Don't Get Overwhelmed with Changing Laws!

As the economy continues to stagger here in the United States, and especially in northern Colorado, more people are needing the fresh start a bankruptcy filing can provide.  Some people are tempted to try and file the paperwork and go through the procedure on their own.  This is an issue for those who try and do this.  We have all heard about being penny wise and pound foolish…  meaning that sometimes the most crucial thing you can do is to know how to wisely guard your assests more than simply never spending.  Watching pennies as dollars slip through your fingers.

Bankruptcy attorneys in Fort Collins have to keep up on Colorado laws, which can change at any time and affect your filing.  Laws change.  This is why you want an attorney protecting your interests.  One individual we know of had a condo and they listed the condo as one of their assets in their declaration of assets.  The thing they forgot to do was to also list their $20,000 parking space.  They kept their condo, yes they did much of it right.  They lost the parking…  In order to save about $750 (the difference between the cost of their filing and what our fees would have been), they lost a $20,000 asset.

If you need bankruptcy help in Greeley, Fort Collins or Loveland, please feel free to give our office a call!

The Cruel Debt Cycle!

If you have lived long on this planet, you understand a few basic rules that seem to always be in play.  The rich get richer, the poor get poorer, those who owe end up owing more.  Why is this?  Why is it that good, hard working people always seem to be getting the short end of the financial stick?  Why is it the harder they work, the deeper they sink?  Basically it comes down to this principle…  Those with the gold, rule.

If you are in a position of constant debt that is impossible to get away from, and the more you owe, the higher the interest rate you are forced to pay, to the point where you are not even making payments on time because you can’t…  you may want to consider a bankruptcy filing in Fort Collins!

One great thing about my job is I get to help people who are struggling, good hard working people, find relief from years of stress they have been fighting.  I get to see the relief in their eyes when they get the fresh start they need.  Most people who file bankruptcy are not irresponsible people who ran up credit cards on trips to Vegas…  they are our neighbors who got a terrible life break.  Bad health, a layoff or other extreme calamity.  Our job is to help make life more bearable for those who are in this position.

If you are wondering if you might qualify for bankruptcy, please give us a call for a free bankruptcy consultation in Fort Collins!

Have you been considering a Chapter 7 bankruptcy in Fort Collins, Loveland or Greeley?  If you have, one of the advantages of using an attorney is we will help you with some of the most elemental parts of the Chapter 7 bankruptcy process.  If you use one of the DIY (Do it yourself) bankruptcy services, they are likely to get you  lot of the paperwork you need, but not necessarily the advice you need.

Let’s say you are considering filing a bankruptcy because you or your spouse had a serious health issue like cancer or an accident which cost tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of dollars.  We hope this is not the case for you, but it does happen!  If you start feeling better and see all the medical bills piling up, a standard human response is to see how to get rid of this weight.  If the disease is not cleared fully or there are still 3 months of treatments left, and you file for bankruptcy now…  all the new bills will become your responsibility as the bankruptcy court gives you a fresh start from the time of filing.

What should you have done?  Wait until you have accrued all the bills for the sickness or calamity you are dealing with, then file.  This is just one way we help our chapter 7 bankruptcy customers in Fort Collins, Loveland or Greeley!

Please give us a call for a free initial chapter 7 bankruptcy consultation!

Save money with a free bankruptcy consultation!

Obviously, if you are considering bankruptcy in Fort Collins, CO, extra cash isn’t something you have a lot of.  We understand the fears and concerns you have regarding bankruptcy in Fort Collins.  One of the biggest concerns is that you will not be able to afford an attorney, or a competent bankruptcy attorney…  This is simply not true.  Bankruptcy attorneys, like doctors, want to help you.  We realize that you may have some challenges, this is why you call.  Our goal is not to make you go deeper in the hole, but to help you out of it!

Bankruptcy is not for everyone. This is why we offer a free initial consultation.  It gives us a chance to interview you and ask some questions and it gives you the chance to meet us and make sure you feel confident in our ability to help with your bankruptcy case in Fort Collins CO.

A free consultation is good for you because if you don’t have a great chance at success in regards to your bankruptcy filing, you are not deeper in the hole.

Please call to schedule your free bankruptcy consultation in Fort Collins CO today!

Finances may not always be a cup of coffee, but bankruptcy is not always the answer in Fort Collins!

Yes, we are a bankruptcy firm in Fort Collins.  What does this mean exactly?  Basically, our job is to help our clients protect their financial well being through the bankruptcy code or other avenues the law provides.  This can include bankruptcy filing, but then again, it is our obligation to let you know when you are going to have trouble getting your debts erased through bankruptcy.  This is what the initial consultation is all about.  When do we see people where it seems they are going to struggle getting their debts discharged.

1. Source of financial strain is child support payments.  This kind of debt can’t be discharged.
2. Source of strain is student loans
3. You make enough to pay your bills
4. You didn’t pay taxes and now penalties are high and makes it hard to pay bills.  Tax debt also cannot be discharged.

If you want to see if you qualify for assistance under the bankruptcy code, please give us a call for a free initial bankruptcy consultation in Fort Collins!

Common Causes to Bankruptcy Filings in Fort Collins

If you have been considering filing a Chapter 7 or a Chapter 13 bankruptcy in Fort Collins, there are some common reasons why this is something you’d consider and a few reasons you might think about, but actually won’t be debt which can be discharged.

Common Reasons People Need to File Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 Bankruptcy in Fort Collins:

• Medical bills are completely out of control.  Maybe after losing work you were under a COBRA plan, it ran out and everything is out of pocket.  On small surgery, like a hernia repair can cost $10,000 or more out of pocket.  Added with other bills, this can be crippling.
• Divorce – Divorce has not only emotional blowback, but the financial costs of going through a divorce can be way outside of your means
• Life Circumstances - Maybe you had a $120,000 per year job two years ago and it seemed secure.  You got laid off and now make $36,000, but your car, your house, etc were all purchased when you had the good job.  Now you can’t make all the payments.

What does not qualify to be discharged?

• Child Support payments
• Government Loans such as Student Loans
• Tax debts to the IRS
• Court orders against you (successful lawsuits you owe money on)

We hope this helps you know why people may be filing for bankruptcy.  Simply said, bankruptcy can be a viable solution when your debts exceed your income and assets.

Keep Your Bankruptcy Filing Simple!

Have you been looking for a Bankruptcy Attorney in Fort Collins and want the process to be simple?  Maybe you are thinking that it is too difficult to gather all of your paperwork and you want it to be “just done.”  Hopefully you are a bit more realistic and the simplicity you are looking for in your bankruptcy filing in Fort Collins is that your attorney will just speak to you in plain English rather than legalese.  If you want simple plain talk for your Chapter 7 bankruptcy in Fort Collins or your Chapter 13 Bankruptcy in Fort Collins, you have come to the right place. 

Having a simple answer is nice because you know what you need to do to have the best chances of getting your debts discharged by a bankruptcy court in Fort Collins.   Insist on having a bankruptcy lawyer in Fort Collins or Greeley who will speak your language and do everything they can do to help you get bankruptcy help in Fort Collins, CO!  Call us if you want that kind of bankruptcy help in Fort Collins!

How Recessions Affect Bankruptcy

We have all seen the effects of an economic downturn.  There is a strange problem that can occur as a result of the “means test” that determines whether a person would qualify for a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy or a Chapter 13 bankruptcy.  Data which is compiled by the US Census is always behind a bit as it requires reporting of data.  If someone loses their job today, it is most likely to hit next year in the means test data.  So, if the average in Colorado is $45,000 per individual today (it’s not, but trying to make this easier to understand) and with people losing work, maybe it should be $40,000 — your case will be based on the $45,000 until the Census catches up.  Seems simple, what’s the big deal? 

If you are having to file a Chapter 13 Bankruptcy instead of a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy in Fort Collins, your legal costs will more than double, it is a lot more work and your relief is less.  It doesn’t affect those people who are making next to nothing, but those on the precipice are the ones who tend to get screwed.

If you are close to the median state salary and your expenses are high, but not BRUTAL, you may get hosed over due to this small differential.  Our job as bankruptcy attorneys in Fort Collins is to do what we can in terms of helping you disclose every legitimate debt and all earnings and make the best case we can for your financial well being.  There will be a few of you who we feel should be able to qualify for a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy due to real financial calamity, but we’ll have to do a Chapter 13 bankruptcy filing instead.

Given the changing laws and the importance of doing a bankruptcy filing correctly, we always recommend you go to an attorney.  Even if you choose to use someone else, which we don’t want, we still believe since bankruptcy law is challenging, you should avoid Do It Yourself bankruptcy  because making mistakes only put you in further jeopardy. 

If you would like a free Bankruptcy consultation to determine if you would qualify for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in Fort Collins, Chapter 13 bankruptcy in Fort Collins or neither, please give us a call!

Are You Too Busy to Think About a Bankruptcy?

Debt has a funny effect on the lives of people who have to deal with it on a day to day basis (and who doesn’t in one way or another?)  We see mounting bills and they keep piling on in and then we see the little amount of cash coming into the coffer, we get stressed out, take on another job or two…  can’t take care of ourself, get sick, more bills, etc, etc…

When you get trapped into the deep debt cycle, there is very little that seems like can be done.  Considering bankruptcy would be interesting, but really, who has time for that?  And isn’t declaring bankruptcy (Chapter 7 or Chapter 13) kind of admitting defeat?

For people in this painful cycle, you should consider a no cost bankruptcy consultation.  Our attorneys work hard to keep your energy and time committment at a minimum, and realize there can be emmense value to a fresh start.  If you would like a fresh start on your finances, if you have hit the end of your tether, give us a call for a Fort Collins bankruptcy consultation!

Your Checklist of How to Make Life Miserable!

This article is for all those people that enjoy suffering.  If you re one of the people who think suffering is fun and that stress is good for the soul, here is an article for you.  Follow these simple steps in your financial life and you will be stressed out and more miserable than you could imagine.

• Overspend — This is a key to adding stress.  Don’t actually write out a budget and definately don’t stick to it!
• Accrue more debt — If you can get more credit cards, buy a car, get another house, have some botox done…  whatever it takes!
• Make sure you are always late on your payments so that you can pay the extra fees associated with the late charges.  DO not, under any circumstance call the creditor to tell them your situation and work something out…  that will not add stress to your life like you may want, it’d actually reduce it a bit.
• Get behind on your house payments.  This is great for increasing stress knowing you may be on the street at any time.
• When it finally does hit the fan, do a bankruptcy filing yourself.  It is an amazing way to increase the stress in your life.  If you are going to file a chapter 13 bankruptcy in Fort Collins, you LOVE this.  It is one of the most stressful filings out there and you definitely won’t want an experienced bankruptcy attorney to help you in your case!

If you want something a bit more pleasant and if you don’t like to suffer, if your bills are already out of control and you are more stressed out than you want to be…  giving us a call should be the action item for you.  We work hard as Fort Collins Bankruptcy Attorneys to make your life more peaceful and your financial woes to go away!