Lender Tips
19 articles in this category
Wage garnishment limits by state for unpaid loans
Federal law lets a judgment creditor take at most 25 percent of disposable pay. Here is how 17 states shrink that number, and which ones block garnishment outright.
Bridge loans between individuals: how to document one
A family bridge loan covers the gap until a home sells. Here is how to set the maturity, secure it, structure interest-only payments, and plan for a sale that falls through.
Collecting a judgment from a borrower who moved to another state
If your borrower moves after you win, you do not have to sue again. You can register the judgment in the new state. Here is how the process works in Florida and North Carolina.
If you lend money to someone for their business, who has to pay you back?
The person or company that signs the note owes you. Here's how individual, LLC, and guarantor signatures change who pays when a business fails, with sample signature blocks.
You lent money to a boyfriend or girlfriend, then broke up. Can you get it back?
Unmarried couples have no divorce court to divide money when they split. A loan between partners is collectible like any other debt, but only if you can show it was a loan and not a gift. What evidence counts, where to sue, and how to write it down next time.
Using a promissory note when you sell a small business
A seller note lets a buyer pay part of a business price over time. Here's how to secure it, add guarantees, fit SBA standby rules, and report it for taxes.
What to do as a parent if your child doesn't pay back a loan
Your child stopped paying on a family loan. Here are the five realistic options, from a new payment plan to forgiveness, and what each one means for taxes and your estate.
How to collect on a promissory note when the borrower dies
The borrower's death does not erase the debt. Here is how a lender confirms the death, files a creditor's claim in probate, meets the strict deadlines, and handles collateral, insolvency, and co-signers.
What to Do When a Borrower Wants to Renegotiate the Payment Terms
A borrower asking for lower payments or a short pause is not bad news by itself. Here is how to change the terms the right way, in writing, without accidentally weakening your position.
When a Borrower Stops Responding: Demand Letters and Next Steps
The payments stopped and the texts go unanswered. Here is how a written demand letter works, why the deadline matters, and how to protect your options before the clock runs out.
What Interest Rate Should You Actually Charge a Family Member?
Charge nothing and the IRS may still tax you on interest you never collected. Charge too much and you may break your state usury law. Here is how to find the safe middle.
The Real Cost of Lending $5,000 to a Friend, With and Without a Note
Two versions of the same $5,000 loan to the same friend. One is written down. One is a handshake. Here is exactly how each one plays out when the payments stop.