Under new rules coming on line, HARP is now available for refinances no matter how far your home is underwater. The 125% loan-to-value cap is no more.
Should High Income Earners File Chapter 7 Bankruptcy?
That is a very good question in this economy, which is why I’ve re-written this post. Many New Yorkers lost their jobs or experienced a dip in income at the hight of the recession. If your fortunes have improved significantly in the last 1 to 6 months then now is the time to consider filing [...]
Ten Terrific Tools for Saving Your Home through Chapter 13–Part 2
Here are the other 5 powerful home-saving tools. Chapter 13 isn’t for everyone. But these tools, especially in combination, can often give you what you need to tackle and defeat your mortgage and other home-debt problems.
Short Sales: Lien releases, Tax Consequences and Bankruptcy.
A short sale of your home is sometimes your best alternative. But short sales often do not successfully close, and even when they do you may get a rude surprise.
Pre-Bankruptcy Tax Strategies for New Yorkers
Get the maximum benefit from your bankruptcy against your taxes by following these sophisticated strategies.
The Benefits of a “Short Tax Year Election” in an Asset Chapter 7 Case
Your Chapter 7 trustee can use your unneeded assets to pay current-year income taxes if you split the calendar tax year into two: the pre-bankruptcy and post-bankruptcy “short years.”
The Bankruptcy Consequences of the National Mortgage Settlement
The bankruptcy world played a quiet but significant role in bringing about this controversial $26 billion settlement. So, fittingly, the settlement terms require the banks to make significant changes in their behavior in bankruptcy court.
Maximizing Tax Refunds in a Chapter 13 Case
Chapter 13 gives you more flexibility about what you can do with your current income tax refund. But unlike Chapter 7 which doesn’t care about your future years’ refunds, Chapter 13 does.
Closed-Business Taxes in a NY Bankruptcy Case
Dealing with taxes from a failed business through a bankruptcy–that sounds complicated. But I’m going to keep it simple here. What are your basic options if you owe taxes after closing down a small business?
“Asset” and “No Asset” Closed-Business Chapter 7 Cases
When the sole proprietor of a just-closed business files a personal Chapter 7 bankruptcy case, the trustee may or may not have assets to liquidate and distribute to the creditors. If NOT, the case will more likely be finished faster. But if the trustee DOES collect some assets, the extra time may be worth it for the former business owner.