The Middle District of Florida recently ruled that the automatic stay is a blanket protection that applies to multiple creditor claims, even if there is not a perfect symmetry of parties. The creditor is also known as the lender and the debtor as the borrower. Facts In Peterson et al v. Avantair et al, Avaintair...Read More

Distressed homeowners in the Northern District of Florida now have an additional option to try and keep their home. The court’s Mortgage Modification Mediation service allows homeowners, and lenders, access to experienced Chapter 13 mediators at a reduced cost. Although the parties are not required to reach an agreement, courts are generally much more inclined...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

New Jersey recently passed Florida as the state with the highest number of home mortgages at-risk for foreclosure. Although there are more mortgages in the Sunshine State that are delinquent overall, 11.7 percent of these loans are “seriously delinquent,” compared to 11.8 percent in New Jersey. New York is third with 9.1 percent. All three...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

Household debt rose $241 billion in the third quarter of 2013. Analysts at the New York Fed say the 2.1 percent increase was the largest jump since 2007. The debt was primarily mortgage debt and new car loans, which is seen as a sign that consumers are gaining confidence in an improving economy. However, student-loan...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