by John Skiba, Esq. | Dec 5, 2011 | Chapter 7 Bankruptcy
When I opened my bankruptcy law practice here in the Phoenix area a while back I wanted to create a website where clients could easily communicate with me and learn about the bankruptcy process. In the morning when I check my emails often I get several emails from...
by John Skiba, Esq. | Dec 2, 2011 | Bankruptcy A to Z, Chapter 7 Bankruptcy
This one is pretty basic but you may be surprised as to how many people aren’t quite sure what the difference between a creditor and a debtor is. In the bankruptcy world if you are filing for bankruptcy you will now be known as the Debtor. Owing debts =...
by John Skiba, Esq. | Nov 25, 2011 | Bankruptcy A to Z, Chapter 7 Bankruptcy
It is finally here. The day retailers everywhere and my younger sister look forward to every year! Black Friday. It seems to be starting earlier ever year. Last night after Thanksgiving dinner I ventured out with my wife and some other family members to see if we...
by John Skiba, Esq. | Nov 23, 2011 | Bankruptcy A to Z, Chapter 7 Bankruptcy
Second only to the discharge of debt, the protections of the automatic stay are a large reason why residents of Arizona file for bankruptcy. So what is it? The automatic stay is an Order issued by the Arizona Bankruptcy Court when you file your bankruptcy case. It...
by John Skiba, Esq. | Nov 23, 2011 | Bankruptcy A to Z
A while back, long before I became a bankruptcy lawyer in the great state of Arizona, I lived in London, England. If you have ever been to London you know that the streets there are nothing like the master planned communities found here in the Phoenix area. There is...
by John Skiba, Esq. | Nov 22, 2011 | Chapter 7 Bankruptcy
As a bankruptcy lawyer in Arizona I have come accustomed to the idea that I am a necessary evil in people’s lives. The last thing people want to do is file for bankruptcy. The last thing they want to do is meet with me. This might lead you to believe that my...
by John Skiba, Esq. | Nov 17, 2011 | Chapter 7 Bankruptcy
If you have looked into filing for bankruptcy you have likely come across something known as the Means Test. Back in 2005 Congress amended the laws related to bankruptcy and put in place new laws that they thought would force more people into a chapter 13 bankruptcy...
by John Skiba, Esq. | Nov 15, 2011 | Chapter 7 Bankruptcy
Lately I have had quite a few people come in lately who need to file for bankruptcy and need to file it RIGHT NOW! The typical things that usually require a person to file bankruptcy quickly are garnishments, foreclosures, law suits, etc. While it is never the...
by John Skiba, Esq. | Nov 14, 2011 | Chapter 13 Bankruptcy, Chapter 7 Bankruptcy
Recently the court released information on the number of people who represent themselves in bankruptcy. Arizona ranked third overall in number of “pro se” bankruptcy filers. In fact, in Arizona, a full 20% of bankruptcy filers were doing it without the...
by John Skiba, Esq. | Nov 2, 2011 | Chapter 13 Bankruptcy, Chapter 7 Bankruptcy
This is the second installment in a three part series of the bankruptcy process in Arizona. In the first article I discussed what to expect prior to your bankruptcy case being filed. In this article I will go over what you can expect after your case is filed up...
by John Skiba, Esq. | Oct 31, 2011 | Chapter 7 Bankruptcy
Happy Halloween! For many bankruptcy is a necessary evil. For creditors, bankruptcy is the devil. No one really likes bankruptcy (except maybe bankruptcy lawyers), but imagine a world without it. Without bankruptcy as an option who would be willing to take the...
by John Skiba, Esq. | Oct 28, 2011 | Chapter 7 Bankruptcy
The scary part of bankruptcy is not knowing what to expect. There are a lot of bankruptcy myths out there that cause many people to not seek out bankruptcy help, even though it can really help them out of a tough spot. Having an accurate understanding of the...
by John Skiba, Esq. | Oct 25, 2011 | Chapter 7 Bankruptcy
When writing articles for my bankruptcy blog I try to come up with a catchy title (and don’t often succeed). With this one, I thought I would get straight to the point. Filing for bankruptcy is rarely a last minute decision. The lead up to the actual filing...
by John Skiba, Esq. | Oct 19, 2011 | Chapter 7 Bankruptcy, Debt Settlement
When the bankruptcy code was amended back in 2005 one of the new requirements was that those wishing to file for bankruptcy would need to take a pre-bankruptcy credit counseling course as well as a post-filing financial management course. Pre-Bankruptcy Credit...
by John Skiba, Esq. | Oct 18, 2011 | Chapter 7 Bankruptcy
Filing bankruptcy just got slightly more expensive and for some in Arizona it will be more difficult to file a Chapter 7 bankruptcy. On November 1st of this year the filing fees for filing a Chapter 7 bankruptyc and Chapter 13 bankruptcy will go up. Further, on...
