The decision to choose whether to file for Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy can be a difficult one. There are many factors to consider. However, most financial and legal guidance suggests that the line separating the two types of bankruptcy strictly divides along...
Examine your credit report after a bankruptcy
Individuals who file for bankruptcy often feel as if an enormous weight has been lifted from their shoulders. Debt has either been repaid or discharged and a fresh financial future has been unlocked. Unfortunately, there are steps one needs to follow in order to fully...
IRS Restores Deductibility of Trust & Estate Losses
A new IRS proposed regulation brings welcome news to beneficiaries of estates and non-grantor trusts. Beneficiaries will now be able to deduct expenses in excess of income in the final year of the trust or estate. The deductibility of these expenses had been...
Should you file for bankruptcy?
Millions of Americans are in debt. In fact, according to a 2015 report by the Pew Research Center, 89 percent of individuals ages 36 to 51 and 86 percent of individuals ages 20 to 35 are in debt. From a home mortgage and student loans to credit card and medical debt,...
Hope for individuals trapped in a cycle of debt
A job loss, health emergency or unexpected car repair can result quickly result in an individual accruing thousands of dollars in debt. For the millions of Americans who struggle each month to pay the bills, it’s easy to become overwhelmed and to feel hopeless. While...
Struggling with student loan debt? How bankruptcy can help
According to the Institute for College Access & Success, 69 percent of public and nonprofit college graduates have student loan debt, the average amount of which totals in excess of $28,000 per student. Combined, U.S. college graduates have accrued massive amounts...
U.S. economists concerned about U.S. consumers increasing reliance on credit cards
With the introduction of major credit card companies like Visa and MasterCard in the mid-1970s, the U.S. public fell in love with the concept of having it now and paying for it later. Since that time, the credit card industry has grown into a multi-billion dollar one,...
New York State Court adopts tighter rules for debt collection
"New York state court administrators said Tuesday they have finalized rules designed to ban the collection of debts that consumers did not incur, have already paid off or which have been extinguished by the passage of the six-year statute of limitations. Chief Judge...
Tax Court Rules Homebuilders Could Apply Completed Contract Method Considering Common Improvement Costs of Entire Housing Development
"In Shea v. Commissioner the U.S. Tax Court decided in favor of the taxpayer, a developer of planned residential communities, and allowed the taxpayer to defer the recognition of income from the sale of homes under its completed contract method of accounting for...
New York to enact new debt collection rules to protect consumers
Being in debt is stressful. When you’re behind on bills and credit card payments, your debt sometimes get sold to third-party collectors, who begin calling you constantly. If you missed or did not get a notice that your debt was being sold, you may have no idea who is...