Chapter 7 bankruptcy often best applies to those facing the most severe financial challenges. Usually, it involves an approach where many non-exempt assets are liquidated to repay as much as possible to creditors before the debt is discharged. There is no other...
Year: 2020
Estate planning for blended families
It is not uncommon for parents with children to remarry. While the first marriage may have been the one that the kids on one side or both sides are from, the final marriage may be the one that lasts for decades. Hopefully, it's a Brady Bunch-like situation where the...
Avoiding stress shopping during the pandemic
Memories of empty shelves are all too clear from the early days of the pandemic. Hot items included toilet paper, cleaning wipes, sanitizer, and foods with a long shelf life. This was fueled by the panicked headlines in the media about this and other matters. The U.S....
Newly divorced homeowners may find it helpful to refinance their mortgage
Some newly divorced people find themselves handling their finances for the first time in years. They also may be looking at how to stretch paychecks to cover the expense of running a second residence now that the marriage is over. If one spouse chooses to remain in...
Florida probate avoidance: Can a revocable trust help?
When you think about estate planning, it is at its core an act of kindness. You’re creating the plan in order to share what you have with loved ones when you are no longer around. The act of kindness that is estate planning can be expanded to help the beneficiaries to...
What happens to my retirement savings if I file for bankruptcy?
A major concern for people who need help with debt relief is whether their retirement savings will remain intact. Fortunately, 401(k)s, IRAs, and most types of retirement plans are exempt from the reach of creditors. However, you will want to avoid doing anything with...
Estate plans should not be a secret
Some find it difficult to discuss any arrangements they have made regarding a will and the dispersal of assets. It can leave their spouses or children unprepared for handling the details of arranging the funeral, continuing to pay bills that come in and manage other...
Example of what not to do in a child custody dispute
A recent child custody dispute just east of Hernando County on the Florida Turnpike became so heated that it landed a man and woman far from home on the pages of a local newspaper. The man, 41, and woman, 35, are both from New York, though their altercation with...
How the economic stimulus can affect your Chapter 13 bankruptcy
Earlier this year, to combat the dramatic economic slowdown caused by the pandemic, Congress passed a wide-ranging economic stimulus package called the CARES Act that included $1,200 payments to tens of millions of Americans. Some of the law’s provisions can affect...
When parents divorce
Although being a parent can be one of life’s most rewarding experiences, it can also be one of life’s biggest challenges. It goes without saying that divorce complicates parenthood, often with disputes about child custody and co-parenting that are a mix of law and...