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Who Needs This Kind Of Help With Debts

By Cathy Moran

bankruptcy alternative

Eliminate your unsecured debt sooner than you ever thought possible. That’s the promise of one debt settlement company. It’s in their contract, not just their ads.  It must be so. The pitch preys on people’s profound desire to do the right thing.  Most people want desperately to pay their debts and avoid the “horror” that […]

Filed Under: Consumer Rights, Debt Collection Rights Tagged With: bankruptcy alternatives

5 Lies About Bankruptcy That Enrich Creditors

By Cathy Moran

lies about bankruptcy

If the truth will make you (debt) free, your creditors are motivated to lie about bankruptcy. After all, if you think there is no palatable alternative to making payments to them forever, you’ll keep filling their pockets each month. So, there’s no upside for a creditor in feeding you good information about bankruptcy. After all, […]

Filed Under: Considering Bankruptcy, Consumer Rights

Stop Making Quarterly Tax Payments & Stay Within The Law

By Cathy Moran

quarterly tax payment

Uncle Sam expects a quarterly tax payment from the self employed.  Since you don’t get a paycheck with regular tax withholding, the burden’s on you. Lighten the burden. Make this the last quarterly tax payment you pay. Seriously.  Don’t make any quarterly payments for this coming year. Think I’m advocating tax resistance?  No way. The tax collectors […]

Filed Under: Consumer Rights, Taxes Tagged With: self employed taxes

What Is Really Scary About Debt Collectors

By Cathy Moran

Debt collectors as sharks?

When I tell a client to stop paying credit cards, they look at me as though I’d suggested they jump into shark-infested waters. “But they’ll start calling me”, they wail. “I’ll be sent to collection“. In their mind, “collection” is a real place, with manacles dangling, barred windows, and water dripping down moldy dungeon walls. Turns out […]

Filed Under: Consumer Rights, Debt Collection Rights

Why File Bankruptcy? It’s Your Life Expectancy

By Cathy Moran

paying debts

Increasing life spans and the demise of pension plans is why filing bankruptcy now makes sense. Old debt has a way of sucking the air out of today’s budget. You can’t make repairs to your car or see to needed health care or accumulate an emergency cushion because you’re still paying for stuff you bought […]

Filed Under: Considering Bankruptcy, Consumer Rights Tagged With: 2017, IRA, retirement, savings

The Tax Deductions That Hide In Chapter 13

By Cathy Moran

tax deductions bankruptcy

It’s tax time: don’t overlook tax deductions in Chapter 13 bankruptcy case. Tax deductions lurk in the most unlikely places. If your Chapter 13 plan is catching up home loan arrears, there’s a deduction hiding in the trustee’s disbursement records. Most likely, the lender’s filed proof of claim in the bankruptcy case is full of […]

Filed Under: Consumer Rights, Taxes

Bankruptcy Discharge Slays IRS Form 1099

By Cathy Moran

form 1099

In a duel between a tax Form 1099 and a bankruptcy discharge, bankruptcy wins every time. The prize?  no tax on debt discharged in bankruptcy. So, if you’ve already gotten your discharge, the creditor’s 1099, with your social security number on it, is no threat. But you do need to file another form to secure […]

Filed Under: Consumer Rights, Taxes Tagged With: 1099, 2019

Your Business Partnership Needs A Prenup

By Cathy Moran

business divorce

Financial partnerships are at least as challenging as marriages.  And business deals don’t have love to smooth the rough spots in the relationship. The traditional marriage service ends with the charge that what God has joined together,  let no man put asunder. That’s great with love, but not so great with money. Something will likely asunder […]

Filed Under: Consumer Rights, Small business Tagged With: co owners, investor, joint venture, partnership

Your Tax Refund Is Exposed In Bankruptcy, Unless…

By Cathy Moran

tax refund bankruptcy

The prospect of a tax refund makes most of us light up  even when we haven’t even calculated what the refund might be. But if you’re thinking of filing bankruptcy before you actually see Uncle Sam’s check, take a minute to plan. Your right to that refund is property of your bankruptcy estate even if […]

Filed Under: Considering Bankruptcy, Consumer Rights, Taxes Tagged With: 2018

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Bankruptcy Basics

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. We dig deeper into how to consider bankruptcy and navigate a bankruptcy case.

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

How Bankruptcy Works

Bankruptcy Alphabet: F is for First

In my Bankruptcy Alphabet, F is for First meeting of creditors. Lots of rumors exist about the that meeting; it produces unwarranted anxiety that is avoidable if you understand what's up. Let's check it out. The first meeting of creditors, also called the 341 meeting, is often the only time a debtor has to appear … Read more

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