Chapter 7 and 13 Bankruptcy Blog

If the video does not automatically appear in the area above, click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ojn-TWS6aAA

This is an 8-minute excerp from our Means Test training class. This video provides you with great tips and information but it also lets you experience the type of online classes available to you through MyBankruptcySchool.com.

DO YOU ENJOY MY VIDEOS?

If you enjoy my short videos specifically designed for Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy attorneys, you can subscribe to my YouTube channel at: http://www.youtube.com/user/MsVictoriaRing Click on SUBSCRIBE at the top of page

DEAR VICTORIA

I would love to enroll in your Chapter 7 class starting on July 5, but I may not be able to attend all the classes.  Do you give credit for any classes that I miss?

REPLY

Yes, when you enroll, any classes that you miss will be credited to you.  We will assess this on a case-by-case basis, depending on the number of classes you missed compared to the number of classes you were able to attend.  However, regardless of the outcome, you will receive full credit for all the classes when you enroll.

To enroll for the first class beginning on July 5, visit: http://www.bankruptcytrainingproducts.com/home/web-and-teleconference-training DEAR VICTORIA I had a question regarding illegal immigrants. I have a pro bono client that has been using a made up social security number for 10 years. He just informed me that the social is not valid and he is in the country illegally. Under the federal rules there is no explicit law stating that he has to be a citizen however I know at the 341 meeting they will ask for a valid social security card. Any thoughts?

REPLY

An illegal alien cannot file bankruptcy. To be truthful, I would immediately report this person to the authorities.  I personally think what this client is asking of the United States is a total outrage and I encourage you to get him or her out of your life immediately.  People like this do nothing but cause havoc within the system because they have spent years taking advantage of the United States.  This illegal client should have obeyed our laws and got a green card many years ago.

Again, I think this is an outrage and total abuse of the system if this client can even conceive trying to take advantage of our laws simply because he cannot pay his bills.  I doubt he ever paid taxes to the United States because he worked illegally in our country for 10 years and now he wants more?  This is not fair, let alone right!!!

RESPONSE FROM ATTORNEY

Thank you. I completely agree with you. I received the client from a public law center in Orange County that was supposed to prescreen clients. The client gave me his phony social and then called me a week later to inform me that it was made up.  I was not sure if I had a legal obligation to continue to represent him however I actually just spoke to him and informed him that I have to withdraw and that he is committing fraud. It is amazing how long he was able to use a false social for employment and credit. Again thanks for your help.

SUMMARY FROM VICTORIA

Back in the old days when someone went to an attorney to file bankruptcy, they normally needed to file bankruptcy.  It was not a wonderful thing to do.  Most people felt very bad that they had to file.  But today, people look for loop holes in the bankruptcy law so they can take advantage of the system.  This is sad, and it means that honest people need to get wise in order to prevent as much fraud as possible.  If we do not fight for the prevention of fraud, the innocent people will suffer.

One way to prevent fraud is to use the tips in my latest video, which you can view online at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oInwBLMGvKA

DEAR VICTORIA

A little over a decade ago, attorneys were not permitted to advertise.  But today, attorneys have the right to do so.  The problem is that many attorneys have no clue about marketing.  Is this a subject you teach?

REPLY

I incorporate marketing skills training when I set up operational procedures for law firms.  It is my personal belief that marketing needs to be a part of the day-to-day life inside the law firm.  From the person who answers the telephone to the attorney sending an email to the client; all methods of marketing must be implemented in order for them all to work together for the benefit of the law firm.  In this manner, marketing is free or very low-cost.  Personally, I do not think it is a good idea to pay others to market your website.  With all the fraudulent marketing schemes out there; it is more advantageous to do the job yourself and control the entire operation.  This way you can also fine tune your law firm income and adjust methods as necessary.  No hired marketing firm is going to do that or care that much for your law firm.

MONEY-SAVING LINKS TO HELP YOU

Free: Add Your Website to Our Directory http://chapter7and13bankruptcyblog.com/add-your-name

Free and Low-Cost Marketing Links for Attorneys http://www.bankruptcylinks.info/about/marketing-links

Free Stuff to Reduce Your Office Overhead Costs http://www.bankruptcylinks.info/about/marketing-links

Free Ebook: How to Start a New Bankruptcy Practice http://www.coloradobankruptcytraining.com/free-ebook

Free Training Videos – Watch Online Now http://www.youtube.com/user/MsVictoriaRing

Helpful Links When Preparing Bankruptcy Petitions http://www.bankruptcylinks.info/about/prepare-petitions Prequalify Your Debtors with the Initial Intake Form Product http://www.bankruptcytrainingproducts.com/home/initial-intake

If the video does not automatically appear in the area above, click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oInwBLMGvKA

DO YOU ENJOY MY VIDEOS?

If you enjoy my short videos specifically designed for Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy attorneys, you can subscribe to my YouTube channel at: http://www.youtube.com/user/MsVictoriaRing Click on SUBSCRIBE at the top of page

This is the perfect tool for bankruptcy attorneys to use in developing their own website.  There is no cost or overhead expenses and you control the look, feel and the content.

If the video does not automatically appear in the area above, click here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0kRobByfQs

DO YOU LIKE MY VIDEOS?

If you enjoy my short videos specifically designed for Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy attorneys, you can subscribe to my YouTube channel at: http://www.youtube.com/user/MsVictoriaRing Click on SUBSCRIBE at top of page

Just a few minutes ago I heard about the new CASE LOCATOR function that is now available inside PACER.  This new Case Locator will allow you to search for court records in ALL district, bankruptcy and appellate courts.  The Case Locator replaces the U.S. Party/Case Index and provides enhanced search and display capabilities.

With the new Case Locator, you will now be able to:

* Request lists of cases for a specific date range by court type * Conduct searches based on chapter, discharge date and dismissal date for bankruptcy cases * Access case information for the Judicial Panel on multidistrict litigation * Choose result formats including HTML, delimited text and XML which can easily be imported into other software programs for study and analysis * Change the sort order of the results displayed * Conduct refined searches within the results of the previous search

Time Savings News when Preparing the Bankruptcy Petition

Although PACER provided us with the ability to do a nationwide search using the old U.S. Party/Case Index, we were extremely limited in our search capabilities.  With the new Case Locator you will save 50% or more in time.

For example: When preparing a bankruptcy petition you should always do a nationwide check to find out if the debtors have any unresolved legal matters in the court system to ensure all assets and liabilities are included in the filing.  Now, instead of receiving a long list of results to sift though you can now do a more refined search within a specific date range and get more precise results.

This is only one small example of the benefits the Case Locator will provide to our lives.  I urge you to give the Case Locator a try for yourself and find out how it can make your job easier.

Visit the Case Locator at: http://pcl.uscourts.gov

Summary

I, for one, am very excited to see the upgrade.  Not only will it help attorneys and their staff when preparing bankruptcy petitions, the upgrade will save the entire court system a great deal of time.  This allows us to devote more of our time to the growing workload of consumers filing bankruptcy petitions.

Do You Need Help Preparing Petitions?

You Prepare The Petition, We Review Before Filing http://www.coloradobankruptcytraining.com/petition_review.html

Petition Preparation – Specializing in Chapter 13s http://www.coloradobankruptcytraining.com/petition_preparation.html

Debtor Bankruptcy Services http://www.bankruptcy-paralegal.com/debtor.html

Bankruptcy Attorney Tools

Free Bankruptcy Attorney Tools http://www.coloradobankruptcytraining.com/free.html

Bankruptcy Attorney Seminars http://bankruptcyattorneyseminars.com/

How to Start a New Bankruptcy Practice http://www.coloradobankruptcytraining.com/new_practice.html

Michael Misenheimer, an experienced paralegal with over 10 years experience in bankruptcy has recently opened a new service for both creditor and debtor bankruptcy attorneys. Michael’s services include:

Foreclosure Services Creditor Services Collection Services Debtor Services

If you are a VBA and your attorney needs assistance with creditor matters, please refer them to Michael.  If you are an attorney, you may consider the services that Michael provides.  Not only is he experienced, reliable and professional, he is also entering law school in the fall to advance his legal career.

Visit Michael’s website at: http://www.bankruptcy-paralegal.com

Michael Misenheimer has been highly recommended by Victoria Ring, founder of the virtual bankruptcy assistant industry.

As you may be aware, cosigners and codebtors are people (or companies) who are obligated to pay a debt if the client does not pay it.  Therefore, when a client decides to file bankruptcy and that client owes a debt where a cosigner or codebtor is involved, it could potentially cause a major problem to develop.

This is why it is extremely important to obtain precise information about any cosigners or codebtors the client(s) have that are associated with their debts.  And to be certain you (or your attorneys) protects the client(s) in the best way possible, the attorney may need to review the contract that was signed regarding this debt.  You will need to find out:

1.   Was the debt secure or unsecure? 2.   Were the client(s) the primary or secondary client(s) on the contract? 3.   Were any items used for collateral no longer in the possession of the client(s), or that the client(s) are surrendering in the bankruptcy?

After obtaining the answers to each one of these questions the attorney will need to find out if this client qualifies for a Chapter 7 or Chapter 13.  Both Chapters treat debts somewhat differently but you need to verify the facts before the attorney can advise the client(s) properly.

Let me give you an example:  An attorney discussed a case with me that he was working on.  A lady had stopped by the office to ask about a debt she cosigned on a $27,000 credit card with her nephew.  The nephew was filing bankruptcy and he wanted to know how this would affect his aunt who was not filing.

If the nephew files a Chapter 13 and has enough income to pay back his unsecure creditors 100%, this issue could possibly be uneventful.  The debt could be paid in full through the Chapter 13 Plan which is filed with the bankruptcy petition.

However, a problem could occur if the nephew does not have enough money left over to pay the unsecured creditors 100%.  He may only have enough income to propose a 50% Chapter 13 Plan. What will happen to the remaining 50% that will not be paid through the bankruptcy?

One of the more interesting features of Chapter 13 law is something called the COCLIENT(S) STAY.  Set out in Section 1301(a) of the Bankruptcy Code, the CoClient(s) Stay disallows collection action on consumer debt against co-client(s) or the person filing for bankruptcy.

A TYPICAL SCENARIO

A client files a Chapter 13 bankruptcy and includes a debt owed to TV Centers of America for a new television.  The clients mother cosigned the loan for her son.  The clients Chapter 13 protects the mother from collection efforts for as long as the client remains in the Chapter 13 and continues making the payment to the trustee.

However, the obligation of the coclient(s) do not disappear.  If the client repays a consumer debt at 30 cents on the dollar in the Chapter 13, the clients cosigner will be liable for the remaining 70% after the bankruptcy case is discharged.   But, during the time the client(s) are in a Chapter 13, the coclient is protected.   Often in these cases, client(s) will establish special payment CLASSES in their Chapter 13 Plan to pay co-signed debts in full to protect the co-client(s).   In other situations; such as when the cosigner is an exspouse, the co-client(s) may be left exposed.

WOULD YOU LIKE MORE INFORMATION LIKE THIS?

Information like the article above are extremely valuable for attorneys and non-attorneys working in Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 debtor bankruptcy law.  To obtain your 75 page Operations Manual and Initial Intake Forms, visit:

http://www.coloradobankruptcytraining.com/products_intakeform.html

Seminar Info:  http://www.713training.com/shop/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=120

Let us begin with the visionary for the paralegal industry …

Jeannie Johnston, CEO of Paralegal Gateway http://www.linkedin.com/in/jeanniejohnston Founder and CEO of Paralegal Gateway, Inc. which is the world’s oldest and largest online Paralegal portal and Social Networking vehicle which includes a free career center, free paralegal articles (written by paralegals for paralegals), online seminars, demonstrative evidence, tools for Paralegals and much more.  Jeannie has also been a paralegal for 16 years.  Additionally, she has been a speaker at National Paralegal Conferences, is a Legal Sales Executive as well as a Legal Staffing Consultant.

experts on the CREDITOR side of bankruptcy …

Pamela Starr, CEO of StarrParalegals, LLC http://www.starrparalegals.com/ With 25+ years paralegal experience, StarrParalegals, LLC specializes in providing virtual bankruptcy assistant services specializing in bankruptcy and creditor’s rights.  StarrParalegals, LLC also provides expert services to attorneys, law firms and corporate legal departments.

Michael Misenheimer, Paralegal at Sicay-Perrow, Knighten and Bohan http://sicay-perrow.com/ Michael holds a Masters Degree in Negotiation, Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding.  He also serves on the Board of Directors for the Georgia Association of Paralegals, the Pro Bono Director and as Community Service Coordinator. Amazingly, Michael has served in this capacity for many years and continues to be re-elected; due to the magnitude of the positive contribution he makes to the organization itself.  Additionally, Michael serves as Pro Bono Co-Coordinator for the National Federation of Paralegal Associations (“NFPA”.)

and for the DEBTOR SIDE of the coin …

Victoria Ring, Developer of the VBA Industry http://www.victoria-ring.com Not only is Victoria the developer of the virtual bankruptcy industry that serves DEBTOR bankruptcy attorneys, she is also the developer of the VBA Exam and founder of the National Association of Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants at NAVBA.ORG.  Victoria is currently working with attorneys in helping to establish new Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy law firms nationwide.

Clay Holland, Certified VBA http://713training.com/clayholland.html Clay is one of the top success stories in the virtual bankruptcy assistant industry.  He started his VBA business in June 2009 and by November 2009 he was making more money than he was at his fulltime job.  Prior to being a successful VBA, Clay had spent 20 years in the computer software business. He also had worked as a mortgage loan officer and is currently a licensed real estate agent.  Additionally, Clay has owned many home businesses over the years but when he found the VBA field, he knew this was the nugget of gold he was looking for.  At the seminar, Clay will reveal his success story and tell you everything he did to build a successful VBA business.

DO NOT MISS THIS IMPORTANT EVENT

This will be the ONLY seminar held in Atlanta, Georgia this year that brings FIVE industry leaders of the VBA and paralegal world together in one place.  Attend this important seminar and get to know these leaders on a personal level. To find out more information or to register, visit:

http://www.713training.com/shop/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=120

SPACE IS LIMITED.  REGISTER EARLY TO ENSURE YOUR RESERVATION.

We all hope to see you there.