Recent Blog Posts

As a general rule, Americans don’t do delayed gratification well. We live in a youth-oriented society that moves at the speed of technology without a thought for what is going to happen tomorrow. We live, work and consume, and push away thoughts about what it might be like for us when we are older. We…

If you thought that you could not discharge income tax debt in bankruptcy, then you might be happy to be mistaken if you owe money to the IRS. You absolutely may discharge old tax debts, penalties and interest in Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcies, as long as you qualify under a few simple IRS…

If you are experiencing financial difficulties, the last thing you need is to be taken in by a scam. Unfortunately, debt elimination scams are an increasingly popular way for fraudsters in Illinois to take advantage of people when they are most desperate. One of the most important things to look out for is the general…

There is a simple and easy way to understand the difference between secured and unsecured debt. Secured debt is backed by some type of property, such as a car or house. Defaulting on this type of debt typically means the forfeiture of the property in question. Unsecured debt is backed simply by a promise of…

Sometimes it takes going through a financial emergency to understand the vital importance of having an emergency fund on hand. Life is expensive. Sometimes things happen that are beyond the realm of your control, such as a roof repair, a mechanical problem with your car, an out-of-town funeral or any other expense that is outside…

Bankruptcy and divorce often go hand in hand because making the transition from a single household to two separate ones is an expensive one. When a couple amasses credit card debt over the course of the marriage, it becomes the responsibility of both parties to pay it off. Unfortunately, when all of the bills have…

When you file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, certain debts are cancelled, or “discharged.” Once a debt is discharged, the debtor is no longer responsible for repaying it. A creditor can no longer collect on discharged debts. A discharge is usually automatically granted at the end of a case, unless an objection is filed by a…

In order to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in Georgia, your income must be low enough to show that you cannot reasonably pay your debts. The bankruptcy means test determines if you qualify or if your income is too high for this type of bankruptcy. The test compares your income to that of a family…

The stress of being in debt is exacerbated if you are also unemployed. How can you repay your loans if you don’t have a steady income? Don’t worry – you still have options. You don’t have to be employed to file for bankruptcy. You can still file without having a job, although it may complicate…

Bankruptcy offers debtors the chance to wipe out many forms of unsecured debt, including credit card debt. But does that mean you’ll have to give up your credit cards entirely during bankruptcy? It depends. While it is often possible to maintain a credit card to use during bankruptcy, you may decide that you don’t want…