos are steaming, and so are lots of customers whose computers are clogged with spam , junk e-mail. And it's getting worse. After some success with software filters that blocked unwanted e-mails, spam seems to be coming back. Click here for more.
Gifting Savings Bonds for Children
By not being purchased in the parents' names, your nieces and nephews may lose one of the biggest tax advantages of owning savings bonds, namely the Savings Bonds for Education program. Click here for more.
Eight Traffic Ticket Tips
Nobody likes paying for tickets. But if you're a driver, they're a fact of life -- especially at the end of the month or around the holidays when cops scramble to fill their quotas. The odds are that as a motorist you're going to have a run-in with the law. While we don't condone unsafe driving, we do believe that there are ways to make sure a bad day on the road doesn't lead to a bad day for your wallet. Here are some tips on how to avoid getting a ticket. Click here for more.
Your Money
Which is better: income or growth stock? Click here for more.
For the Lawyers
Settlement funds exempt from bankruptcy estate even after investment. The 6th Circuit Bankruptcy Appellate Panel has ruled that funds received by a Chapter 7 debtor in a settlement with his disability insurer retained their exempt status even after they were invested in a mutual fund. Click here for more.