Here, in a nutshell, are bankruptcy basics for family lawyers. This isn’t everything you need to know to navigate a dissolution where one spouse files bankruptcy, or when marital debts suggest both spouses should file. It’s a start to a complex issue. You can get the basic introduction to concepts and terms operative in bankruptcy […]
Step By Step Guide To Business Shutdown
There’s lots written on how to start a business. Not so much about shutting down a business. Even pre-pandemic, half of all new businesses fail within 5 years. This year, the pain is so much greater. So let’s walk through how to close a business, tie up loose ends, and minimize problems that may follow […]
What’s After Forbearance
Last spring, the CARES Act entitled everyone with a federally backed home mortgage to a forbearance of 6 months, extendible for another 6 months. 15 USC 9056. The end of the mandated forbearances is approaching for many. But the law provides no clue as to what comes after forbearance. Fannie Mae (the Federal National Mortgage […]
7 Essentials For Better Results From Filing Bankruptcy
Plan before filing bankruptcy and you get better, more certain relief. Even if you’re not quite sure that you’re ready to take the bankruptcy plunge, scout the bankruptcy territory. Take some time to learn the rules and explore ways to maximize the relief available in bankruptcy. If you don’t plan ahead and just rush into […]
Separate Finances Doesn’t Protect Spouse From Financial Disaster
By keeping separate finances, this California couple thought they had insulated the wife from the financial woes of her entrepreneur husband. They didn’t share bank accounts nor credit cards while she carefully kept her distance from his business dealings. Her name was not on anything tied to his business. But “separate” isn’t enough to overcome […]
What Does A Bankruptcy Lawyer Do For You
Lawyers cost money and you’re considering bankruptcy because you don’t have enough money. What would a bankruptcy lawyer do for you? The existence of official bankruptcy forms make it seem that bankruptcy is just filling out forms. Unfortunately, that isn’t so. Forms are only part of the picture. An important part, but not the whole […]
California Stimulus Checks Available Only When You File Your Tax Return
Are you eligible for a California stimulus check? This state program provides cash payments to low and moderate income individuals, regardless of immigration status. But the stimulus checks are tied to filing a tax return. No tax return, no California stimulus check. Mind you, this Golden State Stimulus is in addition to the federal stimulus […]
Which Spouse Is Liable For Debts In California
California has been a community property state since 1850, and still we struggle to understand which spouse is liable for debts. So here, broad brush, is a guide to the legal liability of spouses, ex spouses, registered domestic partners and their community property for debt. Because, as I’ve written, the community is a third “party” […]
Can You Rescue Your Business With Chapter 13
Small business owners who are sole proprietors can enlist the power of bankruptcy’s Chapter 13 to rescue their business at a price they can afford. Everyone thinks of Chapter 11 as the “keep the business and ditch the debt” form of bankruptcy. But traditional Chapter 11 is cumbersome and just flat out too expensive for […]
