J.D. Blackwell articles

My realtor insisted on using his recommended home inspector, I bought the home and now I’m facing repairs they somehow missed. What can I do?

The realtor insisted that you use his recommended home inspector, but he missed several problems with the house that are going to cost you money. We look at what options you still have.
January 2, 2026 J.D. Blackwell

I want us to use my husband’s Christmas bonus to pay off our credit card debt, but he’s insisting we splurge and “treat ourselves” instead. Now what?

Your husband’s Christmas bonus just came in, but instead of paying off debt, he wants to splurge on luxuries over the holidays. We look at ways to put the money to better use.
December 22, 2025 J.D. Blackwell

We were promised that plastic waste would be recycled into new products, but most of America’s plastic ends up burned, buried, or shipped overseas.

Consumers were told that recycling programs would save the planet. But the reality is that plastic recycling isn't economically viable, and the system was built more on marketing slogans than economic reality.
December 19, 2025 J.D. Blackwell

I just moved into our house yesterday and the guy next door is already demanding that I pay for half of the fence he put in six months ago. Now what?

A neighbor shouldn't be asking you to pay half the cost of a fence installed months before you moved in, but it's still important to confirm your legal standing.
December 3, 2025 J.D. Blackwell

Nations with vast oil wealth are diversifying into green energy — not because they want to, but because they have to.

Countries dependent on crude oil revenues are stepping up their green energy investment not just because of obligations, but out of necessity.
November 18, 2025 J.D. Blackwell

Before his downfall for insider trading, Ivan Boesky boasted that “greed is alright.” His words were made famous by the movie “Wall Street.”

Ivan Boesky’s rapid rise and stunning downfall was emblematic of 1980s Wall Street excess and inspired Hollywood’s most notorious character, Gordon Gekko.
November 11, 2025 J.D. Blackwell

I gave my friend a reference with my boss to get her a job with us, but she’s arriving late to work every day and causing problems. Now what?

You helped your friend get a job with your organization, but now she's showing up late every day and driving everyone nuts. We look at how to handle the situation.
November 3, 2025 J.D. Blackwell

The Real Cost Of Ticket Scalping On Sports And Music Fans

When tickets for concerts and sporting events sell for hundreds, or even thousands of dollars above face‑value, it isn’t just demand driving the price. We look at the system of ticket scalping, who benefits from it, and what can be done about it.
October 27, 2025 J.D. Blackwell

My mom named her two brothers co-executors of her will. Now my inheritance is on hold because they’re not on speaking terms. What can I do?

When two people are listed as co-executors of an estate, it can complicate your inheritance, especially if the two executors aren't on speaking terms. We look at how to proceed.
October 15, 2025 J.D. Blackwell