Debt Relief, student loan debt, Student Loans

An Alarming Number of Student Borrowers Have Made No Progress on their Loan Balances

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A disturbing number of student loan borrowers who began their repayment plans between 2010 and 2012 have made little to no progress towards reducing the principal balance owed on their student loans. According to a recent report from Moody’s Investor Services, 49 percent of student loan borrowers whose loan repayment plans began during that time have made no progress. Even worse, many of them have seen their balances grow.

This problem could be due to several factors, including poor job prospects and low salaries in their first jobs after graduation. Depending on the degree pursued by each borrower, it can be difficult, if not impossible, to find a viable job that will allow the borrower to make appropriate payments to pay down their student loan debt.

Credit Card Debt

The Worst Ways to Pay Off Credit Card Debt

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Credit card debt is a major problem that plagues so many Americans, with the total amount of credit card debt estimated to be over $870 billion in total. According to data from Experian, the average credit card balance is $6,629. If you are struggling with credit card debt, certain behaviors can be counterproductive and make the problem worse when trying to pay down a credit card balance.

Skipping Payments.

One of the worst things a consumer can do is to skip a credit card payment, intending to pay it next month or forgetting completely. When it comes to debt- unfortunately, out of sight, out of mind does not work. Missing just one month’s payment can result in a sharp increase in interest rates, as well as late fees. The higher the interest rate is, the less likely it is that the cardholder will make any progress towards paying off the principal every month.

Bankruptcy Law

Miami Bankruptcy Attorney Timothy S. Kingcade Obtains Order Allowing Protections for Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Client

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Bankruptcy Attorney Timothy S. Kingcade of the Miami-based bankruptcy and foreclosure defense law firm of Kingcade Garcia McMaken obtained an Order for his client in a Chapter 13 case (Case No. 20-10135-RAM), limiting the scope of permissible relief in a pending criminal contempt case. The Motion for Contempt seeks relief against Jeffrey Charlow and counsel, for proceeding with a criminal case pending against Kingcade’s client in Broward County, Florida.

The Criminal Contempt Case was initiated by an order entered by Judge Robert W. Lee in a civil case also pending against the client. The court determined continuation of the Criminal Contempt case was not a violation of the automatic stay, but imposed two important limitations protecting our client:  Judge Lee may not sentence our client to jail with an Order that expels the sentence if a fine is paid and payment will necessarily come from the property of the estate.

Debt Collection, Medical Debt

Military Hospitals Aggressively Pursuing Medical Debt

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Medical debt collectors can be relentless, and when someone has no money or resources to pay medical debts, this process can be extremely stressful. Recent reports have shown that private hospitals are not the only entities persistently collecting on medical debt. Federally backed governmental institutions, including military hospitals, are some of the worst offenders when it comes to pushing patients hard to pay on their medical bills.

A recent piece in The Atlantic highlighted just how dire the situation has gotten for many individuals. A Texas man, Ricardo Gonzalez Jurado, faced aggressive debt collection efforts from Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC), a trauma center where he received treatment after sustaining significant injuries on a work site. Gonzalez Jurado did not have the funds to pay his bills in full, so he began a payment plan with the hospital. He kept to the payment plan and even agreed to pay more after the hospital requested higher payments. He later received a letter from BAMC after some time stating that his balance had been paid in full even though he had only paid a portion of the bill at that point. Despite trying to reach the hospital and continuing to send in his payments, BAMC returned his monthly checks.

Bankruptcy Law

Tips to Recover Quickly from Bankruptcy

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Bankruptcy offers consumers a fresh financial start, but many people hold off on filing bankruptcy for fear of the negative effect it will have on their credit.  This is one of the most common bankruptcy myths,  and can keep individuals who are drowning financially from filing for bankruptcy. Bouncing back after bankruptcy is possible, and with proper discipline, it can be done relatively quickly.

According to a recent study by LendingTree, 65 percent of people who filed for bankruptcy in 2017, had a credit score of 640 or higher in two years.  The following tips can help you bounce back quickly after bankruptcy.

Credit Card Debt

4 Habits That Will Help You Pay Off Debt And Remain Debt-Free

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Paying off credit card debt can seem like a never-ending battle. If someone is carrying a high balance on a card with a high interest rate, it can seem like a dent will never be made toward paying off the total amount, especially if that person is only making minimum payments.

Here are some tips to help you pay off credit card debt and keep it off.

  1. Put money into a savings account.

It may seem counter-intuitive, but to pay off credit card debt, it helps to also put money away into savings. According to recent statistics from Bankrate, 29 percent of Americans have more credit card debt than they have money in emergency savings. Even worse, 28 percent of them reported having no emergency savings at all.  When a financial crisis hits, it only takes one unexpected expense to completely drain a small savings account or push that person into debt.

Bankruptcy Law

Steps to Take Prior to Filing for Bankruptcy

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Before filing for bankruptcy, certain steps can be taken in advance to make the process go much smoother. No matter what financial situation a filer may be in prior to pursuing bankruptcy, it always helps to come up with a plan to protect his or her assets and make sure that the filer receives the highest level of debt relief possible. This planning can be done individually by the filer, but it is often best to sit down with a bankruptcy attorney to receive proper advice on what to do.

Stop Using Credit Cards.

One of the main reasons why many people end up filing for bankruptcy is due to credit card debt or other debt to pay for daily expenses. As soon as someone decides to file for bankruptcy, it is always recommended that he or she immediately ceases using their credit cards. Bankruptcy courts will view creating more debt when the person knows that it will never be repaid as a form of bankruptcy fraud.

Credit Card Debt, Debt Relief

Tips for Paying Down Holiday Credit Card Debt

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Now that the holidays are over, consumers are about to receive a New Year’s “surprise” in the form of a credit card statement. Those who already had a substantial balance on their credit cards, the extra holiday spending has only added to those balances. According to a report from credit bureau, Experian, the average credit card balance has climbed to $6,629.

You are probably wondering the next steps to take to pay down holiday debt before the interest starts mounting. We recommend taking a realistic approach in paying down the balance over the course of the first quarter of the year. By calendaring and planning out the payments, the cardholder can visualize the end goal of paying off the debt.

Bankruptcy Law

Can I File for Bankruptcy and Still Keep My Car?

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The fear of losing everything is a very real fear for many bankruptcy filers. However, this is one of the most common bankruptcy myths, and can keep individuals who are drowning financially from filing for bankruptcy. One concern many filers have is whether they will be able to keep their mode of transportation after filing for bankruptcy.

The good news is most filers will be able to keep their vehicles after filing for bankruptcy. Florida bankruptcy laws offer generous exemptions which allow individuals to keep various types of property, including their vehicle. Under the Florida Motor Vehicle Exemption, bankruptcy filers can exempt up to $1,000 in motor vehicle equity. This amount can be even more if a married couple is filing for bankruptcy jointly.

Bankruptcy Law

Miami Bankruptcy Attorney Timothy S. Kingcade Receives the Prestigious AVVO Clients’ Choice Award for 2020

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MIAMI – (January 16, 2019) Managing Shareholder, Timothy S. Kingcade of the Miami-based bankruptcy law firm of Kingcade Garcia McMaken has received the 2020 AVVO Clients’ Choice Award. To obtain this award, an attorney must receive five or more exceptional client reviews in the same year.  This is the sixth consecutive year Kingcade has been honored with this award.

One of attorney Kingcade’s clients had this to say on AVVO: Mr. Timothy Kingcade is not only a living encyclopedia in matters of bankruptcy law, but he cares for you on a personal level. He was very detailed in explaining every step of the way what I had to expect as we entered this legal process and made me feel like family, and the rest of the team were always there to support me whenever I needed help. I definitely recommend his law firm; believe me they are the best!!!