Coronavirus, COVID-19, Foreclosure Defense, Foreclosures

Covid-19 Mortgage Bailouts Decline, New Foreclosure Crisis Looming

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Homeowners are struggling to keep up with their mortgage payments as the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis continues. The mortgage bailouts offered by the federal government and private sector during the crisis have helped temporarily, but as the number of bailouts begin to decline, many homeowners are finding themselves facing the possibility of impending foreclosure.

According to figures from Black Knight, a mortgage technology and data firm, approximately 3.7 million borrowers are still receiving assistance through federal government and private sector mortgage forbearance programs.  This figure represents nearly seven percent of all active mortgages. Forbearance plans allow borrowers to temporarily delay monthly payments for anywhere between three months to a year.

Debt Collection, Debt Relief

How to Work with Debt Collectors When You Are Not Able to Pay

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Dealing with debt collectors is stressful, especially when the person owing the debt simply does not have the financial resources to pay. It can be easy to fall behind on bills, and before too long, the consumer will find himself or herself juggling countless collection calls. These calls are not always pleasant. After all, the debt collectors have one job to do and that job is to receive payment on the debt. What is the best way to deal with debt collectors when an individual is not able to come up with the payment?

Stay Calm and Attempt to Work with the Collector

Debt collectors have a reputation of being aggressive when performing their jobs. However, it is important to stay as calm as possible when communicating with a debt collector. If a consumer agrees that he or she owes the debt and does not have the resources to do so, it may still be beneficial to at least attempt to work with the debt collector on paying on the debt. If the person does not have the money but still wants to pay, the collector may mark the consumer down as “refused to pay.” However, do not fear this label. It is essentially meaningless in the collection process. It does not make the collection case against consumer any worse or any better.

student loan debt, Student Loans

Bankruptcy Court Discharges $200,000 in Private Student Loan Debt for Colorado Couple

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A major victory was scored for student loan borrowers after a U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit issued a ruling stating that a Colorado couple’s private student loan debt could be discharged in their personal bankruptcy case. The ruling allowed $200,000 of private student loan debt to be wiped out, breaking the long-standing stigma that student loan debt, particularly private student loan debt, is near impossible to discharge in a bankruptcy case.

The Colorado couple had taken out $200,000 in private student loans from Navient, one of the nation’s largest student loan issuers. The ruling comes after a similar bankruptcy case, where the borrower also had their student loan debt discharged. In that case, the loan servicer appealed the ruling.

Foreclosure Defense, Foreclosures

Tax Implications Homeowners Facing Foreclosure Encounter from the CARES Act

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The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has thrown countless Americans into a financial tailspin. Many consumers were pushed out of jobs and put into the position where they are not able to pay the most basic of living expenses, including mortgage payments, to stay in their homes. As the pandemic continues, these homeowners are now put in a terrifying position, facing the real possibility that they could lose their homes.

At the start of the pandemic, lawmakers worked hard to try to keep Americans from facing this possibility by passing the CARES Act. One major part of this stimulus package was the ability for borrowers who carried federally backed mortgages to request a forbearance for up to 180 days on their loan obligations. The hope was this measure would give distressed homeowners breathing room and a chance to stay in their homes during this time of financial difficulty. If needed, borrowers could then request an additional 180 days of relief.

Debt Collection

Facing Debt Collection? Know Your Rights.

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When someone is facing debt collection, it is important that person knows his or her rights.  The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) is a federal law that protects consumers against unfair collection practices, including:

  • Calling you repeatedly to annoy or harass you;
  • Trying to collect more than you owe;
  • Failing to send a written notice of the debt;
  • Threatening violence, using profanity or offensive language;
  • Threatening dire consequences (i.e. – lawsuits, criminal prosecution, wage garnishment, jail time, permanently ruining your credit);
  • Calling you before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m.;
  • Revealing debt to third parties (i.e. – family, neighbors, friends, co-workers, etc.);
  • Contacting you at your work, after you have requested them to stop;
  • Failing to verify disputed debts;
  • Ignoring cease communication requests.
Credit Card Debt

What Happens to Credit Card Debt When a Person Dies?

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After an individual dies, one of the big questions that comes up from those handling the estate of the deceased is what happens to that person’s debt? These debts can include medical bills, taxes, and credit card debt. One of the main concerns brought up by clients is whether they will be personally responsible for the credit card debt of their deceased relative. The good news is only the estate will be responsible for any outstanding debt and not the family of the deceased.

Whether the person has a will or no will, his or her estate will need to be processed through probate court. If the deceased had a will, he or she will have named a personal representative who will handle the estate, and if the person has no will, the court will appoint someone to administer the estate.

Credit Card Debt, Debt Relief, Medical Debt, student loan debt

Tips for Managing Student Loans, Medical Debt, Credit Cards and More

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DMP - Debt Management Plan acronym, business concept background

Consumer debt encompasses several different categories. However, many people often struggle with the same few categories, mainly student loans, medical debt, and credit card debt. It helps to know how to attack the debt individually in each category if a consumer is looking to pay down their various debts.

Student Loan Debt

If you are struggling with student loan debt, you’re not alone. In fact, it has been reported that Americans carry over $1.5 trillion in student loan debt. This figure amounts to an average individual load of $32,731 per student. If the consumer proceeds towards a master’s degree or professional degree following graduation from undergraduate studies, that amount can get into six figures. Paying down that debt can be a struggle for many, especially during recent times. Currently, the federal government has issued a forbearance on all federal student loan debt during the COVID-19 crisis, which has been extended past September 30.

COVID-19, Foreclosures, Kingcade Garcia McMaken

Evictions Pile Up as DeSantis’ Moratorium Set to Expire in Florida

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Both landlords and tenants are waiting with bated breath to see what will happen when it comes to the current moratorium on evictions in Florida. With the hold on evictions set to expire at the end of this month, no official statement has come from the Florida Governor’s office regarding whether Gov. Ron DeSantis intends to extend the moratorium through the end of September. In the meantime, the number of eviction cases are piling up, waiting to proceed once the freeze on evictions is lifted.

The moratorium on evictions related to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic originally took effect on April 2, during the height of the epidemic. As the hold on evictions now enters its fifth month, landlords are demanding the stay be lifted, allowing them to proceed with business, while tenants are requesting the hold on evictions be extended, giving them additional breathing room to get back on their feet during this difficult time. However, many landlords argue that the individuals taking use of this moratorium do not actually need the assistance but are simply taking advantage of the statewide ban.

Bankruptcy Law

How are Retirement Accounts Protected in Bankruptcy?

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One of the biggest concerns that clients have before making the decision to file for bankruptcy is how the case will affect their assets. Most people work hard over the course of many years to build up a nest egg that they hope will carry them through retirement. The good news is retirement accounts are protected in bankruptcy.

The protections of the bankruptcy automatic stay, which go into effect immediately upon filing for bankruptcy halt any collection activity, garnishment, and lawsuits against you.