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About Cathy Moran

I'm a veteran bankruptcy lawyer and consumer advocate in California's Silicon Valley. I write, teach, and speak in the hopes of expanding understanding of how bankruptcy can make life better in a family's future.

Time Running Out On Dynamite Business Reorganization Opportunity

By Cathy Moran

small business bankruptcy

In less than a month, the nifty new small business bankruptcy option that makes Chapter 11 feasible for the little guy reverts to its far smaller debt limits. Still great, but available to fewer troubled businesses. SBRA is a new subset of a Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization. Also called a Subchapter V case, it’s designed […]

Filed Under: Featured, Small business, Uncategorized Tagged With: 2021, reorganization, SBRA

Bankruptcy Drives Credit Score Surprise

By Cathy Moran

Bankruptcy improved my client’s credit score, almost on the spot. Before bankruptcy, a miserable credit score was no surprise.  This client reported a 498 credit score before he filed. What was surprising is that, three month after he filed bankruptcy, his score was 614! That’s a 116 point increase in his score in three months.  […]

Filed Under: Credit, Featured, Life after bankruptcy Tagged With: 2019, credit score

Free Bankruptcy Advice: 5 Reasons Why I’m Not Free

By Cathy Moran

free bankruptcy consultation

There’s no free initial bankruptcy consultation in my office.  Unlike many, we charge for that initial meeting with a lawyer. (There’s no free lunch either.) That makes us different from lots of other bankruptcy lawyers. Different enough to offend a prospective client who called up this week.  He was unwilling to pay for a consultation, […]

Filed Under: Consumer Rights, You & your lawyer Tagged With: 2016

Closing Up Shop

By Cathy Moran

closing business

What can you do when it becomes obvious that your  business should close? The hardest part of being in business is recognizing when the business has no future and needs to close.  Yet the overwhelming majority of new businesses fail within 5 years. So you’re not alone.  In fact, in the face of the pandemic, […]

Filed Under: Featured, Small business Tagged With: 2017

Why You Don’t Want A Bankruptcy Attorney To Fight For You

By Cathy Moran Leave a Comment

bankruptcy lawyer

We Fight For You! screamed the on-line headline for a bankruptcy law firm. While I applaud the firm’s energy and commitment, I question their focus. Filing for bankruptcy shouldn’t result in a fight. It’s a remedy, not a rumble. If you’ve struggled with yourself about with the decision to file bankruptcy, actually doing it may […]

Filed Under: Featured, You & your lawyer

Can Your Business Survive The Pandemic?

By Cathy Moran

ailing business

When the virus shutdown is over, ailing businesses must consider whether to continue.

Filed Under: Consumer Rights, Small business Tagged With: 2020, covid-19

California Debtors Have Expanded Debt Collection Rights

By Cathy Moran Leave a Comment

California outdoes the rest of the country in its debt collection rights for consumers. Debt collectors have noticed the growing understanding of debtors about their rights to fair debt collection. And they aren’t happy. The Federal law Fair Debt Collection Practices Act regulates the conduct of third party collectors. Those protections apply everywhere and more […]

Filed Under: Strictly California

Are You Liable For Your Spouse’s Debts In California?

By Cathy Moran 2 Comments

spouse's debts

“Everyone knows” that California’s community property law makes you liable for spouse’s debts. Only, “everyone” is wrong. Or, more accurately, they’re only half right. Community property is liable for everything In California, the community property is liable for the debts of either spouse. In fact, the community property is liable for the debts that either […]

Filed Under: Strictly California Tagged With: community property

High Income Earners Pass Bankruptcy’s Means Test

By Cathy Moran Leave a Comment

ALERT:   Being above the median income on the means test is not an automatic bar to filing bankruptcy I’m so used to railing against deliberate campaigns of misinformation about bankruptcy that I forget that there’s a lot of innocent ignorance out there. Start with “qualifying” for bankruptcy. A very earnest and ethical financial counselor was […]

Filed Under: How bankruptcy works

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About The Soapbox

You've arrived at the Bankruptcy Soapbox, a resource of bankruptcy information and consumer law.

Soapbox is a companion site to Bankruptcy in Brief, where I try to be largely explanatory and even handed (Note I said "try").

Here, I allow myself to tell stories and express strong opinions on how I think law should work for the consumer and small businesses when it comes to debt.

Moran Law Group
Bankruptcy specialists for individuals and small businesses in the San Francisco Bay Area

How Bankruptcy Works

High Income Earners Pass Bankruptcy’s Means Test

ALERT:   Being above the median income on the means test is not an automatic bar to filing bankruptcy I'm so used to railing against deliberate campaigns of misinformation about bankruptcy that I forget that there's a lot of innocent ignorance out there. Start with "qualifying" for bankruptcy. A very … Read more

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Redwood City, CA 94063
Phone: (650) 694-4700

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