| Volume 23 Number 13 |
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Once again, it is time for the "People's Law School," the oldest and most successful law program for the layperson in the country! This is your chance to learn more about your legal rights, and have fun at the same time. On Saturday, April 5th, the Center for Consumer Law at the University of Houston Law Center, with the sponsorship of the Houston Bar Association, will host more than forty volunteer lawyers, judges, and law professors, teaching courses in fourteen different areas of law. Best of all, it is absolutely free! Although there is no charge for the "People's Law School," you must pre-register to attend. Registration is limited to the first 1000 people. To register on the web, go to: Click here for more.
The People’s Lawyer’s Tip of the Day
If you do not have a will, the law writes one for you. For example, if you are married and have children from another marriage, your children and their step-mother may share your property after your death. The best way to make sure your property goes to whom you want after your death is to have a will. A will can also avoid time and expense when it comes to probate.
5 Terrible Tax Surprises
You've always followed the sage advice of the late singer-songwriter Jim Croce: You don't tug on Superman's cape, spit into the wind or try to pull a fast one on the IRS. Click here for more.
Where to Get Cash Right Now
If you're out of money and need a couple hundred dollars to keep food on the table and gas in the car, you don't have to turn to a payday loan. Or worse, an auto title loan. Borrowing $200 from a loan store often requires you to sign over a $250 check that the store holds for just a few days before cashing it. A loan that charges 25% a year is costly. One that charges 25% a week is outrageous. There are other, less expensive ways to get the money you need. Click here for more.
Don't Let Divorce Poison Your Finances and Credit
Money trouble often follows divorce. As Candace Bahr, cofounder of the nonprofit Women's Institute for Financial Education, puts it, "No matter how much money you get, you have half the income and half the assets you had previously," because the income is now spread over two households instead of one. Not surprisingly, divorce is one of the most common causes of bankruptcy. Here are strategies for keeping your finances solvent long after your marriage isn't. Click here for more.
Getting a Handle on Bank Fees
Snap! There's another charge from your bank that you weren't expecting. You're not alone. Banks are downright sneaky about some of the fees they impose, according to a new government report. Click here for more.
Your Money
Buy or rent your next home Click here for more.
For the Lawyers
Creditor is only entitled to a "prime-plus" interest rate on its secured claim in Chapter 13. The 5th Circuit has followed the decision in Till and held that the secured party is entitled to value, calculated as prime plus, equal to 7.5%, not the 17.5% specified in the note. Click here for more.