The U.S. Supreme Court is always busy making decisions that affect many people. Rulings made in recent days will impact a lot more with regard to their personal finances. Three of these decisions could affect many more people, particularly those with bank accounts, past-due mortgage payments, and student loans. Permission Is Not Needed to Look…

The U.S. Supreme Court is always busy making decisions that affect many people. Rulings made in recent days will impact a lot more with regard to their personal finances. Three of these decisions could affect many more people, particularly those with bank accounts, past-due mortgage payments, and student loans. Permission Is Not Needed to Look…

The U.S. Supreme Court reversed court rulings in which local governments seized two homes over unpaid tax debts and kept sale proceeds that far exceeded the tax owed. Critics call the practice “home equity theft.” The case came after Pacific Legal Foundation (PLF), which represented the homeowners in both cases, released a report late last year saying…

The Supreme Court ruled that a Minnesota county wronged a grandmother when it forced the sale of her condominium over an unpaid tax debt and kept the sale proceeds that far exceeded the tax she owed. Critics call such a practice “home equity theft.” The case came after Pacific Legal Foundation (PLF) released a report late last…

A 94-year-old Minnesota homeowner’s lawyer told a seemingly sympathetic Supreme Court on April 26 that local governments should not be allowed to take the full value of a home as payment for much smaller property tax debts—a practice critics call “home equity theft.” The case comes after the Pacific Legal Foundation (PLF), which is representing dispossessed…

It was a dream come true—or rather about to come true—when the Hills bought their forever home. It had everything they needed and more: five bedrooms, four bathrooms, a family room, a dining room, a roomy garage, good schools, and a good neighborhood. Sure, a fixer-upper, but they felt up to it. Prentiss Hall, a…

After a town in central Massachusetts dramatically seized more than what a farmer owed in property taxes, the farmer is suing the town in federal court for alleged “home equity theft.” Alpaca farmer Alan DiPietro, an engineer by training who lives outside of Worcester, filed suit (pdf) earlier this month against the town of Bolton,…

A homeless 66-year-old grandmother is suing a New England city for “home equity theft” after her home was seized for a tax debt and sold but her equity in the property was not refunded to her. The legal action takes aim at what some call “home equity theft,” which is widespread in Massachusetts, according to…

A widow is appealing to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit, a court ruling dismissing her claim that local governments in Michigan seized her family’s home over a tax debt and then refused to compensate her for the home equity in the property that she lost. The unfavorable ruling came despite the…