What to Do Immediately when Facing Wage Garnishment
You work hard for your paycheck. When a wage garnishment threatens to leave you with only a portion of it, know that you have options, but you need to act quickly. Request credit reports While dealing with wage garnishment can be stressful, having your wages withheld for a debt you don’t rightfully owe is even […]
In one portion of Texas, bankruptcy filings are down – but what does that mean?
In at least one part of Texas, bankruptcies fell last year for the third year in a row. But does that mean people are doing better, economically speaking? That might be a question to which facts and figures do not provide an easy answer. In 2012, there were 3,955 consumer bankruptcy filings in the San Antonio-based U.S. Bankruptcy […]
Trouble with tax debt: can filing bankruptcy help?
Another tax season is upon us. It’s true that the IRS has already said it won’t begin processing returns right away, because of the uncertainties about the fiscal cliff with which the year began. But that is only a momentary delay. We all know taxes are coming; as the saying goes, the only thing that […]
Bankruptcy counseling: why is it required and what does it do?
You may have heard that when the federal bankruptcy law was amended a few years ago, Congress put in a few new hoops to jump through. To a degree, this is true. There is now, for example, a requirement that someone filing for bankruptcy under Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 attend a bankruptcy counseling session. […]
Rebuilding credit after bankruptcy and divorce
Facing both bankruptcy and divorce is a challenging double whammy. But sometimes it’s necessary to dig deep down and keep going, knowing there’s a new life waiting on the other side. It’s certainly not uncommon to have problems with both money and your marriage. After all, money problems are often a major stressor in a […]
Tax debt in Texas: bankruptcy options
Debt is much on the minds of all Americans – Texans included. It isn’t just the national debt, either. Many local governments also have problems with municipal debt. And of course, if you’re reading this post, you may be in need of personal debt relief. If you owe back taxes to the IRS or the […]
Supreme Court to hear Chapter 7 bankruptcy case
The U.S. Supreme Court doesn’t hear bankruptcy cases very often. But this year the Court does have a bankruptcy case on its docket. The case is called Bullock v. BankChampaign, N.A. The case is important because of the questions it addresses about what debts can be discharged in a Chapter 7 bankruptcy. Texas and all […]
Buying a house after bankruptcy
There are many myths and misconceptions about bankruptcy. Indeed, there are far too many to clear up in just one blog post. But let’s take one such misconception: that by filing bankruptcy, you are compromising your ability to get a mortgage to buy a house in the future. In practice, this is simply not always […]
When Educational Debt Becomes a Burden, Not a Stepping Stone
San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro gives the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention tonight. It is a high honor to be chosen for this assignment. Everyone from the San Antonio area – regardless of political affiliation – will be sharing the spotlight by extension. The major is still only 37. In his three years […]
Rising Housing Costs Leave Many Texans in Need of Debt Relief
It isn’t only loss of a job or unexpected medical debts that can cause you to get behind on your mortgage payments. The need for debt relief can also be the result of the cumulative effect of wages that just don’t keep with the high cost of housing and other expenses. Home foreclosure in San […]
