Atlanta Bankruptcy Attorney Blog

Today, we give thanks for food, family and friends. Tomorrow, many of us are giving thanks for the Internet.

In the past few years, online shopping has revolutionized Black Friday and the rest of the holiday shopping season. Instead of braving long lines and crowded shopping malls on a quest for the best deals early Friday morning, we can find some of the same sales - and some better - from the comfort from our own homes. And it couldn't have happened at a better time.

With most folks already struggling to pay the bills, we don't have much to spare when it comes to shopping for Christmas gifts. Unlike traditional shopping, the Internet allows instant price comparisons, access to way more stores - and potential deals - than we'd ever be able to visit on foot or by car, and less temptation for spur-of-the-moment spending, since there are no distracting window displays or sales people (though those pop-ups can be annoying).

But as with any good thing, there's always a catch - in this case, online scams.

Continue reading "More Online Shopping Means More Online Scams This Season" »

'Tis the season for giving, but if many of us don't curb our spending habits, the only thing we'll be giving is our home - back to the bank.

Just as the media was reporting in September that an economic recovery was underway, there were still roughly 4 million homeowners either in some stage of foreclosure or at least three months behind on mortgage payment, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. Even worse, those foreclosures have been pushing down home values in the cities that are already struggling with the highest unemployment rates.

So why are things getting worse when they're supposed to be getting better? Maybe it's because, bad economy or not, consumers are plain out of cash. Many of us have gone without a raise for years - or worse, without a job for months. In the meantime, we're using credit cards to make ends meet, adding to our already bloated debt burdens. And now with the arrival of the holiday season we're struggling to put fancy meals on the table and gifts under the tree, adding even more financial stress. At some point, homeowners are throwing in the towel. But it doesn't have to be that way.

Continue reading "More Borrowers Default On Mortgages As Holidays Approach" »