By STEVE BUCCI, bankrate.com

A great deal of press coverage has included news of bank fee increases and charges. Less discussed has been the role of banks in the debt collection process. This week, I had three letters from readers with slightly different questions regarding bank levies. So I decided to answer all three. Here we go for my bank-levy trifecta.

Dear Debt Adviser: Your article, "Old debts won't hurt new loan," had a lot of valuable information I forwarded to my daughter. Twelve years ago, she was one of those 18-year-olds who was offered numerous credit cards, even though she was only a student. Her story is the familiar one of too much credit and no way to pay it all back.

Dear Debt Adviser: I have two credit cards each at 13.99 percent, totaling $9,100 of debt. I also own my truck outright. It is valued at $11,000. I make $400 in total payments to my credit cards per month. My idea is to sell my truck, pay off the credit cards and buy a used vehicle for around $15,000. This would be lower than what I currently pay to my credit cards.

Dear Debt Adviser: How do I find out the timeline on my debt? I know after six or seven years the debt is taken off. I would like to know if there is a way to see if it is gone. -- Mark

Dear Mark: Now you see it, now you don't! It takes more than a magician to make debt disappear. It takes time. Here's how you know if a debt has vanished:

Dear Debt Adviser: Several years ago, I bought my first home. Within that time, I met someone to whom I am now engaged. My fiance is divorced. Through the process of his divorce, he took his name off the mortgage loan he had with his ex-wife, but his name is currently on the home equity loan as a co-signer.

Dear Debt Adviser,

Dear Debt Adviser: I am a 22-year-old single parent who is seriously in debt and needs help.

Dear Debt Adviser: I am emailing you in hopes of getting some honest advice. I recently owned a condo in Atlanta, and I financed it with two mortgages. I used a first mortgage and a home equity loan/line of credit. This was not my primary residence. I'm one of the many people who tried to rent out my condo because I couldn't sell and break even.

Dear Debt Adviser: My credit score is 600. I plan to pay off my home completely. This will eliminate a major debt. How much will this improve my credit score? -- Patricia

Dear Steve: I have $30,000 in credit card debt that I want to pay off. I have had trouble juggling what is paid when, so I missed some payments. This has affected my credit score. I can make the payments, but the interest rates are high. I want to consolidate into one payment, so I know when it is due and can put more down each time.