Listing of self-help materials and informational publications.
There are 12 resources
Community Debt and Bankruptcy Issues
(Separate Website)
Community debts are those debts that both you and your spouse are responsible for. This fact sheet defines which types of debts are defined as community debts. (PDF file)
By: Northwest Women's Law Center
How to Answer a Lawsuit for Debt Collection
0205EN - This packet helps you represent yourself when you have been served with a lawsuit for debt collection. It should be used with our publication "Debtors' Rights in a Lawsuit".
By: Northwest Justice Project
Other Formats:
PDF File
Read this in:
Spanish / Espaņol
How to Claim Personal Property Exemptions
Information and sample forms to be used when claiming that some of your property is exempt (protected) from being taken to pay a debt.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Other Formats:
PDF File
How to Present a Charity Care Defense to a Lawsuit for Hospital Debt Collection
This packet is intended to help you when you are being sued for hospital-based medical services which you would not owe if the hospital had correctly determined your eligibility for Charity Care.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Other Formats:
PDF File
Read this in:
Spanish / Espaņol
Payday Loans: What to do if You Get Caught in the Debt Trap
A payday loan is a short-term, high-cost loan that must be paid back on or before your next payday, whether your income is from employment or government benefits. Payday loans are made by storefront lenders, check cashers, pawn shops, credit unions, and Internet-based providers.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Other Formats:
PDF File
Prioritizing Debt: Which Bills do I Pay First?
General information about which bills you should pay first when you are having trouble paying all of your debts.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Other Formats:
PDF File
Read this in:
Laotian / ພາສາລາວ
,
Russian / Pусский
,
Spanish / Espaņol
,
Vietnamese / Tiếng Việt
Retirement, Divorce and You
(Separate Website)
3238EN - Explains the importance of including retirement benefits when dividing up property in your divorce. [link to PDF file]
By: Northwest Women's Law Center
Smart Borrowing TV: How to Make Wise Borrowing Decisions
A series of short videos that cover the topics of borrowing fundamentals, credit cards, payday loans, auto loans, mortgages and mortgage refininancing
By: Consumer Education and Training Services (CENTS)
What to do If Your Check Bounces
Provides options on what you can do if you receive an insufficient funds notice from your bank.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Other Formats:
PDF File
Adobe Acrobat Reader required. (If you are using a screen reader that does not support PDF format, copy the PDF link, and use the Access Adobe online form to convert this file to HMTL text.)
Information, Not Legal Advice. We are providing this information as a public service. We try to make it accurate as of the date noted in the materials. Sometimes the laws change. We cannot promise that this information is always up-to-date and correct. Most of the information provided on this web site is specific to Washington State law.
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(Separate Website)
