Explaining the Law and Providing Self-Help Information for Low-Income Iowans
There are 108 resources
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Energy
Avoiding Gas and Electric Shutoff - Payment Plans and Other Remedies
Winter utility bills can create severe financial strains for many Iowans, especially for elderly Iowans on fixed incomes. If you cannot afford to pay your utility bills you have certain rights and remedies that can help you avoid disconnection.
By: Iowa Legal Aid
Avoiding Gas and Electric Utility Shutoff (video)
(Separate Website)
What to do when your utility bills are piling up and you can't pay them.
By: Iowa Legal Aid
Energy Assistance Programs Available
The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) helps low-income people pay for winter heating costs. The amount of money a person can get depends on household income and size, fuel used, and the type of housing. LIHEAP is not intended to take care of the whole bill. It helps cover costs where the need is greatest
By: Legal Hotline for Older Iowans
New Utility Regulations Offer New Protections to Customers
Under new rules effective Setember 22, 2004, a third party my receive service in their name provided they are creditworthy.
By: Iowa Legal Aid
Reminder to Keep Paying on Utility Bills
It is still very important for customers who get LIHEAP assistance to keep paying on their utility bill during this time. It can cost a lot to heat a house or apartment during the winter months. Not paying monthly bills during the winter months can result in a big problem next spring.
By: Iowa Legal Aid
Tenants and Utility Service Fees
A recent Iowa Utilities Board ruling concerns who should pay any additional charges to monitor the costs of natural gas when tenants do not have individual meters.
By: Iowa Legal Aid
Read this in:
Bosnian / Bosanski
,
Spanish / Espaņol
The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) helps low-income people pay for winter heating costs. The amount of money a person can get depends on household income and size, fuel used, and the type of housing. LIHEAP is not intended to take care of the whole bill - it helps cover costs where the need is greatest.
By: Legal Hotline for Older Iowans
Utility Customers Are Entitled to Reasonable Payment Agreements to Pay High Utility Bills
People who have not been able to pay their high utility bills from last winter are not automatically in danger of having their utilities disconnected. Rules of the Iowa Utilities Board require utilities to offer customers an opportunity to enter into a reasonable payment agreement to avoid having utilities disconnected if the customer is not behind on a previous payment agreement.
By: Iowa Legal Aid
Utility Shut Offs As The Winter Moratorium Ends
Many people fell behind on their utility bills during the winter. This means many utility customers will be getting notices. The notices will say their utility service could be shut off after April 1, 2003 if they do not pay their back bills. This resource looksat the options a customer has after the winter moratorium ends.
By: Iowa Legal Aid
Foreclosure Prevention
Common Legal Terms
(Separate Website)
An online glossary of legal terms from A to W
By: Iowa Judicial Branch
Facing Foreclosure? Tips to Help Restructure Debt and Deal with Mortgage Companies
When the foreclosure process starts or is just around the corner, homeowners must decide whether to stay in the home or move. This is not an easy choice to make.
By: Iowa Legal Aid
Facts About Foreclosure
The following "factsheet" can be useful to help homeowners understand their rights when facing the loss of their home.
By: Iowa Legal Aid
Read this in:
Bosnian / Bosanski
,
Spanish / Espaņol
Mortgage Foreclosures and Land Contract Forfeitures
People are usually not able to pay in full when they buy a home. As a result, most Iowans finance homes through either a mortgage or a land contract. If the buyer fails to make payments the loan terms require, each of these financing tools allows the lender to retake the home. The steps involved depend on whether it is a mortgage or land contract.
By: Iowa Legal Aid
Refinancing
A lot of people try to deal with debt by refinancing their loans. Refinancing means paying an old debt with a new debt. Sometimes that makes sense because your total cost of borrowing money may be less. Refinancing may look good now when interest rates are lower than they have been in years. However, smaller monthly payments do not always mean that refinancing will be a good deal for you as a consumer. This article takes a general look at this topic and gives some tips to protect yourself.
By: Iowa Legal Aid
The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act
The "SCRA" is a federal statute passed by Congress to allow military members to suspend or postpone some civil obligations so the military member can devote his or her full attention to military duties.
By: Iowa Legal Aid
Loans, Student Loans, Installment Purchases
Buying a House
Buying a home on a contract can be a way for persons who are low-income or who have poor credit to become homeowners. However, there are certain risks to know about to avoid surprises after the contract is signed.
By: Iowa Legal Aid
Car Title Loans
Before new legislation was adopted by the Iowa Legislature in 2007, car title loans were a very expensive way to borrow money. The new legislation limits the amount of interest that can be charged. This can still be an expensive loan.
By: Iowa Legal Aid
Credit Counselors: What to Expect, What to Avoid
Are you in debt and feel like you can't make any headway? One frequent piece of advice is to consolidate the debt and have a single monthly payment. This resource looks at factors you should consider.
By: Iowa Legal Aid
Deferment, Forbearance and Consolidation of Student Loan Debts
Higher education is expensive. After leaving school, many former students find it hard to meet their monthly student loan payments and it is easy to fall behind. A lot of former students do not know that there are alternatives out there that will help to either reduce or stop student loan payments before they fall behind.
By: Iowa Legal Aid
HO! HO! HO! Holiday Loans
Tax preparation and check cashing operations will soon be dusting off their pay stub and holiday refund loan offers. Holiday or pay stub loans may seem tempting, but are they a good idea?
By: Iowa Legal Aid
How to Use Small Claims Court
(Separate Website)
This Manual has been prepared to assist persons who want to sue or defend themselves in Small Claims Court in Iowa without hiring a lawyer. It outlines the basic steps involved in bringing and defending a small claims action and answers some basic questions for the person who chooses to "go it alone."
By: Iowa State Bar Association
Keep More Money in YOUR Pocket When You Have Your Taxes Done
Some commercial tax preparers offer Refund Anticipation Loans, these are high cost loans. These loans promise to get your money from your refund to you faster. What you may not realize is that you are paying a lot to get your check only a few days faster.
By: Iowa Legal Aid
Payday Loans - a Convenience You Can't Afford!
The use of "payday loans" (also sometimes known as "cash advance loans", "check advance loans"
or "delayed deposit checks") has become a ritual for many working Iowans, including the elderly.
Unfortunately, the Iowans using these types of services do not realize what the service is costing them.
By: Iowa Legal Aid
Payday Loans: An Expensive Way to Borrow Money
Payday loan businesses extend credit by giving cash in exchange for a check which is dated for some time in the future, also called a post-dated check. If you figure the interest rate on these loans the same way banks calculate interest rates on their loans, the Annual Percentage Rates you pay for these loans can range from 145% - 6442%!!!!!
By: Iowa Legal Aid
Predatory Lending - Don't Be a Victim
Predatory lenders take advantage of unsuspecting consumers by marketing and making mortgage loans with vastly inflated interest rates and fees and other burdensome terms. Predatory lending is a serious problem throughout the country, one that can leave you penniless and homeless.
By: Iowa Legal Aid
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READ THIS BEFORE USING ANY PART OF THE IOWA LEGAL AID WEBSITE (ILAW) If you cannot afford a lawyer and have a legal problem in Iowa, you may be able to get free legal help. Call Iowa Legal Aid. To find out which office serves your county, call 1-800-532-1275 or 515-243-2151 in the Des Moines calling area. If you are age 60 or over, you may be able to get free legal advice from The Legal Hotline for Older Iowans at 1-800-992-8161
