Virginia
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Don’t Face Your Debt Alone
Don’t face your debt alone. Hire a lawyer to stand up for you to your creditors. You want a lawyer who understands you and your goals. But also you want a lawyer who understands your creditors and the entire debt collection process. An advocate who will fight for you. Don’t face your debt alone. At…
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Does Foreclosure Hurt Your Security Clearance?
Between four and five million Americans have security clearances, but recent data suggest that security-cleared employees are less in demand as they used to be. Still, jobs requiring security clearances continue to command higher compensation and remain very highly sought-after in the Washington, D.C. area. Many factors affect the approval or recertification of a security clearance.…
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How Bankruptcy Promotes Entrepreneurship
Starting a business takes moxy, guts. Business owners can offset the risk of failure with feasibility planning and hard work. But many businesses fail, and our economy must not doom entrepreneurs to complete ruin. The truth is that failure is an inexorable characteristic of business. In a way, the availability of bankruptcy promotes entrepreneurship. Only one in…
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The Adversary Proceeding: Litigation in Bankruptcy Court
An adversary proceeding is a lawsuit filed within a bankruptcy case. Creditors, bankruptcy trustees, and other interested parties can file adversary proceedings in a bankruptcy, as can the bankruptcy filer. Bankruptcy offers both debtors and creditors finality in the adjudication of debts. An adversary proceeding is litigation in bankruptcy court to resolve the obligations of…
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Washington DC Foreclosure Notice Requirements
Washington, D.C. is a judicial foreclosure jurisdiction. In judicial proceedings, the defendant must be given specific notices at every step of the foreclosure process. You have rights if you are facing foreclosure in Washington, D.C., but you must act to preserve them. Below I describe each of the Washington DC foreclosure notice requirements in detail.…
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Use Your Tax Refund to File Bankruptcy
Attorneys fees used toward bankruptcy are exempt from distribution. In most cases, your entire tax refund can be protected in bankruptcy. But if you are considering filing for bankruptcy, you should also consider how much it will cost to file. If you are ready to start rebuilding your credit and need a fresh start, you…
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Legislation Would Protect Corps at the Expense of Consumers
Big, bad changes may be coming to the U.S. civil litigation court system. Four Republican-sponsored “tort reform” bills are currently making their way through Congress. Each of these pieces of pending legislation would protect corporations at the expense of consumers. And perhaps to no surprise, the bills are backed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and dozens…
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Student Loans and the Means Test in Chapter 7 Bankruptcy
The Chapter 7 “means test” determines whether your income qualifies you for a Chapter 7 bankruptcy. Otherwise known as the Chapter 7 Statement of Your Current Monthly Income, the means test prevents debtors with higher-than-median income from filing Chapter 7 bankruptcy. The interaction of student loans and the means test often requires careful consideration to…
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Top 4 Tax Problems in Bankruptcy
The top 4 tax problems in bankruptcy are not particularly easy to avoid. For those facing money problems, taxes are often an afterthought. After all, paying taxes means less money in your paycheck. But the tax problems that most frequently occur in bankruptcy are actually violations of intuitive rules. Tax Problems in Bankruptcy: Chapter 7…
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Does Foreclosure Terminate a Lease?
If you rent your home and your landlord is in foreclosure, you are fully justified in wanting to know: Does foreclosure terminate a lease? You may have an excellent relationship with your landlord, but if your landlord is in foreclosure, watch out. Legal ownership of your home will transfer to a new landlord once the…
