Marriage can offer many financial benefits, including tax advantages, two incomes, and someone to share expenses. Unfortunately, getting married can cost you a great deal if you need to file bankruptcy. Getting married can make a person ineligible for Chapter 7 bankruptcy and increase their payments in Chapter 13 bankruptcy. I’m going to use an […]
CAN I KEEP A CREDIT CARD WHILE IN CHAPTER 13 BANKRUPTCY?
I probably answer over a hundred questions for my clients each week. Unfortunately, my answers are often long, complicated or the oh-so-helpful “it depends.” Luckily, once in a while, I get a question like the one in the title of this article, and I get to give a simple, easy to understand answer. “No.” I […]
CAN I PAY TITHING TO MY CHURCH WHILE IN BANKRUPTCY?
Sections 707(b)(2) and 1325(b) of The Bankruptcy Code provide that debtors in bankruptcy may list tithing and other charitable contributions as a deduction when determining eligibility to file Chapter 7 bankruptcy and when calculating a Chapter 13 plan payment. Not all charitable contributions can be treated as a valid deduction. Charitable contributions must be paid […]
CHAPTER 13 BANKRUPTCY: WHEN IS MY FIRST PAYMENT DUE?
Under the Bankruptcy Code, your first payment is due “not later than 30 days after the date of the filing of the plan or the order for relief.” 11 U.S.C. § 1326(a)(1). This means that once a case is filed, the trustee must have a payment in hand within 30 days. A payment mailed on […]
CHAPTER 7 BANKRUPTCY: REDEEMING SECURED PROPERTY
One of the benefits of filing Chapter 13 bankruptcy is that you can sometimes cram down secured debt on vehicles. This means that you can force a creditor to accept repayment of a loan by paying the value of the vehicle rather than the entire claim. Chapter 7 bankruptcy has a similar tool available to […]