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Avoid Paying Taxes On That 1099 Form, Legally

By Cathy Moran

IRS form 1099

It’s tax time and the mails are full of IRS form 1099. If you managed a short sale of your property; suffered a foreclosure; filed bankruptcy; or settled your debt for less than you owed, you probably got a 1099. But that’s not the end of the tax story. Receipt of the form does not […]

Filed Under: Featured, Taxes

California Exemptions Increase for 2025

By Cathy Moran

new exemption numbers

New 2025 California exemption amounts becomes effective April 1, 2025. And it’s no joke. The new exemption numbers will protect more value in cash and assets necessary for everyday living. Exemptions define the assets that are safe from creditors in bankruptcy. The California exemptions found in CCP 704 exemptions are also available outside of bankruptcy […]

Filed Under: Featured, Strictly California Tagged With: 2022, california exemptions

Your Tax Refund In The Crosshairs In Debt Collecting Season

By Mike Cardoza

debt collecting season

Who knew that there was a season for debt collecting?  Debt collectors see your tax refund as easy pickings. My friend and colleague attorney  Mike Cardoza does.  See what he says. The beginning of the year through about the end of March is the big season for debt collection! Why? Because collectors are pretty sure that […]

Filed Under: Debt Collection Rights, Featured Tagged With: 2018, tax refund

What Happens To Your Business in Bankruptcy

By Cathy Moran

business in bankruptcy

Before you file bankruptcy, you need to know what happens to your business in your bankruptcy. And like so many things, there’s no single, simple answer. Two factors drive the fate of the business. One is whether the business is itself a legal entity, like a corporation or LLC. The second is what chapter you […]

Filed Under: Featured, Small business Tagged With: 2025, business, corporation, llc

Do You Qualify for Chapter 13: The Debt Limits

By Cathy Moran

13 debt limits

Chapter 13 debt limits are one of the eligibility requirements to file for this form of bankruptcy reorganization. The test has two prongs: unsecured debt and secured debt. Come in under each prong and you meet the debt limits test. For cases filed on April 1, 2025 and afterwards, the Chapter 13 debt limits are: […]

Filed Under: Featured Tagged With: 2025, chapter 13, debt limits

What You Think About Chapter 13 Is Dead Wrong

By Cathy Moran

bankruptcy misunderstanding

The difference between bankruptcy’s Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 is often expressed this way:    Chapter 7 is a liquidation proceeding Chapter 13 is a repayment plan And therein lies the biggest misconception about Chapter 13:  13 does not necessarily repay everything you owe. It’s a repayment plan alright, but not necessarily a 100% repayment . […]

Filed Under: Chapter 13, Featured Tagged With: 2018, chapter 13, repayment

Debt Settlement Is A Dud

By Cathy Moran

debt settlement

Debt settlement is often dangled in front of the financially challenged as an alternative to bankruptcy. Sounds good:  making a deal with your creditors has enormous appeal when you can’t pay everything that you owe. And debt settlement companies count on it. The pitch for “settling your debts” touches a nerve.  Almost everyone WANTS to […]

Filed Under: Featured Tagged With: debt management, debt settlement, settle debts

The Essential Step To Get Your Day In Court

By Cathy Moran

defending debt suit

When you’re sued on an old debt, it’s easy to imagine appearing on the court date to tell the judge your side of the story. You imagine the judge considering your argument and challenging the other side to prove otherwise. It’s a comforting image, but it will never happen if you haven’t taken the first […]

Filed Under: Debt Collection Rights, Featured Tagged With: collection, court, lawsuit, sued

Information is power….become more powerful

By Cathy Moran

knowledge is power

In the information age, we’re inundated with information about bankruptcy. Some of it accurate and much of it nonesense or worse. Half the people who’ve filed bankruptcy wouldn’t dream of telling you about it, and those who do talk are as likely to spread outdated or erroneous information as accurate, relevant information. The more you […]

Filed Under: Featured Tagged With: 2025

Debt Can Kill You If You Let It

By Cathy Moran

Debt is deadly. There is a straight-line connection between debt and health: the stress of too much debt erodes physical health. The single largest source of stress in the US, at least before COVID-19, is money. Or lack of money. Other potent sources of stress include work, the economy, family and relationships.  As a bankrutpcy […]

Filed Under: Considering Bankruptcy, Featured

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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

How One Family Settled Huge Debt For Pennies

Almost everyone wants to settle debt rather than file bankruptcy. But how about settling debt using bankruptcy? Here's how one family pulled it off. When they started the Chapter 13 trek, they owed $370,000 in personal loans and credit cards. As they completes the plan, they will have settled that debt for … Read more

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