Let’s walk through the basic bankruptcy process and what’s required to wipe out debts you can’t pay. I’ll keep this simple and assume that you’ve decided to file. ( At each step, links will point you to a further discussion of each issue. ) If you are undecided about whether bankruptcy is the right decision, […]
Hold Or Fold? How To Decide If Filing Bankruptcy Is Right For You
You’ve got to know when to hold ’em, know when to fold ’em; know when to walk away, know when to run… So goes the gambler’s advice to the young card player in the hit Kenny Rogers song. Hum along as we think about how we play our cards when we’re in debt: do you file bankruptcy […]
Can My Bankruptcy Discharge Be Denied?
Bankruptcy law presumes that a debtor will get a discharge in a properly filed case. The few reasons a discharge may be denied are spelled out in the Bankruptcy Code. The overwhelming number of Chapter 7 cases result in a discharge. There are no subjective tests for getting a discharge; you don’t have to prove […]
Is Your Choice Of Bankruptcy Chapters Really Dictated By Your Stuff?
Through my Twitter feed came a link to the pro’s and con’s of filing bankruptcy from the business section of the Chicago Tribune. Good chance to see how non lawyers see my world, I thought. Bankruptcy was all about protecting “stuff”, said the writer, and the choice of chapters is driven by the kind of […]
4 Compelling Reasons To File The Tax Return Even If You Can’t Pay
Should you file the tax return if you can’t pay the tax? You got to the bottom of your tax return and the amount you owe is bigger than your checkbook balance. Nope. It doesn’t work that way. The IRS does not start harassing nonpayers for money immediately after a return is filed. Or even […]
What’s Your Retirement Theme Song?
Why does tax season put me in mind of September Song ? Oh, the days dwindle down, to a precious few…. A precious few days to make your contribution to tax advantaged retirement accounts. Or, do you tap your foot to a different song: Do You Believe in Magic? Do you expect that finances in your old […]
Earmark Tax Payments To Get Proper Credit
Get proper credit for tax payment by earmarking. That way, you can tell the IRS how to apply any payment you make voluntarily. Earmarking your check requires them to skip their rules and apply the payment to the tax you direct. Bravo for a small measure of taxpayer control. The term “earmarking” traces to the […]
Can you file bankruptcy tomorrow?
Most people clearly have little sense of how long it takes to file bankruptcy. Proof is what happened Monday: there’s an email the morning’s inbox from a client whom I first met weeks ago. He tells me they want to file before Wednesday’s mediation in state court! I have no creditor information, representation agreement, money, […]
California’s Good Deed: Passing Real Property At Death
The horror stories about do-it-yourself estate planning are both plentiful and tragic. Between the fear of probate and the fear of legal fees, inventive people invent inexpensive strategies for passing property to the next generation. Adding someone to the deed is the most common one I see. It works like this: in order to see […]
The Kind of Person Who Files Bankruptcy
You’d think the person who files bankruptcy is some alien fraudster, to listen to my clients. This is last place I ever expected to be, says the client sitting in my bankruptcy office. I hear that probably twice a week. Or, the client assures me: I’m not the kind of person who doesn’t pay their […]
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