The Bankruptcy Blog: Bankruptcy

Home -> Law Blog Directory -> Bankruptcy Blogs

OR PHONE (866) 635-1838 for Bankruptcy Help, (866) 635-6190 for Divorce,
(866) 635-2689 for Personal Injury or (866) 635-9402 for Criminal Defense

Find a Local Lawyer

Bankruptcy (866) 635-1838
Divorce (866) 635-6190
Personal Injury (866) 635-2689
Criminal Defense (866) 635-9402

Bankruptcy

The Bankruptcy Blog

Educates consumers on bankruptcy laws.
By Total Bankruptcy.

Post Frequency: 5.8/day

Last Entry: March 28, 2011 at 12:14:25

?Presidential Reunion? Shows Need for Consumer Financial Protection

Posted on March 05, 2010
A viral video taking over the internet this week brings together some comedy heavyweights, plus director Ron Howard, to educate consumers about the need for a Consumer Financial Protection Agency. "Presidential Reunion" brings together presidential impersonators from the past 35 years of "Saturday Night Live," including Will Ferrel as George W...

Credit Cards 101: Visa

Posted on March 04, 2010
If you're a Visa cardholder, you probably received a packet of updated policies and terms of use for your card, related to the new credit card laws. However, even if you did read all the fine print, you still may be curious of the intricacies of how your Visa card works...

Handling Student Loans Outside of Bankruptcy

Posted on March 03, 2010
As a recent article from the Wall Street Journal highlights, student loan debt is a huge burden for many Americans. But, unlike credit card debts, student loans cannot typically be discharged in a bankruptcy filing. And now, as layoffs and salary reductions become more and more common around the country, many once-comfortable graduates are finding themselves [...

Sen. Jim Bunning Holds Up Unemployment Benefits Extension

Posted on March 02, 2010
Unemployment benefits for 400,000 Americans are set to run out in the next week, and a bill that could extend them is being held up by a lone Senator. Sen. Jim Bunning, a Republican from Kentucky and former Major League Baseball pitcher, has objected to extending jobless benefits, which are attached to a larger spending bill [...

To access this complete feed in the blog feed reader login or register for free.

Shortcomings of Credit CARD Act

Posted on February 27, 2010
This week saw the much-anticipated date (February 22) on which the Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act (Credit CARD Act) took full effect. And, while it theoretically introduces many new consumer protections, it leaves plenty room for ?creativity? from card issuers...

More Mortgage Relief in Proposed Changes to Obama Plan

Posted on February 25, 2010
FOX Business recently reported that it obtained a document leaked from the federal Treasury Department that outlines proposed changes to the Making Home Affordable program - also known as the Home Affordable Modification Program, or HAMP. The plan is part of the Obama Administration?s attempt to provide some home foreclosure help...

Your Car in Bankruptcy

Posted on February 23, 2010
For many people considering filing for bankruptcy, it?s important to know whether they?ll be able to get on with their lives afterward?and for many, that will be determined by whether or not they have a car. And, with car issues in the news pretty often these days, they?re certainly on our minds...

New Consumer Credit Card Rules Take Effect

Posted on February 22, 2010
Good news for credit card holders?the final set of provisions under the Credit Card Act of 2009 take effect today, offering some important consumer protections. For those who use credit cards responsibly, the new laws will provide more time to pay bills and less likelihood for fees, penalties and interest rate changes...

Consumer Protection Alert: Scammers Using BBB Name

Posted on February 20, 2010
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is a private company that works to promote honesty in the marketplace so that both buyers and sellers can conduct business in a trusting environment. The various branches of the BBB assess businesses on their dependability and warn consumers about scams...

Medical Bills: Beware of Discount Health Coverage Scams

Posted on February 19, 2010
As healthcare costs continue to skyrocket in comparison to household earnings, many Americans are looking for ways to save on medical bills. However, not every deal is worth pursuing, and the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud reports some healthcare scams currently plaguing the nation...

Online Scams on Reputable Web Sites?

Posted on February 16, 2010
If you're committed to managing your finances, you likely know how to spot questionable offers. However, simply shopping at trustworthy web sites may not stop you from seeing surprise charges. A recent press release from the office of New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo details an online scam that seems to be shockingly widespread among big [...

Protecting Your Best Financial Interests

Posted on February 13, 2010
Part of becoming truly financially responsible and independent involves accepting responsibility for your financial situation. Not only do you have the power to improve your finances, you?re the only person who can (and will) consistently watch out for your rights as a consumer...

What Could You Cut in a Pinch?

Posted on February 12, 2010
With unemployment levels still high, many people are looking for ways to trim their household budgets. Dealing with a sudden loss of income can be difficult, especially if you're used to a certain lifestyle. Whether you're dealing with unemployment, recovering from filing bankruptcy or just trying to create a nest egg, where you spend your [...

The Right Time to File Bankruptcy?

Posted on February 10, 2010
A refreshing article published recently in the Kalamazoo (Mich.) News underscores the role bankruptcy plays in helping filers overcome debt and draws attention to the oft-neglected question of when is the best time to file. The article points out that too many people try to avoid filing bankruptcy at all costs and wait until they are [...

Debtor Collects from Creditor Harassment

Posted on February 08, 2010
Anyone who has ever been hounded by a debt collector has probably fantasized about giving the collector a taste of his or her own medicine. That fantasy may be much easier to realize than most people imagine, as the story of a Dallas debtor shows. Background: Your Rights as a Consumer Laws are in place at both [...

The Week in Finance From the FTC

Posted on February 07, 2010
The Federal Trade Commission announced this week two new measures to address lapses in consumer protection for U.S. citizens. Mortgage Lender Required to Hire Consultant According to a news release, the FTC has modified a settlement with Gateway Funding Diversified Mortgage Services, L...

Understanding Credit Card Cancellations

Posted on February 05, 2010
Finding out your credit card has been canceled can be frustrating, embarrassing and worrisome. Unfortunately, tough economic times may mean card cancellations become more common and more likely in the coming months. Why Credit Cards Matter Hopefully, you already know that your credit score is a number calculated through a formula developed by the Fair Isaac Corporation (FICO) [...

Obama?s Plans for Your Retirement Savings

Posted on February 04, 2010
In an age of disappearing pensions and rapidly shrinking Social Security funds, individual retirement accounts are more important than ever ? but many Americans have no official retirement accounts, connected to their jobs or otherwise. The Associated Press reports that President Obama is launching a plan to change that...

FTC Hails Victory Over Abusive Debt Collection Practices

Posted on January 29, 2010
The Federal Trade Commission announced this month that it has settled charges with three debt collectors accused of various types of abusive debt collection. The settlement, which reportedly includes the largest civil penalty ever levied on a debt collection agency, comes in conjunction with future restrictions for the defendants...

Tuition May be Tax Deductible This Year

Posted on January 28, 2010
With tax season coming up, everyone is looking for new ways to save, either to get a larger refund or to afford paying taxes owed. Thanks to a new ruling, some graduate students may find extra breathing room come tax time. The Wall Street Journal reports that, thanks to the persistence of Lori Singleton-Clarke, a Maryland [...

Elliss Bankruptcy a Riches to Rags Story

Posted on January 26, 2010
Financial lessons are often best learned in retrospect, which can make it difficult to tell when you're going down the wrong financial path. Luckily, we can always learn from the mistakes of others. The Detroit News reports that former Detroit Lions lineman Luther Elliss was forced to file for bankruptcy thanks to a series of bad [...

Consumer Price Data Paints Bleary Picture of 2009

Posted on January 22, 2010
The U.S. Labor Department released its monthly Consumer Price Index data, and the numbers confirm what most Americans can already sense: the recession continues to exact its toll. Here's a look at the numbers for the whole of 2009. Overall: Consumer Prices Up 2...

Stricter Mortgage Lending Regulations Implemented

Posted on January 21, 2010
As many people now know, the current recession was touched off by the collapse of the real estate market, which ballooned out of control in the mid-2000s. Now, according to CBS News, mortgage lenders have learned a tough lesson and are changing the way they do business...

Research Suggests Ways to Spend Smarter

Posted on January 18, 2010
High unemployment rates and sluggish recovery in the job market mean that many Americans are still budgeting carefully and watching every penny that leaves their wallets. It?s times like these when studies like the one conducted by researchers at San Francisco State University can help us make important spending decisions...

December Unemployment Unchanged at 10 Percent

Posted on January 16, 2010
The Bureau of Labor Statistics has released its most recent unemployment numbers (for December 2009), and they paint a gloomy picture of the U.S. job landscape. While the actual unemployment rate and number of unemployed people in the country remain unchanged from the last recorded period (10...

Decade in Bankruptcy: 13 Million Consumer Filings

Posted on January 15, 2010
In a decade with two recessions, two wars and skyrocketing unemployment, bankruptcy became a financial safety net for a record 13 million Americans. It's no wonder that Time called it the decade from hell. Between January 2000 and December 2009, 13,363,085 personal bankruptcy petitions were filed as Americans attempted to defy debt, stop foreclosure and get a [...

Bankruptcy Filings Hit 1.44 Million in 2009

Posted on January 14, 2010
Bankruptcy filings in 2009 reach 1.44 million as consumers and businesses dealt with unemployment, foreclosure and tight credit. A total 1,435,425 bankruptcy petitions were filed in the 50 states and Washington D.C. That figure increases to 1,446,967 when Puerto Rico, Guam and the Virgin Islands are taken into count...

Is Texting ?HAITI? to 90999 a Scam?

Posted on January 13, 2010
In the wake of the traumatic 7.0 earthquake that struck Haiti Tuesday evening, an outpouring of support has been heard across cyberspace. And thanks to developments in technology, donating to important and topical causes is easier than ever. But could a text of support really find you victimized by a scam? Right now, there are two [...

Medical Records in Bankruptcy Court

Posted on January 12, 2010
A recent report from the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel Online describes a potential complication that might arise during a bankruptcy filing. Here?s a look at what happened and what it might mean for other filers. Your Records in Chapter 13 Bankruptcy When you file for Chapter 13 bankruptcy, you?re agreeing to the following: Committing to a repayment plan that lasts [...

When Others? Bankruptcies Affect You

Posted on January 11, 2010
Filling for bankruptcy is a major financial decision that can impact all aspects of your finances. But, because of the way bankruptcy protection works, you can also be affected when other people file for bankruptcy, too. Here's a look at how and what you can do about it...

Previous | Next

Related Law Bulletins

New Baptist Covenant Blog
Last week, I pointed to the New Baptist Convenant website, now onl...

The Mexico Trucker Blog
I've written before about the perceived problems with relaxed rest...

Developments in Portland and Spokane Catholic Church Bankruptcy Cases
On April 17, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Elizabeth Perris formally appro...