Does My Spouse Have to File Bankruptcy With Me?

No, Your Spouse is Not Required to File Bankruptcy With You This is a common question.  Often, we will have a prospective client who really wants to file bankruptcy and get a fresh start, but his or her spouse is adamant about not filing.   Don’t worry, the spouse is not required to file.   Of course, each case is different and … Read More

3 Questions to Ask At Your First Bankruptcy Consultation

This video talks about the 3 questions to ask at your first meeting with a bankruptcy attorney: 1) will my bankruptcy case be approved by the Court? 2) will the Bankruptcy Court permit me to keep all of my property? 3) how will bankruptcy affect my credit rating? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QF1aq_t4vPM&feature=g-upl [bws_related_posts]

“C” is for Credit Card Creep

Many prospective clients, when meeting me for the first time in my office, seem to shake their heads and wonder what happened with their finances. They say that they never imagined that they would be considering bankruptcy. I don’t know the percentages, but the financial problems of most people are rooted in the following: divorce or separation job loss medical … Read More

“B” is for Bankruptcy Timeline

The timeline for a typical bankruptcy case is as follows. I will talk mostly about Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy, because business bankruptcies in Chapter 11 vary considerably. Both Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 cases begin as follows. Prior to filing a case, one must complete the Pre Filing Counseling, which takes from 30 to 60 minutes. Most people … Read More

“A” is for Abuse of Bankruptcy

In the Bankruptcy Alphabet, “A” stands for abuse of bankruptcy. Clients frequently ask me if their bankruptcy case is going to be approved by the Court. My answer is yes, as long as they follow the rules of the court. I write this today having just read that the Bankruptcy Court has dismissed the Chapter 13 case of T-Boz, the … Read More

Can You Keep Your Property After Filing Bankruptcy in Pennsylvania?

The vast majority of individuals who file bankruptcy protect all of their property and do not “liquidate” their property. The mechanism to protect the property is known as the system of “exemptions”. In Pennsylvania, we use either the Federal list of exemptions, or, rarely, the Pennsylvania exemptions. Essentially, no one would want individuals who file bankruptcy to lose all of … Read More