Three kinds of debt survive bankruptcy discharge, because they are unlike the other sixteen non dischargeable debts. Those three exceptions to discharge look, not at the kind of debt such as taxes, or support or student loans. Rather the exceptions look at how the debt arose. These exceptions prevent bad actors from escaping the consequences in bankruptcy. […]
The Strange Rules When A Creditor Is Left Off Bankruptcy Schedules
What happens if you miss putting a creditor on your bankruptcy schedules? In the bustle of preparing to file bankruptcy, a slip up is not uncommon. Notice is one of the fundamental rules of bankruptcy. Everyone to be affected by a bankruptcy case gets notice. That notice provides the creditor with an opportunity to participate […]
$7000 Off The Price Of The Car In Chapter 13
How would you like to reduce your car payment, by lots? In a recent case, Chapter 13 allowed my client to save $7000 off the loan balance based on an examination of the car finance contract. You couldn’t see the issue from the monthly statement. When I got the finance agreement itself, I found the […]
Life And Death of Debt In California
CPR has its place when human life is involved. Human life is precious. But when what’s dying is the legal right to collect a debt? Not so fast. You don’t want to breathe new life into an old debt that is legally dead. Yet you can do that, unintentionally reviving a debt that is legally […]
How To Save Your House With Chapter 13 Bankruptcy
Saving your house ranks high on the list of reasons people file Chapter 13. The automatic stay stops foreclosures; Chapter 13 gives you time to fix the problem. Powerful stuff. But the stay and more time, alone, aren’t enough to save the day if you run afoul of other rules, written and unwritten, about homeownership […]
Life After Bankruptcy: What’s It Really Like?
What’s life really like after bankruptcy? Everyone suffering through financial difficulties wants to know whether filing bankruptcy just trades one form of pain for another. Will you be shut out of the American dream forever? Unable to function in a world centered on electronic payments? Here’s a collection of our best stories and advice on […]
What Happens To Liens In Bankruptcy?
While most liens survive a bankruptcy discharge, some liens get wiped out. Think of mortgages, tax liens, and judgment liens. Each of them is a lien, but some get different treatment in bankruptcy. Some liens can even be reduced or eliminated . Lien basics A lien gives the creditor holding the lien an interest in […]
What You Think About Chapter 13 Is Dead Wrong
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 . […]
California Homestead Exemption: The Truth Isn’t What You Think
“They can’t take my house, whatever happens. Right?” The young man in my office “knew” how the California homestead works: he insisted that his home was exempt as a California homestead, even if he filed bankruptcy. He “knew” that credit card debt was dischargeable. And that “knowledge” lead to his conviction that , in bankruptcy, […]
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