Surviving Debt


Surviving Debt: Expert Advice for Getting Out of Financial Trouble is NCLC's bestselling guide for consumers. A leading resource for over 30 years, and recently named "the best all around guide to navigating debt" by Business Insider, this updated 2025 edition of Surviving Debt provides precise, practical, and hard-hitting advice from the nation’s consumer law experts on how to deal with crushing debt affecting millions of Americans. 
 

Surviving Debt is available for free on the NCLC Digital Library. Use the digital edition to navigate to external links, download pages, and search the materials. Read Surviving Debt for FREE on the NCLC Digital Library. 

 

Surviving Debt is available for purchase in print on the NCLC bookstore. Bulk discounts are available, and Surviving Debt makes an excellent gift for new attorneys, paralegals, clerks, clients, friends, and family. Purchase Surviving Debt in print.


 

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Companion Resources

Below, view charts for keeping track and sample letters, ready to download and edit. Also view key web links. Longer links from the text of Surviving Debt can be clicked from the free digital edition of the book. 

 

Stop Contact or "Cease" Letter

Click here for a sample Stop Contact or "Cease" Letter.  Available as sample PDF and editable DOCX format.

One strategy to stop collection harassment is to send the collector a “stop contact” letter, also called a “cease” letter.  After that, the collector can only acknowledge the letter and notify you about legal steps the collector may take.

Stop Contact or "Cease" Letter (PDF & DOCX)
image of stop contact letter

Exempt Income Letter

Click here for a sample Exempt Income Letter. Available as sample PDF and editable DOCX format.

If your only sources of income are state or federal government benefits, your income may be “exempt” or protected from collection. If you inform the collector that government benefits are your only source of income, the collector may voluntarily stop contacting you about the alleged debt. You can inform collectors over the phone and you can also send a letter like this one, which is ready for editing.

Exempt Income Letter (PDF & DOCX)
image of exempt income letter

Dispute Letter

Click here for a sample Dispute Letter. Available as sample PDF and editable DOCX format. 

If you do not think the debt is yours, think that the amount is incorrect, or believe that there is some other type of error, you should send the collector a dispute letter.  Collectors make a lot of mistakes, and disputing the debt may help resolve the matter. Federal law requires debt collectors to provide “validation information” about the alleged debt and your rights to dispute it.

Dispute Letter (PDF & DOCX)
dispute letter image

Verification Letter

Click here for a sample Verification Letter. Available as sample PDF and editable DOCX format.

It is often not clear what debt a collector is contacting you about.  And, in that case, you should never pay the collector, at least not until you obtain more information. Federal law requires debt collectors to provide “validation information” about the alleged debt. It is best to send a request for verification within 30 days of receipt of the validation information.


 

Verification Letter (PDF & DOCX)
verification letter image

Sample Debt Collection Response Letters from the CFPB

CFPB Sample Debt Collection Response Letter: "I do not owe this debt."

CFPB Sample Debt Collection Response Letter: "I need more information about this debt."

CFPB Sample Debt Collection Response Letter: "I want the debt collector to stop contacting me."

CFPB Sample Debt Collection Response Letter: "I want the debt collector to only contact me through my lawyer."

CFPB Sample Debt Collection Response Letter: "I want to specify how the debt collector can contact me."

Helpful Links

AARP Foundation Tax-Aide Locator (American Association of Retired Persons)

https://secure.aarp.org/applications/VMISLocator/searchTaxAideLocations.action

Affordable Care Act Enrollment (U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid)

https://www.healthcare.gov

Benefits Planner (Social Security Administration)

https://www.ssa.gov/planners/credits.html

Center for Medicare Advocacy

https://www.medicareadvocacy.org

Child Nutrition Programs (U.S. Department of Agriculture)

https://www.fns.usda.gov/cn

Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services)

https://www.insurekidsnow.gov

Counseling Agencies—U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

https://hud4.my.site.com/housingcounseling/s/?language=en_US

Department of Housing and Urban Development

https://www.hud.gov

DirectExpress (prepaid card)

https://www.usdirectexpress.com

Equifax

https://www.equifax.com/personal/

Experian

https://www.experian.com

Fannie Mae Loan Lookup (Federal National Mortgage Association)

https://www.knowyouroptions.com/loanlookup

Federal benefits offset program (U.S. Department of the Treasury)

https://fiscal.treasury.gov/top/

Federal Emergency Management Agency (Department of Homeland Security)

https://www.fema.gov

Federal Student Aid (U.S. Department of Education)

https://studentaid.gov

Feeding America (Hunger Relief Organization)

https://www.feedingamerica.org

Find an Attorney

National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys

https://nacba.org/page/find-an-attorney

National Association of Consumer Advocates

https://www.consumeradvocates.org/find-an-attorney

Find Legal Aid

http://lsc.gov/find-legal-aid

https://www.lawhelp.org/find-help

Food and Nutrition Service (U.S. Department of Agriculture)

https://www.fns.usda.gov

Food Research and Action Center

https://www.frac.org

Free Annual Credit Reports (authorized by Federal law)

www.annualcreditreport.com

FSA Feedback System (U.S. Department of Education)

https://studentaid.gov/feedback-center/

Housing Counseling—Department of Housing and Urban Development

https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/housing/sfh/hcc

How to Apply for WIC (National WIC Association)

https://www.nwica.org/apply-for-wic

HUD Lender List Search (Department of Housing and Urban Development)

https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/housing/sfh/lender/lenderlist

IBRinfo (student loan income-driven repayment plans)

http://www.ibrinfo.org

Internal Revenue Service

IRS Form 911

https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f911.pdf

IRS Publication 4134: Low Income Taxpayer Clinic List

https://www.irs.gov/advocate/low-income-taxpayer-clinics/low-income-taxpayer-clinic-map

Justice in Aging

https://www.justiceinaging.org

LawHelp

referrals to local legal aid and public interest law offices, basic information about legal rights, court forms, self-help information, court information, links to social service agencies, and more in your state

https://www.lawhelp.org

Lifeline

https://data.usac.org/publicreports/CompaniesNearMe/Download/Report

LIHEAP Map State and Territory Contact Listing (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services)

https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ocs/liheap-state-and-territory-contact-listing

Loan Look-Up Tool FreddieMac (Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation)

https://loanlookup.freddiemac.com

Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic Map (Internal Revenue Service)

https://www.irs.gov/advocate/low-income-taxpayer-clinics/low-income-taxpayer-clinic-map

Medicare (U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services)

https://www.medicare.gov

National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys

https://www.nacba.org

https://www.consumeradvocates.org/find-an-attorney

National Domestic Violence Hotline

https://www.thehotline.org

National Employment Law Project

https://www.nelp.org

National School Lunch Program (Food Research and Action Center)

https://frac.org/programs/national-school-lunch-program

National Student Loan Data System (U.S. Department of Education)

https://nsldsfap.ed.gov/login

National Veterans Legal Services Program

https://www.nvlsp.org

Nationwide Multistate Licensing System

licensing/registration information on mortgage, consumer finance, debt, and money services companies, branches, and individuals

https://www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org

National Consumer Law Center (NCLC) publications

Access to Utility Service

Collection Actions

Consumer Bankruptcy Law and Practice

Federal Deception Law

Home Foreclosures

Mortgage Servicing and Loan Modifications

Repossessions

Student Loan Law

NCLC bookstore

Red Cross Disaster Relief

http://www.redcross.org/about-us/our-work/disaster-relief

Rural Housing Service (Handbook HB-1-3555)

https://www.rd.usda.gov/resources/directives/handbooks

Save Your Home: Tips to Avoid Foreclosure (Federal Housing Administration)

https://www.hud.gov/sites/documents/fha_saveyourhome.pdf

Sign up for WIC (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC))

http://signupwic.com/

Single Family Housing Policy Handbook 4000.1 (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development)

http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/housing/sfh/handbook_4000-1

SNAP Outreach (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Food and Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture)

https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/state-outreach-plan-guidance

Social Security Administration

https://www.ssa.gov

Student Loan Borrower Assistance

https://www.studentloanborrowerassistance.org

Submit a Complaint (Consumer Financial Protecton Bureau)

https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/

Taxpayer Resources (IRS)

IRS Form 911

https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f911.pdf

IRS Publication 4134: Low Income Taxpayer Clinic List

https://www.irs.gov/advocate/low-income-taxpayer-clinics/low-income-taxpayer-clinic-map

Total and Permanent Disability (TPD) Discharge (Department of Education)

https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/disability-discharge

TransUnion

https://www.transunion.com

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)

https://www.va.gov

U.S. Trustee Program (Bankruptcy) (U.S. Department of Justice)

https://www.justice.gov/ust

VA Home Loans (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs)

https://www.benefits.va.gov/HOMELOANS/contact_rlc_info.asp

VA Servicer Handbook M26-4 (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs)

https://www.benefits.va.gov/WARMS/M26_4.asp

Veterans Pension Benefits (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs)

https://www.va.gov/pension/application/527EZ/introduction

 

Keeping Track Charts

Sample Monthly Debt Chart

Click here for a sample form for Keeping Track of any outstanding debts.  Available in PDF format.

Image of sample debt chart

Sample Monthly Debts Outstanding (PDF)

Blank Monthly Debt Chart

Click here for a blank form for Keeping Track of any outstanding debts.  Available in PDF and editable DOCX formats.

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Blank Monthly Debts Outstanding (PDF & DOCX)

Sample Monthly Expenses Chart

Click here for a sample form for Keeping Track of any monthly expenses.  Available in PDF format.

Image of sample expenses chart

Sample Monthly Expenses (PDF)

Blank Monthly Expenses Chart

Click here for a blank form for Keeping Track of any monthly expenses.  Available in PDF and editable DOCX formats.

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Blank Monthly Expenses (PDF & DOCX)

Sample Monthly Income Chart

Click here for a sample form for Keeping Track of all monthly income.  Available in PDF format.

Image of sample monthly income chart

Sample Monthly Income (PDF)

Blank Monthly Income Chart

Click here for a blank form for Keeping Track of all monthly income.  Available in PDF and editable DOCX formats

""

 

Blank Monthly Income (PDF & DOCX)