Money Saving Tips

It’s a common misconception that you need everything to be perfectly aligned before you can start saving money, but this is not the case. In fact, if you wait for the “right time,” it’ll never happen. That’s why the best time to start saving money is right now. Fortunately, there are a lot of straightforward strategies that you can use to save money. Here are some that you may not have even thought of before. Cut down on your grocery budget.After you put together your Read More +

Why DIY Bankruptcy is A Bad Idea

Bankruptcy is a complex legal process that has a lot of laws and procedures that may feel overwhelming if you aren’t properly trained to deal with them. Nevertheless, some people are still choosing to file for bankruptcy without help from a lawyer. This is known as “pro se” or DIY bankruptcy. While a DIY bankruptcy may appear to be a great option (especially if you want to save money by not paying for a bankruptcy attorney in Tampa), you need to understand the risk you’re Read More +

A Short History of Bankruptcy

The etymology of the term “bankruptcy” is commonly believed to derive from a combination of two Latin words: “bancus” (table or bench) and “ruptus” (broken). The theory suggests that a public banker, upon failing to meet financial obligations, would have his bench—where transactions took place—broken as a symbol of his inability to negotiate and fiscal failure. This practice was widespread in Medieval Italy, leading many to attribute the term “bankrupt” to the Italian phrase “banco rotto,” translating to “broken bank.” Alternatively, some attribute the origin Read More +

How to Deal with Bankruptcy

Experiencing bankruptcy is typically a substantial financial hurdle, profoundly impacting the lives of those who go through it. You and your family may be going through this difficult experience and trying to find coping strategies and ways to make it more manageable. While there are often things that could have prevented bankruptcy, this is not always the case, and there are various external factors that often come into play. Whatever the circumstances, dealing with bankruptcy and its challenges can be difficult, and there are various Read More +

Tampa Bankruptcy Court Decision on Discharge of Construction Contractor Debt to Customer

The Bankruptcy Court in Tampa rendered an important decision on whether a contractor employed to perform construction or repair services to a customer could Discharge such debt in Bankruptcy. In the case of Hollman v Morales (In re Morales) an individual hired the debtor, a handyman, to conduct repairs on his mobile home. The customer paid $25,000 for such services to be performed. Evidently, such services were not fully performed, and the handyman, and subsequently, the debtor, in the Bankruptcy, argued that the mobile home Read More +

Tampa Bankruptcy Court Decision Relating to Tax Refunds

A Bankruptcy Judge in Tampa delivered an important decision regarding tax refunds in Bankruptcy. On July 20, 2022, Bankruptcy Judge CJ Delano rendered a decision regarding whether a debtor may retain a portion of a tax refund received in the amount of $5,500. The debtor claimed $3,750 of such refund as exempt. The debtor’s argument was that portion of the refund should be exempt because it represented monies that the debtor withheld from his social security benefits. Social security benefits are exempt from levy, attachment, Read More +

Tampa Bankruptcy Court Important Decision Regarding Discharge of Income Tax Debt

A Bankruptcy Judge in the Tampa Bankruptcy Court delivered an important decision regarding the Discharge of Income Tax Debt in Bankruptcy on August 23, 2022. The debtor filed what is referred to as an adversary proceeding seeking to Discharge numerous hundreds of thousands of dollars in tax debts. The Internal Revenue Service responded and argued that such debt should not be discharged pursuant to Bankruptcy Code 523(1)(C) based upon the premise that the debtor had willfully attempted to evade the payment of such taxes. Bankruptcy Read More +

the Pros and Cons of Filing for Bankruptcy

There are many pros and cons of filing for bankruptcy. One of the biggest cons to doing so is that when you file for either a Chapter 7 or a Chapter 13 bankruptcy, it’ll show up on your consumer credit report for anywhere up to the 10 years of your life. Another thing that you’ll want to take into consideration is that if you want to file for a federally backed mortgage loan, some creditors won’t approve you for credit while you’re still in bankruptcy. Read More +

Buying A Car After Chapter 7 Bankruptcy

A Chapter 7 bankruptcy may be on your credit report for as long as 10 years after when it was filed. You may need to get a car loan during this time. While it’ll be more difficult, it’s still doable if you make a larger down payment or you’re willing to pay the lender a higher interest rate. Is it a good idea to buy a car after a Chapter 7 bankruptcy? This really depends on your transportation needs and financial circumstances. One of the Read More +

Does Dismissal of A Bankruptcy Dismiss Any Adversary Proceedings?

If a debtor files Bankruptcy, whether a Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 Bankruptcy, does an adversary proceeding filed against the debtor, subsequently result in the dismissal of the adversary proceeding? Some debtors who file a consumer form of bankruptcy, such as a Chapter 7 or Chapter 13, may expectantly or unexpectantly find themselves a defendant in an adversary proceeding. An adversary proceeding is an action filed in the bankruptcy court in which a creditor objects to the dischargeability of a certain debt based upon either Read More +