Tag: financial information

Dollar bills
FYI, Money and Finances

Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Use of Private Collection Agencies  

by Karen Flores, Hotline Attorney Recently, the IRS has announced that it has initiated a new private debt collection program.  The IRS has hired four private debt collection agencies to collect some longtime unpaid federal tax debts.  Collection action will begin spring 2017.  The four collection agencies are: CBE Group of Cedar Falls, Iowa Conserve of Fairport, New York Performant of Livermore, California Pioneer of Horseheads, … Continue reading Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Use of Private Collection Agencies  

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Red corded phone.
FYI, Legal, Legal Hotline for Michigan Seniors, Money and Finances, senior independence, seniors, Tips

Stop calling me!

by Ellen Mason, Hotline Attorney If bill collectors are bugging you remember: you do not have to talk to them. Federal law lets you demand that a bill collector stop calling you. So the next time a bill collector calls and you don’t want to talk to him or her say “Stop calling me!” The bill collector must not call you again except (1) to … Continue reading Stop calling me!

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Quarter, penny, and other coins.
FYI, Legal Hotline for Michigan Seniors, MiCAFE, Money and Finances, Planning for the Future, senior independence, taxes, Tips

Don’t Have to File a Michigan Income Tax Return? Maybe You Should Anyway

by James Michael Curcio, Hotline Intern Many older Americans count themselves among the 45% of taxpayers who do not pay federal income tax, either because their income is too low or because their income is not taxable. While not owing federal taxes does not necessarily mean you do not owe state taxes, it is likely that if you are not filing a federal return, you … Continue reading Don’t Have to File a Michigan Income Tax Return? Maybe You Should Anyway

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Stack of books
FYI, Legal, Legal Hotline for Michigan Seniors, Money and Finances, Planning for the Future, seniors

I am 65 and stuck with student loan debt. What do I do?

by Jadranko Tomic-Bobas, Managing Hotline Attorney   Over the last decade, outstanding student loan debt has nearly tripled with the current total is $1.3 trillion. Households with a net worth of less than $8500 hold more than 60%. More than 3 million Americans ages 50-64 are in default on their student loans. According to data compiled by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, “Americans 50 and older … Continue reading I am 65 and stuck with student loan debt. What do I do?

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Husband and wife standing in front of a house, smiling next to their new car with the driver door open.
fraud, FYI, Insurance, seniors

An Unknowing Trap for Sellers of Motor Vehicles

by David Jones, J.D., Hotline Attorney It is all too common for sellers of used motor vehicles to simply sign the title over to the buyer, and assume the buyer will register it with the Secretary of State. However, if the buyer does not register the title, the seller can face some real legal problems because the seller is still the owner of title. I … Continue reading An Unknowing Trap for Sellers of Motor Vehicles

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House wrapped with Foreclosure tape front view
FYI, Housing, Housing Rights Center of Michigan, HUD, Money and Finances, mortgages, senior independence, seniors, taxes

Step Forward Receives Additional Funding

by Katie Burns, J.D., Attorney, Housing Counselor, and HUD Certified Reverse Mortgage Counselor The Step Forward Michigan program has helped thousands of homeowners avoid mortgage, reverse mortgage, and property tax foreclosure. It was created in 2010, after Michigan received $498 million of the Hardest Hit Loan Fund established by the US Department of Treasury. Michigan homeowners with a qualifying hardship receive a mortgage lien and forgivable … Continue reading Step Forward Receives Additional Funding

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Clip art house.
Money and Finances, taxes, Uncategorized

Applying for the Michigan Homestead Property Tax Credit

by Daryl Thompson, J.D., Hotline Attorney Are you in a financial pinch? The Michigan Homestead Property Tax Credit may provide you with valuable compensation that you have missed. Michigan seniors seem to be missing out on a valuable resource. Many seniors do not file their yearly income taxes because they do not owe any income taxes. This could lead to them not claiming the Homestead Property Tax … Continue reading Applying for the Michigan Homestead Property Tax Credit

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Dollar coins stacked.
divorce, FYI, Mid-America Pension Rights Project, Money and Finances, Pension, Planning for the Future

What is an EDRO?

  by Sandra Wisnewski, J.D., Director of the Mid-America Pension Rights Project EDRO is the acronym for, Eligible Domestic Relations Order. Without getting too bogged down with the gory details, a EDRO is a document that is generated when a divorce occurs. A EDRO is used when one or both of the parties earned a pension through a public employer during the marriage. A pension … Continue reading What is an EDRO?

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fraud, Money and Finances

Lottery Scams over the Phone

by Miles Morley, MiCAFE Community Partner Liaison This is part six of a recurring series on the most common types of fraud reported in the Consumer Sentinel Network’s 2014 Data Book for the State of Michigan. The fifth most common fraud category for the state of Michigan is that of prizes, sweepstakes, and lotteries fraud. The Consumer Sentinel Network’s 2014 Data Book defines these frauds as … Continue reading Lottery Scams over the Phone

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Man speaking with a doctor
FYI, Medicare/Medicaid, Money and Finances

Medical Debt and Non-Profit Hospitals

by Kathryn Larlee, J.D., Hotline Attorney The spectre of medical debts haunts many people and especially those who are living on fixed incomes. According to a study done at Harvard University, the leading cause of bankruptcy is medical debt in this country. The study also shows that 78% of filers had some form of insurance, so those with medical insurance are not immune to the … Continue reading Medical Debt and Non-Profit Hospitals

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