Eileen Wilbur, a 74 year-old blind woman living by herself, recently got a nasty shock when her daughter was helping her go through her mail. Apparently, Ms. Wilbur had failed to pay part of a water bill from the preceding year, and the city was now threatening her with a lien against her home. The bill, which Attleboro officials noted was among 2,000 that went out, was for one cent.

The letter went on to inform Ms. Wilbur that, unless she paid by December 10, she could face a $48 penalty, in addition to court proceedings. As her daughter, Rose Brederson, noted, Ms. Wilbur has lived in the house for almost 50 years and would most certainly pay the penny. However, given that the bill cost 42 cents to mail, one wonders how the City of Attleboro hopes to make its money back. What's more, while Ms. Wilbur is undoubtedly an outlier, it's reasonable to ask how many of the 2,000 bills, which cost $840 to mail, were worth less than the price of postage.

When confronted with this situation, City Collector Debra Marcoccio responded by pointing out that Attleboro's billing is completely automated, and is not audited by human beings. She went on to defensively ask why Ms. Wilbur didn't pay the one cent the year before, when it was first due. Like anyone else who's ever been through this sort of mess, I have a pretty good idea about what happened: the 1¢ bill is either unannounced interest on the water bill, or represents fractions of pennies that have accrued on Ms. Wilbur's account, which the billing software decided to add to her latest bill. Regardless, this is the sort of thing that any human being (or even a bureaucrat) with a fully-functioning cerebral cortex could probably have handled with a minimum of fuss.

One reader recently wrote:

"Since the country has recognized the banking hardships being faced today, I have received two notices reducing my credit limit on my cards to the amount that I presently owe. My maximum's on both of these cards was double what they reduced it to. I recently got a divorce and my credit file is full of bills and statements that are attributable to my ex-husband, however, I haven't had a chance to sit down, go through the list and make the corrections. I am not late, I pay these cards on time, and feel extremely angry about their arbitrary action."

Unfortunately, I hear this problem too often. Even if you are just an authorized user on the outstanding credit cards, the credit card companies can include the record on your credit report. When you know you are separating from a spouse, the first thing you should do is contact all your credit card companies, tell them about the pending divorce, ask that they freeze any joint accounts (which means no new charges will be allowed) and ask that your name be removed as an authorized user on any accounts under your spouse's name.

Separating your financial entanglements as soon as possible is critical as soon as you start a divorce process. Don't wait until the divorce is final. You could be held responsible for any debts your spouse runs up during the divorce process if you don't notify the creditors on accounts you hold jointly.

Ken and Daria Dolan, America's First Family of Personal Finance, answer your money questions every Friday.

Click here to ask Ken and Daria your question.

A reverse mortgage can sound like a tempting concept: Instead of you sending a mortgage payment each month, you receive one from the bank. Gee, just tell us where to sign up!

Not so fast. Reverse mortgages can be complicated and expensive, so you need to know how they work – especially in the midst of a financial crisis. Our video response explains what to watch out for, when they can work best for you, and what factors to consider before signing up.

Learn more about reverse mortgages at Dolans.com, where you'll find complete information on refinancing and saving big bucks on your payments.

Many people are contacting WalletPop.com regarding harassing calls from creditors trying to collect debt payments. Can these calls be stopped and what happens if you do successfully stop the calls? There is a law that protects you from harassment called the "Fair Debt Collection Practices Act."

Let's take a look at your protections and what steps you can take to stop the harassment.

All personal, family and household debts are covered by this act. These debts can include money owed for the purchase of a car, for medical care and any charge accounts. When a creditor wants to collect a debt from you they have the right to contact you in person, by mail, by telephone, by telegram, or by fax, but they can only make these contacts between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. A debt collector may not contact you at work if you tell the collector that your employer disapproves of such contacts. Once the debt collector has talked with you once during the day they cannot contact you any more that day or it's considered harassment. They must actually talk with you. If you let the phone ring and don't take the call they can continue to call the number.

You can stop the calls by contacting the collector in writing and telling the collector to stop. Once the collector receives your letter, he or she may not contact you again except to say there will be no further contact or to notify you that he or she plans to take some specific action, such as file a lawsuit. Collectors can't make threats unless they plan to carry them out. If a collector does take you to court and win, the collector may be able to garnish your wages or seize assets, so be sure you want to risk that lawsuit by telling them to stop.

Looking for a safe place to stash my money recently, I debated whether I should choose the one-year CD that currently yields 4.2%, or the free airline ticket for opening up a new bank account. Or should I open an account at the bank that will make a $100 donation to charity in my name, or the one that gives me $250 for referring friends who also open up accounts?

My choices are numerous these days, as banks battle it out to get my money. USA Today reports on the trend of banks offering airline tickets, charitable donations and even cash to drum up business as they search for low-cost funding.

Finally, one area where we can get more for our money. Now that more non-traditional lenders are turning into bank-holding companies (American Express being the latest), there's more competition for the deposits they need to stay funded, so plan on seeing more banks offering you more perks if you just hand your money over to them. It also means they'll bid up the rates offered on CDs, jumbo CDs and other deposits. I'm hoping they bid it up to a 5% yield; a federal credit union did just that recently for a nine-month CD. And if a positive return sounds better to you than an airplane ticket, check out Bankrate for the highest CD yields, updated daily.

Researchers are now identifying what many of us in mental health already knew -- sometimes people's money problems are a part of their psychological makeup. Their attitudes, beliefs and expectations about money are developed in childhood and can affect how a person handles money their entire life.

Some experts like the Financial Consulate in Hunt Valley, MD., recommends that people recognize their history with money by participating in an exercise called their "Personal Money Story." This historical review can uncover the habits, trends and decisions that work for or against a solid financial standing.

I have long noted in my private practice that people who struggle financially often make the most ridiculous decisions; buying a new aquarium when they can't make the mortgage payment, taking an expensive trip when they just lost their job, etc. They may be able to rationalize, explain and justify what they are doing but it still does not make financial sense.

Take a few minutes to take stock of your financial health. At a minimum you should know how much you need each month to break even, how much you bring in, and what your net worth is. I highly recommend using a financial software program like Quicken or Microsoft Money to keep track of all spending. You will be amazed how money gets frittered away on impulse buying or poor decisions.

Barbara Bartlein is the People Pro. For her FREE e-mail newsletter, please visit: The People Pro.

As we revel in the exhausted quiet of post-election, I though this would be a good time for us to look forward a few years. Take your best guess as to where you personally will be at the time of the 2012 election.

Here's what I see in my crystal ball-

• My stock portfolio will have recovered most of its value, but interest rates will climb as the U.S. finds it more difficult to borrow from abroad.
• Our national debt and the drive for some minimal health care for the uninsured will force the government to take measures to reduce the overwhelming burden of social security obligations. I'm anticipating that the retiree's social security payments will be indexed against their after-tax income, so my income from pensions, IRAs, 401Ks and other investments will shrink my social security check.
• The next step toward national health care will come in the form of an expansion in Medicare eligibility, but not for the middle-class.
• . Without a super-majority, the Democrats will have to accept very modest progress on this issue.
• We will see increased tax incentives on high-mileage vehicles and/or surcharges on low-mileage vehicles. If the latter, I look for this to come about as a way of funding alternative fuel research.
• I expect to be paying more for schools, as the echo generation enters their child-rearing years.
• I anticipate a glut of large family homes in high-tax suburbs on the market as we boomers look to downsize and reduce our tax burden.
• I think I'll be working at a job that didn't even exist in 2008. The Internet evolves way faster than politics.
• I think Barak Obama's race will be a non-issue.
• I think we'll still have our fingers in Afghanistan and Iraq, and neither country will be stable. I'm very nervous about Pakistan and Egypt, too.

Many people are finding that their credit scores have taken a big hit during these tough economic times. and as layoffs continue to mount more people will find they face a problem. In today's tight market if your score is below 650, you can probably forget about getting new credit.

People with scores between 650 and 700 may be able to get credit, but they'll pay higher interest rates. To get the best rates you'll need a score over 760, but that's been true for a long time. The big difference now is that fewer people have scores above 760 as the credit reporting agencies put tighter restrictions on those scores.

Most people who pay their bills on time and who carry average credit utilization of about 25% to 35%, fall in the level of 700 to 750. You have to use less than 20% of your available credit to get the best scores. You also should not have applied for credit more than twice in the past 12 months.

It is reported that home values have decreased 17% across the country. And I know they have decreased where I live, in Milwaukee -- so what gives with my taxes? They just continue to go up. We just received notice of a 14.5% increase for next year. Supposedly taxes are based on home values and our house is compared to others in the neighborhood. If values are going down -- why aren't taxes?

I know, it is said that taxes never go down. But I just don't get it. Every year services get cut, the parks are neglected and my leaves sit in the street. Not sure where the taxes are going but it isn't for services. The roads are full of potholes and they are talking about taking down Hoan Bridge, which connects my area of town to the city, because the cost of repairs are too high. Where is all the money going?

I don't know about the rest of the country but mismanagement, sweetheart deals for some of the city and county employees and waste are at least part of the problem. Milwaukee's county executive, Scott Walker, continues to cut services to our beautiful park system while giving one of his key staff members a 33% raise. Our previous county executive was a part of a pension scandal that has cost taxpayers millions. Why do I have to pay for other people's mistakes?

These are the kinds of issues that voters are upset about. Make sure your voice is heard in the voting booth.

Barbara Bartlein is the People Pro. For her FREE e-mail newsletter, please visit: The People Pro.

With the turmoil in today's markets, more and more retirees are returning to the workforce for extra money. Worried about outliving their shrinking portfolios, many folks are leaving the fishing and golfing to get a job. Some are resentful, feeling that they paid their dues and shouldn't have to work. Others welcome the chance to get out of the house and do something they enjoy.

Regardless of the mindset, work is good for the soul. The word retirement is used only twice in the Bible and both times as a punishment. The idea of retirement really wasn't in people's minds until the advent of social security in 1935. While there were other entitlement programs before this time; benefits to Civil War widows and children being one of them, no program addressed every American until the Social Security Act.

When this legislation was initiated, retirement age was arbitrarily established at 65. While there have been adjustments in recent years, people still view retirement in their 60's as a right that they have earned. This is too bad because physical and mental health are based on exercise and stimulation. Too many older folks find that exiting the workforce alienates them from people, activity, and personal reward.

Personally, I never plan on retiring. I like the work I do. Speaking across the country, writing columns and books, and consulting gives me lots of flexibility and variety. That is, of course the key. Finding something you really love to do and then figure out a way to get paid for it.

Barbara Bartlein is the People Pro. For her FREE e-mail newsletter, please visit: The People Pro.

Radio, TV, infomercials, and phone calls--stop already. This election has been the longest one I can remember; it has gone on and on. At this point, hasn't everyone made up their mind? I made mine up shortly after the primaries. Will another ad or two make a difference?

Apparently the candidates think so. Obama spent a fortune last week renting time on every major station for his infomercial. He plans to release another ad today showing McCain's ties to Cheney. McCain, who doesn't have the war chest of money like Obama, went on Saturday Night Live to increase his reach. By far, the best part of the McCain campaign is Tina Fey's rendition of Sarah Palin.

The ads are endless. That is all you see on TV and if you try to escape in your car, they are on the radio. I try to hide in the house, but folks are coming to the door and calling me on the phone. At this point, I will vote for anyone who doesn't call me with a recorded message.

It raises the question whether this is the best way to do things. With so many folks struggling in this bleak economy, couldn't the political money be put to use helping people? It would be an interesting campaign if every dollar spent had to be matched with a charitable donation. Just think how many folks this could help.

I could enjoy the ads then, knowing that every dollar spent actually helped someone else. I would give more to the campaigns knowing that the money was put to good use. I can't wait until Tuesday is over.

Barbara Bartlein is the People Pro. For her FREE e-mail newsletter, please visit: The People Pro.

We've been getting a lot of desperate comments from people who are seeing their credit destroyed as their personal financial lives take a nose dive. Many are losing jobs and others are facing severe medical problems. Some made big bets with investment property in real estate and now face numerous foreclosures. All are probably facing major drops in their credit scores and not able to get new credit in the tight market today.

So how long does it take to fix your score, if your score is down dramatically after a credit disaster? The good news is that your most recent history is what impacts your score the greatest, so as these bad debt reports age you will find your score gradually getting better as long as you pay on time starting from today.

I have seen people with bankruptcies get back up to the high 600s within three years. What does that mean in today's credit market? They would probably be able to get credit, but they will likely not get the best credit offers. In order to get the best interest rates you need a score of 760. The next best rates go to people with scores of 700 to 759. People between 650 and 699 can still get credit but they will pay significantly more for it in higher interest rates. Under 650 you probably will find it very difficult, if not impossible, to get credit.

How long will it take to get a clean credit record? Most of the negatives on your credit report will drop off after seven years, but you don't have to wait that long to see an improvement in your score. If you have a clean record of payments on time for three years and you don't apply for more than one or two new cards at that time your score should go above 650. If you want to get that score above 700, you'll need to get your debt levels closer to 10 to 20 percent. Even if you're good, you probably won't reach 700 for at least four years.

Lita Epstein has written more than 25 books including the "Complete Idiot's Guide to Improving Your Credit Score" and "The 250 Questions You Should Ask to Avoid Foreclosure."

The mail carrier knows: when the envelopes from the local utilities start changing color, it's bad news. Most gas and power companies use yellow for warning, pink for impending shut-off. In an NPR interview, Andrea the mail carrier (who is not yet a figure in John McCain's campaign) talked about what she knew about the economy from her mail route. She knew, for instance, that there were many residents on her Seattle route who were constantly flirting with shut-off notices.

Today's Wall Street Journal has more solid proof, citing reports that localities such as Memphis and Pennsylvania had increased utilities shut-offs between 38% and 78% so far this year, with a New Jersey utility company making the chilling observation that it has been "diligent in our shutoff activities" in 2008.

But you hardly need independent verification; all you have to do is walk around your neighborhood and look for the door knob notices in bright colors, the closer to red, the worse off your neighbors are. Utilities are responding to the situation without remorse, considering reducing the past-due amount that will require shut-off and installing new wireless, digital meters that can be shut off remotely without extra cost for sending out a crew. (Brilliant! Power to the ... oh wait ...)

Have you seen many pink envelopes in your neighborhood? I've seen a few in mine, but it's the same houses all the time, so it hardly feels connected to the economic crisis. But with prices up everywhere, this winter could prove to be full of bright colors.

Ken and Daria Dolan, America's First Family of Personal Finance, answer your money questions every Friday.

Click here to ask Ken and Daria your question.

With the presidential election just days away, you would think we'd be hearing about some real solutions to the unprecedented challenges facing our economy right now (what a concept!) Wrong. The financial crisis has brought about more questions than answers and we've had it up to here.

You deserve answers, so we're taking matters into our own hands and tackling your most pressing concerns about the market mess. Everything from retirement to investing to getting a loan, these are the straight answers you won't get anywhere else.

Not sure where to turn in the midst of the financial crisis? Ken and Daria offer real solutions, tools and strategies on Dolans.com to help you survive and thrive.

Imagine yourself, watching your house be auctioned off. Maybe you, like Tracy Orr, were laid off from your job. She worked for the USPS, and she believes she was fired wrongfully (she got a DWI when off-duty), but while she was contesting the job loss, her house was slipping away.

So there you are. Strangers are offering impossibly low bids for your home. You paid $80,000 four years ago, and they're offering $20,000? One asks you if your house is worth the price. You say "yes," you cry more.

She wins the house for $30,000. This is it, you think, I've lost everything. The woman turns to you. Say her name is Marilyn Mock. She says, "I did this for you." What? "You look like you needed a friend."

It's not a day dream: this actually happened, in Pottsboro, Texas. One woman bought another woman's home, and handed it back to her. Whatever the individual circumstances, this was a lovely thing to do. Maybe there is hope for our society. [via Daily Kos, where the evaluation of what this act says about humanity is lovely.]