Sourced to CFPB, FTC & state statute
Find the next fact that changes what you should do about your debt
A collector's calling, your paycheck is already short, or a court date is on the calendar. Identify who has leverage, calculate the deadline or cost that matters, and choose the next defensible action using primary sources — not a guess.
All 50 States Covered
State-specific guidance nationwide, not one-size-fits-all advice.
Sourced to Federal Records
CFPB, FTC, Federal Reserve, and Federal Register — cited on every claim.
Independent, Not a Government Agency
No ads dressed up as editorial. See our Editorial Standards.
Start with your situation
What needs your attention first?
A collector contacted me
Identify what they must tell you before you respond.
Start here →I was served with a lawsuit
Find the response deadline before a default judgment.
Check the deadline →Money is already being taken
Check the type of garnishment and what limits apply.
See your protections →I need a way out
Compare consolidation, settlement, and bankruptcy.
Compare paths →Free. No signup, no email required.
Fresh 2026 data
This year's numbers, straight from the source
Original rankings built directly from CFPB and Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts data — not commentary, not a repost. Full methodology on every page.
0%
response rate, worst-responding major collector
The Most Complained-About Debt Collectors, Ranked
CL Holdings, Encore Capital Group, and Portfolio Recovery Associates lead by raw CFPB complaint volume — plus the collectors that don't respond to complaints at all.
CFPB complaint data · August 2026776
false-statements complaints, category leader
Debt Collectors Ranked by Specific Complaint Type
The 'worst offender' leaderboard changes by issue — Resurgent Capital Services leads false-statements complaints outright, not the companies that top overall volume.
- CFPB data · state level
Where Medical Debt Complaints Are Most Common, by State
Louisiana, Georgia, and Nevada lead per capita — a 15.8x spread between the highest and lowest state rate.
- U.S. Courts data
2026 Bankruptcy Filing Surge, by State
591,850 filings vs. 529,080 a year earlier, per the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts — North Dakota and Alaska rising fastest, only Maine down.
- Urban Institute data · county level
Counties Where Debt in Collections Is Most Common
Brooks County, TX leads at 56.3% of residents with a debt in collections — over double the national rate.
- CFPB data · 2026 projection
2026 Mortgage Delinquency Outlook, by State
Every state we track is trending toward higher mortgage delinquency by year-end, led by Louisiana, Florida, and Georgia.
- DOL/ETA data · state level
Unemployment Overpayment Recovery, by State
$1.34 billion established, only 56.5% recovered nationally — Pennsylvania recovers the least of any state with real volume.
Start here
What's happening to you right now?
Debt problems move through stages, and what protects you changes at each one. Time-sensitive situations — a real deadline you can miss — are flagged below.
The First Time a Debt Collector Contacts You: What to Do
A collector just called or wrote for the first time. Here's what the law requires them to send you.
Debt Collector Won't Stop Calling: Your Rights Under the FDCPA
Collector won't stop calling? The FDCPA sets real limits on how often, when, and how they can reach you.
Debt Validation Request: How to Make a Collector Prove You Owe It
Send this letter within 30 days to force a collector to prove the debt is real before they can do anything else.
Time-sensitiveServed With a Debt Lawsuit Summons? Your Deadline to Respond
Served with a summons? Find your response deadline before it turns into a default judgment.
Time-sensitiveDefault Judgment Against You: How to Get It Reversed
Missed the deadline and lost by default? Here's what a creditor can do next, and what still limits them.
Time-sensitivePaycheck Garnishment: First 48 Hours
Money missing from your paycheck? Federal law caps how much a creditor can actually take.
Time-sensitiveIRS Notice Escalation: What Each Notice Means and What Happens Next
Getting IRS notices about back taxes? See exactly where you are in the sequence before a levy happens.
Time-sensitiveIRS Wage Levy: Forms and Release Options
IRS already taking part of your paycheck? Form 668-W release options most people don't know about.
IRS Offer in Compromise: Who Actually Qualifies
Owe more than you can ever realistically pay the IRS? An Offer in Compromise can settle it for less.
Child Support Wage Garnishment: IWO Limits and Help
Child support coming out of your paycheck? IWOs follow different limits than ordinary garnishment.
Time-sensitiveBank Account Levy: Why It Happened and What Money Is Protected
Bank account frozen? Social Security and VA benefits are protected — here's how to check.
Car Repossessed? What Happens Next and What You Still Owe
Car gone with no warning? What happens next — and what you might still owe — depends on your state.
Eviction for Unpaid Rent: The Debt Side of What Happens
Evicted over unpaid rent? What you might still owe — and how it hits your credit — depends on your state.
Can a Debt Collector Still Sue Me After the Statute of Limitations?
Being chased for an old debt? Your state sets a deadline on lawsuits — find out if it's already passed.
Debt Is Paid or Settled, But Still Showing Wrong on Your Credit Report
Paid or settled, but it's still showing wrong? There's a specific process to force a correction.
Time-sensitiveFederal Student Loan Wage Garnishment (AWG)
Defaulted federal student loan? Up to 15% of your paycheck can be taken without a lawsuit — here's how the notice-and-hearing process works.
Medical Debt Escalation: What Happens Before and After Collections
Medical bill sent to collections? It follows different rules than a credit card — not what you'd guess.
First 90 Days After a Layoff: Debt, COBRA, and Unemployment Triage
Just lost your job? The first 90 days decide which debts you can actually protect.
Mortgage and Rent Relief During Unemployment: What to Ask For and When
Behind on rent or your mortgage after a layoff? Ask for these two specific words to trigger real protections.
Cashing Out a 401(k) to Cover Debt: What It Actually Costs
Thinking about cashing out a 401(k) to cover debt? Know the tax hit before you touch it.
State Medical Debt Credit-Reporting Bans vs. Federal Preemption: Where Things Stand
Some states ban medical debt from your credit report outright — federal law doesn't always win that fight.
How to File a CFPB Complaint (and What It Actually Does)
A company won't fix its mistake? A CFPB complaint is free, takes 10 minutes, and usually gets a response in 15 days.
HELOC Draw Period Ending: The Payment Shock and What to Do About It
HELOC payment about to reset? It can jump 25%-80% overnight, with no ramp-up — plan before it happens, not after.
Filing for Bankruptcy: What Actually Happens, Start to Finish
Decided Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 is next? Here's the real sequence — means test, paperwork, the 341 meeting, and how long it actually takes.
By debt type
What kind of debt is it?
Collection rules, and what a creditor can and can't do, depend heavily on the type of debt.
Credit Card Debt: What Happens When You Stop Paying
Unsecured, so nothing gets repossessed — but it can still turn into a lawsuit.
Medical Debt: Your Rights Before It Reaches Collections
Different credit-report rules than any other debt, and they changed recently.
Federal Student Loans: What Happens When You Default
The Department of Education can garnish wages and tax refunds without ever suing you.
Private Student Loans: What Happens When You Fall Behind
No federal safety net, but bankruptcy is more possible than you've heard.
Auto Loan & Repossession Debt: What Happens When You Fall Behind
Behind on a car loan? Unlike a credit card, they can take the car itself — no lawsuit required.
Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) Debt: What Happens When You Miss a Payment
Buy Now, Pay Later balance in collections? Same unsecured rules as a credit card, different reporting quirks.
IRS & Tax Debt: The Notice Sequence Before They Can Take Anything
The IRS doesn't sue — it escalates through a fixed sequence of notices. Know which one you're on.
Personal Loan Debt: What Happens If You Stop Paying
Personal loan gone to collections? It's unsecured, just like a credit card — here's what that means.
Stock Margin Debt: What Happens When a Margin Call Goes Wrong
A margin call can turn into a forced sale the same day — no notice, no waiting period required.
Live data & calculators
Not just articles — real numbers
Live CFPB complaint data and calculators built from documented federal figures, not a rough guess.
CFPB Complaint Lookup
Search dated CFPB complaint data by company or state, with visible source coverage.
Who Called Me?
Look up a number that called claiming to be a debt collector, or report one.
Complaint Trends
National CFPB complaint trends by debt category, with visible source coverage.
Debt Validation Letter Generator
Generate an FDCPA letter demanding a collector prove the debt is real and yours.
Credit Report Dispute Letter Generator
Generate an FCRA dispute letter to a bureau or furnisher for inaccurate reporting.
Hardship Letter Generator
Generate a financial hardship statement to negotiate a payment plan or settlement.
Wage Garnishment Calculator
Estimate the wage garnishment cap for your paycheck under the federal formula, plus verified overlays for 12 states — including 3 that bar ordinary wage garnishment entirely.
Chapter 7 Means Test Estimator
Understand how the Chapter 7 means test works and look up your household's current median-income threshold from the official U.S. Trustee table.
RAP vs. Old IDR Plans Comparator
Compare an estimated monthly payment under the new Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) against IBR, PAYE, and ICR, using each plan's actual statutory formula.
Treasury Offset Program Estimator
Estimate how much of a tax refund or Social Security benefit payment can actually be taken to collect a past-due federal debt, under the real offset formulas.
Default Rehabilitation vs. Consolidation Tool
A short decision tool for getting a defaulted federal student loan out of default — which path actually fits your situation, including cases where consolidation isn't available yet.
Auto Repossession Deficiency Balance Calculator
Estimate what you actually owe after a repossessed car is sold — loan balance plus repossession and sale costs, minus the sale price.
Debt Settlement Cost Estimator
Estimate the real total cost of a debt settlement program — the company's fee plus the settled amount — based on your balance and typical industry fee structures.
Statute of Limitations Checker
Check whether a debt is likely time-barred in your state based on the date of your last payment or account activity — covers 20 states.
Summons Response Deadline Calculator
Calculate the exact deadline to file an answer after being served with a debt lawsuit summons, based on your state's actual civil procedure rule — covers 10 states.
BNPL Stacking Tracker
Add up every Buy Now, Pay Later plan you're currently juggling to see your real combined biweekly and monthly obligation — the total no single lender can see.
Compare your options
Weighing bankruptcy, settlement, or consolidation?
Side-by-side cost, timeline, and credit-impact comparisons, plus independent reviews of debt relief companies before you commit to a path.
How Much Does Debt Settlement Cost?
What debt settlement companies typically charge, how fees are structured, and the tax and credit-score costs that aren't in the fee schedule.
Chapter 7 vs. Chapter 13 Bankruptcy
The real difference between Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy — eligibility, timeline, what you keep, and what it costs — compared side by side.
Debt Consolidation vs. Settlement vs. Bankruptcy
The real tradeoffs between debt consolidation, debt settlement, and bankruptcy — what each costs, how long it takes, and what actually determines which fits your situation.
RAP vs. SAVE: What Actually Changes for Your Student Loan Payment
SAVE is being phased out under a federal court settlement and RAP is the new plan for new borrowers starting July 1, 2026 — how the payment math differs, who's affected, and what your 90-day switch notice means.
Tax Refund Offset for IRS Debt vs. for a Defaulted Student Loan
Both run through the same Treasury Offset Program, but the debt behind each one follows different rules, different resolution options, and — right now — a different collection-pause status.
Should You Refinance Your Student Loans Right Now, or Wait?
Refinancing federal loans into a private loan is permanent and gives up every federal protection — a decision that now interacts with a newly taxable IDR forgiveness bomb and a rate environment that isn't reversing.
Auto Loan Refinance vs. Voluntary Surrender
If you can't afford your car payment, refinancing and voluntary surrender lead to very different outcomes — one lowers what you owe each month, the other still leaves you owing a deficiency balance.
Debt Consolidation Loan vs. Debt Settlement
A consolidation loan pays off what you owe in full, using borrowed money, betting on a lower rate. Settlement pays creditors less than you owe, betting on your credit taking a real hit first. Which one actually fits.
Section 338 vs. Section 232 vs. Reciprocal Tariffs: What's the Difference?
IEEPA "reciprocal tariffs" were struck down by the Supreme Court in February 2026 — Section 338, Section 232, Section 301, and Section 122 are the different statutes the administration replaced them with, each with its own limits, targets, and duration.
BNPL Debt vs. Credit Card Debt: What Actually Differs
Both are unsecured debt, but Buy Now, Pay Later and credit card balances differ in how they're reported, how fast they escalate, and how standardized the resolution options are.
Should You Pay for Credit Repair, or Do It Yourself?
Disputing an inaccurate item on your credit report is free and anyone can do it directly — what a paid credit-repair company actually offers on top of that, and the real enforcement history worth knowing first.
Debt Management Plan vs. Debt Settlement: The Real Difference
A debt management plan pays creditors 100% of what you owe at a lower interest rate through a nonprofit agency; debt settlement pays less than you owe after falling behind on purpose.
Trends
What's actually driving debt trouble right now
Data-driven analysis of the economic pressures showing up in household debt — sourced to government price, credit, and Treasury data, not commentary.
The State of Household Debt in America, 2026
Credit card, auto loan, medical, and grocery-linked debt in one place — record or near-record delinquency across multiple measures. Updated with each quarterly data release.
The 30-Year Treasury Just Broke a 40-Year Downtrend
What the yield breakout means for mortgage, HELOC, and refinancing rates — and why "wait for rates to drop" isn't a safe bet right now.
Auto Loan Delinquency Just Hit an All-Time High
90+ day delinquency surpassed the 2008 crisis peak — with unemployment nowhere near where it was back then.
ACA Premiums Just Rose 114% for Subsidized Enrollees
Where that new monthly cost actually shows up in household debt once the tax credits expired.
Why Your Grocery Bill Is Landing on Your Credit Card
A rising share of cardholders name everyday expenses, not one-time emergencies, as the reason for their balance.
★ All 50 states & DC
Debt laws in your state
Wage garnishment limits, bank account and homestead exemptions, and statutes of limitations vary by state.
See all 50 states & DC →More rankings
How does your state's law actually compare?
Ranked, sourced comparisons of debt collection law across every state we've published full law for.
Wage Garnishment Protections, Ranked
From a full ban in 3 states down to the plain federal formula — every launch-coverage state.
Statute of Limitations, Ranked
How long a creditor has to sue you, from 3 years to 10, across 20 states.
Summons Response Deadlines, by State
The exact deadline to answer a debt lawsuit, from 20 days up to 30, across 10 states.
For employers & payroll
Processing a garnishment order, not facing one?
Deadlines, how much to withhold, priority between multiple orders, and anti-retaliation rules for HR and payroll staff — separate from the employee-facing guides above.
Every claim on this site is checked against primary federal and state sources — see how we source and review.