by John Skiba, Esq. | May 3, 2012 | Debt Collection Lawsuits
He had been sued by a debt buyer. For three months he had been fighting a good battle on his own, but now trial was just around the corner and he was panicking. The elderly man sitting in my office had paid his debt – in full. That didn’t matter to the...
by John Skiba, Esq. | May 3, 2012 | Chapter 7 Bankruptcy
One might think the real work begins once your bankruptcy is actually filed with the bankruptcy court. However, I take the approach that if we are thorough and complete in the preparation of the bankruptcy petition, schedules and other required documents that once...
by John Skiba, Esq. | Apr 30, 2012 | Garnishment, Podcasts
Wage garnishment. How it happens and what you can do to avoid it is one of the most common misunderstandings I run into when I meet with clients. I wrote about some of the myths surrounding garnishment in my e-book “Top Ten Myths about Consumer Debt” but...
by John Skiba, Esq. | Apr 30, 2012 | Chapter 7 Bankruptcy
For most the first step is the hardest – making the decision to look into bankruptcy and actually making an appointment and meeting with your bankruptcy lawyer. Now that you are moving forward the real work begins. The documents that are filed in your...
by John Skiba, Esq. | Apr 26, 2012 | Debt Collection Lawsuits, Fair Debt Collection
There you are, in the hospital, you come out of surgery hoping to see your loving family there to support you, but instead a debt collector is there asking you when you are going to pay your bill! It sounds stupid but that apparently is a new tactic being used by...
by John Skiba, Esq. | Apr 24, 2012 | Chapter 7 Bankruptcy
This is where it all begins…the start of your new debt free life! It may sound corny, and the whole “fresh start” idea is beat to death in “bankruptcy world” but it is true. A chapter 7 bankruptcy can help you reach your goal to become...
by John Skiba, Esq. | Apr 23, 2012 | Chapter 7 Bankruptcy
Filing bankruptcy can be a nerve-wracking process. Fear of the unknown stops many people from taking that first step of meeting with a bankruptcy attorney. While bankruptcy is not a painless process it is not something that should stop from you pursuing your goal of...
by John Skiba, Esq. | Apr 22, 2012 | Debt Collection Lawsuits, Podcasts
In tens of thousands of homes throughout the United States evenings are being interrupted by a knock at the door by the local process server. After the initial shock wears off of realizing that you have been sued, you review the documents and think to yourself, “who...
by John Skiba, Esq. | Apr 19, 2012 | Collection Law Suits, Self-Help Legal Services
This month marked the release of the new book by Stephanie Kimbro “Limited Scope Legal Services: Unbundling and the Self-Help Client.” Ms. Kimbro is an attorney and author. One of her more recent works, Virtual Law Office: How to Deliver Legal Services...
by John Skiba, Esq. | Apr 17, 2012 | Debt Collection Lawsuits, Podcasts
Day in and day out I get them. Phone calls from all over this great country of ours from people just like you. People who fell behind on their bills and now have been sued. Despite being served with paperwork that clearly stated (likely in BIG, BOLD LETTERING, that...
by John Skiba, Esq. | Apr 16, 2012 | Chapter 7 Bankruptcy
Well…it is here. Tax day. Whether you owe taxes or are getting a fat refund back you likely have made some sort of arrangements to get your tax return filed. If you owe taxes this year (or any other year for that matter) you are probably trying to figure out...
by John Skiba, Esq. | Apr 12, 2012 | Bankruptcy A to Z
As we all have struggled through this Great Recession the biggest change for a lot people is the loss of a job or a significant change in their job resulting in a reduction of income. Many employers had to either reduce their overhead by reducing pay or simply...
by John Skiba, Esq. | Apr 10, 2012 | Chapter 7 Bankruptcy
It was reported earlier this week that former seven-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman filed for chapter 7 bankruptcy. While it is nothing out of the ordinary for a retired professional athlete to file for bankruptcy, there are things we can learn about bankruptcy, and...
by John Skiba, Esq. | Apr 9, 2012 | Chapter 7 Bankruptcy
Most people that I meet with for a bankruptcy consultation have at least one car payment. A common myth about bankruptcy is that you can keep your vehicle and eliminate the debt. Not true. If you owe money on a car you must continue to pay the monthly payment or...
by John Skiba, Esq. | Apr 3, 2012 | Collection Law Suits, Debt Settlement, Self-Help Legal Services
If you have been sued by a debt buyer like Midland Funding, LVNV, LLC, Portfolio Recovery or any of other companies out there your initial reaction is probably that you want this to go away and go away now. Before making any decision take some time to evaluate your...
