Get Out Of Debt

There are thousands of telemarketing companies in the United States, and revenues for the industry total about $15 billion per year. The industry is fairly top-heavy. The largest fifty companies earn more than sixty percent of the revenue. The telemarketing industry has been regulated since the passing of The Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991, which made certain practices illegal. For instance, telemarketers are not allowed to call you before 8 am or after 9 pm, and they are required to properly identify themselves and their business. The national Do Not Call Registry, started in 2003, allows consumers to register their phone numbers on a list so most telemarketers cannot call them. Has this made an impact in the telemarketing industry?

When the Do Not Call registry went into place, response was overwhelming. Within just four days of its launch, ten million phone numbers were registered. At its peak, about 158 numbers were being registered per second. With the volume of numbers being taken out of commission as far as telemarketers were concerned, it was estimated that they would lose about half of their yearly revenue. Those who have not registered their phone numbers know that they still receive telemarketing calls, so was the impact that widely felt in the industry?

Telemarketing companies have had to change the way they do business. Because being on the Do Not Call list does not exempt people from getting calls from political campaigns, charities and some nonprofit groups, and companies with whom they’ve done business recently, telemarketers are concentrating their efforts in those sectors. The industry didn’t have to lay off as many people as had been originally feared.

All this means that we still have to deal with telemarketers in our lives. It is always important to be aware of your rights as a consumer as they relate to telemarketers. If you feel you have been harassed or improperly called, file a telemarketing complaint so you can spread the word about that particular company and perhaps help other consumers.

In this age of living on credit cards it is not surprising to find that more and more people are filing for bankruptcy. In order to prevent the misuse of bankruptcy claim a new law called the “Bankruptcy Abuse and Consumer Protection Act,” was passed in 2005. If you are in a serious and genuine financial problem, the right thing to do is file for bankruptcy. But before you do that you would have to find yourself a cheap bankruptcy lawyer who can explain to you all the finer points of the new law and can get you a good deal.

Where to Find a Bankruptcy Lawyer

Your quest for finding cheap bankruptcy lawyers can start with your family and friends. Those who have gone through the bankruptcy experience can recommend some names. You will get an insight into how competent the lawyer is. If you know an attorney, he/she might be able to refer you to some good lawyer.

Bankruptcy is a complex legal process; therefore, it is essential to have a lawyer who can put forward legal methods to either wipe out the debt by liquidating your assets and distributing them amongst your creditors, or develop a repayment plan. Usually the first consultation with a bankruptcy lawyer is free, so make sure you put forward your real financial situation before him/her. Once you have hired a lawyer, provide him/her with a list of all the debts that you carry. This would include credit cards, medical bills, loans, cars, etc. Make sure you have your bankruptcy lawyer explain to you all the details of the new law. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask.

Choosing a Good Bankruptcy Lawyer

A good bankruptcy lawyer will give you expert advice on how to get your financial situation back on track. A good lawyer will help you with repayment plans and debt management. Before you finalize your choice make sure you share a comfort level with your bankruptcy lawyer.

You want a lawyer who understands the system and will do a good job to represent you. It may cost you a little more but you get what you pay for. Your local bar association can probably help you decide whether a proposed fee is fair with the local standard. You can also browse online to compare some services to get an idea how much it would cost you to hire a lawyer.