CONTROL

[It's What You Are About To Re-Take]

The same questions continue to keep flooding my e-mail in-box every single day.  I feel your pain and really do know what you're going through.  So let's get you on the right track, shall we?

1.    Buried in debt?  Let's look at your options...

        a.    Credit counseling: Before you sign-up with any of those "non-profits" that are there to guide you through the debt-laden storms, you'd better know a little more about how they work.  Click here to get your eyes opened.  [By the way: If you've already signed-up with or are currently paying a credit counseling service, you can always fire them and re-trench/re-strategize your situation!]

        b.    Debt renegotiations?  I'd really think twice before hiring any of the companies that tout these services, too.  I've gotten a stream of complaints about the results they've delivered for consumers (as in no results) and they're loosely regulated at best.  Read about one of the most notorious of this ilk that's victimized unwitting debtors across Southern California.  Ben's Best Bet?  Play hardball with your creditors and re-negotiate first instead of instantly pulling the pin on the grenade and filing for bankruptcy--assuming this will salve your guilty feelings adequately, and you've got the dough necessary to settle with them. 

 

Depending on your particular situation, you may either:       

* Try to cut deals on your own: Good luck...here's a sample letter that's pretty effective; you're welcome to use it and give this a shot on your own.  [How thick is your skin?  Good luck!] 

        * Hire an attorney (my first choice, since there's some semblance of a check-and-balance in place to protect you from unscrupulous tactics that'll sting you later) and one of the best, hired guns for re-trading/settling your debts in the nation to help get you outta the financial ditch without going the bankruptcy route.

        c.    Ready to pull the ripcord and file for bankruptcy?  Glad you're being a realist and are ready to move on with your life...here's some things to consider:

                * A little pre-planning will not only make this an easy undertaking, but will increase the amount of assets that you get to protect (and keep!).  The earlier you investigate, the sooner you get educated about the process and can get this ball rolling, and weight off your back.

                * If I hear the "...but Ben, I've got perfect credit!" line of whining one more time, I'm gonna barf.  Yeah, you've got perfect credit--and perfectly whacked-out debt loads to go with it, Einstein!  Wake up and move on.  Life's too short!

                * Here's another line that I love: "But Ben...I don't have any money to pay an attorney to file bankruptcy for me!"  Hmmmm...okay whiz-kid, let's do some math, shall we?  How much are you paying your credit card companies every month?  Add it up!  What's the total amount of minimum payments you're squeezing out every month and sending to those bandits?  How much a month does this add up to?  $500?  $750?  $1,000 or more?  Okay then: QUIT sending the credit card companies your cash and send it to your new attorney instead.  They'll take a down payment and allow you to pay in installments until their federal court-approved fee is paid in full.  Then they'll pull the pin and you get to get on with your life.  [What are you afraid of, screwing up your credit by not paying them?  C'mon!  You're about to flush 'em in bankruptcy court!  Get on with it!]

                * Okay, humor me...one more "oldie-but-goodie" as long as I'm venting: "Hey Ben: What do you think about those do-it-yourself bankruptcy kits?  I'd like to save the money."  Save it and spend it on what?  C'mon...think.  Think!!!  You're about to file for friggin' bankruptcy!!!  Quit paying your creditors/credit cards, save the dough up and send it to your new attorney.  And by the way: You're nuts if you try to undertake such a critical legal maneuver on your own.  Don't be a dope.

 

Since the banks and credit card-issuing companies have already spent over $800 million lobbying Congress to change the federal bankruptcy laws, there's always gonna be new news and updates in this area.  Click here to read the ongoing chronology and breaking news on this topic, updated as necessary.

 

As I mentioned earlier in this section, here's the drill: E-mail me for direction on this one, but you absolutely must be sure to include where you live [city/state] and how much/type of debts you're wanting to flush in bankruptcy court.  If you don't include this information, I won't respond.

 

2.    IRS troubles?  Are they sending you letters that you're hiding under your bed?  Are you ignoring those "Certified Mail" notices?  Are they garnishing your paychecks or tax refunds?  Here's information that will help you tackle the problem and move forward, for a change.

 

3.    Debt collectors harassing your at home or at work?  Are they calling your neighbors and generally spooking you into submission?  Have you already made the mistake of sending them a bunch of post-dated checks, or given them your checking account information?  It's never too late to fire these clowns...fortunately Ben's the best in the business when it comes to showing you how to invoke federal law and cut these bottom-feeders off at the knees.  Get your free copy of his Cease & Desist Letter that works 100% of the time when it comes to firing third-party debt collectors trying to collect personal [not business!] debts right here.

 

4.    Think your spouse (or significant other) is cheating on you?  Better to find out earlier rather than later in this tough game; click here to get some extremely effective investigative strategies and begin figuring this mess out on your terms.

 

5.    Considering divorce?  Then you'd better wake up now and plot your exit strategy.  Here's a checklist that could save your butt somewhere in the not-so-distant future.

 

6.    How's your health?  Gonna live to 110?  Sure you are, Methusala.  Unless you want some anonymous judge, or your ex-spouses or all of those kids and step-children picking your bones over, I suggest you get off the dime and get prepared for the inevitable.  Of course I've got an entire section devoted to this topic...

 

7.    Got some barking dogs driving you nuts?  Not any more....check it out and shut 'em up!

 

8.    Punks with booming car stereos making your neighborhood unbearable?  Time to shut these clowns down while you're at it...

 

9.    You're not still throwing money down the toilet on PMI every month, are you?  How long have you lived in your current home?  If you've been there awhile, or property prices have risen dramatically, there's a reasonable chance that you've got more than 20% equity in the property.  If this is the case, you'd better not be paying Private Mortgage Insurance every month; it's wasted dough that you could be spending elsewhere...like applying to your principal balance or spending to pay off other debts.  Click here and you're on your way to popping your mortgage company with your freedom from PMI notice!

 

10.    Got any old debts that have popped back up outta nowhere?  No surprise...there are companies that specialize in buying old, charged-off and dormant [non-enforceable] debts for fractions of a penny on the dollar and then rattle your cage and shake money out of you because you don't know any better.  Here's a terrific letter that'll tell 'em where to put it!

 

11.    You didn't get hosed the last time you took your car in for an oil change, did ya?  After you read Ben's candid Q&A with his favorite and trustworthy A.S.E.-certified mechanic, you'll re-evaluate some of the most common mistakes of auto owners around the globe.

 

12.    Had your identity stolen?  Even if you suspect (and don't know for a fact) that you could be a victim of the fastest-growing form of anonymous/white-collar crime on the planet, you'd better take immediate action.  Click here and follow Ben's first-strike strategies.

 

13.    Can't find what you're looking for?  Not to worry...try Ben's site-specific POWER SEARCH engine.  There are thousands of pages of information on this website--and dozens added weekly--that are re-indexed daily, for your convenience.  So what are you waiting for? Get going...

 

14.    Need help raising hell?  Here are Ben's infamous Six Steps To Effective Complaining!  It works and solves your typical challenges about 90% plus of the time.  Click here and go kick some butts!