Iowa

Consumer & Finance

Legal Information

• Property Tax Suspension for People Who Get SSI

  Many people with a disability own or are buying their homes. Iowa law allows people who get Supplemental Security Income (SSI), or State Supplemental Assistance (SSA), or live in a health care facility, to get their property taxes suspended. Read More

  By:

  Legal Hotline for Older Iowans

  Read this in:

  Spanish / Español

• Protecting Yourself from Telephone Marketing Fraud

  Telemarketers often use illegal and deceptive practices such as contests, free prizes, sweepstakes, fake charities and other tricks to seduce older Iowans out of their hard-earned savings. Read More

• Rent Reimbursement and Property Tax Credits

  Each year, Iowans who are elderly or have a disability may be able to get a property tax credit on their home and rent reimbursement on apartment or mobile home lot rent. Read More

  By:

  Legal Hotline for Older Iowans

• Should You Take Your Pension In A Lump Sum?

  Some companies offer to cash out the pensions of certain retirees and instead give them one lump-sum payment. Read this information on lump sum payments and how they could negatively affect your retirement finances. Read More

  By:

  Legal Hotline for Older Iowans

• Telephone and Utility: New Rules Help Cut Costs of Phone Service

  The Iowa Utilities Board put rules in effect to make telephone service cost less for low-income Iowans. The rules apply to anyone who takes part in the Medicaid, food stamp, SSI, federal public housing assistance, or Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program ("LIHEAP") programs. Read More

• Telephone Slamming

  Telephone slamming occurs when a telephone company changes your telephone service without your consent. Slamming is illegal, and you can protect yourself from being slammed by following a few tips. Read More

• Telephone Slamming - Protections and Remedies

  Telephone slamming occurs when a telephone company changes your telephone service without your consent. Slamming is illegal, and you can protect yourself from being slammed by following a few tips. Read More

• The Basic Rules of Credit Cards

  Credit cards should only be used as a source of funding for emergencies such as car repairs, or for short-term loans for large purchases only. Before using your card to make a purchase, think about where the money will come from to pay it off. All who use a credit card should know the basic rules of credit cards. Read More

• The Federal Trade Commission

  Your funeral may be one of the most expensive consumer purchases you or your family ever makes. Most people, however, do not handle a funeral purchase the same way they approach other major purchases. To avoid overspending, it helps to understand your rights under the "Funeral Rule" enforced by the Federal Trade Commission. Read More

• The Golden Years and Debt

  Major changes older people face often have a dramatic impact on their finances. Someone who is not realistic in dealing with these changes can be trapped by expenses and spending that quickly deplete savings. Read More

• 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. Content Detail

  By:

  Iowa Department of Human Rights

• US Senate Special Committee on Aging Fraud Hotline

  Investigations and referrals of issues of fraud concerning retirement savings, identity theft, phone scams, Medicare, Social Security, and a variety of other consumer issues important to seniors and the elderly. Read More

  By:

  United States Senate Special Committee on Aging