By Scott Riddle Posted in Bankruptcy Basics,Chapter 13,Chapter 7Most of the discussion in this Blog, and most other Bankruptcy websites, involve the primary benefit and goal of Bankruptcy – the discharge of debt. Many other posts are dedicated to avoiding foreclosure so you can catch up on your payments and keep your house, and this is still primarily an issue of dealing with… Continue Reading
By Scott Riddle Posted in Bankruptcy Basics,Chapter 13The internet is a great thing, so thanks to Al Gore for inventing it. If I need to fix something around the house and run into trouble, chances are there are Youtube videos that will solve the problem. If you are considering Bankruptcy, you might start with google searches to get more information (and hopefully… Continue Reading
By Scott Riddle Posted in Bankruptcy Basics,Chapter 13As discussed in more detail in this post about Chapter 13 Basics and this post about Chapter 13 Plans, and Chapter 13 payments, the basic goal of Chapter 13 is to pay back some or all of your debts over a period of time. Usually, the payment period lasts from three to five years. An… Continue Reading
By Scott Riddle Posted in Bankruptcy Basics,Chapter 13You know that in a Chapter 13 case you have to pay into a Chapter 13 Plan, usually for a period between 36 and 60 months. The amount of your payment is based on your disposable income. How are these payments made to the Chapter 13 Trustee? In the great majority of cases, they are… Continue Reading
By Scott Riddle Posted in Chapter 13As discussed in more detail in this post, junior liens may be stripped from a home if they are totally unsecured (i.e., the value of the house is less than the balance owed on senior liens). Typically, Bankruptcy lawyers will file a motion to strip the unsecured junior lien shortly after the case is filed,… Continue Reading
By Scott Riddle Posted in Bankruptcy Basics,Chapter 13As discussed in our posts on the Chapter 13 Plan and Disposable Income to be paid in the Plan, we are able to include in our budget the “ownership expenses” of vehicles, which basically means the monthly payments due on the car loan or lease (and not “Transportation Expenses” such as gas and maintenance). In… Continue Reading
By Scott Riddle Posted in Chapter 13As we have discussed in other posts, the money that has to be paid into a Chapter 13 Plan is based on calculations of disposable income. Calculating disposable income is both a science and an art, and a good, experienced Bankruptcy lawyer will know how to propose a plan that is in the best interests… Continue Reading
By Scott Riddle Posted in Bankruptcy Basics,Chapter 11,Chapter 13,Chapter 7,Debt Collection & ForeclosureAlthough many people enter Bankruptcy with a desire to save their home from foreclosure, others are anxious to rid themselves of the property and the debt associated with it. This could be their primary residence or other homes or real estate they own. A problem that occasionally comes up is that the person in Bankruptcy… Continue Reading
By Scott Riddle Posted in Bankruptcy Basics,Chapter 13,Chapter 7Although there are many reasons that individuals may have to file a Bankruptcy case, including medical debt, foreclosure, wage garnishment, and other reasons, the one question important to all of them is will they lose any of their property in the case and what will they get to keep. Often people have visions of moving… Continue Reading
By Scott Riddle Posted in Chapter 13A while back I read about a study in which Bankruptcy Judges were asked whether an apology by the debtor helped when deciding whether to confirm a Chapter 13 Plan. Some Judges were given a Plan that contained the following statement at the end of the Plan: “We have no way of keeping up with… Continue Reading
By Scott Riddle Posted in Bankruptcy Basics,Chapter 13,Chapter 7Household size is an important factor in many consumer Bankruptcy cases. Most importantly, the Means Test figures are based on the size of the household so it is important in determining eligibility for Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 and in calculating disposable income to be paid in the Chapter 13 plan. It is also relevant… Continue Reading
By Scott Riddle Posted in Chapter 13,Chapter 7It is not uncommon for people who file for Bankruptcy to receive an inheritance either during their Bankruptcy case or shortly after their case is over. Is the inheritance part of the Bankruptcy estate and can the Trustee take the inheritance? In either a Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 case, if your relative passed away… Continue Reading
By Scott Riddle Posted in Bankruptcy Basics,Chapter 13,Chapter 7,Debt Collection & ForeclosureMany Bankruptcy cases in Georgia, and other states, are filed to stop a foreclosure of the family home. They are not filed only because of the foreclosure, but the realization that the family home is about to be lost is usually the final straw after a period of financial problems. It is certainly understandable that… Continue Reading
By Scott Riddle Posted in Chapter 13,Chapter 7Homeowners in Bankruptcy typically understand their obligations as far as the home loans go. In a Chapter 7, they typically keep the home and continue making payments, give up the house and get a discharge of the debt or, in rare cases, reaffirm the debt and continue living in the home. These same options are… Continue Reading
By Scott Riddle Posted in Chapter 13A Bankruptcy lawyer’s primary job is to advise clients on Bankruptcy law, plan a Bankruptcy filing and guide clients through a Bankruptcy case. That is exactly what Bankruptcy Judges expect us to do, and we can get into trouble with the Court, U.S. Trustee, State Bar and even our clients if we do not do… Continue Reading
By Scott Riddle Posted in Bankruptcy Basics,Chapter 13,Chapter 7One of the more common concepts in Bankruptcy Court, and most other courts, is that if a party does not respond or object to the relief requested by another party, the relief is deemed unopposed. Most commonly, that comes up when a defendant does not timely file an answer to a complaint and a default… Continue Reading
By Scott Riddle Posted in Bankruptcy Basics,Chapter 13,Chapter 7One of the great benefits of a Chapter 13 case (and, as discussed below, Chapter 7 cases in some states) is the ability to “strip,” or remove, a second or junior lien from your house if the value of the house is less than the outstanding balance of the first, or senior, lien. For example,… Continue Reading
By Scott Riddle Posted in Bankruptcy Basics,Chapter 13In our overviews of Chapter 13 cases and Chapter 13 Plans, we used the term “Disposable Income.” Disposable Income is one of the most important components of a Chapter 13 case and Plan because that is the portion of your income that you have to contribute to the Plan (via the Chapter 13 Trustee) to… Continue Reading
By Scott Riddle Posted in Bankruptcy Basics,Chapter 13The primary difference between a Chapter 7 case and a Chapter 13 case is the Chapter 13 Plan. If you do not qualify for a Chapter 7 case under the Means Test, or you qualify but want to take advantage of benefits of Chapter 13 (such as lien stripping), then you will submit a Chapter… Continue Reading
By Scott Riddle Posted in Bankruptcy Basics,Chapter 13,Chapter 7Student loans have become a huge burden in the United States. Recent statistics show that current outstanding student loan debt is more than $1.1 Trillion. That is “Trillion” with a “T.” We can point our fingers in many directions to cast the blame for this high number, including lenders, borrowers, schools, and the federal government,… Continue Reading
By Scott Riddle Posted in Bankruptcy Basics,Chapter 13,Chapter 7When people buy a house, they probably consider it the biggest investment of their life to that point. It is probably also their largest debt. For homeowners facing Bankruptcy, the most important question they have in initial meetings with lawyers is whether they will be able to keep their house after they file. One important… Continue Reading
By Scott Riddle Posted in Bankruptcy Basics,Chapter 13,Chapter 7If you own a house, chances are real good that your home loan is your largest debt – maybe even larger than all your other debts combined. It makes sense that people who have to consider Bankruptcy are very concerned about what will happen to their home. The most common question is whether they will… Continue Reading
By Scott Riddle Posted in Bankruptcy Basics,Chapter 13Chapter 13 Bankruptcy is one of the two most common types of Bankruptcy filed by individuals, with the other being Chapter 7. The primary distinguishing factor of Chapter 13 is that individuals pay a portion of their income (their “disposable income“) into a Chapter 13 plan over three to five years. Because of this, people… Continue Reading
