It’s that time of year again…tax time. For many, this is a wonderful time where you will be refunded the taxes you overpaid to the government. Many view the refund as a savings plan and rely on that yearly return to pay property tax, catch up on bills and/or pay for a family vacation. While
Before You Say “I Do!”
Here we are again at the intersection of love and bankruptcy. Back in August I explored the (new to me) topic of dating and bankruptcy. It was inspired by an article on CNN Money discussing how for many singles, bad credit is an absolute deal breaker. In the survey conducted by freecreditscore.com, 75% of
Pulling Back the Curtain on the Attorney Fee
As Dorothy marched down the “Yellow Brick Road” with her three companions, she had one goal in mind. She needed to get to the Wizard in order to get home. The Wizard was to be her savior and her ticket back to Kansas. While he ultimately offers some sage advice, the man behind the curtain
Still Dealing with Sandy
It has been more than a year since Hurricane Sandy struck and devastated the south shore of Long Island. As a resident of Freeport, living one block from the water, I experienced first hand the impact of the storm. After the initial shock of the storm subsided, I realized that many people’s financial lives would
The Neverending Bankruptcy
“Never give up and good luck will always find you…” – Falcor The Neverending Story is probably my favorite childhood movie and the book (quite different from the movie) was not so bad either. It is the story of Bastian, a young, tormented boy who finds a well needed escape in a fantasy book called
Family, Friends and Bankruptcy
It’s pretty straight forward. If you’re in my office or considering bankruptcy, you are experiencing some financial hardship. Most people consider bankruptcy a last resort. This is due to the stigma surrounding bankruptcy based on misinformation perpetrated by so called “experts” and the irrational fear that “bankruptcy will ruin your credit.” When going through a
Your Innocent Spouse
I’m not an accountant and I never would pretend to be one. Their work is long, tedious and things get very difficult for them as the weather starts to get pleasant. As a bankruptcy lawyer, I do have some basic (very basic) knowledge of accounting principles. One such principle is the “Innocent Spouse Rule.” Stripped
Bankruptcy Attorneys: Cost or Investment
Another 341 Meeting of Creditors and another pro se debtor who I had to watch crash and burn. This time, a very competent pro se debtor was not aware that by taking an exemption on his home, he was not entitled to an exemption on his cash. He will be losing ¾ of his 2012
The Human Element: Your Bankruptcy Trustee
Baseball is my sport and I am a die-hard New York Mets fan. My team is nothing to be proud of these days, but the sunlight may be peeking through the rain clouds for the Mets. Whatever team you root for, there is a “human element” to baseball that makes it special. It seems that
The Squeaky Hinge
Everyone has dealt with that annoying sound when you open and close a door. It eats at your nerves and annoys you to no end. If you’re like me, you procrastinate, do nothing and let it grate at you for much longer than it should. Not too long ago, we had a bedroom door that