KWTN: The Blue Paper

IT'S THE LAW: Know How the Debt Collection Process Works

By S. Brandon Dimando & Michael Barnes

Are you being contacted by a collection agency because you have not been making payments to a creditor? Most likely, they have negotiated with another company or are using an in-house affiliate to attempt to get you to pay.

Third party collectors often purchase your debt for less than you owe or have made an arrangement to work for the creditor for a fee or percentage of money collected. Another reason a debt collector may be contacting you is someone has improperly used your identity to obtain credit and is committing identity theft.

What do you do?

IT’S THE LAW: New Credit Card Laws: The Good, Bad and Ugly

by S. Brandon Dimando and Michael Barnes

The Credit Card Act of 2009 was passed by our government last May. Eight months later the major provisions will be taking effect on February 22.

Read the paperwork you have been getting from your credit cards and investigate how this law will impact you. The card issuers have been preparing for the new rules, most likely to your disadvantage. Unless you had a lot of free time to research this law and understand how the new system works, you have some catch-up homework to do.

IT’S THE LAW

by Michael Barnes

Those of you who have been regular readers of Key West The Newspaper will recall that for a period of years I wrote a weekly column called “Barnes Law Q & A”. Sometime ago the publisher of this paper was good enough to let me take a break from my writing. What you are reading should tell you that my break is over.

I will be joined in the writing of these articles by Brandon Dimando. Brandon has practiced law for more than a decade and has been an Assistant City Attorney for the City of Key West, a Public Defender and is currently in private practice. Living here for 20 years, Brandon knows our town and the people of Key West. I am happy that we can add his talent to these articles.

by S. Brandon Dimando

If you think of attorneys and other professionals as bad news, then it is time to reverse your stance and start thinking of them as resources. For most people, when lawyers get involved, they relate it to awful experiences. Ironically, that’s often true because they wait too long to get the lawyers involved. Lawyers are typically thought of as people who tell you what you can’t do, or if you can do something, why it will cost a lot. In these tough times, we want you to focus on how you can use your attorney as a valuable resource instead of as an obstacle.

Michael Barnes

Michael R. Barnes practices law in Key West, Florida. His comments are provided as a pro bono community service and are not offered as legal advice for a particular set of circumstances.

If you are concerned that you may need a lawyer, you are encouraged to contact one and follow his or her advice for your individual situation.

To read Mick's current KWTN articles, look under Categories in right column, click on his name.

For earlier articles, please look under Categories and go to the year you want, then click on his name in that Categories list!