Thursday, October 20, 2011

Ensure Your Fresh Start Is Not A False Start


Ensure Your Fresh Start Is Not A False Start

Even in today’s specialized legal world, there are still some “general practice” attorneys who work in many different areas of the law. A general practice attorney may represent clients in family law like divorces with little or no property, minor criminal issues, small land disputes, small probate estates, low dollar personal injury cases, and the like. While a general practice attorney can successfully represent clients in many legal matters, some areas of the law require a more specialized knowledge.

From the outside, a bankruptcy case seems like a simple process. You attend a couple education classes, there are standardized forms that are filled out, you pay a filing fee, and finally go to a meeting with the bankruptcy trustee. Simple, right? In some cases it is that easy, but don’t let bankruptcy’s streamlined process fool you.

Bankruptcy is a mixture of state and federal statutes, case law, procedural rules, and court and creditor customs. General practice attorneys are just not as familiar with these various rules and practices. An experienced bankruptcy attorney is also able to identify problem areas, like preferential payments to creditors or equity issues, which could have serious consequences to your bankruptcy case. Even the timing when a bankruptcy is filed can have consequences to your case. For instance, bankruptcy debtors lose their tax refund checks each year because they filed either too early or too late.

Hiring an experienced bankruptcy attorney ensures that your case will be filed correctly; that any potential trouble areas in your case will be identified and discussed before your case is filed; that you will be informed of how your case is progressing; and that you will be represented in all communications with creditors and the bankruptcy trustee. Hiring an experienced bankruptcy attorney gives you peace of mind knowing that your case is being handled correctly and competently.

Hiring experienced counsel to represent you has one more benefit – reputation. The local bankruptcy trustee and judge are familiar with your bankruptcy attorney. They have confidence that your petition and schedules are drafted correctly and that the attorney is representing the client ethically and competently. That confidence is not present with the general practice attorney. The trustee and judge are skeptical that the paperwork is correct and wonder what has been “overlooked.” Consequently, the case is scrutinized more than average.

If you are looking for an attorney to represent you in your bankruptcy case, hire someone who has devoted his or her practice to bankruptcy law. Your property and future financial success is too important to risk. Hire an experienced bankruptcy attorney and ensure that your fresh start is not a false start.


Filing Bankruptcy After Job Loss


Filing Bankruptcy After Job Loss

Many American families rely on two incomes to pay the monthly bills and set a little aside as savings. When one income is unexpectedly reduced or eliminated, the family is thrust immediately into a crisis mode. Often there is not enough money to pay all of the family bills, so touch choices must be made.

The first thing to do is to be realistic and not overreact. It is important to use savings wisely during this time and to safeguard retirement. Spending these funds to maintain your lifestyle is not good financial management, and will have long-term consequences. In most cases a substantial amount of cash and all of your retirement funds can be protected if you need to file bankruptcy. Likewise, most assets are protected during bankruptcy, so it is not necessary to sell assets to pay creditors.

Second, prioritize your spending. This may mean eliminating or reducing certain “luxuries” like premium tv channels or inflated cell phone plans. Creditors must be prioritized also. For instance, it may be more important to pay the car payment instead of a medical bill. If you file a Chapter 13 bankruptcy, your secured creditors receive a higher priority than unsecured creditors. That means your home mortgage and car payment are paid before credit cards and medical bills. You keep the house and car while unsecured creditors receive little or nothing.

Third, understand the consequences of late payment and default. There may not be enough money to pay all of your creditors, so what happens if you don’t pay a bill? In some cases filing bankruptcy will actually help your credit over the long haul. Bankruptcy stops all creditor action, including negative reporting to the credit bureau. By filing bankruptcy you can avoid additional negative reports like late payments, default, charge-offs, repossession or foreclosure.

Whether to file bankruptcy after a job loss depends on a number of circumstances. The best advice is to consult an experienced bankruptcy attorney and discuss your financial options. Bankruptcy can help you reorganize your finances when there is not enough money to pay all creditors. Your attorney can help you prioritize your spending and protect your assets.

Report Indicates That Foreclosures May Soon Increase


Report Indicates That Foreclosures May Soon Increase

September foreclosure filings fell 38% from one year ago, according to information released by RealtyTrac.com. This may seem like good news, but there is reason to believe that the foreclosure rate may soon increase.

First, the foreclosure process came under attack during the past year prompting many banks to slow or temporarily stop foreclosure proceedings. Banks and mortgage servicers have taken corrective actions over the past twelve months, and there is no evidence that previous sloppy practices are continuing. On the contrary, there is evidence that banks are being more cautious in dealing with foreclosures. The time the average foreclosure takes has increased to 336 days, up 18 days from the previous quarter.

Second, while the number of foreclosures is down for the year, the number of September foreclosure filings increased 6% from August. “This marginal increase in overall foreclosure activity was fueled by a 14% jump in new default notices, indicating that lenders are cautiously throwing more wood into the foreclosure fireplace after spending months spent trying to clear the chimney of sloppily filed foreclosures,” says RealtyTrac Chief Executive James Saccacio.
 “While foreclosure activity in September and the third quarter continued to register well below levels from a year ago, there is evidence that this temporary downward trend is about to change direction, with foreclosure activity slowly beginning to ramp back up," Saccacio said in a statement.
If you find yourself unable to pay your mortgage and facing foreclosure, get professional help. An experienced bankruptcy attorney can provide you with options to catch up payments over three to five years, modify your existing mortgage, strip away an entirely unsecured junior lien, or even walk away from your house and the debt on your own terms. 

Once a bankruptcy case is filed, the federal law stops all collection action – even foreclosure! Bankruptcy gives you a “breathing spell” to organize your finances and propose a plan to restructure your debt. In many cases debtors are able to save their homes while discharging thousands of dollars in unsecured debts, including credit cards, personal loans, and medical bills.

Don’t be another statistic! Get the information you need to make a sound financial decision regarding your home. Call an experienced attorney today and learn how the federal bankruptcy laws can help you!