About Us

The mission of EDS Financial, Inc. NFP (EDS), is to provide senior citizens and persons with disabilities the opportunity to live without the threat of harassment by creditors, thus enhancing their dignity and peace of mind.

Through its affiliation with Legal Advocates for Seniors and People with Disabilities (LASPD), EDS assists low-income disabled and senior citizens, with little to no assets. LASPD notifies their creditors and debt collectors that they are represented by counsel and unable to pay their consumer debts and that their limited income (Social Security, Disability, Veteran’s or Retirement income) is protected from collection under federal law. LASPD asks creditors and debt collectors to leave these disabled and elderly consumers alone. Often, the clients have had a history of being threatened or harassed by creditors and were very anxious about further communication with creditors. As a consequence, the fact that LASPD will handle communication with creditors is of vital importance to them.

By notifying their creditors and debt collectors that they are represented by counsel, and that they cannot pay the debts at issue due to their financial hardships, the clients are asserting their rights pursuant to various federal statutes. 

The clients are primarily referred to EDS by charitable social services organizations serving the elderly and disabled, legal aid organizations, private attorneys, neighborhood organizations, bankruptcy and debt relief organizations who have determined that they are not suitable for a bankruptcy or a debt payment program.

Details of the LASPD program can be found on its website:  mylegaladvocates.org.              

The LASPD program was started in conjunction with the Chicago Legal Clinic, Inc. (n/k/a the Greater Chicago Legal Clinic, Inc.) in 2004. The Clinic partnered with LASPD to provide these services. As the program grew to be national in scope, the Clinic focused more on clients in the Chicago area so the program has become affiliated with EDS.

EDS is overseen by Edward Grossman, former Executive Director of the Chicago Legal Clinic, Inc. and by Steven Jay Blutza, Ph.D., and attorney Donald Leibsker, the co-founders of LASPD, each having over 20 years of experience serving elderly and disabled persons with debt related problems.