You decided to declare personal bankruptcy. You’ve given the information about your debts, assets and finances to your bankruptcy attorney. S/he just filed your petition with the Bankruptcy Court. Now what? What happens after a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy is filed? Read more>>
When it’s time for bankruptcy planning, my clients in LA, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties often go “Huh?” It’s not obvious that filing bankruptcy should involve timing and strategy. But a good bankruptcy does. Why? To minimize assets the Bankruptcy Trustee may take. Here’s why pre-bankruptcy filing planning matters. Read more>>
For individuals (rather than businesses), there are two types of bankruptcy. Chapter 7 bankruptcy allows debtors to wipe out most existing debt, but there are strict income thresholds to qualify. Chapter 13 bankruptcy is a debt repayment agreement for higher-income people, that may or may not result in some of their debt being discharged at the end of the five year repayment plan. This blog overviews the basics of Chapter 7 personal bankruptcy. Read more>>
For many people, going through bankruptcy turns out to be the one of the best things they’ve ever done. So much so, it makes them blissful to recount why…. Read more>>
California increased the home equity people going through bankruptcy could keep in 2020: from $175,000 to $600,000, specifically so debtors wouldn’t lose their house in bankruptcy. It mostly works. Except with houses that have IRS tax liens on them.Read more>>
I have many bankruptcy/debt management clients whose credit cards have been closed, and they’re listed as closed on their credit report, but interest and late penalties keep getting tacked onto the balances due month after month. Huh? How is that even possible? I know it seems counterintuitive – that the credit card account is listed as “closed” but its outstanding balance keeps increasing. But it’s not. Read more>>
Credit card debt reduction can be accomplished by filing bankruptcy. But there’s also a way to reduce big credit card debt that doesn’t involve bankruptcy. I frequently offer this option to clients who either do not qualify for bankruptcy, or who would lose an important asset in bankruptcy. Read more>>
A common strategy for dealing with unmanageable debt is to file bankruptcy. Yet some people don’t have enough money to file bankruptcy. I don’t mean that they can’t afford to pay me (although that happens too), but that their life and financial situations combine in a way that bankruptcy makes no sense. But the turnip defense does. Read more>>
Debtor’s often have Notice of Federal Tax Lien outstanding at the time they file bankruptcy. How are these handled? Broadly, a properly-noticed lien survives bankruptcy. It continues to attach to any property Read more »
I don’t take credit cards. I don’t think it’s ethical, and here’s why Read more »
