Basics of Borrowing and Credit in Georgia
This document discusses the basic law relating to borrowing and credit.
By: Carl Vinson Institute of Government, University of Georgia
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Spanish / Español
Basics of Obtaining Credit in Georgia
This document discusses the basic law relating to borrowing and credit.
By: Carl Vinson Institute of Government, University of Georgia
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Credit and your Consumer Rights
(Separate Website)
A good credit rating is very important. Businesses inspect your credit history when they evaluate your applications for credit, insurance, employment, and even leases. They can use it when they choose to give or deny you credit or insurance, provided you receive fair and equal treatment. Sometimes, things happen that can cause credit problems: a temporary loss of income, an illness, even a computer error. Solving credit problems may take time and patience, but it doesn’t have to be an ordeal.
By: Federal Trade Commission
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Spanish / Español
Credit Card Catch
(Separate Website)
You might think that as long as you pay your credit card bill on time, your credit card company can’t raise your interest rates without giving you fair warning-guess again. Increasingly common among credit card companies is what’s known as a “universal default” policy. These policies are often hidden in the fine print of your credit card agreement or may be tucked away as a policy update in one of the many flyers or special offers you receive from the company throughout the year.
It's bad enough that credit card companies aren’t usually up front about their universal default policies, but what makes universal default even worse is that it may have nothing to do with your payment history on your credit card account or any of your other debts.
By: Barnes Law Group
Right to Access Free Credit Reports
(Separate Website)
Soon you’ll be able to get your credit report for free. A recent amendment to the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requires each of the nationwide consumer reporting companies to provide you with a free copy of your credit report, at your request, once every 12 months. The FCRA promotes the accuracy and privacy of information in the files of the nation’s consumer reporting companies. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation’s consumer protection agency, enforces the FCRA with respect to consumer reporting companies.
By: Federal Trade Commission
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Spanish / Español
Personal Financial Education
(Separate Website)
Over the years, the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta has developed and participated in many projects designed to build bridges between you and your financial goals. By working with consumer-interest groups, faith-based organizations, government agencies, nonprofits, and other companies, the Atlanta Fed helps provide the tools that people need to make informed financial decisions. This Web site provides fundamental information about the Atlanta Fed’s educational outreach efforts.
By: Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta
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Spanish / Español
Fast Facts on Consumer Rights
(Separate Website)
This document provides some quick tips on your rights in certain consumer issues.
By: Barnes Law Group
The Privacy Rights Clearinghouse
(Separate Website)
The Privacy Rights Clearinghouse (PRC) is a nonprofit consumer organization with a two-part mission -- consumer information and consumer advocacy. It was established in 1992 and is based in San Diego, California. It is primarily grant-supported and serves individuals nationwide.
The PRC's goals are to:
Raise consumers' awareness of how technology affects personal privacy.
Empower consumers to take action to control their own personal information by providing practical tips on privacy protection.
Respond to specific privacy-related complaints from consumers, intercede on their behalf, and, when appropriate, refer them to the proper organizations for further assistance.
Document the nature of consumers' complaints and questions about privacy in reports, testimony, and speeches and make them available to policy makers, industry representatives, consumer advocates, and the media.
Advocate for consumers' privacy rights in local, state, and federal public policy proceedings, including legislative testimony, regulatory agency hearings, task forces, and study commissions as well as conferences and workshops.
By: The Privacy Rights Clearinghouse
Credit
(Separate Website)
The use of credit is a way of life in the United States. At any one time, about three-fourths of American households have some form of debt, including credit purchases of cars, appliances, clothing, vacation trips and other goods and services. Just over two-fifths of households have loans secured by their homes—in other words, mortgages. This web site will help you understand the rules, regulations, and laws about consumer installment credit, designed to protect you, the consumer.
By: American Bar Association
Mortgage and Real Estate Loans Information from the Federal Trade Commission
(Separate Website)
This web site contains documents relating to: (1) home equity loans, home equity credit lines and common home equity scams, (2) high rate, high fee mortgages, (3) reverse mortgages, (4) payday loans, and (5) mortgage discrimination. You may view the documents on-line and print them out or print them in PDF format.
By: Federal Trade Commission
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Spanish / Español
EarnBenefits Online
(Separate Website)
How to get free checking accounts, homebuying resources, repairing your credit
By: Seedco
Questions about Family Consumer Debt Problems
This web page helps you understand your rights in connection with creditors.
By: Atlanta Legal Aid Society, Inc.
Consumer Information for Domestic Violence Survivors
(Separate Website)
These two brochures are geared to help survivors of domestic violence with credit and debt issues.
By: Consumer Rights for Domestic Violence Survivors Initiative
What You Need to Know about Garnishments and Bankruptcies This brochure provides basic legal information about garnishments and bankruptcies in Georgia.
By: Georgia Legal Services Program®
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Information Not Legal Advice
LegalAid-GA.org provides general information only. This is not legal advice and cannot replace legal advice. You can get legal advice only from a lawyer. Deadlines are extremely important in most legal matters. You may lose important legal rights if you do not hire an attorney immediately to advise you. Viewing this web site or sending an e-mail message through this web site does NOT create an attorney-client relationship.
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