Top 5 Bankruptcy Blog Posts of 2012

Another year is in the books.  Looking back over 2012 I wrote over 80 articles on bankruptcy.  Hopefully these have provided some value and direction for those of you who are dealing with the all-encompassing and very stressful burden of debt.  My goal on the blog is to not only provide valuable information but to provide hope.  Hope that even though you are in what feels like your darkest hour, that there is hope and there is a way out.

Here are five of my favorite articles from the blog for the year 2012:

 

The 75 Cent Promissory Note

The other day I was scheduled to attend a continuing education conference with some of the local Arizona bankruptcy trustees.  I thought I had given myself plenty of time.  I arrived at the parking garage, walked inside, and immediately realized that I was in the wrong building.

So I got back in my car and tried to head to the right building.  I ran into a problem.  The parking garage only took cash and I only had my debit card.  I told the attendant that I had only been parking for 5 minutes and had the wrong building.  My pleas fell on deaf ears!  She took my driver license and wrote up (on a pre-printed form no less) a promissory note for a grand total of 75 cents.  Seventy-Five big ones!…Continue Reading Here.

Fear the Reaper: Don’t Ignore Your Lawsuit

I see it all the time.  You get served with a lawsuit by one of the big debt buyers, Midland Funding, Portfolio Recovery, or LVNV Funding.  You have no idea who “Midland Funding” even is, so you brush it off.  Maybe they have the wrong guy.  So you do nothing.

Then, things are going well…a month goes by, you don’t hear from anyone…maybe they dropped it.  Then you get another legal document, this time in the mail.  It says something about a “default”.  Not sure what it is, but you ignored the last one and nothing happened.  You decide to ignore it.

Then, you wake up one morning and your bank account has been drained or your go to work only to find out that 25% of your paycheck is being garnished…Continue Reading Here.

Hope Through Bankruptcy

Last Sunday I listened to a sermon on hope and faith and how what it all really boils down to is our hope for something better or a continuation of the good relationships we now have.  And while I am not comparing the Gospel to bankruptcy law I of course tend to draw parallels between non-bankruptcy topics and what I do for a living every day.  And to me, one of the best things about practicing bankruptcy law is the ability to provide hope to people who are often going through one of the most difficult times in their lives.  Hope that even though you may have been suffering through financial chaos for several years that it is possible to start over and rebuild.  Things don’t always have to be as they now are…Continue Reading Here.

Bankruptcy’s SOFA: Let’s Look Under the Cushions

The amount of information you are required to disclose in a bankruptcy case is significant. In fact, the typical bankruptcy petition I file on behalf of clients is anywhere from 45 up to 60 pages long. The reason we kill so many trees with each bankruptcy filing is that the court requires a large amount of information.

You may think that all you need to disclose is your debts and you are off to the races.  However, there is going to be more required, much of which will be disclosed in the Statement of Financial Affairs, or as most bankruptcy lawyers call it, the “SOFA”…Continue Reading Here.

Don’t Freak Out – And Other Tips for Working with Your Bankruptcy Lawyer

I deal with bankruptcy issues all day long.  I think about bankruptcy.  I read about bankruptcy.  I file bankruptcies.  And because of this sometimes I am afraid that I may lose sight of the fact that my clients simply don’t.  My goal as a lawyer is to provide my clients with information about the bankruptcy process and then guide them through their court filing – hopefully with as little pain as possible.  In reviewing how I do this I have come up with five tips that will help you and your bankruptcy lawyer as you proceed with your case…Continue Reading Here.

As we head into a new year I wish you happiness and prosperity…and if you don’t’ have prosperity, at least know that you can find happiness and peace.