My Civil Advocate

You have excellent credit, but you've racked up some substantial medical bills. Is filing for bankruptcy a viable option? Your good credit will definitely take a hit if bankruptcy is filed. On the flip side, if unpaid medical bills prompt a flurry of late-payment notices, and eventually the medical provider hands you over to collections or wins a court judgment against you, that doesn't bode well for your credit rating either. Filing for bankruptcy is a tool to help you regain your financial footing, but it should be a last resort. Explore other options first. For instance, make sure all your available insurance coverage has been utilized. In addition, if your bill (or a chunk of it) was for uninsured medical costs, your medical provider may offer a significant discount. Depending on your income, you may qualify for the Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) program, which affords you free or reduced-cost hospital care for medically necessary services. If filing for bank...

There are times when a person passes away and leaves behind a will that may surprise (or even shock) the survivors because of who is chosen to receive the assets. If you've been left out of a will or feel the terms of a will are unfair, there are certain instances when it may be worth challenging the validity of the will in court, such as when: Your loved one didn't seem mentally fit shortly before death but signed or made changes to his or her will during that time frame A lawyer didn't assist in drafting or executing the will (this can increase the chances that the will doesn't conform with state laws).  The will wasn't signed by your loved one or the signature on the document does not appear to be that of your loved one. Undue influence led to changes in the will. This is sometimes seen when caregivers push for changes that benefit them.  There are inconsistencies between beneficiary designations of the will and other aspects of your loved one's esta...