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 […]
5 Lies About Bankruptcy That Enrich Creditors
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, […]
Stop Making Quarterly Tax Payments & Stay Within The Law
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 […]
What Is Really Scary About Debt Collectors
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 […]
The Tax Deductions That Hide In Chapter 13
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 […]
Bankruptcy Discharge Slays IRS 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 […]
Your Business Partnership Needs A Prenup
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 […]
How Long Does Bankruptcy Take?
Every client filing bankruptcy asks that question: how long will bankruptcy take? Probably, the real question is “when will this be over?” Like so many questions in the law, the answer is “it depends.” From filing bankruptcy to discharge In a Chapter 7, filing to discharge is about four months; in Chapter 13 it’s three […]
Bankruptcy Questions Have Few Quick Answers
The caller to my law office kept telling my assistant: I just want to ask Cathy a question. To which my assistant replied: you need to first fill out our questionnaire and make an appointment. But I don’t want a meeting, I just want to ask a question. At which point, both sides of the call […]
TImeless Wisdom Doesn’t Apply When Filing Bankruptcy
“Don’t count your chickens before they hatch”. It’s a time-tested bit of folk wisdom. But applying that kind of thinking to legal claims when you’re filling out bankruptcy schedules is foolish. Worse, it can get you booted out of court. Count your “chickens” Bankruptcy starts with a list of what you own and what you […]
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