Bankruptcy Means Test

Written by

WHAT IS THE BANKRUPTCY MEANS TEST? The bankruptcy means test is a process to determine whether a debtor is eligible to file Chapter 7 bankruptcy, based upon his or her income. After the application of the means test, if one has significant disposable income remaining, the debtor may not be eligible to file Chapter 7 bankruptcy. The bankruptcy means test was implemented in the 2005 Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act (BAPCPA), and is designed to prevent debtors with high income from filing Chapter Read More +

The Roles Of The Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Trustee

Written by

Going through bankruptcy is a very stressful and time-consuming situation. We at The Weller Legal Group are your helping hand in making the bankruptcy process easier and more efficient for you and your family. In this article we are going to discuss a popular question that many clients have, and that is what are the roles of a Chapter 13 bankruptcy trustee. WHAT IS CHAPTER 13 BANKRUPTCY? Chapter 13 bankruptcy is a type of bankruptcy where the court determines a debtor’s disposable income and uses Read More +

Clearwater, Florida – More Than Just Beaches

Written by

Clearwater, Florida, situated on the Gulf of Mexico in West Central Florida, is the County seat of Pinellas County. The region surrounding Clearwater and Pinellas County is known as the Tampa Bay Area. Clearwater is the third largest City in the region; the cities of Tampa and St. Petersburg are the two largest. Prior to the early-1800’s, the area surrounding present-day Clearwater was occupied by native Americans known as the Tocobaga people. In 1835, the United States Army began construction of an army fort which Read More +

Dodd-frank: Title Xiv – Mortgage Reform And Anti-predatory Lending Act

Written by

Mortgage Reform and Anti-Predatory Lending Act, amendment to the Truth in Lending Act (TILA), was brought about as a reaction to the lending practices that had lead to the burst of the real estate bubble in 2008. Many mortgages prior to the burst of the real estate bubble included clauses that were unfavorable to those who had borrowed the money. Some such clauses made it impossible to pay off mortgages where the value of the property dropped below the amount of the loan. Mortgage Reform Read More +

Exceptions To Credit Counseling Course Requirement In Bankruptcy

Written by

One of the requirements for filing a petition with the Bankruptcy Court is to take a credit counseling course. Under Title 11 U.S.C. Section 521(b) debtors are require to file with the court a certificate from the approved nonprofit budget and credit counseling agency, which must have been completed within 180 days before the filing of your petition. The purpose of the credit counseling course is to tell you if you really need to file for bankruptcy or whether there is an alternativeoption available to Read More +

Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Protection Of Tax Refund The Matter Of In Re Gibson

Written by

In Chapter 13 Bankruptcy the Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Trustee will often attempt to seize or attach the tax refund of the Chapter 13 Debtor. The position of the Chapter 13 Trustee is that the tax refund received by the Debtor is additional disposable income that ought to be contributed to the Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Plan. Even in jurisdiction in which a tax refund is considered exempt, or for which there are available exemptions to protect the tax refund, the Trustee will likely argue that the Read More +

Valuation Of Assets In Bankruptcy

Written by

Valuation of property or assets in bankruptcy is an important element of any bankruptcy, including Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy. The proper standard of valuation has been the subject of considerable debate and litigation. Some of the controversy surrounding valuation of assets in bankruptcy has been ameliorated by the passage of the 2005 Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act (BAPCPA). The standard usually applied in determining the value of an asset for purposes of bankruptcy is the price a retail merchant would charge Read More +

Creditor Harassment Summary

Written by

OFFENDING PARTY A DEBT COLLECTOR? MUST BE A DEBT COLLECTOR AND NOT ORIGINAL CREDITOR COLLECTING DEBT. DID DEBT COLLECTOR IDENTIFY HIMSELF AS A DEBT COLLECTOR? WAS DEBT A CONSUMER DEBT TRANSACTION? INCLUDES BAD CHECKS, CONDO ASSESSMENT FEES, RESIDENTIAL RENTAL PAYMENTS, MUNICIPAL WATER SERVICE, REPOSSESSIONS EXCLUDES CHILD SUPPORT, TORT CLAIMS, AND PERSONAL TAXES VALIDITY OF DEBT IRRELEVANT FAIR DEBT COLLECTION PRACTICES ACT – FEDERAL LAW [15 USC 1692]. STRICT LIABILITY STATUTE, STATUTORY DAMAGES UP TO $1,000 PER VIOLATION. ACTUAL DAMAGES ALSO. REASONABLE ATTORNEY FEES. ONE YEAR Read More +

Bankruptcy Waiting Periods

Written by

CHAPTERS WAITING PERIOD 7 TO 7 8 YEARS FROM PREVIOUS FILING 13 TO 13 2 YEARS FROM PREVIOUS FILING (CASE MUST BE CLOSED) 7 TO 13 4 YEARS FROM PREVIOUS FILING 13 TO 7 6 YEARS FROM PREVIOUS FILING UNLESS 100% OF THE UNSECURED WERE PAID IN THE PRIOR CHAPTER 13 OR AT LEAST 70% OF THE UNSECURED DEBTS WERE PAID IN THE PRIOR CHAPTER 13 AND THE PLAN WAS PROPOSED IN GOOD FAITH The above chart represents the period of time a debtor must Read More +

Florida Homestead Exemption

Written by

The State of Florida provides a homestead exemption which is designed to protect persons from the attachment or seizure of their places of residence by creditors. The homestead exemption provides protection against such creditor action to debtors who file bankruptcy and debtors who do not file bankruptcy. The homestead exemption for purposes of asset protection is often confused with the homestead exemption that provides a reduction in property tax obligations. This article will discuss the homestead exemption as it applies to debtors seeking to protect their Read More +