Free guides
What to do — and what every confusing word means.
Plain-English answers for the moments that matter. Genuinely useful, free, and open — no account, no catch. Every page ends in the list of what to have written down, and the reading stays free whether you ever pick up a tool or not.
- Workplace injury
What should I do after a workplace injury?
A plain-English, step-by-step guide to the first hours after a work injury in the US: get care, report it, document everything, and protect your workers' comp claim.
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How long do I have to report a workplace injury?
A plain-English guide to workers' comp reporting deadlines in the US: why there are usually two clocks, why you should report in writing right away, and where to confirm your state's exact deadlines.
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What is an IME, and how do I prepare for one?
A plain-English guide to the workers' comp IME (Independent Medical Examination): what it is, why the insurer requests it, how to prepare, and how to document the exam itself.
Read the guide - Workplace injury
Can I be fired for filing a workers' comp claim?
A plain-English guide to retaliation and at-will employment after a workers' comp claim in the US: what's generally protected, what isn't, and how to document your situation.
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What should I do if my workers' comp claim is denied?
A plain-English guide to a denied workers' comp claim in the US: read the denial, hit the appeal deadline, gather the right evidence, and where to file. Includes when to get an attorney.
Read the guide - Rental & tenancy
What evidence do I need to get my security deposit back?
A plain-English guide to the evidence that gets a security deposit back: dated move-in and move-out photos, your lease, the deposit receipt, a forwarding address, and how to compare deductions.
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What should I do if my landlord won't make repairs?
A plain-English guide to unmade repairs: request in writing, document the problem, report a code issue, and why remedies like repair-and-deduct or withholding rent depend on your local law.
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What can I do if my landlord enters without notice?
A plain-English guide to landlord entry rules in the US: when notice is required, the emergency exception, your right to quiet enjoyment, and how to document repeated unannounced entry.
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How do I document mold or unsafe conditions in a rental?
A plain-English guide to documenting mold and unsafe conditions in a US rental: dated photos, written reports to the landlord, recording the cause, and when to call a housing or health inspector.
Read the guide - Neighbor disputes
What should I do about a neighbor's tree or fence dispute?
A plain-English guide to neighbor tree and fence disputes in the US: confirm the boundary and ownership, the general rule on trimming, local fence rules, and how to document it.
Read the guide - Neighbor disputes
How do I document neighbor harassment?
A plain-English, safety-first guide to documenting neighbor harassment in the US: keep a dated incident log, preserve evidence, report serious incidents, and where legal options come in.
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What evidence do I need for a property boundary dispute?
A plain-English guide to the evidence for a property boundary dispute in the US: your deed and plat, a licensed survey, dated photos of markers and encroachment, and county land records.
Read the guide - Wage & pay
What do I do if my employer isn't paying me?
A plain-English guide to unpaid wages in the US: document what the pay should have been, raise it in writing, and file a wage claim with your state labor office or the U.S. Department of Labor.
Read the guide - Wage & pay
How do I know if my overtime is being paid right?
A plain-English guide to overtime pay in the US: exempt vs non-exempt, the federal FLSA overtime rule, off-the-clock work, and how to track your hours — with the DOL and your state as the sources.
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What should I do if my employer won't give my final paycheck?
A plain-English guide to a withheld final paycheck in the US: what the final pay should include, how final-pay timing varies by state, requesting it in writing, and filing a wage claim.
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Am I being misclassified as a contractor?
A plain-English guide to worker misclassification in the US: control vs economic reality, why the label doesn't decide it, the differing IRS/FLSA/state tests, and what turns on the answer.
Read the guide - Taking formal action
How do I write a formal complaint that gets a response?
A plain-English guide to writing a formal complaint or demand letter that gets a response: state dated facts, point to your evidence, make one clear request with a deadline, and send it provably.
Read the guide - Taking formal action
What do I do when the other party ignores me?
A plain-English guide to a dispute where the other side won't respond: show delivery, send a firm follow-up, escalate deliberately, and watch the deadlines — turning silence into a next step.
Read the guide - Taking formal action
How do I escalate a dispute to a government agency?
A plain-English guide to escalating a dispute to a government agency in the US: find the right regulator (state AG, labor, housing, licensing board), file officially, and track your complaint.
Read the guide - Taking formal action
Should I take my dispute to small claims court?
A plain-English guide to small claims court in the US: what it's for, checking your state's limit and deadline, whether your claim is provable, and why winning isn't the same as collecting.
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When do I need a lawyer for my dispute?
A plain-English guide to whether you need a lawyer for a dispute in the US: when self-help is enough, the signals to get advice, low-cost options, and how legal fees work.
Read the guide - Consumer & contractor
How do I document a contractor who won't finish the job?
A plain-English guide to a contractor who won't finish: record the scope versus what's done, photograph the unfinished work, demand completion in writing, and escalate with your record.
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How do I get a refund for a product or service?
A plain-English guide to getting a refund in the US: start with the seller's policy, request it in writing, use a card chargeback where you can, and escalate to consumer protection or the FTC.
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What evidence do I need for a consumer complaint?
A plain-English guide to the evidence for a consumer complaint in the US: proof of purchase, the promise, a dated record of the problem, your communications, and a clear timeline and request.
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What should I do if a company won't honor a warranty?
A plain-English guide to a warranty a company won't honor in the US: read the terms, make a written claim, cite express and implied warranties, and escalate to consumer protection or the FTC.
Read the guide - Car accident
What should I do after a car accident?
A plain-English, step-by-step guide to what to do after a car accident in the US: get safe, document the scene and the other driver, get a police report where needed, see a doctor, and report it to your insurer.
Read the guide - Car accident
What photos should I take after a car accident?
The shot list for after a car accident in the US: wide scene shots, close-ups of all damage, the other car's plate and documents, road and weather conditions, injuries, and witness details — all dated and in one place.
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How do I deal with the other driver's insurance company?
A plain-English guide to dealing with the other driver's insurer after a US car accident: stay factual, be cautious about recorded statements, don't rush a settlement, keep everything in writing, and know your claim.
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What should I do after a hit-and-run?
A plain-English guide to what to do after a hit-and-run in the US: stay safe, capture whatever you saw of the car, call the police and file a report, photograph the damage, find witnesses and cameras, and report it to your insurer.
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How do I document injuries after a car accident?
A plain-English guide to documenting injuries after a US car accident: get checked promptly, follow treatment, keep every record and bill, take dated injury photos, and keep a symptom-and-impact journal.
Read the guide - Debt & collections
How do I know if a debt is actually mine?
A plain-English guide to verifying a debt in the US: use your FDCPA right to request validation, check for mistaken identity and wrong amounts, pull your credit reports, and watch for time-barred 'zombie' debt — before you pay or admit anything.
Read the guide - Debt & collections
What are my rights when a collector calls my work?
A plain-English guide to your rights when a debt collector calls your job in the US: the FDCPA workplace-contact rule, limits on revealing your debt to others, how to tell them to stop, and how to report violations to the CFPB.
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How do I dispute a debt in writing?
A plain-English guide to disputing a debt in writing in the US: use your FDCPA right to request validation within the window, what to include, how to send it trackably, and what a collector must do next — with CFPB sample letters.
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What should I do if I'm being sued for a debt?
A plain-English guide to being sued for a debt in the US: don't ignore it, file an answer by the court's deadline, keep what comes from every letter they send, raise defenses like the statute of limitations, and get legal aid.
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