Priority Tax Claims In order to secure a bankruptcy court’s approval of a plan of reorganization, a debtor is required to satisfy, in full, all obligations entitled to priority treatment under the bankruptcy law[1][2]. Some taxes, owed to the federal government, generally are deemed to be priority obligations.  In a recent case, a bankruptcy appellate […]

Congress recently passed legislation entitled The Bankruptcy Threshold Adjustment and Technical Corrections Act which the President signed into law on June 21, 2022. The changes to the law will help people because it significantly expands who can qualify for Chapter 13 relief.  Chapter 13 is a reorganization bankruptcy for individuals which gives people an opportunity […]

Do You Live Paycheck to Paycheck? The Calm Before the Storm But, My Mortgage Company Will Work With Me, Won’t They? Be Proactive How Can A Chapter 13 Help Me? Generally speaking, if a person is facing foreclosure, a chapter 13 bankruptcy case should be filed before the foreclosure sale date. The bankruptcy laws will […]

People often think that chapter 7 cases are easy, straight forward and uncomplicated. It’s easy, right? An attorney just buys a computer software bankruptcy program, inputs some information, files the case, goes to the 341 hearing and then waits for the discharge order. While I certainly don’t turn down simple cases, I do come across […]

Your back is against the wall. You have tried to pay your bills on time and service your debt but you simply do not make enough money to do both. Now, you have creditors who have placed some of your accounts in collection and your gut tells you that the situation isn’t going to get […]

“The holidays only come around once a year.” “They would really love this gift…it will only cost a little more.” “I’m sure that my creditors take the holidays off too, so that buys me some extra time to make a payment.” At one point, or another, we have all made these types of excuses that […]

It’s tough running a business and even tougher to keep a business profitable. Business owners throughout Michigan navigate the delicate balance of profitability on a monthly, weekly, and even daily basis. In some situations, the accumulation of business debt overcomes a business’s ability to generate income, and in that particular situation, Chapter 11 bankruptcy should be given […]

It’s a total myth that a properly executed bankruptcy cannot provide relief from an individual’s income tax liabilities. In fact, a chapter 7 bankruptcy can greatly assist with income tax problems in certain limited situations. Let’s explore below how a bankruptcy can discharge (wipe out) personal income tax liabilities in the following scenarios and situations: SOME IMPORTANT […]

Imagine receiving your next paycheck and learning that 25% of it has gone missing! Then, imagine learning that the reason for the missing money from your paycheck was because your wages are being garnished. What do you do then? Your paycheck (wages) and tax refunds can be garnished by creditors that have sought and won […]

Owning and operating a business is tough. Customer expectations coupled with their buying patterns and strong competition all have a dramatic impact on the bottom line of a business. Let’s explore in further detail how some of these factors truly impact a business: CUSTOMER BUYING PATTERNS AND CONVENIENCE The vastness of the internet means that […]