Category Archives: debt relief
Chapter 7: Eligibility And The Means Test
In 2005, significant changes to the U.S. Bankruptcy Code were made to reduce the number of people eligible to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, the most commonly filed form of debt relief. Part of the reasoning behind the legislative change was the belief that too many people were using Chapter 7 to obtain easy or […]
Understanding Your Credit Score
A credit score, often called a FICO, is determined from information listed on your credit report. FICO is an acronym for Fair Isaac and Company, the developer of software used to calculate credit scores. Used by insurance companies, lenders and even employers, your credit score is a simple three-digit number with a lot of societal […]
“Medical Bankruptcy” — is it an Option?
In the politically charged atmosphere surrounding the Affordable Care Act, it is hard to get a straight answer about whether medical bankruptcies are a driving factor behind personal insolvency in the United States. By some measures, medical bills are a contributing cause in over 60 percent of bankruptcies filed in the United States. Others say […]
What is a Bankruptcy Trustee’s Role?
Bankruptcies in the United States are overseen by a trustee appointed by the court. However, a bankruptcy trustee is not the same as the United States Trustee, the federal office charged with overseeing the bankruptcy process throughout the country. The United States Trustee maintains a list of private individuals who are qualified to act as […]
How Can I Fight Wage Garnishment?
Wage garnishment in New York is a familiar subject to most employers’ payroll departments. This is because creditors in the recession have won record numbers of court orders to garnish wages. Often, the working person with debts will only learn of their garnishment when a smaller amount appears on their bank deposit records, because a […]
Can My Divorce and Bankruptcy be Filed at the Same Time?
It may seem as if New York divorce and bankruptcy law are about two largely unrelated things. Sure, financial distress is often a predicator of marital dissolution. In addition, divorce does involve a divvying up of property and debts (as well as the matter of child custody, where applicable). However, if a bankruptcy and a […]
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