Malcolm Ruthven

People in need of bankruptcy often find it difficult to get the money together to pay a bankruptcy lawyer. The President of the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys said, referring to the "new" 2005 bankruptcy…more

I'm sorry to say that yet another "impressive" bankruptcy law firm website/blog is publishing completely incorrect information…more

Bankruptcy and divorce are often contemplated at about the same time. Here's the short version of answers to common questions involving bankruptcy and divorce. • Will bankruptcy get rid of my spousal support debts? • Will…more

I've been told by clients that getting a discharge of debts in bankruptcy is like losing 50 pounds off their shoulders. And a Chapter 7 bankruptcy takes approximately 3 1/2 months from filing to discharge of debts. So there you…more

For many people, filing bankruptcy would be embarrassing. I know because I've heard that many times. After all, most of us were taught that good people pay their debts and bad people don't, or something similar. So what are we…more

We all know that "Nothing is certain but death and taxes", but the fact is that back income taxes may not stay around as long as death. Let's look at when back income taxes may be discharged (eliminated) with a bankruptcy…more

I've borrowed money from my mother. I want to make sure she gets paid back before I file bankruptcy. Let's see why that is a very bad idea…more

Do you have a thought that you might not report something you own in your bankruptcy filing? After all, how is the trustee going to find out? Before you actually do something like that, let me count the ways the trustee might…more

In this Part 3 of the series "Will they take my house if I file bankruptcy?", the situation is that you're behind on your house mortgage payments, afraid they'll foreclose on your house, and probably in debt for other things. In…more

I'm current on my house mortgage payments but am way in debt for other things. If I file bankruptcy, will they take my house? In Part 1 we discussed what might happen in a Chapter 7 bankruptcy. Today we discuss Chapter 13, the…more

I'm current on my house mortgage payments but am way in debt for other things. If I file bankruptcy, will they take my house? As with many questions about bankruptcy, the direct answer is a strong "it depends". Let's see what…more

I'm not making enough money to afford my mortgage payments and my home will soon be sold in foreclosure. It's worth a lot less than I owe on it. Will I still owe mortgage-loan money after the foreclosure sale, which would mean…more

I've taken out several payday loans that I can't pay back and now I owe them a lot of money as well as owe a lot of other money. Will those payday loans go away if I file bankruptcy? Payday loans are short-term loans with a…more

About one month after your bankruptcy case is filed, you and your attorney will appear in front of the trustee assigned to your case. This event is called a Creditors' Meeting, Creditors' Hearing, 341 Hearing (for the bankruptcy…more

I have a few credit cards that I don't owe anything on. Will I be able to keep them after I file bankruptcy? At first glance, it might seem that the answer would be "Yes" because you don't need to include those "zero balance"…more