The next best thing to being a fly on the wall in the judge’s chambers is having a copy of her cheat-sheet. Or maybe it’s better described as the overview and the starting point for the next bankruptcy decision. So, don’t forget about Judge Newsom (Retired) & Judge Novack’s bankruptcy research binder available on line. […]
They’re Changing the Rules On Us
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Come December, the Bankruptcy Rules will change again. So, I’ve got a shout out to Chapter 13 Trustee Beverly Burden who created a great table of the changes. Her chart includes the What, When, Where, and How, but also her comments on the effect of the change. I can add nothing to her great work, […]
The Smart Way To Cut The IRS Out
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Like so much in life, it’s all about timing I revisited an older post here about delaying the filing of a bankruptcy til the New Year when the debtor expects to owe taxes in April. A Chapter 13 filed in January can include and pay the taxes associated with the tax year ending in December. […]
Cautionary Tale re Bankruptcy, Attorneys and Notice
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How often has your bankruptcy client presented you with a copy of a complaint or an abstract of judgment for inclusion in their list of creditors? On the face of the pleading, you have the name and mailing address of the creditor’s lawyer. But is that good enough for a bankruptcy discharge? A recent case […]
4 Reasons To Keep Time Records No One Discusses
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Mention keeping time records to a bankruptcy lawyer and you’re likely met with expressions of utter revulsion. I swear that all too many assert that the major appeal of being a bankruptcy lawyer is precisely that they don’t have to keep time. Between flat fee deals with clients, and no look fees in Chapter 13, […]
Getting Started In Bankruptcy Law
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Everyone new to bankruptcy needs a guide to this specialized legal realm. Just as you can’t tell the players without a scorecard, it’s hard to make heads or tails of bankruptcy law when it’s new to you. Jon Hayes has what you need to tell priorities from the absolute priority rule. Exemptions from exclusions. Denial […]
Tax Audit Aftermath-Did You Tell The State?
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One of the bedrock pieces of the discharge of taxes in in bankruptcy is the requirement to have filed a return. No return, no discharge of that year’s taxes. But it gets more nuanced: in California when the feds audit the debtor and change any of the elemental figures in a filed return return, the taxpayer […]
