Times are difficult right now and many people are finding themselves dealing with bill collectors for the first time in their lives. Sometimes debt even results in marriage problems. Be prepared. Debt collectors are not nice people. They are paid to be tough and give you a hard time. Do not be frightened. Instead, stand your ground and realize that you are not the only one receiving this treatment. You, too, have rights and be sure to exercise them.

Do not provide personal information to the caller. Realize that you are not speaking with the organization to which you owe money. This is a bounty hunter attempting to earn a small percentage of your debt. Treat them as such.

Understand the possibilities. The debt collectors do have the right to contact you by mail, phone, or fax at home or at work. They are only allowed to attempt to reach you during the hours of 8 am and 9 pm. They have the right to ruin your credit rating and could take you to court to garnish your wages.

Do not allow these people to intimidate you. They must meet certain standards. It is illegal for them to threaten physical harm or arrest. Obscene language is forbidden and they may not intimidate you into thinking they can take your property. To assume your property rights, they would require a court order.

Never pay money you do not owe. Frequently, debt collectors have old information and are basing their calls on this. If you do not believe you owe this money, or if the amount is incorrect, dispute the claim in writing. If the debt being collected is an old one, remember that there is a statute of limitations which differs from state to state, but usually runs three to six years. A collection agency who tries to collect an old debt is breaking the law. If you agree to pay even a small portion of an old debt, this may reaffirm the debt and require that you repay it in full. Do not pay any portion of an old debt unless you are prepared to pay the entire balance.

If you feel that a debt collector is acting unfairly, you can file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission or your state attorney general’s office.

Layoffs are occurring in record numbers and finding a new position is extremely difficult and can sometimes take more than a year. Employers know they have the upper hand in this economy and are prepared to flex their muscles if they deem it to be necessary. We’ve all seen many mass cutbacks in employees and must realize that at any time this could happen to us. We also must remember that anytime you lose your job, you generally will also lose your family health insurance. Although COBRA is always a temporary option, it is very expensive, therefore, keeping your health insurance is of the utmost importance.

In order to combat the sluggish economy, it is particularly important that we focus fully on our jobs and do not allow ourselves to show any negative actions to our employer.

If you have a seriously ill partner, please let your employer know. By acknowledging the problem, he may make allowances for extra absences, etc. If there are marriage problems, he should also be aware of this.

Do not spend time surfing the web or shopping online. Use the computer for business purposes only.

It is always a good idea to leave the office at least five minutes after your boss. He will get the impression that you are always working late.

During this job depression, be sure not to take very long vacations. After all, they might decide that you are not really necessary if the others are handling your responsibilities satisfactorily.

Be extremely conscious of the fact that you always want to look busy.

If you do get a pink slip, consider negotiating your salary. This may be a much better option than losing most of your income, losing your benefits, and then having to spend possibly the next year looking for a replacement position. If you are turned down for this request, it may really have been your job performance that caused your termination instead of just financial problems.