As a reminder of the human toll wrought by the ongoing financial crisis, the bankruptcy of a 89 year-old WWII paratrooper will mean that he will lose his home and not see any money from the sale of his real estate. Mr. Warren Bodeker filed bankruptcy due to the inability to pay a great [...]
U.S. Census Bureau data indicates that the age group carrying the highest debt load in America is those aged 35-44. In fact, the group has a median debt of $108,000, 25 percent higher than the second highest most indebted age group. Because of this large debt load, many Arizona residents may be considering taking a [...]
Arizona residents may be surprised to learn that a 401(K) is considered a protected asset in a bankruptcy. A protected asset is one that does not become part of the bankruptcy estate and is not considered an asset of the filer. Someone with less credit card debt than the amount of a retirement account can [...]
Arizona residents may be confused or misinformed about how owning a home affects their choice of filing a Chapter 7 bankruptcy or a Chapter 13 bankruptcy. Some may assume that home ownership automatically disqualifies them from filing a Chapter 7. It is usually the equity rather than the home itself that disqualifies them, however. Money [...]
As Arizona residents rush into the emergency room for medical treatment, making an immediate payment for their treatment is probably the last thing on their mind. However, reports indicate that Accretive Health, a medical debt collection agency, has been forcing patients with outstanding debts to make payments in order to receive care. In 2012, one [...]
Former baseball star Jose Canseco has filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy back in 2012. Canseco has a long history in the baseball world, and he was voted to be Rookie of the Year in 1986. In 1988, Jose Canseco was voted the most valuable player of the American League when he played for the Oakland Athletics. [...]
Arizona residents who experience unexpected life changes such as unemployment or illness may find themselves struggling to pay mortgages, medical expenses and credit card debt. By utilizing personal bankruptcy, they can resolve their financial challenges. However, he expiration of the federal Mortgage Fairness Debt Relief Act at the end of 2012 could add an additional [...]
A struggling economy has left many Americans struggling with financial challenges caused by unemployment, business ownership, medical issues or bad investments. Some people reach the point where Chapter 13 or Chapter 7 bankruptcy becomes the best means of achieving debt relief. John L. Smith struggled with that decision the summer of 2012 in the spotlight [...]
Arizona experienced a 22 percent decline in bankruptcy filings in 2012 from a year earlier, and Chapter 11 bankruptcies increased 14.5 percent in 2012. Individuals and not businesses accounted for more than half of the Chapter 11 filings. This is somewhat unusual because most people filing a personal bankruptcy file either a Chapter 7 or [...]
Some Arizona residents may think that financial woes do not touch the rich or famous, but anyone can be affected by overwhelming debt. In fact, the woman who proclaimed herself the world's first supermodel, Janice Dickinson, recently confirmed that she has filed for personal bankruptcy. Dickinson is known for her role as a judge on [...]