Scammers continually invent ways to steal money and personal information from U.S. taxpayers. For example, in recent years the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) has been busy investigating a widespread impersonation scam whereby impostors claim that they are IRS employees in order to extort payments from taxpayers. TIGTA estimated that, as of September 2017, the scam had generated nearly $61 Read More

Rental leases are legally binding contracts, so breaking one is not a simple matter. Unless your landlord agrees to let you terminate a tenancy early or sublet for the remainder of the lease term, walking away from a lease can cause difficulties.  Fortunately, Missouri law allows you to break a lease under certain conditions. Let’s take a closer look at some of them: 1.   The rental unit violates Missouri health Read More

If you are an active-duty member of the U.S. military, you are entitled to certain rights and protections under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA). The Act reduces the financial and legal burdens of servicemembers during periods of active duty and deployment so that they can dedicate their energy to serving the defense needs of the United States. Certain provisions are also extended to military spouses and Read More

The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) extends certain legal protections to active-duty U.S. military personnel who are in danger of losing their homes to foreclosure. Although it does not relieve servicemembers from their mortgage-related obligations entirely, it does grant them enough time to address any issues. Here are the ways that the SCRA can help ensure that defending the country does not cause Read More

Bed bugs are a major and traumatizing issue throughout Missouri. They hide in crevices, cracks, mattress seams, gaps in furniture, under rugs, and other areas within a home, and inflict bites that are initially painless but soon become red and irritated. Although laws have been enacted to protect tenants from the financial, physical, and emotional toll associated with combating the bugs, landlords still turn a deaf Read More

When you rent a property in Kansas City, Missouri law grants you certain rights and protections that a landlord cannot change or violate at will. They are bound by state law and the terms of the lease agreement just like you are, although some landlords may try to convince you that they hold the upper hand because they own the property. With that in mind, here are five things you should know about your rights as a Read More

On the surface, it seems unfathomable, unethical: the idea that any lender would loan money without first evaluating the applicant’s ability to repay. Yet it happens. Student loans are a prime example. Another example is Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) loans. Lack of concern about credit history on the part of the lender isn’t the only thing that PACE loans have in common with student loans. Both are also Read More

Extreme weather can result in extensive property damage. In the aftermath of Hurricanes Harvey ,Irma, and now Maria, tens of thousands of people have had their cars damaged by flooding, resulting in a frustrating situation that can create a major headache for future car owners too. Here’s why. The Post-Flood Process After the flood, the owner reports their damaged vehicle to the insurance company, which Read More

You really need a new car but your credit isn’t the greatest. Therefore, your relief is enormous when the dealer pushes a sales contract across the desk towards you. You sign it and take the car home, but several days later, the dealer calls to advise that the financing fell through and you have to either return the car or sign a new agreement at a much higher interest rate. This is a bait and switch tactic known Read More

In Kansas, there are several laws in place to protect consumers who buy a used car, only to get less than what the seller promised. Some of these laws are federal regulations while others are state-specific. The Federal Trade Commission's Used Car Rule is an example of the former. It applies to all motor vehicles, including but not limited to: Leased cars Demonstration cars Light-duty vans and Read More