When To File Bankruptcy » budget

Can I file for bankruptcy without hiring an attorney?

admin — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 09:38:41 +0000

An attorney isn’t in the budget.

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How to help a depressed relative in significant debt?

admin — Mon, 09 May 2011 09:37:32 +0000

I have a relative ("Lou") who is in debt. Lou is in his early 30’s. The debt is more than K. Lou seems depressed, and I believe spends (restaurants, clothes, etc) as an escape from real life. In the past, the family has repaid Lou’s debt without conditions, but every time more debt appears later. This time, the family offered to refinance the debt only if Lou hews to a budget. Lou is resisting the budget since it imposes controls that any adult might resist. Plus, Lou is worried about his life being in too much flux and not being able to guarantee he can live within the budget. The only alternative is for Lou to default on his debt. We don’t really want that because of the long-term implications of bankruptcy. We also worry about pushing Lou "over the edge". There is no drinking or drug problem. There may be a gambling problem. What do we do? Lou refuses to go to counseling.

Technorati Tags: adult, bankruptcy, budget, clothes, counseling, drug problem, gambling problem, quot, restaurants, term implications

Car with no title after bankruptcy…what should we do?

admin — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 00:01:42 +0000

Hi!

We filed bankruptcy last year. It was final in October and we’ve been doing great ever since-staying on budget and living within our means, cutting expenses-we even moved to a smaller place to save money.

We let a car go into the bankruptcy..but here’s the thing. They won’t come pick it up. They said it’s not worth it to them so when I asked if they would send me the title so we can get rid of it, they said no. So, we have an unused car (we let it go because it needs like 00 in repairs and among other debt we had, this vehicle and payments were burying us financially) that is just sitting here collecting dust.

We thought about selling our paid off car (my husbands work vehicle-old..probably get maybe 00 for it) and putting the money toward fixing up the Kia Sorento and re-registering and insuring it….but we’d much rather sell it if possible but without title I think we are stuck.

I talked to our attorney and she said that there are no laws after the bankruptcy that would force the lender to release the lien and title.

Is there nothing else we can do?
Angel
Just a note…we will never be able to pay off the lien…the loan still had a balance of a little over k…no way can we pay that off…..:(

I wonder if we can "rent" it to someone…like a family member that needs a car? But then if they got in an accident we’d be liable, huh? Just trying to think of ideas….
Sorry…more details!

We live in California (Sacramento County) if that helps. I like some of those ideas (mechanic’s lien and the storage idea).

Angel

Technorati Tags: angel, bankruptcy, budget, collecting dust, family member, kia, kia sorento, mechanic, money, sacramento county, storage

Should I leave my wife?

admin — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 21:36:59 +0000

Been married about 10 years. She’s honestly never been much of a wife. Complete slob and totally irresponsible with almost everything. Now I do all the chores, bills, housework, etc, including vacuuming up after her dog all the time. Not only won’t she help clean, but now she actually leaves the house when I clean because it seems to offend her. I’ve spent thousands of hours remodeling the house, even built a home theater, but she doesn’t lift a finger to help. She is constantly suspecting I cheat on her, and has even accused me. She has become totally negative and mean spirited. She actually uses voodoo dolls on people she doesn’t like, and does a happy dance when something bad happens to them. Seems all she wants is for me to do everything for her. She constantly wants sex, but I have grown very unatractedd to her. She is reckless and irresponsible with the budget. I’ve told her we’re in tough shape, but she ignores me and continues to eat out most nights, and go shopping as if we have an unlimited bank account. We are now at the point that I have to sell the house and/or file bankruptcy. But of course I’m having trouble getting the house ready for sale, because I can’t keep up with the cleaning and maintenance. We have one child, but I’ll do everything I can to make sure she doesn’t get hurt.
Based on some of the answers I should explain more. Yes she has gotten gradually worse. I think it has just kind of snuck up on me though the last year or so. Now it’s become unbearable. I do NOT want to hurt her though. I think she still loves me, and would be lost and devestated without me, so that makes my decision very difficult.

Technorati Tags: 10 years, bankruptcy, budget, chores, happy dance, home theater, housework, shape, shopping, slob, voodoo dolls

Is it OK that I'm using a paralegal rather than an attorney for my bankruptcy?

admin — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 09:39:39 +0000

I’ve decided to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy…my employment hasn’t been steady in the last year and my debts eclipsed my rent even though I was on a debt mgmt company. All my accounts are closed and I haven’t used a card for anything since July (and that was at best a grocery purchase). I’ve been living off of temporary jobs and the occasional two-week unemployment benefit. I’m single, live alone in a small apartment, have no assets (not even a car). I have approximately K in old credit card debt. I’m not a shopaholic…most of the debt was incurred either to help me stay afloat while unemployed (and not receiving UE benefits).

I know bankruptcy will screw my credit, but I don’t really care…I don’t plan on moving anytime soon or buying anything on credit within the next few years. It would be wonderful to be able to put away some savings after paying my bills (00 a month would pay all my bills and allow me a modest budget of disposable income) would feel wonderful after scraping by for years and praying I don’t lose a job.

I can’t afford to hire an attorney, so I’m having a paralegal help me out. I know an atty would be better, but since I have nothing to save (no assets), I figure things would be pretty cut and dried.

At the moment, I am subsisting on temporary jobs and unemployment benefits during the weeks I am not working. A permanent job could come along, but I’m guessing not for at least another month.
wash – you can make payments to an attorney? I visited one early on in my decision and they quoted me 00, all upfront. I’ve heard that if you screw up your paperwork, you cant file for bankruptcy for a whole year, so I realize the value of an attorney…however, I also have a pretty simple financial matter: no assets, no kids, no mortgage.

Yahir – I don’t know if you’re a real person or not since I see a lot of these links, but just FYI – I was working with a debt mgmt company for about three years before I lost a job and could no longer pay them.
I’m single, no kids, never married.

This paralegal is not working for an attorney…she has her own business. She also told me she has filed for bankruptcy herself a number of times….I don’t know if this is a warning sign or it proves that she knows the ropes as far as what to expect.

Technorati Tags: assets, budget, chapter 7 bankruptcy, credit card debt, debt mgmt, debts, disposable income, financial matter, job, mortgage, paperwork, paralegal, real person, shopaholic, small apartment, temporary jobs, unemployment benefit, unemployment benefits, upfront