Background The bankruptcy process can provide a fresh financial start for consumers who cannot pay their debts, either because of insolvency or insufficient income to meet creditor demands. Personal bankruptcy generally works in one of two ways: liquidating assets to pay one’s debts under Chapter 7 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code or establishing a repayment plan under Chapter 13 …
Question: Dear Steve, Due to the lockdowns starting in 2020, I fell behind on payments to credit cards with American Express and one other. I also traveled out of the country for what I thought would be a brief visit, but the world has been so unstable to travel, that the idea of traveling is …
President Biden signed the Bankruptcy Threshold Adjustment and Technical Corrections Act yesterday, and congressional leaders pat themselves on the back. According to Senator Chuck Grassley, one of the Senate bill’s sponsors, the new law will remove some hurdles to the bankruptcy process and “assist small businesses and working families to weather financial hardship and emerge …
A pet peeve of mine is people who try to make the claim bankruptcy is a moral failure. Now, I get it, if someone takes out credit with the intention of defaulting, that’s one thing. But a recent story about Amazon Delivery Companies by Vice serves as a great example of why bankruptcy can be …
Q: What happens if you don’t file bankruptcy but still have credit card debt or loans at the bank? A: You owe them. Q: A collection agency sent my debt to a lawyer with a court date do I have to acknowledge it? A: No, but you will then lose by default. Q: Do I …
Sometimes I get reader questions that don’t have enough information for a big answer. So here are some rapid-fire questions and answers. Q: Can a collection agency take money out of an account that is not the debtors? A: If the debtor is not a signer on the account and the account is in the …
Question: Dear Steve, I’ve gone bankrupt two times, which is not on my credit report and not an option this time. I have too many revolving credit accounts with balances that I have not paid for four years. FICO scores are 510 and below. With four in collections and four judgments. I have been to …
There is so much misinformation floating about when it comes to dealing with debt. Far too many people tell you bankruptcy is a last resort or you should avoid bankruptcy. But here is the ironic thing, that is often the worst advice possible. In this podcast, Damon Day and I talk about bankruptcy, myths and …
Much of what we read is all high-level safe stuff about what people should do when facing tough economic times. And a whole lot of that advice is good for the masses, but what about what is best for the individual, you. The government wants consumers not to lose confidence during tough times. The economy …
Dear Steve Hi! I am a piano teacher, and due to the bad economy have very few students, even though I am used to having plenty. We just moved because we could no longer afford where we lived. We gave up our house in a deed in lieu of foreclosure. My husband took a cut …