A recent study of more than 4 million anonymous credit reports found that 16 percent of them had listings for medical bills that were in collections. More than 2 percent of adults had medical debts of less than $200 that were submitted to collections companies....

When debtors in California choose to approach a bankruptcy court, most of them have likely gone through a prolonged period of financial hardship. A report from the Notre Dame Law Review called this period of stress and deprivation "the sweatbox." Drawing upon...

California residents and others who have poor marks on their credit reports may panic at the sight of them. However, it is important to know that they will almost all go away after seven years. The only exception is a Chapter 7 bankruptcy that falls off a credit...

Many factors, from medical emergencies to job loss, could cause people in California to go into debt and fall behind on paying bills. Although many debtors struggle onward with the intention of catching up on their payments, they might benefit more from a bankruptcy...

People in California naturally think about their health when confronted with a cancer diagnosis, but a medical crisis could also trigger financial problems. Ongoing medical bills sometimes coupled with an inability to work could quickly deplete a person's resources. A...

A study from the Consumer Bankruptcy Project has found that California residents and other Americans who are 65 and older filed for bankruptcy at a higher rate in 2016 compared to 1991. The rate was more than 200 percent higher for people between the ages of 65 and 74...

Some California residents who are in debt make mistakes that cause their financial situations to go from bad to worse. For instance, an individual may spend money on food or other nonessential items to forget about their plight. However, it is important that an...

Some Californians who own businesses might worry that their prior bankruptcy cases may keep them from being able to get approved for business loans. While it might be more difficult to qualify after bankruptcy, it is possible for business owners to find loans that...

According to the bankruptcy code, those in California and throughout the country who are injured by the violation of an automatic stay are entitled to compensation. If the violation is willful in nature, a debtor can receive actual and punitive damages in addition to...

There are few things in the world that are certain. Death and taxes come to mind as being proverbially the surest things in life. Another thing that might rank on the list is the cost of medical care in the United States. As recently as March of this year, a JAMA...