Tag: Miami Bankruptcy

Debt Collection, Debt Relief

The Adverse Effects Debt Has on Mental Health

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Carrying any amount of debt can be stressful, but when an individual is carrying a sizeable amount of debt, the effect that debt has on the individual’s well-being can be detrimental. According to a 2017 study published by the Journal of Consumer Research, the likelihood that an individual struggling to handle his or her debt will end up with a mental health issue is three times higher when compared to someone who does not have debt.

One major reason someone struggling with debt may suffer emotionally has a lot to do with the fact that most people keep their feelings regarding debt to themselves and internalize the problem. However, the problem is, keeping these emotional struggles to oneself will only lead to more stress on that person’s mental health, leading to even worse problems, including depression and anxiety.

Debt Relief, Medical Debt

How Coronavirus (COVID-19) Testing Could Trigger Medical Debt

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The coronavirus has many people worrying about what will happen if they contract the virus. Now that the virus has spread to parts of the U.S., Americans are concerned about whether they should get tested for the coronavirus if they experience flu-like symptoms. Since this virus is relatively new and not completely understood, its testing may not be covered by private health insurance. Out-of-pocket medical costs can cost patients thousands of dollars, if the testing is not covered under their health insurance plan.

Florida businessman, Osmel Martinez Azcue reported experiencing flu-like symptoms after he returned from a trip to China in January. When he began experiencing the symptoms, Azcue went to the hospital to be tested for the virus. One of the tests he was offered at the hospital was a CT scan, which is one of the best methods used to detect the virus. He first went with the simple flu test to rule out the possibility that he was suffering from the common flu, which fortunately is what it turned out to be.  For him, the CT scan was not necessary.

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.

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

The Most Common Forms of Bankruptcy Fraud

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Bankruptcy laws require that the filer be honest and open about his or her financial situation, including disclosing all assets and debts. While no one wants to lose property to pay off creditors, some assets must be sold during the bankruptcy case to pay off the filer’s debts. If a filer actively tries to hide or fails to disclose information in hopes of keeping it from the bankruptcy court, this is called bankruptcy fraud and it can cause your case to be dismissed.

Hiding Assets

Concealing assets is one of the more common forms of bankruptcy fraud. Approximately 70 percent of all cases where some type of fraud was reported involved concealment of assets. It can involve the person simply leaving a certain asset off the list of those reported to the bankruptcy trustee. It can also involve hiding the asset through a fraudulent transfer, including giving the asset to someone else to keep it during the duration of the bankruptcy case, with the intent that the person holding the asset will return it after the case concludes. If this type of fraud is discovered, the filer and the person holding the asset could be held liable for bankruptcy fraud.

Bankruptcy Law, Medical Debt

Why So Many Americans Over the Age of 55 are Filing for Bankruptcy.

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Bankruptcy offers filers a fresh financial start, but for many bankruptcy petitioners, that start comes later in life. In the past three decades, the number of people over the age of 55 who have filed for bankruptcy has gone up significantly. This increase has many financial experts wondering why so many individuals nearing retirement are filing for bankruptcy.

According to a paper by Robert Lawless, the percentage of older Americans, specifically between the ages of 55 and 64, increased by 66 percent between the year 1991 and 2016. The number of bankruptcies filed by individuals between 65 and 74 increased by more than 200 percent between this time period. In fact, approximately 12 percent of all bankruptcy filers are over the age of 65.

Credit Card Debt, Debt Relief

Credit Card Debt Can Be Bad for Your Health, According to Recent Study.

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Having large amounts of credit card debt can not only stress you out, but according to a new study it can also be bad for your health. The high levels of stress associated with the debt can get so serious that it can adversely affect the person’s health, according to a study from CompareCards.com.

According to the report, fewer cardholders can pay their balances in full at the end of each month. Anything left on those balances roll over to the next month and are compounded even more by interest. Before long, those balances inch closer and closer to the maximum balance allowed. One in three consumers surveyed by WalletHub reported being fearful that they will max out their credit cards when making a large purchase. Most of those polled said they considered a large purchase was anything more than $100.

Bankruptcy Law

How Long Does the Bankruptcy Automatic Stay Remain in Effect?

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One of the benefits of filing for bankruptcy is the automatic stay and the protections it offers filers who are facing a multitude of collection calls from their creditors. It can also protect a person from lawsuits, wage garnishment, repossession, and losing valuable property.  As soon as the bankruptcy petition is filed, the automatic stay goes into effect. After this point, creditors and debt collectors are legally barred from attempting to collect on any debt owed by the filer.

The automatic stay will remain in effect throughout the duration of the bankruptcy case from filing to discharge. However, certain factors can affect the automatic stay and how long it remains in effect.

Credit Card Debt, Debt Relief

How to Protect Your Wages from Credit Card Companies

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A credit card company can garnish a person’s wages following a successful judgment, which is why it is important to not ignore collection attempts. While it can be hard to fight wage garnishment after it is entered, consumers do have options to protect themselves in the event this does occur.

Settling the Debt

One of the best ways to avoid a wage garnishment is to work directly with the credit card company or debt collector. Many times, the company may be willing to work with the consumer rather than go through the effort and spend the legal fees to take them to court.

They may require the consumer provide some type of proof that his or her financial situation is solid enough to handle the settlement amount. If the debt is large, they may require some type of security to ensure payment will occur.