What Does It Mean When A Law Firm Acts as a Debt Collector?
Sometimes when you owe a debt it will go to a run-of-the-mill collection agency. And you might have dealt with so many of those at this point that they don’t even impress you anymore. But a law firm seems different. Looks more frightening. So how worried should you be? Law firms may be able to […]
In the News: Payday Lenders Eye Plans to Remove Consumer Protection Rules
A Consumer Finance Protection Bureau rule demanding payday lenders determine whether a borrower can actually repay a payday loan before taking one out may be on its way out the door before it ever takes effect. The rule also would have put limits on the number of times a payday lender could debit a customer’s […]
4 Common Credit Card Mistakes
The number of Americans carrying credit card debt has skyrocketed. The number of individuals who own cards has gone up, and the overall debt load has reached over $1.4 trillion dollars, according to Yahoo Finance. Other debts, such as auto loans and student loans, are up as well. In addition, the number of cards being […]
How Long Will it Take You to Pay off Your Credit Card Debt?
Spend a moment doing the math, and you may find, like many Americans, it would take you over twenty years to pay off your credit card debt if you stick to minimum payments. And if you’re like 1/4th of the American population, you expect to be in debt till the day you die. Grim statistics. […]
When Collection Agents Call, Avoid these 7 Mistakes
Collection calls are stressful. Some stranger is calling you day and night, hounding you for money. You feel embarrassed, ashamed, and stressed. Every ring of the phone becomes a reminder of something that’s gone wrong in your life. So it’s little wonder debtors tend to make big mistakes when third-party collection agents call. Here are […]
What is an Unconscionable Home Loan?
One of the defenses we can offer up in a foreclosure case is that the loan issued to the homeowner was “unconscionable.” An unconscionable home loan is a predatory home loan issued through fraud, misrepresentation, or coercive practices. Fraud, misrepresentation, and coercion were already illegal, of course, but the federal Homeownership and Equity Protection Act […]
What Are The Advantages of Filing a Bankruptcy Without Your Spouse in Pennsylvania?
In a previous post we talked a little bit about filing bankruptcy without your spouse. We wanted to take a moment to go a little deeper, and to share more of the advantages that can be gained by keeping your husband or wife out of your bankruptcy case. See also: End Debt, Save Your Marriage. […]
Does My Spouse Have to File Bankruptcy if I Do?
Considering a bankruptcy? You may be surprised to know your spouse doesn’t necessarily have to file just because you do. One of you can file while the other does not. Each of you can file separate bankruptcy cases. You can file a joint bankruptcy case. We’ll cover the reasons why someone might choose to file […]
Can I Convert My Bankruptcy to a Different Chapter?
As Philadelphia bankruptcy attorneys we often hear from clients who are concerned they’re choosing the wrong type of bankruptcy. As a sort of safety measure, they want to know if they can change a Chapter 7 to a Chapter 13, or a Chapter 13 to a Chapter 7. And the answer is yes! You can. […]
In the News: 1 in 3 Americans Overburdened with Credit Card Debt
1 in 3 Americans may have a serious need to file for bankruptcy. At least, that’s what a recent survey indicates. 33% of Americans are worried they will max out their lines of credit if they have to make a purchase of $100 or more. Default rates are up across all loan types. Interest rates […]
Should Government Employees Consider Filing for Bankruptcy?
Trust the government to issue its own employees tone-deaf advice about surviving furloughs, or being forced to work without pay, with cheerful advice like, “become a dog-walker or a babysitter!” Whoever wrote that advice must still be drawing a paycheck. Other advice: garage sales, Etsy stores, cutting expenses. As if there is a garage sale […]
In the News: The Government Shutdown and Bankruptcy Court
It’s been nearly a month since the latest government shutdown began. Bankruptcy cases are federal cases, which means the shutdown is already having an impact on Americans filing Chapter 7 or Chapter 13. Bankruptcy courts remain open at the moment, but already cases are severely delayed. They were already overburdened, and now they are having […]
Don’t Let These 5 Bankruptcy Myths Lead You Astray
Everyone’s heard of bankruptcy, but you’d be surprised how few people really know about it. As Philadelphia bankruptcy attorneys we hear misconceptions about bankruptcy every day. These myths keep good people from seeking the legal relief they need. That’s why we wanted to take the time to get them all cleared up. Myth #1: Bankruptcy […]
How Hard is It to File Chapter 7?
If you’ve started to consider your bankruptcy options then you might initially be hoping for a Chapter 7 bankruptcy. After all, you already know most of your debts get discharged entirely at the end of a Chapter 7 case, whereas a Chapter 13 case will require you to make some payments. But if getting all […]
What Is An Emergency Bankruptcy Filing?
An emergency bankruptcy filing is often the last resort of people who wait too long to seek protection. You’d end up having to file one if you are facing immediate foreclosure, eviction, wage garnishment, or repossession. When an attorney files an emergency bankruptcy petition for you they’ll file what’s called a “skeletal petition.” This is […]