If you are considering filing an individual Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 case, it is important to understand all of the pros and cons associated with bankruptcy. How will my credit score be impacted by bankruptcy? One of the primary concerns debtors have is how it will impact their credit score. The answer differs for...Read More

The Eleventh Circuit recently held that a debtor is allowed to “strip off” an unsecured junior mortgage in a “Chapter 20” bankruptcy case. While Chapter 20 bankruptcy is not a valid chapter in the Bankruptcy Code, the term refers to a debtor who files back-to-back Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy cases. What is a...Read More

In the Internet era, when bankruptcy forms are available online for free or for very little, many people question the wisdom of hiring a professional for what seems to be a do-it-yourself project. Others may look to a bankruptcy petition preparer to save money. But there are some very compelling reasons for hiring an experienced...Read More

Recent scheduled meetings of the Bankruptcy Rules Committee were cancelled, apparently due to lack of interest. There had been two meetings scheduled in January 2014, one in Chicago and one in Washington, D.C. According to federal law, meetings may be cancelled if there is a lack of public interest, the Standing Committee sees a need...Read More

In a boon for debtors, a federal court recently interpreted Section 523(a)(6) very narrowly. Facts In Communitywide Federal Credit Union v. Laughlin, Mr. Laughlin purchased a new car, with an $18,000 loan from CFCU. Ms. Laughlin was awarded the car in their divorce. A short time thereafter, Ms. Laughlin returned the car to Mr. Laughlin,...Read More

A group of former NFL players recently filed a lawsuit against the league, claiming that it exposed them to probable brain damage. National Football League players aren’t the only footballers who struggle with life after retirement and file bankruptcy. According to a charity set up for former English League soccer players, 33% of players are...Read More

The means test is essentially just another form to file on an already-long list, and has very little, if any, impact on your decision to file Chapter 7 Bankruptcy. The 2005 Bankruptcy reforms While most “reform” legislation is usually a proposed solution to an existing problem, the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act (BAPCPA,...Read More

The credit counseling requirement was one of the more talked-about Chapter 7 reforms in the last round of legislative updates. Now, almost a decade later, what does this prerequisite mean in practical terms? Does the average consumer filer even notice this requirement? Credit counseling background The main reason that legislators took up bankruptcy reform in...Read More

Sustained high unemployment has permanently changed our economy, and the middle class must change to keep up. This situation is not entirely new; for example, unemployment peaked at 10.8% in 1982. But then, the jobless could count on unemployment benefits and other government benefits to tide them over. The unemployment rate quickly went back down...Read More

Florida has more long-term unemployed workers than almost any other state in the country. A recent report gave more identity to the long-term unemployed, or those who have been jobless for more than 26 weeks. In Florida, Alaska, California, Illinois, North Carolina, New York, Connecticut and Rhode Island, between 46% and 60% of the jobless...Read More