|
New Page 1
|
 |
Never Let A Strange Voice On The Phone Scare You! (Life's Too Short To Take Any Crap From A Tele-Terrorist) Plus: Resources That'll Get You Ready For A Terrific New Year...And Beyond!!!
January 8, 2004
|
Dose of Dover For The Week, Part I: While most of us celebrated the holidays a few weeks ago, I cried for the Woolverton family of Plano.
Who (you're asking) are the Woolvertons?
A month ago this morning, Deborah Woolverton-a 47 year old high school science teacher-shot her husband James, and then her 19 year old daughter Jennifer, before taking her own life...apparently all because of money problems.
In a suicide note to her parents, Mrs. Woolverton cited the fact that their home had been foreclosed upon the previous week...but that her husband apparently didn't know. She also wrote that the couple had tax problems. "All three of us have been miserable for years. The only way out was to put us all out of our misery. You can still get some money from Jim's insurance - since he did not commit suicide - I did. Maybe someday you can forgive me."
A friend of their daughter's mentioned that the couple had recently fought over high credit card bills. Three people are now gone-two murdered and one from suicide-all over money.
This story broke my heart because I understand. I've been there.
I was flat-broke and in the worst financial shape of my life in 1986, coming painfully close to taking the same path that Deborah Woolverton did. It was my 28th birthday and I'd just hung up on one of the most vial and evil people I'd ever talked to. This bottom-feeding, federal law-breaking, tele-terrorist debt collector had me on the emotional ropes...and convinced me that I was about to be indicted and arrested-all because I couldn't pay the outstanding balance on my American Express bill.
Like the depressed and vulnerable Deborah Woolverton, I picked up a gun and contemplated doing the worst thing possible in what felt like my only way out. But (much to the chagrin of the multi-billion dollar third-party debt collection industry) I didn't pull the trigger. As it turned out, I not only (slowly) worked out of my financial mess, but even more important, I learned what my rights were. Not only did I become an expert on working through debt-related issues, but on how to deal with (and diffuse) those fear-mongering debt collectors. My greatest hope for you (or someone you know or love) for 2004 is to never forget how precious life is-remembering that life's too damned short to put up with the intimidating rants of some punk over the phone.
Yes, yes, yes...I know we've gotta pay our bills-so don't waste your time blistering me with e-mails and lectures about today's column. But when life happens-and sooner or later it will to all of us-you've got to not only know how to prioritize your debts, but how to stretch your available remaining cash. Perhaps even more important is knowing that you've got incredibly potent rights (under both federal debtor protection and state bankruptcy laws) that will protect you during this financially dark time of your life-and you can't be afraid to play hardball, if necessary. From inside scoop on the credit counseling industry-to the pros and cons of bankruptcy-to knowing how to fire bill collectors (invoking federal law's as simple as firing off a certified letter to these thugs), I've assembled a heckuva resource page, loaded with information that I wish I'd had 18 years ago: www.bendover.com/control.asp.
Dose of Dover For The Week, Part II: Aside from getting your financial situation under control in 2004, now's the perfect time to get all of your personal "paperwork"updated, too. I don't care how long it's been since you wrote your will (it's a moot point since over 70% of Americans die without one), now's the time to update it. Gotten married or divorced, or had a birth or a death during the last year or two...or three? It's time to wake-up, kids. If you were found unconscious by the police or an ambulance attendant-and they were forced to go through your wallet (or purse) looking for next-of-kin contact information-would they be able to quickly figure out who to call? Exactly my point...and that's why I've put together a slew of resources for you on my website: www.bendover.com/beprepared.asp.
|
|
|
|
|
