Usually not.  But sometimes the indirect consequences can be huge. Considering what’s at stake, if you are either a legal or illegal immigrant and are thinking about filing bankruptcy, this is definitely an area where you need the advice of both a bankruptcy attorney and an immigration attorney. It’s my job to give my clients […]

In my last blog I explained that non-citizens—legal or not—are allowed to file for bankruptcy. Essentially all they need is appropriate identification. But that raises a couple of questions: 1) Will they receive all the benefits that a citizen would receive?  and 2) Will filing for bankruptcy hurt their efforts to become a citizen, or […]

In a word: Yes. The Bankruptcy Code doesn’t limit who can file for bankruptcy based upon whether they are a citizen or not. It allows any person who resides here, or has a domicile, place of business, or property in the United States to file for bankruptcy. 11 U.S.C. 109 There is no requirement that […]

As a bankruptcy attorney in Colorado Springs, I’ve found that a lot of people get pretty freaked out thinking about going to their Creditors Meeting.  In order to reduce that anxiety, let me explain the purpose of the meeting and what generally happens at it: The Creditors Meeting is also commonly called the “Section 341 […]

One of the most frequent questions I get when first speaking with potential clients who are thinking of filing for bankruptcy in Colorado Springs is “If I file for bankruptcy, will they take my car?”  I usually answer with a question of my own:  “Do you want to keep your car?”  Then I go through […]

Chapter 13 and Chapter 7 are both chapters of the Bankruptcy Code, otherwise known as Title 11 of the U.S. Code.  They are the most commonly used chapters for people who are unable to pay all of their debts.  The most basic differences between them: In a Chapter 7, you agree to give up your […]

It seems like such a good idea:  Settle your debts, repair your credit, avoid bankruptcy!  The ads are enticing: Save 50% of what you owe!  Avoid Bankruptcy! Have 10K+ in debt?  Cut Your Total Up To 70% & Be Free In 36 Months. Blah, blah, blah, . . . But do these companies work?  In […]

Hiring a Bankruptcy Lawyer can be very confusing since there are so many lawyers claiming to be the “best” bankruptcy lawyer for you.  So, how do you decide who to hire? Everybody is different. We all have our own likes and dislikes. When it comes to hiring a lawyer to help you with your bankruptcy […]

Probably not.  In the vast majority of bankruptcy cases filed in Colorado Springs, people never have to go to the official Bankruptcy Court in Denver or even see a Bankruptcy Judge.  Exceptions to this rule are cases where a motion or adversary case is filed, but these are not that common.  So, while you probably […]

For a lot of people probably the scariest thing about filing for bankruptcy is the fear of losing everything they have: their house, their car, even their family pictures and baseball card collection. Well, in most cases, you don’t have to worry about losing all of your stuff, since most of it will be “exempt” […]