Blogs

When you are watching every penny, you sit at home and make financial calculations in your mind while other people are out engaging in leisure pursuits, or so the influencers on YouTube would have you believe, then you try to spend your free time on income-generating activities, or at least on doing things that do…

If you are bummed out about the fact that everyone in California has been in a foul mood for as long as you can remember, count your blessings. Try driving a few states east to Utah or Texas, where the older generations have managed to impress upon their daughters, even in these turbulent times, that…

In a perfect world, no one would need to use credit cards, but a perfect world is so far away that you have already maxed out one credit card with grocery purchases and other expenses that no one would consider luxuries, and now you are running up the balance on at least one other card.…

How bad your finances are is, at least partially, a matter of perspective. Sure, you don’t have any money left at the end of the month to put into savings. If you are so optimistic that you transfer a percentage of your paycheck into savings every payday, then you end up transferring it back into…

After introductory quotes from texts in Latin, Classical Greek, and Italian, T.S. Eliot’s poem “The Wasteland” begins, “April is the cruellest month.” It is true that April is not especially cuddly, but all of the months are cruel these days. It is as if the financial death toll of the Christmas holidays never ends. Chances…

No two bankruptcies are the same. While there are some cases where the person or business pursuing bankruptcy must liquidate assets as in Chapter 7 bankruptcy, other times a person might end pursuing Chapter 13 bankruptcy which means they need not worry about selling anything. Instead, Chapter 13 bankruptcy involves restructuring and reducing the amount…

What Changes to California’s Homestead In a recent poll conducted by TheTrackr.com, 29% of Americans reported that their home was their most valuable asset. Homeownership plays a critical role during the bankruptcy process. The role that homeownership plays in the bankruptcy, however, is about to change substantially due to legislation that has been passed by…

Estate planning is critical for everyone, but if you own real estate, proper estate planning is particularly important. Without adequate planning, your surviving loved ones can be left to face substantial estate taxes without the ability to pay these debts. Through the use of proper estate planning, however, it is possible to maintain assets for…

Many people look at marriage as one of the momentous events in their life. If you or your fiancee is struggling with debt and debating whether to file bankruptcy, however, your situation can easily turn into a confusing one. You might even be wondering whether it is a good idea to file for bankruptcy or…

Despite the economic downturn brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, low mortgage rates remain an attractive option for many people considering buying a house. Even if you are in the middle of a Chapter 13 bankruptcy repayment, you might still be able to obtain a mortgage loan and buy a new home. While there are…

If you are worried that bankruptcy will wipe out your retirement savings, the good news is that retirees often can keep their retirement savings even if they have substantial debt. This is because bankruptcy law exempts most retirement accounts from bankruptcy.    While every state has its own bankruptcy code, California law often views social…

An automatic stay is one of the critical parts of filing bankruptcy. The stay stops most collection efforts against a debtor as soon as that individual files for bankruptcy. These orders exist without the need for a court order. To give you a better idea of the role that the automatic stay plays in a…

Facing a large amount of debt often feels overwhelming. Beside uncertainty about how you will make your monthly payments, it is also common to feel uncertain about what your future holds. While many people think that bankruptcy can help, they are afraid of undergoing the process when they are not sure if it is the…

No business owner wants to file for bankruptcy. If you have to engage in this process, however, there are some critical pieces of information that you should know. Understand that in the right cases, bankruptcy can be invaluable. An experienced business bankruptcy lawyer can help you determine whether bankruptcy is the best option for your…

Business owners have a lot to juggle, even in bankruptcy. If you are a business owner who rents business space and recently filed for bankruptcy, you are likely curious about how bankruptcy will impact your commercial lease. There are several critical issues to consider in this situation, and how your lease will be impacted depends…