The Journal
Short pieces, in plain language, about credit, debt, and the slow work of building back. Updated when there's something worth saying.
All dispatches
- Identity Theft · Aug 14, 2026 · 7 min read
Credit Freeze After Identity Theft: What to Do Next
Freezing Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion can make new-account fraud harder. Closing compromised accounts and removing identity-theft information take separate steps.
The Journal № 14Identity Theft - Credit Card Debt · Jun 11, 2026 · 5 min read
Credit Card Charge-Off Timeline
What usually happens before and after a credit card charge-off, what still has to be verified, and why a charge-off does not erase the debt.
The Journal № 08Credit Card Debt - Collections · Jun 11, 2026 · 5 min read
What Is This Collector On My Credit Report?
How to identify an unfamiliar collection account on a credit report and what to verify before disputing, paying, or contacting the collector.
The Journal № 09Collections - Collections · Jun 11, 2026 · 5 min read
How To Verify A Collector Payment Portal
How to check whether a debt collector payment link or portal is legitimate before entering personal, card, or bank information.
The Journal № 10Collections - Collections · Jun 11, 2026 · 6 min read
Collector Validation Checklist
A plain checklist for validating a collection account before paying, promising payment, or sharing bank information.
The Journal № 11Collections - Credit Card Debt · Jun 11, 2026 · 5 min read
Credit Card Hardship Call Script
What to ask a credit card issuer before you fall further behind, including hardship plans, fee waivers, lower APRs, and written terms.
The Journal № 12Credit Card Debt - Credit Card Debt · Jun 11, 2026 · 6 min read
Debt Settlement Tax Risk
Why settling debt for less than the full balance can create a tax issue, what Form 1099-C means, and what to confirm before accepting a settlement.
The Journal № 13Credit Card Debt - Credit Card Debt · May 26, 2026 · 18 min read
How to Deal With Credit Card Debt
A practical U.S. guide to credit card debt: what to do if you are current, behind, charged off, in collections, sued, or considering settlement or bankruptcy.
The Journal № 07Credit Card Debt - Personal Finance · Dec 14, 2024 · 8 min read
Preparing Your Finances and Credit for the Year Ahead
Prepare your budget, debt payoff, emergency fund, credit health, and savings strategy for changing financial conditions.
The Journal № 06Personal Finance - Credit Card Debt · Jan 16, 2024 · 12 min read
Credit Card Debt Next Steps
A practical routing guide for credit card debt: choose payoff, hardship, charge-off, validation, settlement, or payment-portal checks based on your account status.
The Journal № 05Credit Card Debt - Credit Score · Jan 15, 2024 · 8 min read
10 Ways to Improve Your Credit Score Fast
Learn practical ways to improve the information in your credit reports, from payment history and utilization to disputes and safer credit-building tools.
The Journal № 04Credit Score - Credit Cards · Jan 12, 2024 · 6 min read
Understanding Credit Card Utilization
Learn how credit utilization works, why reported balances matter, and how to lower revolving credit use without opening unnecessary accounts.
The Journal № 03Credit Cards - Collections · Jan 10, 2024 · 10 min read
Dealing with Collection Agencies: A Complete Guide
Learn how to identify a collector, request validation, document calls, check time-barred debt risk, and negotiate only after the facts match your records.
The Journal № 02Collections - Credit Building · Jan 8, 2024 · 7 min read
Building Credit from Scratch
A step-by-step guide for starting a credit file safely, choosing starter tools, and building payment history without taking on unnecessary debt.
The Journal № 01Credit Building
