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Articles & Books From Steven Bucci
Article / Updated 02-20-2026
If a debt collector contacts you about a debt you don’t think you owe, don’t panic. Send a written dispute within 30 days. By law, the collector must pause collection, verify the debt, and mark it “in dispute” on your credit report until proof is provided.You’re contacted by a debt collector. You don’t agree that you owe that much — or anything at all!
Get out and stay out of debt the smart and easy way This is a clear and simple guide to getting out from under credit card debt, student loan debt, and all other forms of owing people money. With simple changes and smart decisions, you can start today and enjoy financial stability moving forward. This book covers everything you need to know to take the sting out of those monthly repayments, offering strategies for coping with personal loans, car loans, mortgages, home equity loans, and beyond.
Cheat Sheet / Updated 04-12-2024
Everyone hates having debt, but most people can’t feasibly make a big purchase or handle a crisis without taking on some kind of debt, like student loans, auto loans, and credit cards. Debt happens to everyone at some point. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t do anything about it. Here you find some tips to start getting out of debt.
Article / Updated 07-05-2023
Once you’ve determined the income for your spending plan, you need to calculate what’s going out — and where it’s going. Determining your monthly spending isn’t difficult, but for some people it requires a little digging.Many of your major expenses — mortgage or rent, credit card bills, utilities, car loans, and so on — hit monthly.
Article / Updated 06-28-2023
The world of credit can be complex, unforgiving, and very expensive! Consumers need effective protection. The result is a series of laws, protections, and agencies whose purpose is to keep the credit game honest and give consumers a fair opportunity.
The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act
The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) limits debt collectors’ activities and spells out your rights.
Article / Updated 04-17-2023
It has been said that a person can’t be too good-looking or have too many friends. This has never been truer than in the world of credit — at least the part about friends.The world of credit can be complex, unforgiving, and very expensive! The credit-granting, credit-reporting, and credit-scoring industries have become increasingly complex and powerful to the point where they are used for everything from issuing credit cards to getting jobs.
Article / Updated 04-14-2023
Because a lot of your credit score is based on using credit and making payments on time, it’s a good idea to use small purchases to get back into good standing quickly. Why does making small purchases work so well? Because each item costs less, more purchases are reported to the credit bureaus faster. If it costs more than $10, charge it (but pay it off each month!
Article / Updated 08-16-2022
Credit impacts two major and basic consumer credit instruments that most people need when they get started on life’s journey: credit cards and loans. You may think that you know how these instruments work, but things have changed because of regulations like the CARD Act and the financial meltdown that threatened banks with failure due in large part to lax underwriting standards.
Cheat Sheet / Updated 10-21-2021
Repairing your credit and keeping it in good standing is easier if you know what’s in your credit reports. Get a free copy of each of your credit reports every year and promptly correct any errors.Improving your credit also involves understanding how your credit score is calculated and how you can increase your score.
Article / Updated 03-24-2021
The Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility, and Disclosure (CARD) Act of 2009 focuses on your protections from credit card industry practices that have been deemed to be either unfair or just plain tricky. Among the key protections are easier-to-understand terms, fewer retroactive interest rate increases on existing card balances, more time to pay your monthly bills, more notice of changes to your credit card terms, and the right to opt out of many changes in terms on your accounts.
