Bankruptcy
Before Filing Bankruptcy: What to do, What to Avoid.
Before filing bankruptcy think about taking steps to make sure your case goes smoothly. If all goes well in a chapter 7 bankruptcy, unsecured debt, including typical credit card debt, goes away in just under 4 months. Can you keep your favorite credit card? Are one or two credit card […]
Surrendering a Car in Bankruptcy: The Best Option For You?
Surrendering a car in bankruptcy means you give up the car. But, the chapter 7 surrender also means the loan goes away. People often ask me if they can keep their car if they file bankruptcy. And if they have a modest car without a lot of “equity”, the answer […]
Veterans in Bankruptcy – V.A. Benefits Excluded from Means Test
Veterans in bankruptcy face enough challenges. One such challenge no longer exists. The federal government on August 23, 2019 enacted the Honoring American Veterans in Extreme Need Act of 2019. Also known as “HAVEN” the law amends Section 101(10A) of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. As a result, Veterans Administration and […]
5 Top Bankruptcy Facts: Weighing the Reality and the Impact
Bankruptcy facts give us some perspective on what leads up to financial problems and what this legal option involves. Americans love their credit cards. You often can’t check out of a big box store without the cashier … if there is still a cashier … trying to sell you their […]
Car In Bankruptcy: Redeeming & Other Options
Bankruptcy brings eye opening awareness of personal finances and one nagging issue for many is what happens to a car in bankruptcy. If it is a reliable car with affordable payments can you keep it? If it’s an old clunker can you get rid of it? What about a car […]
FICO Credit Score: New Scoring System Helps Some Borrowers
FICO credit scores mean everything to anyone applying for a loan. The company behind FICO plans a new way to calculate the score for some in 2019. Whether it’s a credit card, a car loan or a mortgage chances are the lender looks at your FICO score to figure out […]
Medical Bills and How to Handle Them – Insurance Issues
Medical bills are through the roof. Even though we’re all supposed to have health insurance, not everyone does. Even with health insurance, co-pays and deductibles alone often break the bank. Can health care providers send their bills to collection? Are there special rules for bill collectors going after people for […]
Student Loan Debt: Will Bankruptcy Law Ease?
Student loan debt nags at over 44 million Americans facing a total of 1.48 trillion dollars in student loans. 14% owe over $50,000. That holds student loan holders back from making desired purchases such as homes and cars. It challenges young adults otherwise seeking to gain independence and get a […]
Homestead Protection: Amounts Covered Vary by State
Think of “homestead” and you might envision a scenic home representing a historical residence or grand family estate. In the legal world, homestead law protects equity in a home from being taken by creditors. Such protections exist in state law. Nearly every U.S. state has its own homestead statute, designed to […]
Collections Supposed to Stop After Bankruptcy: Computer Did It Defense
Collections are supposed to stop after you file bankruptcy. Bankruptcy law imposes an automatic stay, effectively a federal court injunction ordering credit card companies, bill collectors, collection attorneys, banks and others to stop all collection activity. Even collection law suits filed to collect debts must stop under the automatic stay […]
