J.D. Blackwell articles

I called in so I wouldn’t get my coworkers sick. I could’ve worked from home, but my boss refused. I have to burn a sick day now. Is this normal?

Companies can have strict policies about working from home when you say you are too sick to come in to the office.
May 12, 2026 J.D. Blackwell

My mom left me everything in her will, but she was co-signor on my uncle’s mortgage. Am I now on the hook for his debt too?

When a co-signor to a loan dies, their obligation stays with their estate, but doesn't transfer to next of kin personally.
May 1, 2026 J.D. Blackwell

Our previous landlord is billing us for water damage to the rug that he just discovered. We already moved out three months ago. Can he do that?

If you moved from a house several months before, your old landlord could still try to charge you for damage.
April 16, 2026 J.D. Blackwell

My neighbor borrowed my power washer, then used it to start a driveway cleaning business. Am I entitled to some of the money he made?

If someone borrows an item from you and uses it for their business, shouldn't you get some of the money they made?
April 1, 2026 J.D. Blackwell

My boomer father-in-law laughed at me for buying Bitcoin years ago. Now he’s demanding a loan to save his failing business. Do I help or let him fail?

Your father-in-law mocked you for buying Bitcoin, but now he's asking for you to lend him money for his small business. Should you let bygones be bygones?
March 25, 2026 J.D. Blackwell

Grocery Items That Saw The Biggest Price Increases in 2025—And Some That Didn’t

A lot of grocery items saw steep price increases in 2025, but not all of them.
March 18, 2026 J.D. Blackwell

The landlord demanded references from me, but is there a way for me to find out if he’s a good landlord before I sign the lease?

It's understandable that landlords want to see references from potential tenants, but how do tenants verify a new landlord?
March 17, 2026 J.D. Blackwell