Now Available: Surviving Debt, 2026 Edition

The new 2026 edition of NCLC's bestselling consumer guide Surviving Debt is now available for sale in print ($20) and e-book ($9.99), and available for free in digital format on the NCLC Digital Library.

New for 2026 are dramatically changed repayment options for student loans,  new rights concerning medical debt, and an all-new chapter on best practices after a natural disaster to get assistance, repair your home and deal with insurance and debt.  New advice is available on property tax foreclosures,  dealing with homes without recorded deeds, credit reporting, and debt collection.  

Named "the best all-around guide to navigating debt" by Business Insider, Surviving Debt continues to provide practical advice from the nation’s consumer law experts on how to deal with crushing debt affecting millions of Americans.

Surviving Debt  tells you what consumers need to know

• Medical debt
• Credit card debt
• Student loans and student loan cancellation
• Car repossessions
• Evictions, rental debt & getting out of a lease
• Mortgage modifications & avoiding foreclosure
• Property tax collections
• Utility shut-offs
• Income tax collections
• Stopping debt collection
• Your credit report
• Collection lawsuits
• Reverse mortgages
• Wage garnishment & bank account seizures
• Debts involving an abusive partner
• Reducing expenses & increasing income
• Criminal justice debt
• Whether and when to file bankruptcy
• The bankruptcy process

Free additional resources

Surviving Debt's companion website includes links to all of the resources mentioned in the text, as well as templates of letters to debt collectors that under federal law stop collection harassment. Plus, charts for keeping track of debts, expenses, and income.

Surviving Debt's companion website includes links to all of the resources mentioned in the text, as well as templates of letters to debt collectors that under federal law stop collection harassment. Plus, charts for keeping track of debts, expenses, and income.

Read or purchase Surviving Debt here.