Category: Chapter 13 Archive
Getting Divorced in the Midst of Chapter 13 Bankruptcy
Justin Harelik
January 2, 2017
Recently, I sat down in a consultation with a woman who was concerned about the status of her Chapter 13 bankruptcy in connection with a pending divorce. She wasn’t even sure how to ask the question, but after a bit of discussion we decided that what she really wanted to ...
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What Happens When You Miss a Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Payment?
Justin Harelik
December 9, 2016
A Chapter 13 bankruptcy is often referred to as a reorganization bankruptcy. It allows people who see a regular income to create a plan to repay all or a designated part of their debt through the bankruptcy court and the assistance of a bankruptcy trustee. Under the Chapter 13 bankruptcy, ...
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Chapter 13 Bankruptcy: Can I Strip a Second Mortgage?
Justin Harelik
November 21, 2016
When filing a Chapter 13 bankruptcy, you may be able to strip a second mortgage if there is no equity in your home after the first mortgage. In this instance, the second mortgage can be treated similar to any other unsecured lien (like a credit card debt) and the debtor ...
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Lease-to-Own Property and the Chapter 13 Bankruptcy
Justin Harelik
November 16, 2016
There are all kinds of ways to get overwhelmed by debt. You might start off with a little bit of credit card debt, and then add a mortgage. A little while later you may throw in an auto loan or two. Along the way, you may be very friendly with ...
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Exiting a Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Plan Early
Justin Harelik
November 2, 2016
The Chapter 13 bankruptcy is designed for bankruptcy petitioners who have a regular income. The Chapter 13 allows a debtor to keep property and pay debts back over a predetermined period of time, usually 3-5 years. It’s often referred to as a wage earner’s plan. Petitioners work alongside the bankruptcy ...
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Can a Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Payment be Deferred?
Justin Harelik
July 11, 2016
When you declare Chapter 13 bankruptcy, the bankruptcy court determines a set pay schedule for a pre-determined amount of time. In cases where unforeseen events cause major dips and dives in the income of bankruptcy filers post-bankruptcy, they can come up against a major problem: the inability to make the ...
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Purchasing a Vehicle Before Receiving Bankruptcy Discharge
Justin Harelik
May 6, 2016
There are many bankruptcy petitioners who fear the consequences wreaking havoc on their ability to have a vehicle and stay mobile. Bankruptcy laws may leave petitioners aware that they can’t keep the vehicle they have currently (for a number of different reasons), but equally aware that they will need a ...
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Converting Chapter 13 to Chapter 7 Due to Divorce
Justin Harelik
April 11, 2016
If you are in the midst of a Chapter 13 bankruptcy plan and you find yourself facing a divorce, you don’t want to add to the emotional stress with financial stress that can be avoided. Divorce typically comes with some major financial changes: two households instead of one, spousal maintenance, ...
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Reducing a Chapter 13 Payment Due to Divorce
Justin Harelik
April 8, 2016
When in the midst of a Chapter 13 bankruptcy plan, filing for a divorce will mean revisions that have to be accepted by the bankruptcy trustee. Since many Chapter 13 bankruptcy plans are very strict and leave very little “extra” cash, many feel as if they are left in an ...
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Receiving a Tax Refund During Chapter 13 Bankruptcy
Justin Harelik
March 23, 2016
There’s not really a specific time that is all around “bad” for filing Chapter 13 bankruptcy. The best timing to file really depends upon your specific situation. It can depend upon the timing of personal events, the date of the last large credit transaction, major financial crises, etc. One thing ...
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