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According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), recent increases in criminal identity theft and identity fraud have resulted in more identities stolen than ever before. The financial consequences of identity theft can be devastating, but they aren’t the only dangers to worry about.  When an identity thief secures your personally identifiable information, it could result in significant harm to your bank and investment accounts and so much more. That includes damage to your career, reputation, credit reports, and even criminal charges.  This article contains valuable tips, information, and steps to prevent, identify, and handle personal data breaches. Continue reading to… Read More

Did you know that every year, 1 in 20 Americans are victims of offline and online identity theft? That accounts for billions of stolen money and countless ruined credit reports. Generally, the most common types of identity theft include, but are not limited to: Unauthorized use of debit or credit cards Criminals opening new credit accounts in your name Account takeovers of Government, identification, job, or tax fraud Whether you’ve just received an initial fraud alert or you’ve noticed fraudulent activity on your credit report, the result of identity theft (that’s not handled correctly) can be complete financial devastation. That… Read More

If you’re an uninsured person who’s behind on payments or unable to cover any cost associated with your healthcare, you’re not alone. Despite more than 90 percent of Americans having some form of healthcare coverage, a recent analysis of medical debt in the U.S. suggests that 1 in 10 American adults owe medical debt. According to the research, lack of adequate insurance coverage is a major reason why there is so much unpaid medical debt. In most cases, patients would gladly pay for medical services, but they don’t have the money to pay out of pocket. That’s especially true of… Read More

Have your debts pilled up so much that it would take most, if not all, of your current monthly income to cover them? If so, it may be in your best interest to consider Chapter 7 bankruptcy to discharge eligible debts. However, before filing for bankruptcy under this chapter, a consumer must pass the means test to determine if they qualify for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. Generally, the means test investigates a few important factors to determine whether filers (i.e., debtors) can pay back some of their debts and if they are eligible to file. These factors include your annualized monthly… Read More

Millions of workplace accidents happen every year from the office to the construction site. If you’ve suffered a work-related injury, it’s in your best interest to know your state’s (in this case, Florida) workers’ compensation process, requirements, and the benefits to which injured workers are entitled. Depending on the facts of your case, you may be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits available to injured employees. Continue reading to learn everything you need to know about workplace injuries and workers comp claims. What is a Workers’ Compensation Claim? A successful workers’ compensation claim provides injured workers with compensation (i.e., workers’ compensation… Read More

If you’re receiving countless calls from a debt collector, it’s easy to understand why your first instinct may be to ignore them and hold off on dealing with the debt. Although you might want to consider turning your phone on silent or blocking their number, this is often not your best option. With that in mind, this article is for you if you’re searching for an alternative to ignoring debt collectors and creditors. Continue reading to learn more about the financial and legal effects of ignoring collection calls and what you can do instead. After you’ve finished this article, contact… Read More

An estimated 41% of Americans have some form of unpaid medical debt. Further, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) reported there was $88 billion in medical debt on the credit records of consumers. However, a recent study from Stanford University suggests that it might be much worse (at least $140 billion). With that in mind, millions of U.S. citizens face medical collections activities and negative information on their credit reports due to an inability to pay medical bills. At Ziegler Diamond Law, our debt relief lawyers understand the devastating financial impact a medical bill could have on your credit score,… Read More

If you are considering filing for bankruptcy and are receiving disability benefits, no doubt one of your biggest questions is whether or not your disability payments will be protected. Normally, you will be able to keep them. They will be protected from the bankruptcy trustee, but all are not treated the same. There are basically three types of disability benefits: Social Security Veterans Private The Three Categories In a Chapter 7 dissolution bankruptcy, assets that are not exempt may be sold by the bankruptcy trustee for the sake of creditors. In a Chapter 13 reorganization bankruptcy, the trustee cannot sell… Read More

Debt collection laws don’t usually get a whole lot of buzz, but as I’m sure you’ve seen on social media and through your local news outlets there’s a new debt collection law called Regulation F that went into effect on November 30th, 2021 that’s really caused a buzz. Now yes it’s true, Regulation F did expand some ways that debt collectors can communicate with you, but it’s important to remember two things: Collectors always have to abide by consumer protection laws. Regulation F also expanded some consumer protections. So bad news first! Let’s review the ways that Regulation F broadened… Read More

If you are considering either a Chapter 7 (liquidation) bankruptcy or a Chapter 13 (restructuring) bankruptcy, you should be aware of the impact of lookback periods. Bankruptcies are federal actions but they are governed by both federal and state law. A bankruptcy lookback period in Florida is no different. A lookback period is a range of time in which the bankruptcy court or trustee can look back over your finances and transactions in order to make decisions that will impact your bankruptcy. They vary in time according to the situation and factors involved. If you performed a transaction that is… Read More