Jacksonville Bankruptcy Lawyer Blog

One of the first questions I'm asked by a person considering bankruptcy is what effect filing has on the property they own. If you've lived in Florida for a while, you are allowed to keep property that is exempt from the collection of creditors under Florida law. While there are a large number of somewhat complicated exemptions, you can generally think of exemptions as follows: You may keep $1,000 in personal property, $1,000 in vehicle equity and then either a homestead property that has equity or $4,000 in additional personal property. So, if the homestead property was retained in the bankruptcy case, but it had no equity, the debtor could keep $1,000 in vehicle equity and $5,000 ($4,000 + $1,000) of personal property. Any property the debtor has beyond that amount is subject to the whim of a trustee appointed by the court to preserve the debtor's assets for the benefit of the debtor's creditors. The trustee takes the debtor's non-exempt property in a method similar to repossession and then auctions those goods off. The funds from this liquidation are used to pay the repossessing agent, the auctioneer's fee and the trustee's portion (typically 25%). The remaining funds are paid on a pro rata share to the debtor's creditors who timely file claims.
Just because a debtor has property that is non-exempt does not mean the trustee will claim an interest in the property. Sometimes repossession and auctioning are impractical. When determining whether to liquidate an asset, the trustee must decide on the likelihood of sale and the cost benefit analysis of using estate proceeds to repossess and sell an item which may not render a sufficient sale to cover it's own cost.
There is no clear-cut amount on which trustees rely when deciding to abandon an asset, but many trustees will occasionally leave an asset that will not earn more than $1000. Because these decisions are so subjective, trustees will almost always consider a debtor's request to keep the asset in exchange for a cash settlement. As the old cliché goes, "There is no harm in trying."

If you are considering filing for bankruptcy and have non-exempt assets you wish to keep, contact a Jacksonville Bankruptcy Attorney or call us at (904) 685-1200 to discuss your circumstances and the options available to you.

Inheritance can be an issue in bankruptcy law. One might think that after you receive a discharge in your bankruptcy case, your case is done and the court does not have an interest in your finances. This is not always so.

In a Chapter 7 case, if a loved one dies and leave you an inheritance within 180 days from the date of filing your case, then this money becomes part of your bankruptcy estate. The trustee may want some or all of the inherited funds to distribute to creditors. The important thing to remember is that the date that you become eligible for the inheritance that is the date to use in this 180 day analysis. This is the date of the loved one's death, not when you actually receive the money or property.

In a Chapter 13 case there is an ongoing obligation to keep the trustee appraised of what property you own. Once they learn of an inheritance, they will likely take those funds for the benefit of your creditors. This can occur any time during the case. Since Chapter 13 cases are often as long as five years, it is important to make arrangements with relatives who may pass on during this time.

If you think you may receive an inheritance around the time when your going to be in bankruptcy, make sure to discuss this with your Jacksonville bankruptcy attorney so that steps can be taken to preserve your family's interest in those assets. To speak with a Jacksonville Bankruptcy Attorney today, call us at 904-685-1200.

As is most legal processes, bankruptcy can be a difficult thing to maneuver. There is a lot of misinformation out there, you need to be careful to get your information from a trusted source. Here are some myths regarding bankruptcy:

Myth 1: If I file for bankruptcy, everyone will know.
Like most legal proceedings, most bankruptcy documents are public record. Since I work at a law firm in the bankruptcy department, I search these records all the time. I even have a special username and password that allows me access online. However, how many times do you think your friends, family, or co-workers search through federal court records? The truth is that while your bankruptcy documents will be public information, it is unlikely that those you know would search to find them.

Myth 2: If I file for bankruptcy, I have to give up all my house.
If you are filing a Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy, you are often able to keep your house. Obviously, you need to be sure that you can pay your mortgage, or it would be useless to try and keep the house. But if you can afford the payments, then you can reaffirm the debt and retain your house. In a Chapter 13, you can even catch up on mortgage arrearages through your Plan, which may be all the help you need to keep your home.

Myth 3: Chapter 13 Plans require you to pay all of your unsecured debts.
A "means test" is the tool used to figure out if you qualify for a Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy. If you must file a Chapter 13, then a similar test tells you what your disposable monthly income is. This amount must be paid to your unsecured creditors. So, depending upon your situation, you could pay all of your unsecured debt, very little of your unsecured debt, or none at all.

Myth 4: Married couples must file bankruptcy together.
This is not true. You can file a joint petition if you want to save on court costs, but you are not required to. A Jacksonville Bankruptcy Attorney can assess your particular situation and tell you whether it is beneficial for one of you or both of you to file, based on how much debt you have, what kind of debt it is, and in whose name the debt is in. Often times it is more beneficial for one spouse to file.

To discuss any questions you have regarding bankruptcy, creditor harassment or consumer law, contact a Jacksonville Bankruptcy Attorney today at 904-685-1200 for a free consultation.

Yes, you can still file for bankruptcy. However, a very important part of every bankruptcy case is your exemptions. Exemptions allow you to keep your real and personal property. There are federal exemptions, but most states have adopted their own exemption laws. To use Florida exemptions in your bankruptcy, there are residency requirements. If you have lived in Florida for the 730 days prior to your filing, you can use Florida's exemptions. If you have not lived here for that long, then your exemptions will be those of the state in which you resided for during the 180 days prior to your filing or the federal exemptions, whichever your prior state's law indicates.

Florida is often seen as having a liberal homestead exemption, as it allows you to keep your home despite unsecured creditors. However, to use the Florida homestead exemption, you must have owned the home for 1215 days, otherwise you can only protect up to $125,000 in equity. Since nearly half the homes in Florida are underwater on their mortgage, it is a rare circumstance that anyone has more equity that the federal system allows. If you are unclear what exemptions you are allowed to use, contact a Jacksonville Bankruptcy Attorney today to discuss your specific case and what exemptions would be best for you.

When filing for bankruptcy, it is very important to be very honest and disclose everything. If you do not, you risk having your bankruptcy denied, discharge revoked or even prison time in the worst case scenario. When you sign your bankruptcy documents, you are doing so swearing that they are true under penalty of perjury. If the trustee finds out that something you have in your schedules is incomplete or untrue, this will raise a red flag and the trustee will scrutinize your bankruptcy schedules even more.

A common way that people fail to disclose everything in bankruptcy is trying to hide assets. Debtors might leave off a gold watch or a private bank account. This is a big mistake. When filing for bankruptcy, you must list all of your assets. Even if you think an asset is inconsequential or minute, you should list it. It is better to have overkill than to raise a red flag.

Another thing debtors sometimes fail to list is creditors that happen to be friends or relatives. Or maybe the debtor does not want a specific creditor to know that they have filed for bankruptcy, so they do not want to list that creditor. You should not do this. You need to list all creditors to whom you currently owe any kind of debt on your bankruptcy papers. The trustee wants to make sure that all of your creditors get their fair share of your estate. No matter your intentions, make sure to list every creditor. If you do not and the trustee finds out, this will raise a red flag.

If you fail to disclose everything on your bankruptcy schedules, you will most likely be sorry in the long run. However, the trustee may be understanding if you make an honest mistake. If you accidentally leave something off your schedules, correct the mistake by filing an amendment as soon as you realize the mistake.

To learn more about bankruptcy and to schedule a free consultation, contact a Jacksonville Bankruptcy Attorney today at 904-685-1200.

AMR, the parent company of American Airlines, announced November 29, 2011 that they filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the Southern District of New York. The company said that in the first nine months of 2011, they lost $868 million and project that they will lose around $1.1 billion by years end. AMR, a Fort-Worth based company, listed $24.7 billion in assets and $29.6 billion in debt in their bankruptcy Schedules.

An article in the Financial Times says "the move brings to end a nearly decade-long effort to avoid Chapter 11. In 2003, American chose to avoid bankruptcy, while its rivals used the process to shed their pension plans and reduce structural costs, leaving it at a substantial disadvantage."

The company's CEO, Gerard Arpey, was not in favor of the company filing for bankruptcy. In fact, he had spoken out several times saying that he did not want AMR to file for bankruptcy. So he retired. Tom Horton, previously the company's president, will now step in as the new CEO.

For now, American Airlines says that they will continue normal business operations. Flights will go on as scheduled, and tickets will be honored as usual. Employees, their paychecks and benefits will also not be affected, at least not right away.

Contact a Jacksonville Bankruptcy Attorney if you have any questions about bankruptcy at (904) 685-1200 for a free consultation.

Most debts are dischargeable in bankruptcy. However, there are a few debts that are not:

1. Debts arising from fraudulent conduct
2. Government-backed student loans (unless severe hardship can be shown)
3. Debts stemming from death or personal injuries related to your operation of a motor vehicle while intoxicated
4. Certain taxes and fines
5. Some debts not listed on your bankruptcy
6. Domestic support obligations (alimony, child support, etc.)
7. Debts arising from willful and malicious injury by the debtor to another person or property.

To see if your debts qualify for discharge, contact a Jacksonville Bankruptcy Attorney today to schedule a free consultation.

When you file for Chapter 13 bankruptcy, you will pay off your debts through a Chapter 13 Plan that lasts anywhere from 3-5 years. A Chapter 13 Plan allows a debtor to catch up on most any debt, including mortgage arrearages, owed taxes, missed payments on vehicles, HOA dues, legal fees, fines owed to the city or state, and more.

Your unsecured creditors might also get some payments through the Chapter 13 Plan. If they will and how much will they receive is determined by your means test and the amount of unexempt property that you have. Any amount of unsecured debt that you have over this amount will be discharged at the successful conclusion of your Chapter 13 bankruptcy. For example, if you owe $20,000 in unsecured debt and your case only dictates that you must repay $5,000 to unsecured creditors, the $15,000 balance gets discharged or forgiven when you successfully complete your Chapter 13 Plan. If your case dictates that no money must be paid to unsecured creditors, then the entire balance of $20,000 would be forgiven.

To see how a Chapter 13 Plan would be structured for your specific situation, contact a Jacksonville Bankruptcy Attorney today for a free consultation.

Ray Guy, who used to play for the Oakland Raiders, auctioned his Super Bowl rings as part of his bankruptcy case. Guy won 3 Super Bowls throughout his career, in 1976, 1980, and 1983. Guy had filed for bankruptcy in Georgia in April 2010.

You may be wondering if you must give up your personal property if you file for bankruptcy. You might. If you have any unexempt personal property, you will either have to surrender that property or buy back its value from the trustee. To see if your personal property is exempt, call a Jacksonville Bankruptcy Lawyer at 904-685-1200 to discuss your options.

A new law, Florida Statute 222.21, is going to be amended to state that inherited IRA's are exempt property. So if you inherit an IRA from a loved-one or spouse, the trustee will not be able to take that money to pay your creditors. This will be the case even if the deceased lived out of state. And the law is retroactive, so it does not matter if the IRA was inherited before or after the bill becomes law. If you have questions regarding your IRA or other investment property, contact a Jacksonville Bankruptcy Attorney at 904-685-1200 today.

No, your will not lose any rights to your child support by filing for bankruptcy. You must disclose in your bankruptcy how much child support you receive. However, this child support is exempt from being taken to in order to pay your creditors (meaning it is exempt property) for any amount reasonably necessary to help support your children.

The child support that you receive is considered income for purposes of the means test. The means test is the mechanism used to determine if you qualify for a Chapter 7 bankruptcy. (If you do not qualify for a 7, you can always file for Chapter 13 bankruptcy if you meet the debt ceiling to do so.)

To find out more about child support in bankruptcy, contact a ">Jacksonville bankruptcy attorney today. We do free consultations, just give us a call at 904-685-1200 to schedule yours today!

You must list all of your assets in your bankruptcy, but the trick is getting all the exemptions that you can for your possessions. By saying that your item is exempt means that the creditor cannot take it to pay for your debt. Which items are exempt? This answer varies state by state. Bankruptcy is technically a federal program, as it stems from the US Constitution. However, Congress allows states to opt out of the federal exemptions and make up their own.

You cannot simply pick and choose which items you want to keep out of bankruptcy. In Florida, you can exempt your homestead, certain insurance plans, alimony, child support payments, certain pensions, some of your wages, a certain amount of automobile equity, and a certain amount of your personal property. An Orange Park consumer law attorney will help get you the most exemptions that you are eligible for, letting you keep the most amount of your property. Call us today at 904-685-1200 to discuss your specific case.

If you and your spouse are still facing piling debt, you may be thinking about bankruptcy. However, since money issues are often the cause of divorce, you may also be thinking about splitting up as well. This dilemma leads to the question: Should you file bankruptcy now, or wait until after you split?

First, you should know that it is possible to file bankruptcy separately even if you are still married. This is often best for couples who know they are about to split and don't think they can work well together during their joint bankruptcy. The rules differ for spouses who are still cohabitating as opposed to those who have separated, so *talk with an attorney to figure out what's best for you.

However, if you and your spouse believe you can work together during the bankruptcy, it might make sense to file bankruptcy before your divorce. Only married couples can file jointly, and it helps keep down numerous costs. Filing bankruptcy prior to the divorce may effect alimony payments and other divisions of assets during the divorce process. Keep in mind, however, it is not always possible to discharge certain spousal payments such as alimony or child support payments in divorce. To find out which situation will be best for you, call a Jacksonville Bankruptcy Attorney.

For example, what if someone thinking about bankruptcy has stock. Can he or she sell that stock before filing bankruptcy and put the money in something else? Generally, if you file bankruptcy, the Court will ask you about your sales of assets in the months prior to filing. They will attempt to see if you have made any fraudulent sales or transfers in an attempt to avoid paying a creditor, during this time and they mainly check to see if you received fair market value for your assets. So, if you sell your stock, you will need to disclose that sale and will need to list the proceeds as an asset.

Further, the court may view your sale as fraudulent in certain circumstances. For example, in Florida there exists an exemption under bankruptcy plans for your homestead. In other words, creditors cannot use the equity in your home to satisfy debts. However, if you have a second home, creditors may use the equity therein to satisfy your debts. Thus the question arises: what if you sell your second home and use the proceeds to pay some (or all) of your mortgage on your primary home?

The 2005 Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act (BAPCA) largely prevents these practices. The statute now says you might lose your ability to discharge debts if you transfer property solely to hinder, delay or defraud creditors. Courts are left to determine what constitutes hindrance, delay, or fraud, so lawyers are cautious in encouraging such practices. If you are thinking about filing bankruptcy, contact a Ponte Vedra Beach Bankruptcy Attorney at 904-685-1200 to discuss your options.

Yes, a creditor can freeze or take money out of your bank account if they have a judgment against you from the court. (If your delinquent debt is for unpaid taxes or child support, sometimes the creditor can take out money from your bank account without a judgment.) If you have a joint account and the other person on your account has the judgment, the creditor can also seize the funds from your account. It is up to you to prove at a hearing that these funds taken from the account are yours, and not the joint account holders. A Jacksonville attorney can help you do this properly.

A creditor can take this money from your account with no warning in most cases. They must notify you in writing the next day that they have taken the money, but by that time the damage is already done. Your bank must also notify you after the funds are taken.

A Jacksonville consumer law attorney can quite possibly get this money back for you, however. Oftentimes certain money is exempt from the creditor's grasp, but you must have a hearing to prove it. Social security income and veterans benefits income are exempt from being taken. Also, certain retirement income and disability income are exempt. There is other exempt monies as well. Contact our Jacksonville lawyer today to see if the money taken from your account is exempt and learn how our legal team can help you get it back.