Understanding credit-to-debt ratio can really help you By: Darrell Castle Many of us are concerned with our credit and maintaining a good score, which is good – you should be. But, often times, people make things more difficult on themselves when trying to figure out how to improve their credit score. Here, I’d like to touch on one simple aspect – your debt-to-credit ratio. Your debt-to-credit ratio is how much you owe verses your total available credit. This makes up a good chunk of your credit score – 30% to be exact. This is why carrying high credit card balances is something you don’t want to do. But you shouldn’t look at this information in a negative way, but spin
In recent weeks, banks like Bank of America have announced new fees, including charging for debit card use. The charges generally affect those people who don’t keep large balances in their accounts. In other words, the fees hit lower-income individuals the hardest. In response to these changes, a lot of people have begun talking about credit unions. A credit union is a cooperative financial institution owned and controlled by its members. Because the unions run on a membership basis, they are typically smaller, with more competitive rates than banks – including lower or nonexistent banking fees. They often pride themselves in strong customer service and promote local community development. Credit unions have a lot to offer, and many people are switching
How credit and credibility go hand-in-hand By: Darrell Castle ————- According to Merriam-Webster – credit – noun – money that a bank or business will allow a person to use and then pay back in the future credibility – noun – the quality or power of inspiring belief ————- As a Memphis bankruptcy attorney, I see clients in my office daily who are living beyond their means. They, like many other Americans, are extending their lifestyle by 30-40% of their income and not even thinking twice about it. How? By credit. The problem lies in the amount of credit people use. According to NerdWallet, as of April 2014, the current average US household’s credit card debt exceeds $15,000. Being
What creditors can and can’t do Imagine what would happen if law enforcement found you lying under oath in court? You’d probably face trial for perjury, and you certainly wouldn’t win your case. But all over the United States, creditors have been found to lie under oath when trying to collect from debtors. What’s worse, they’ve been getting away with it. The New York Times recently reported that lenders have been suing people who owe them money without putting together proper legal arguments. In some cases, they outright lie. The article cites a number of flaws in the way creditors take debtors to court, including: Claiming the debt is thousands of dollars more than it actually is Creating “robo-testimony”
Income and Disability: What You Need to Know If you’re injured but still able to make a small income, you may have questions about income and disability qualifications. In this video, Memphis SSDI attorney Darrell Castle discusses what you need to know. Transcript: Hello, I’m Darrell Castle, and I’m an attorney licensed to practice law in the state of Tennessee. I’ve been doing a series of videos on Social Security Disability. And today we’re going to talk about what it takes to be qualified for disability under the Social Security rules. Can you earn income and still be disabled? We know that you have to be medically unable to work, but can you earn income? The answer is yes,
Self-help repossession means a repossession without the courts being involved. In self-help repossession, if a lender decides you’ve defaulted on your loan, they can seize your car and sell it without even getting permission from the court or police. This type of repossession is completely legal in most states, including Tennessee; but it can lead to a LOT of problems. Without the courts involved, these repo agents don’t have to prove they have a right to your car. They just take it, which can look a lot like stealing. Plus these repo agents don’t need any sort of certification or licensing. A lot of companies will hire hardened criminals to do the job, which prevents most people from trying
If there’s a dangerous dog – or any dangerous animal – in your neighborhood, you do have some options. In this video, Memphis dog attack injury attorney Darrell Castle explains what you can do to protect yourself and people around you from dangerous dogs in Memphis. If you’ve been injured by a dog, you need the dog attacks lawyer Memphis, TN relies on for their worst injury cases. Relevant contact information: Memphis Animal Control / Animal Services – 901-636-1416 Memphis Dog Attack Injury Lawyer Darrell Castle – 901-327-1212
As a personal injury law firm in Memphis, we hear a lot about tort reform and the negative economic impact of trial lawyers. Attorneys who represent injured clients are always the butt of jokes at parties – we know because they’re some of our favorite jokes, too! But the jokes sometimes overlook one big problem: in most cases, we’re the underdog. How can trial attorneys be the underdog, you might ask, when everyone talks about bogus lawsuits and claims that are way too high? Aren’t we crippling the American taxpayer by bringing higher health care costs through frivolous cases? To put it simply, no. Those bogus cases you hear about? They’re one in a million, and most get thrown out
Christmas time brings gift-giving. All retailers and manufacturers use this season to make a profit, even it means saving money by making faulty products. When shopping for your kids this Christmas, attempting to fulfill your loved-one’s wish list, be cognizant of which toys pose a risk – risks of choking, deafening, lead poisoning, etc. The Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) put out a list of dangerous toys in its “Trouble in Toyland” report. The list – Toys containing small parts Princess Wand made by Greenbrier International, sold at Dollar Store for $1 Toys containing small parts with label violations Bread Kit made by Greenbrier International, sold at Dollar Store for $1 Littlelest Pet Shop – #2744 Horse made by
Popular Diabetes Drug Actos (Pioglitazone Hydrochloride) Linked to Bladder Cancer Have you taken Actos – a pioglitazone-containing diabetes medication – and been diagnosed with bladder cancer? The FDA has recently announced that use of the medication Actos can result in higher risk of bladder cancer, specifically after more than a year of use. If you or someone you care about has taken Actos and now suffers from bladder cancer, you may be entitled to compensation. At Darrell Castle & Associates, we are actively pursuing cases against Actos and want to help you get the justice you deserve. Contact us today to talk with an attorney for free about your case. _ This article is not intended to give medical advice