Archive for September, 2009
My Bankruptcy Case Was Dismissed, What Now?
Recently the bankruptcy law network website posted an article regarding the dismissal of the bankruptcy case and what happens if your case is dismissed. My Bankruptcy Case Was Dismissed, What Does That Mean? The information is accurate, however it didn’t really give you a solution to the problem other than call your attorney.
My response: “good [...]
Beware Out of State Loan Modification Companies Soliciting Chapter 13 Filers
Recently, a mortgage modification company from outside the area has been soliciting Chapter 13 bankruptcy filers in Philadelphia and Allentown with an offer of modifying their mortgage.
Getting a mortgage modification after a Chapter 13 case is filed is tricky enough, if the Chapter 13 plan authority been confirmed, it requires permission from the court to [...]
How to Defend a Credit Card Lawsuit in Pennsylvania
Consumers from Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton, and the entire Lehigh Valley have recently been receiving lawsuits from credit card companies like Capital One and Discover Card, as well as several other debt collection agencies who’ve gotten more bold and decided to sue debtors for debts that they aren’t paying. Make no mistake, these lawsuits are real, [...]
Dealing With Debt Can Be A Mental and Mathematical Issue
By now everyone’s heard that word the worst economy since the Great Depression, while not certain of that, but one man’s bustling economy can be another man’s depression, and whether or not we’re actually the worst economy since the Great Depression really is irrelevant to the person who hasn’t been able find a job for [...]
What do I do When a Debt Collector Threatens to send me to the Legal Department?
A favorite tactic of debt collectors is to threaten to sue the debtor, but this can get them into trouble, especially if they have no intention of suing.
I contend that the debt collector threatens to sue you, and they are employee of the debt collection agency and not the creditor or the person who owns [...]
How to Handle a Credit Card Case in the Pennsylvania State District Court
It can be unnerving to defend a credit card debt case in front of the magistrate in the Pennsylvania district court system. In Pennsylvania, magistrates generally can hear matters up to $8000, so many credit card cases find their way into the Pennsylvania district court.
The first thing that you need to know about magistrates is [...]
Wrong Answer at 341 Meeting May Cost You Your Home
The 341 meeting of creditors in bankruptcy cases generally a simple meeting. In the northern part of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, which covers Lehigh and Northampton County, one of the most dangerous questions to be unprepared for is “What is the value of your home?”
It seems like it should be an easy question, however [...]
Debt Settlement Companies Target Minorities?
I heard a debt settlement company’s advertisements a radio station in Allentown Pennsylvania.
Maybe you’ve heard it, it has something that sounds like gospel music playing in the background and the song has a lot to references to freedom. I’m not against freedom, but it’s clear that they were targeting a demographic, and that demographic is [...]
So Chapter 13 can save my house… but I shouldn’t do it?
The Lehigh Valley has been hit particularly bad during this mortgage foreclosure crisis. Consumers from Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton, and the surrounding cities and suburbs are finding themselves past due on mortgages that are significantly higher than what they could sell their home for.
It was doomed to happen. In 2005, houses routinely fetched $250,000 to $300,000 [...]
Beware the Bankruptcy Petition Preparer
I saw an advertisement on craigslist yesterday that piqued my interest.
It was a simple ad really, Chapter 7 bankruptcy $399. So I started thinking what’s the catch. Generally speaking attorneys in the Lehigh Valley charge anywhere from $1600-$3000 for Chapter 7 bankruptcy service depending on the complexity of the case.
So I open the add and [...]