Front Cover -- Title Page -- Table of Contents -- Dedication -- Using Self-Help Law Books -- Introduction -- Chapter 1: Assessing Your Situation -- Why We Have So Much Debt -- Why You Need to Deal With Debt -- Dealing With Debt Emergencies -- Getting a Clear Picture of What You Owe -- Understanding Your Debts -- Dealing With Your Emotions -- Your Rights -- Creditor Tactics -- Dealing With Collection Agencies -- Chapter 2: Understanding Your Credit Report -- Credit Reporting Agencies -- Why Your Credit Report Matters -- Your Credit Report -- Credit Score -- Reading Your Reports -- What Makes a Good Credit Report -- Chapter 3: Changing Your Credit Report -- Disputing Bills -- Correcting Your Credit Report -- Disputing after Reninvestigation -- Adding Accounts to Your Credit Report -- Adding a Statement to Your Credit Report -- Suing a Credit Agency -- Organizing Your Correspondence -- Chapter 4: Reducing Your Debt and Improving Cash Flow -- Prioritizing Your Debts -- Dealing with Your Creditors -- Eliminating Debts You Do Not Owe -- Negotiating Settlements -- Finding Cash -- Dealing with Judgments and Liens -- Closing Your Accounts -- Chapter 5: Getting Help -- Where to Turn -- Agencies That Can Assist Your -- Other Credit Repair Agencies -- Government Agencies -- When to Get a Lawyer -- Bankruptcy -- Coping with Bankruptcy -- Chapter 6: Coping with Marriage, Divorce, and Debt -- Your Credit Rights During Marriage -- Divorce Is Not a Debt Solution -- Death of a Spouse -- Chapter 7: Identity Theft -- Preventing Identity Theft -- Recognizing Identity Theft -- Dealing With Identity Theft -- Chapter 8: Creating a Good Credit Record -- Understanding Credit Terms -- Obtaining New Credit -- Improving Current Credit -- How to Use Your New Credit Cards -- Choosing a Card -- Cash Advances -- Tracking Your Cards -- Obtaining Loans -- Bank Accounts.

Name and Address Changes -- Negotiation with Past Creditors -- Marriage and Credit -- Scams to Avoid -- Reducing Unsolicited Offers for Credit -- Chapter 9: Budgeting -- Why You Should Have a Budget -- Creating a Budget -- Making Changes to Your Budget -- Getting Organized -- Paying Your Bills -- Following Your Budget -- Living on a Budget and Using Credit -- Chapter 10: Facing the Future -- Changing Your Outlook and Mindset About Money -- Dealing with Changes -- Dealing with Self-Esteem and Compulsion Issues -- Educating Children About Debt -- Move Forward -- Glossary -- Appendix A: State-by-State Resources -- Appendix B: Statutes -- Appendix C: Forms and Letters -- Index -- Back Cover.