If you have put off filing for bankruptcy so long that your creditors are already suing you, you may fear that it is too late to do anything about it. You aren’t alone. Most people wait until the very last minute before they seriously consider bankruptcy as an option. It seems to be human nature […]
When you file for bankruptcy, you receive an automatic stay, which requires that any and all creditors stop contacting you in order to seek payment on debts. When you receive your bankruptcy discharge, all eligible debts included in the bankruptcy filing are no longer your liability. These are two of the most common benefits of […]
A recent email arrived with a question from a women who hired an attorney two years ago to file a Chapter 13 bankruptcy. She paid the bankruptcy attorney $1,000 up front. No other payments were made, but the Chapter 13 bankruptcy was never filed. Her question was this: is it possible to obtain a refund […]
In a recent online discussion with a distressed woman, I was told the following story. A woman originally from Poland moved to the United States. She was married in the United States in 2009, but quickly realized she had entered into an abusive relationship and needed to get out and far away. Since she was […]
If you are a student considering bankruptcy, odds are you have wondered about how filing bankruptcy could affect your future eligibility for student financial aid and student loans. Will a successful bankruptcy affect your ability to obtain future assistance to pay school tuition, purchase books, and cover the costs of living while in school? Does […]
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 know was how do you […]
In a recent consultation, a prospective bankruptcy filer suggested that they would not be eligible to file for bankruptcy because they recently purchased a car. They were overwhelmed by credit card balances, drowning in old medical bills, struggling with student loans, and at the point where they were having trouble keeping their refrigerator full some […]
For many people, a career is a major priority. Even for those who don’t love their jobs, the thought of not advancing is very distressing. Everyone wants to succeed at work even if only to maximize their earning potential. So many worry that when they file for bankruptcy it will disrupt their career advancement or […]
Many people experience extreme financial distress during the same period when they are experiencing equally extreme distress in their relationship. We aren’t here to discuss if one situation is a catalyst for the other, but to outline how a legal separation alters the affect of bankruptcy on the filer and the filer’s spouse (from which […]
There are a lot of questions that need answers before the decision to file bankruptcy. There are a lot of questions that come up during the bankruptcy process. And there are more questions that crop up once the bankruptcy is closed and the discharge is received. One common “post-bankruptcy” question is, “Can I sell my […]
Meet Dawn and Jared. Dawn and Jared were high school sweethearts. They got married during college. Dawn eventually became a lawyer and Jared eventually became a doctor. By the time they got divorced, they hardly saw each other because they were both so busy and had such different priorities and schedules. They didn’t hate each […]
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, the debtor can propose a […]
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 could end up paying little […]
Being an adult is hard sometimes. And one of those times occurs when there’s a shortage of money, relationships have ended, property has been divided (theoretically) and someone is filing bankruptcy. In some cases, it can seem like you’re being pressured from all sides to do something that you don’t even understand. One such situation […]
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 your credit cards and they […]
Wage garnishment can cause major financial trouble. For those already considering filing for bankruptcy, it can be a catastrophe. That’s why it’s so important to know your rights regarding wage garnishment, bankruptcy, and stopping wage garnishment during bankruptcy. If you have filed for bankruptcy and your wages are still being garnished, you most likely want […]
If you file for bankruptcy, do you have to give up your car? This is one of the two most commonly asked questions by potential bankruptcy petitioners, the other being about the loss of the house. In some cases, the bankruptcy has been postponed out of fear of this particular loss. Maybe you’ve never been […]
No one likes his or her wages to be garnished and everyone wants money that was garnished to be returned. Those are just the facts. But depending on when your wages were garnished, what stage of the transfer process the funds were at when they filed, and whether or not certain motions are filed, you […]
One of the common issues that occur when someone decides they’d like to consider filing for bankruptcy is that they recently sold their car. In most cases, they did so because they needed the money. They were trying to figure their way out of their financial situation by coming up with additional funds. It seems […]
The Homeowners’ Association: some love them, some hate them, some put up with them as a necessary evil. Regardless of how or why you ended up in a community that charges homeowners’ association dues or fees, they aren’t something to dismiss out of hand. In fact, ignoring the payment of regularly due homeowners’ association fees […]