People on websites like Avvo.com often ask questions about companies offering ‘debt consolidation,’ ‘debt management,’ ‘credit repair’ or ‘debt settlement.’ These questions are asked so frequently that I am writing this blog to share helpful information. Both consumers and companies use many of these terms interchangeably. Each term, however, refers to a specific type of […]

Yes, but very rarely. Federal law currently does not allow for the discharge of student loans in bankruptcy except in extreme circumstances. Absent a physical or mental inability to support yourself or a showing that repaying the student loans would take food off the table, a student loan survives bankruptcy. An attempt to discharge student […]

The fact that a bankruptcy was filed is one of many items on a credit report. A credit score after bankruptcy will depend on the credit score prior to filing bankruptcy as well as the other previous items listed on the credit report. Filing bankruptcy will hurt a credit score, especially if the score was […]

It is admirable to want to repay your debts. The majority of your creditors, however, do not make it easy for the average consumer who is struggling financially to repay debts. If you are struggling financially, your credit card interest rates are probably 25% (or higher). The credit card companies may lower your limit and […]

You can usually file another bankruptcy, but in order to receive a discharge in your second bankruptcy there may by a minimal amount of time that must have passed between the cases. The time between filing bankruptcies to receive a discharge runs from the date of the filing of your previous bankruptcy to the date […]

While it is possible for a lay person to file bankruptcy without the help of a lawyer (this is called filing a bankruptcy ‘pro se’), it is not advised. Even simple bankruptcies are laden with required forms and deadlines, and failing to file the correct forms or to meet deadlines can result in the bankruptcy […]

Having a paycheck garnished in Texas for a debt like a credit card or medical bill requires a very unique set of circumstances and is quite rare. Your wages can, however, be garnished for unpaid student loans, unpaid taxes or domestic support obligations. The easiest and most direct way to end a wage garnishment is […]

This is a common question asked by folks who are struggling financially and contemplating bankruptcy. The truth is that outside of those directly involved with your bankruptcy (you, your lawyer, your creditors, the Trustee and the Judge) not many people are going to know that you filed bankruptcy. If you file bankruptcy in Houston (or […]

There are many websites that claim that for a very low fee they can help you file bankruptcy. Chances are they are not lawyers and do not represent you in any legal capacity. They will take your information and input that information into bankruptcy documents, sending you the documents back so that you may file […]

The answer to this question is straight forward – a Chapter 7 bankruptcy will remain on your credit report for 10 years from the date of filing, and a Chapter 13 bankruptcy will remain on your credit report for 7 years from the date of filing. A better question to ask, however, is how can […]