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A bankruptcy trustee in New York State has allegedly engaged in aggressive questioning of a debtor’s English-speaking skills. According to the complainant’s lawyer, William Ward Saxton, bankruptcy trustee John S. Pereia questioned how a debtor was able to pass her citizenship exam if she did not understand basic English and he moved to adjourn the case. Saxton maintains that this action violated his client’s civil rights. The U.S. Trustee Program, a bankruptcy watchdog organization, is currently … [Read more...]

  Beginning October 1, creditors will have tougher rules for filing lawsuits against debtors in New York State.  The NY State court system enacted new rules aimed at forcing creditors, especially those that buy old credit card debt and file massive numbers of lawsuits, to provide accurate information to prove that the debt has not expired and to prove that the correct defendant is being named.  According to Judge Lippman, “the judiciary has an obligation to prevent inequitable debt … [Read more...]

The positive effect of the improving housing market is that it is driving home values back up.  This means that many homeowners may have much more equity in their home than they did a couple of years ago.  This equity is a potential fund for making home repairs or consolidating debt.  However, what are the good and bad reasons for dipping into your home equity? For the answer read, “The Best (and Worst) Reasons to Tap Your Home Equity.” Image credit:   American Advisors Group … [Read more...]

The widow of Chris Kyle, better known as American Sniper because of his bestselling 2012 autobiography, is suing the company he co-founded for the illegal use of his name and likeness.  Tara Kyle is suing Craft International LLC for an undisclosed amount of money for the “unauthorized use” of her husband’s name and image.  The company, which filed bankruptcy, has not responded to the lawsuit at this time. For more read the full details at, “American Sniper’s Widow Sues Bankrupt Training … [Read more...]

For some individuals, renting is much less expensive than buying a home.  However, if you have never rented a home before, you may be surprised at some of the fees and costs that renters may incur.  If you are not prepared for these costs, paying them may cause a temporary financial problem with your monthly budget.  In order to ensure you are prepared financially read, “6 Renting Costs That May Surprise You.” Image Credit:  Bart Everson … [Read more...]

Are you building a home, making home repairs or buying a fixer-upper?  If so, you may be dealing with a contractor.  You do not need to search for long to find horror stories relating how homeowners were burned by bad contractors.  Most contractors are good; however, if you find yourself dealing with a difficult contractor, there are some things that you can do to protect yourself and your rights. For tips on how to deal with contractors read, “How to Deal With a Bad Contractor.” Image … [Read more...]

Summer may be over; however, you can still sell your home quickly if you know the best tips for selling a home.  Of course, curb appeal is very important if you want to sell your home; however, price is another very important element.  Knowing how to use both to your advantage can mean the difference in moving your home in a few weeks and having your home sit on the market for months.  For secrets to sell your home fast read, “14 Steps to Selling a Home Super Fast.” Image credit:  Mark Moz … [Read more...]

Beginning in 2015, there will be new IRS rules aimed at stopping individuals from using their Individual Retirement Accounts for temporary loans.  For some, managing their IRA accounts means rolling them over to new accounts or withdrawing money to place in other retirement accounts.  However, the new rules are intended to stop people who withdraw money with the intention of rolling over the funds but use the funds for a short-term loan before putting funds into a new retirement account. For … [Read more...]

  For most people, bankruptcy law is cut, dried and boring; however, for one bankruptcy courtroom in New York, they have had ringside seats to a case that you may swear belongs in a boxing or wrestling ring.  In 2012, a New York man filed Chapter 7 to protect himself from a $110,000 court judgment by his neighbor. The judgment in question was rendered because the debtor bit his neighbor’s nose in the elevator.  The neighbor objected to the discharge of this debt and the case is currently … [Read more...]

What happens when your landlord does not live up to his or her promises?  Is there something that you can do to protect yourself when you sign a lease or if you are under a rental contract but the landlord refuses to perform according to the contract?  Your landlord has certain obligations and you do have rights as a tenant. For tips to protect yourself against a bad landlord read, “How to Fire Back Against a Lousy Landlord.” Image credit:  Brian Hawkins … [Read more...]