Get Out of Debt Guy

Only 29,000 Jobs Were Added in September. Here’s What a Weak Jobs Report Means for Your Card Rate, Your Savings, and Your Paycheck

Steve Rhode — Fri, 02 Oct 2026 17:16:45 +0000

Only 29,000 jobs were added in September and October Fed hike odds fell. Here's what it means for your card rate, your savings and your job.

Can the Government Take My Social Security for an Old Military Star Card?

Steve Rhode — Fri, 02 Oct 2026 16:37:07 +0000

A Military Star debt can be taken from Social Security: at most 15%, and never the first $750. The math, the notice rules, and what you can do.

Damon Day Thought a $55 Walmart Order Was Worth It. Here’s the Math.

Steve Rhode — Fri, 02 Oct 2026 16:09:15 +0000

Damon Day took a $55 Walmart delivery batch that turned out heavier than expected. Here's the mileage and tax math behind whether one gig order is worth it.

I Missed My 30 Days to Dispute a Debt. Can I Still Fight It? Here’s What to Do Right Now.

Steve Rhode — Thu, 01 Oct 2026 18:19:24 +0000

Missed the 30-day window to dispute a debt collector? Here's what you lose after day 30, what you still keep, and the steps to take this week.

They Said If I Can’t Pay the IRS I Shouldn’t File. The Monthly Penalty Rate for Filing Late Is Ten Times the Rate for Paying Late.

Steve Rhode — Thu, 01 Oct 2026 18:19:03 +0000

If you can't pay the IRS, file anyway. The late-filing penalty is 5% a month and the late-payment penalty is 0.5%. Here's what to do this week.

SNAP Funding Just Shifted to States. Here’s How I’d Protect My Benefits From a Paperwork Closure (October 2026)

Steve Rhode — Thu, 01 Oct 2026 18:18:35 +0000

SNAP changes in October 2026 shift costs to states. Here's how to protect your benefits from a paperwork closure before your next renewal.

How to Check If Your Child Has a Trump Account (and Why I’d Claim the Free Money Before Adding My Own)

Steve Rhode — Thu, 01 Oct 2026 18:17:55 +0000

How to check if your child has a Trump Account: Treasury says 60 million kids now have one. Claim the free money first, then think hard before adding your own.

Inflation Cooled This Week. Mortgage Rates Still Rose for a Sixth Straight Week. Here’s Why.

Steve Rhode — Wed, 30 Sep 2026 17:30:59 +0000

Inflation cooled and Fed-hike bets faded, yet mortgage rates hit 7.30%, a sixth straight weekly rise. Here's why, and the moves I'd check.

An Old Utility Bill Is Blocking Me From Getting Power Turned On at My New Address. Here’s What to Do Right Now.

Steve Rhode — Wed, 30 Sep 2026 17:30:33 +0000

An old utility bill can block new service, but your state limits what a utility can demand. Here's how to get the lights on without overpaying.

Debt Collectors Won’t Stop Calling My Elderly Parent. Here’s What to Do Right Now.

Steve Rhode — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 18:42:13 +0000

A collector won't stop calling your elderly parent, and now it's calling you. Here's who it can legally talk to, what it can't garnish, and how to stop it.

The Student Loan Autopay Discount Deadline Just Moved to December 31. Here’s What I’d Do Before Then.

Steve Rhode — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 18:27:20 +0000

Student loan autopay discount deadline extended to Dec. 31, 2026. The panic is off, but one bank mistake can wipe out the savings. Here's my plan.

Forbes’ $10 Million Website-Tracking Settlement: California Residents Have Until November 9 to File a Claim

Steve Rhode — Mon, 28 Sep 2026 20:10:04 +0000

California residents who read Forbes Dec. 20, 2023 to June 11, 2026 could get $32-$189 (plaintiffs' estimate). No receipt needed. File by Nov. 9.

American Vision Partners’ $1.75 Million Data Breach Settlement: Who Can Claim Before the November 12 Deadline

Steve Rhode — Mon, 28 Sep 2026 20:09:51 +0000

American Vision Partners' $1.75M data breach settlement: only ~258,070 people can claim cash, not all 1.6 million affected. File by November 12, 2026.

I Have a Lot of Equity in My Home and Still Can’t Get a Loan Until It Sells. Here’s What I’d Do.

Steve Rhode — Mon, 28 Sep 2026 20:09:38 +0000

Equity isn't cash, and it can't get you past a lender's income test. Here's how to bridge a home sale, and what bankruptcy can and can't protect.

I Just Got Out and There Are Judgments Against Me I Didn’t Know About. Here’s What to Do Right Now.

Steve Rhode — Mon, 28 Sep 2026 20:09:25 +0000

You just got out and found a judgment you never knew about. Here is why it happened, and the exact steps to find, challenge, and possibly vacate it.

ClearOne Advantage Sued Over Debt Consolidation Text Messages — Here’s What the Complaint Says

Steve Rhode — Mon, 28 Sep 2026 19:04:53 +0000

A new class action accuses ClearOne Advantage, LLC of sending unsolicited debt consolidation text messages to a number on the National Do Not Call Registry. Here's what the TCPA complaint alleges — and what it means for you.

Lasorsa v. ClearOne Advantage LLC, Case No. 2:26-cv-06802

Research Department — Mon, 28 Sep 2026 18:03:38 +0000

Quick Answer: Robert Lasorsa sued ClearOne Advantage, LLC in the United States District Court for the District of Arizona under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), 47 U.S.C. § 227. The complaint alleges that ClearOne Advantage sent multiple unauthorized telemarketing text messages to Lasorsa's cellular phone, violating his privacy rights and the National Do Not Call Registry. Lasorsa seeks injunctive relief to stop these practices, statutory damages for himself and the class, and any other legal remedies available. This is a legal filing containing allegations; no finding of liability has been made.

I’m in My 70s, Judgment-Proof, and Ready to File Bankruptcy — I Just Can’t Afford the Lawyer Yet. Here’s My Plan.

Steve Rhode — Fri, 25 Sep 2026 17:34:47 +0000

Judgment-proof and on Social Security but ready to file Chapter 7? Here's how to survive until your next deposit, lower the $338 filing fee, and avoid the loan trap before you file.

I Settled This Debt Years Ago. Now a Collector Is Threatening Me With a Fake Lawsuit. Here’s What to Do Right Now.

Steve Rhode — Fri, 25 Sep 2026 17:33:57 +0000

A collector is chasing a debt you already settled — with a fake 'pretrial division' voicemail. Here's what the law says and what to do right now.

The VA Says I Was Overpaid and Wants the Money Back. Here’s What to Do Right Now.

Steve Rhode — Fri, 25 Sep 2026 17:32:37 +0000

VA overpayment letter due? You have 30 days to dispute and a year to request a waiver. Here is what protects your VA disability check right now.

Credit Acceptance’s $694 Million Settlement: What Borrowers Actually Need to Know (September 2026)

Steve Rhode — Thu, 24 Sep 2026 18:06:31 +0000

Credit Acceptance agreed to pay $694 million after 40 states alleged predatory auto lending. Here's exactly how you'll know if you're covered.

The $96.5 Million Generic Drug Settlement Is Open — How to Register for Your Claim

Steve Rhode — Thu, 24 Sep 2026 18:03:43 +0000

Six drug makers will pay $96.5M over generic drug price-fixing claims. Bought a listed drug 2009-2019? Here's how to register before the window closes.

A Debt Buyer Is Suing Me and Won’t Show Proof I Owe It. Here’s What to Do Right Now.

Steve Rhode — Thu, 24 Sep 2026 18:03:07 +0000

A debt buyer sued you and hasn't produced the contract, statements, or bill of sale? Here's exactly how to answer, demand proof, and protect yourself right now.

The CFPB Just Stopped Publishing Consumer Complaint Stories — Here’s How to Still Vet a Debt Company

Steve Rhode — Thu, 24 Sep 2026 17:42:48 +0000

The CFPB stopped publishing complaint narratives Aug. 14 — here's what's still in the database and how I'd still vet a debt collector or settlement company.

An Early-Season Nor’easter Is Hitting the Coast. Check These 3 Lines in Your Insurance Policy Before It Does.

Steve Rhode — Thu, 24 Sep 2026 17:42:14 +0000

An early-season nor'easter is bringing coastal flooding and high winds to NJ, DE, MD, VA, MA and RI. Here's what your homeowners policy actually covers — and what it doesn't.

Damon Day Made $141 in One Night Stacking Three Gig Apps at Once

Steve Rhode — Thu, 24 Sep 2026 17:26:48 +0000

Damon Day ran three delivery apps at once and grossed $141 in about three hours. I break down the stacking, the 49 miles, and what's left after gas and taxes.

I Went to Court and Lost My Debt Case. Here’s What to Do Right Now.

Steve Rhode — Wed, 23 Sep 2026 17:12:15 +0000

You went to court and lost the case. Here are your real options now: appeal deadlines by court type, what the judgment allows, and how bankruptcy affects it.

Nearly 1 in 10 Mortgage Applications Are Now ARMs as 30-Year Rates Hit 7.12% — What That Riskier Loan Can Cost You

Steve Rhode — Wed, 23 Sep 2026 17:06:37 +0000

9.8% of mortgage applications were ARMs last week as 30-year rates topped 7.12%. Here's how an ARM reset and a 2-1 buydown actually work — and what to check before you sign.

FleetCor’s $100 Million Fuel Card Settlement Is Real — But Nobody Has to File a Claim Yet

Steve Rhode — Wed, 23 Sep 2026 17:06:12 +0000

FleetCor — now Corpay — will pay $100M after a court found it charged hidden fuel card fees. Here's what the FTC's order says about getting paid.

Is Shopping an Addiction? A Recovery Coach and I Compare Notes on Money and Debt

Steve Rhode — Mon, 21 Sep 2026 19:31:41 +0000

A financial sobriety coach and I each answered one question about addiction and debt, separately. See what we found, and read both full answers.