As an Asheville bankruptcy lawyer, I speak about the costs of filing a bankruptcy case at every initial consultation.Part of figuring out a strategy to improve your financial situation is evaluating the costs of filing a bankruptcy case, and comparing those with the costs of not filing a case. Are you currently making payments on…
As an Asheville bankruptcy attorney, I hear from many clients after they get served by the sheriff with a collections lawsuit. A suspicious knock on the door inspires fear and more stress about a client’s financial trouble. My initial reaction when fielding such a call is, “Don’t panic, you have options, lets get you on…
As an Asheville bankruptcy lawyer, I recommend filing bankruptcy cases to clients when I feel it will improve their financial condition.Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 both have advantages and disadvantages.My job is to explain to clients which financial tool will help them more, and recommend a path forward based on the specifics of their situation.…
As an Asheville bankruptcy attorney, I spend a large portion of initial consultations discussing the negative consequences of filing a case.One fear which is often overblown, in my view, is the effect of a filing on your credit score. Many folks incorrectly think they will not ever have access to credit again or will not…
As an Asheville bankruptcy lawyer, I frequently advise people against filing a bankruptcy case when they have recently paid back a relative or family member.Making gifts or large payments to family members on the eve of bankruptcy can limit your debt relief options.Much better results can be achieved by filing a bankruptcy case first, and…
As an Asheville bankruptcy lawyer, I ask clients all the time whether they have any retirement savings. All too often, I hear, “Not anymore.” North Carolina’s exemption laws, and federal exemption laws, protect money in a retirement account from creditor levies or liens.This is a reason why lawsuits and court proceedings are inefficient for creditors…
In my Asheville, NC bankruptcy law practice, I meet with people daily who have damaged credit scores.Their scores have typically been weighed down by 30 and 60 day late payments being reported by their creditors month after month.Although a bankruptcy filing is a negative which stays on your credit report for 10 years, it will…
Potential clients in my Asheville NC bankruptcy practice almost always ask about options for their car. If you file a Chapter 7 bankruptcy case, and currently owe money on your car, you are entitled under the Bankruptcy Code to reaffirm, redeem, or surrender the car. Most frequently, however, I advise clients to consider a 4thoption,…
As a bankruptcy attorney in Asheville NC, clients come to me because they need a fresh start.Many have endured some sort of financial hardship: job loss, medical problems, or divorce.These problems frequently lead to important financial documents not being readily available.Regardless, one of my firm’s tasks is to help a client organize the documents we…
As a bankruptcy lawyer in Asheville, I spend time each day explaining the rights creditors have against consumers.While many federal debts (student loans and IRS, primarily) can cause a wage garnishment, most simple unsecured creditors (credit card, personal loan, and medical) cannot garnish wages in North Carolina.What they can do is file a lawsuit against…