Dealing with debt collection agencies can be stressful and overwhelming. It’s important to remember that you have legal rights as to when and where you receive these calls. Resources like LawHelp.org, an online consumer legal information portal, provide information and self-help resources to help you deal with debt collectors. Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, which covers personal (as opposed to business) debts, debt collectors may not contact you early in the morning or late at night without your permission, and may not contact you at work if they’re told (orally or in writing)...

Personal bankruptcy is a legal proceeding in which a person is released from the obligation to pay most or all of his or her accrued debt. A declaration of bankruptcy stops creditors from trying to collect debts at least until the law has sorted them out. Bankruptcy is not the right step for everyone who is in debt. The requirements and the consequences mean that careful consideration should go into any decision to seek individual bankruptcy relief. For example, bankruptcy information (both the date of your filing and the later date of discharge) stays on your credit report for 10 years, and...