Bankruptcy Law, Credit, Debt Relief, Timothy Kingcade Posts

Judge Cancels Loan Debt for Man Who Upgraded Car for Uber

An Illinois insurance salesman who became an Uber driver to improve his financial situation will be able to eliminate a nearly $10,000 auto loan debt. Federal Judge Jacqueline Cox agreed to discharge $9,786.61 of debt that Oswaldo Rodriguez owes to auto lender GM Financial for the new Chevrolet SUV he bought in October 2014.

“He genuinely thought that he could earn enough money through Uber to finance the debt,” Judge Cox said in a six-page opinion filed earlier this month in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Chicago.

The ruling comes after Uber has become one of the most visible companies behind an emerging “gig economy,” where a number of Americans are making money through platforms like Uber, Etsy and Airbnb. But while almost 1% of U.S. adults earned income that way during September 2015, a recent study of bank transactions found that the work only supplemented, not replaced a full-time job.

The average monthly income for someone who provided labor via one of these platforms was $533, representing a third of that person’s total income, the study found.  People often think they can take on side jobs to avoid bankruptcy.

U.S. bankruptcy law allows borrowers to cancel some of their debts, but lawyers for GM Financial argued that the fine print does not allow a borrower to cancel a debt of more than $650 that came from buying a luxury item or service less than 90 days before the filing.

The Judge ultimately ruled against the lender, pointing out that in her opinion the term “luxury goods” does not include items that a bankrupt person needs for their “support or maintenance.”

Click here to read more on this story.

If you are in financial crisis and considering filing for bankruptcy, contact an experienced Miami bankruptcy attorney who can advise you of all your options. As an experienced CPA as well as a proven bankruptcy lawyer, Timothy Kingcade knows how to help clients take full advantage of the bankruptcy laws to protect their assets and get successful results. Since 1996 Kingcade & Garcia, P.A. has been helping people from all walks of life build a better tomorrow. Our attorneys’ help thousands of people every year take advantage of their rights under bankruptcy protection to restart, rebuild and recover. The day you hire our firm, we will contact your creditors to stop the harassment. You can also find useful consumer information on the Kingcade & Garcia website at www.miamibankruptcy.com.