Chapter 7 Bankruptcy: Businesses & Individuals

The word”bankruptcy” is heard everywhere, from coffee shops to church bazaars and the evening news. It’s clear to me that, despite this general knowledge of bankruptcy, few people understand what it means to file for protection under Chapter 7, Chapter 11 or Chapter 13.
Chapter 7 is a liquidating bankruptcy.  It is normally utilized to [...]

What’s it Cost to File for Bankruptcy?

This requires a two-part answer. First, filing fees must be considered. Filing fees are charged by the bankruptcy court and are due upon filing; these fees help fund the bankruptcy court system. The filing fee for a Chapter 7 bankruptcy is $299.00; for Chapter 13, $274.00; and for Chapter 11, $1039.00. Second, if you [...]

Bankruptcy and Divorce

All too often money problems lead to divorce, and visa versa. Be sure to include a competent bankruptcy attorney on your legal team alongside your family law counsel.

Bankruptcy 101: What Every Lawyer Needs to Know About Bankruptcy

In this economy, most attorneys — no matter what their practice area — have established relationships with clients who are now either in financial difficulty, or are affected by someone else’s financial difficulties. Divorce attorneys, personal injury attorneys, real estate attorneys, employment law attorneys, and construction law attorneys are just a few of the [...]

Primer for Distressed Homeowners: Part 1 of 3

With the jobless recovery hitting the Charlotte region particularly hard, we’re getting a steady stream of calls asking for help preventing home foreclosures, forced sales and sheriff’s sales, and facilitating short sales.

Bankruptcy Trustee Basics

In addition to my private practice, I serve as a Chapter 7 Trustee for the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of North Carolina.  Few people know what this means and how this service helps my private practice clients, so here’s a primer.
What’s a bankruptcy trustee?
Chapter 7 Trustees (also known as panel trustees) [...]

Who’s filing for bankruptcy now?

A report released today by the Institute for Financial Literacy (IFL) shows that the recession is noticeably shifting more middle class Americans into bankruptcy.
IFL’s 2008 Annual Consumer Bankruptcy Demographics Report found that the average American in financial distress and seeking credit counseling and financial education is a 35-to-44 year-old married Caucasian [...]