A close relative of yours has recently died. You and your family are grieving and now debt collectors are calling asking you family to pay the debts of your deceased loved one. However, as a rule, the debts of the decedent are not the responsibility of the family but of the decedent’s estate.

Negative information on your credit report can seriously affect you financially. For example, it can make it difficult to obtain loans. During negotiations with a collection agency over the payment of a debt, you should consider making the removal of negative credit information on your report part of the negotiations.

Credit cards can be very useful if used correctly. However, if they are not, they can get you into a world of trouble. On average, an US household holds about $16,000 in credit card debt. Due to the economy, more and more debt collectors have been retained by these credit card companies to collect on the debts. This has lead to abuse and aggressive tactics which have, in turn, increased the amount of debt collection harassment complaints.