Act soon. Verify who sent it, the exact deadline and whether it mentions court, shutoff or enforcement.
How Serious Is This?
🇺🇸 United States · US guidance
PHOTO → PLAIN ENGLISH → NEXT STEP
Plain-English urgency checker
Show us what’s worrying you.
A scary letter. A parking ticket. A strange warning light. A leak. A suspicious message. Something broken. We’ll help you work out how urgent it could be and what to do next.
What are you looking at?Start here, or just take a photo.
Take a photo of the thing that’s worrying you.
Letter, dashboard light, crack, leak, notice, appliance or anything else.
Start with the photo. The current version uses your description to make the urgency check more accurate. Don’t include passwords, bank details, Social Security numbers or other sensitive information.
✓ Photo captured and ready
On first use, your browser should ask for camera permission. If it was previously blocked, allow Camera for this site and try again.
For privacy, the preview stays in your browser. V3 does not read the image itself yet, so add the important wording below. Avoid full account numbers, SSNs, card details or other sensitive information.
Add a few words from the letter/photo or describe what you see first.
Upload a photo or screenshot.
Useful for letters, emails, texts, bills and notices.
Paste or type the important wording first so we can triage it.
Describe what happened or paste the wording first.
1–3 Usually low urgency
4–6 Deal with it
7–8 Act promptly
9–10 Immediate safety issue
6/10
Deal with this soon
This may become more serious if it is ignored.
US-first guidanceRule-based triage
What this probably means
What to do now
What happens next?
Why we rated it this way
Trusted help
What would make this more serious?
What should I check next?
What can you check?
Everyday problems where the hard part isn’t knowing what it is — it’s knowing whether you can leave it, should deal with it today, or need urgent help.
💳 Bills & debtCollections, overdue bills, shutoff warnings, bank issues.
⚖️ Legal & officialSummonses, court papers, notices and government letters.
🅿️ Parking & drivingTickets, citations, DMV notices and vehicle paperwork.
🛡️ Scams & messagesSuspicious texts, emails, payment requests and threats.
🚗 Car problemsWarning lights, overheating, noises, smells and leaks.
🏠 Home problemsLeaks, cracks, damp, electrical issues and appliance faults.
🧾 Tax & governmentIRS letters, state tax notices and official demands.
🔌 Tech & appliancesFault codes, hot plugs, batteries, appliances and devices.
What kind of answer will I get?
Not everything worrying is an emergency. The useful bit is knowing what changes the urgency and what to check next.
Potentially serious. Continuing to drive can cause major damage. Stop safely and check the vehicle guidance.
Usually monitor rather than panic — unless it is growing, wide, diagonal, accompanied by movement or near a structural problem.
US-FIRSTWhen the result matters, verify it with the right authority.
The checker points people toward official sources such as USA.gov, FTC, CISA, NHTSA, CPSC and FEMA where relevant. Rules and deadlines can vary by state and situation.
Start with the thing that worried you.
These are some of the most common situations. For everything else, use the checker above or browse the full guide library.
Final notice letterDeadlines, enforcement and what happens next.
Court summonsResponse deadlines and default judgment risk.
Red dashboard lightWhen driving on could make things worse.
Suspicious textWhat changes the risk after a scam message.
Ceiling leakWater, sagging ceilings and electrical risk.
Tax noticeWhich deadlines and enforcement words matter.
Browse all 14 guides →
HOW IT THINKS
Three things drive the urgency.
1. Is anyone in danger?
Fire, gas, electrical hazards, severe vehicle warnings and other immediate physical risks rise to the top.
2. Is there a deadline?
Court, tax, debt, shutoff and official notices can become more serious when a response date is close.
3. What happens if you wait?
The checker looks for wording that suggests escalation, enforcement, worsening damage or loss of options.
A calm second look — not a scare machine.
We separate urgency from scary wording. The checker is designed to help you understand possible next steps, not to diagnose a medical condition, determine your legal rights, or replace a qualified professional. If there is immediate danger, fire, gas, serious electrical risk, violence, or a life-threatening situation, use emergency services rather than this checker.