Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum's office said today it has filed a lawsuit against Countrywide Financial for engaging in "deceptive and unfair trade practices." The suit says Countrywide, one of the nation's largest mortgage companies, knowingly put Florida borrowers into mortgages they couldn't afford or into loans with rates and penalties that were "misleading." ...more

July 1, 2008

As if dealing with a delinquent tenant wasn't bad enough. Starting today, Florida landlords will have to pay more to file eviction notices - nearly 240 percent more. ...more

July 1, 2008

After a long day's work, Debbi Colon tosses and turns in bed. Her clients' tales echo freely through her brain, and she can't shut off the worry. ...more

June 30, 2008

When Congress started fashioning a sweeping rescue package for struggling homeowners this year, 2.6 million loans were in trouble. But the problem has grown considerably in just six months and is continuing to worsen. ...more

June 29, 2008

DOVER - After a long day's work, Debbi Colon tosses and turns in bed. Her clients' tales run freely through her brain, and she can't shut off the worry. ...more

June 27, 2008

Across the country, people are losing their homes. Banks and lenders are taking them back in historic numbers. As the headlines have shouted for months, the Bay area has earned the distinction of having one of the highest foreclosure rates in the nation during the past year. It's almost twice the national average. But the steady drumbeat of numbers doesn't show the human toll. ...more

June 27, 2008

This is the time of year when the buzz starts up about student loan consolidation. Some people benefit from consolidating, others don't, and borrowers want to know which camp they fall in. ...more

June 22, 2008

The credit crunch has driven dozens of lenders out of the student loan market. But a number of new Web sites are trying to sidestep the traditional players, facilitating loans between students and anonymous investors or even friends and family members. ...more

June 4, 2008

Some of the nation's biggest banks have closed their doors to students at community colleges, for-profit universities and other less competitive institutions, even as they continue to extend federally backed loans to students at top universities. ...more

June 2, 2008

Shocked By Article Regarding "Storm Of Problems" (front page, May 18): I was shocked by the article. It gives the appearance that our government is too big, ineffective and giving away our tax dollars in the form of grants - with little oversight. It initiates the thought that government shouldn't be involved in citizens' private affairs. If we're not careful, exposures like this will create a cynical state and nation. ...more

May 27, 2008