As a bankruptcy attorney in Asheville, NC, I frequently speak with people having difficulty with their student loan debt. These folks are sharp enough to figure out that student loan debt is generally not dischargeable in a Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy case. Even so, I strongly recommend folks having trouble paying their bills…
Yes, as an Asheville bankruptcy lawyer, I file individual Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 cases. An individual filing will not affect the non-filing spouse’s credit rating or appear on their credit report. Married couples are also allowed to file ‘jointly,’ where both spouses open a bankruptcy case together. The critical factor to keep in mind…
Everybody knows that they can discharge debts in a bankruptcy case. What fewer people know is that a Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 case also has the positive effect of protecting essential assets. A bankruptcy case, however, cannot protect what you have given away, sold, or used up. If you are one of those potential…
As a bankruptcy attorney in Asheville, I frequently speak with clients frustrated by their conversations with collection callers. If you search on Google, you’ll see lots of advice about contacting creditors when you fall behind on payments. In my experience, talking with collection callers can help when you plan on resuming regular payments (and catch…
As an Asheville bankruptcy attorney, I frequently get calls from people living around the country who own real estate in our mountains. Other times, people living here wonder if they need to file a bankruptcy case back where their old home is being foreclosed on, or where they owe other debts. In 2005, Congress established…
Frequently, when a person needs bankruptcy relief, the creditor calls or just managing daily finances can be overwhelming. Choosing a bankruptcy attorney can be too if you don’t know who to call. There are several great bankruptcy attorneys near Asheville, NC. In my view, asking the following questions can help determine if a specific attorney…
As a bankruptcy attorney in Asheville, one of my primary goals is to establish and protect retirement funds for my clients. Very few people can work until the day they die. Protecting client accounts and contributing to retirement accounts (instead of paying credit card minimums) after a bankruptcy filing are almost always a part of…
As a lawyer filing bankruptcy cases around Asheville, I frequently advise folks who qualify for relief against filing a case. Although achieving a discharge would be a relatively simple process for them, if they cannot make ends meet after their bankruptcy case ends, the relief will be short-lived. News arrived yesterday that 500 new jobs…
A very common question I discuss at initial bankruptcy consultations at my Asheville office is whether the IRS will treat discharged debts as income. Simple answer: No. Allow me to explain why. When someone negotiates a settlement with a credit card company, the forgiven portion of the debt is treated as income by the IRS. …
The most frequent question I get asked at my bankruptcy law firm in Asheville, North Carolina office is a good one: What types of debt will be discharged in my bankruptcy case? In Chapter 7, most people are able to keep all of their belongings, and eliminate the following types of debt: 1. Credit Card…