Published On: May 15, 2015

Bankruptcy Can Help Older Americans Take Control of Their Lives

Seniors and Reverse MortgageI highly recommend this great article in the New York Times about bankruptcy and the elderly.  Everyone should understand the issues related to protecting your own or your parents’ hard earned retirement funds when faced with a financial crisis.  A good percentage of every client I meet has dipped into their retirement funds to pay off debts, only to find the debts never end – default interest, late charges, attorney and collection fees…… the list goes on and on.

Bankruptcy can bring much-needed relief from debt brought on by medical expenses or helping needy children…

The following is a brief clip of the entire article.

For some older Americans, bankruptcy can bring much-needed relief from debt brought on by medical expenses or helping needy children, and experts say it can be a valuable tool to protect retirement assets, after negotiating with creditors. But with reliable statistics on current bankruptcies hard to come by, anecdotal evidence suggests that shame at being in financial turmoil frequently prevents retirees from getting help early.

“People usually postpone bankruptcy for several years before filing,” said Deborah Thorne, an associate professor of sociology at Ohio University, who has studied older Americans and bankruptcy. “When finances head south, they should file right away.”

By spending retirement assets, Ms. Thorne said, retirees risk a downward financial spiral from which they are less likely to recover than younger people. A better strategy is to defend assets at all costs, she said.

Click here for the entire article….

By |Published On: May 15th, 2015|Last Updated: July 14th, 2022|

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About the Author: Diane Drain

Diane is a well respected Arizona bankruptcy and foreclosure attorney. As a retired law professor, she believes in offering everyone, not just her clients, advice about bankruptcy and Arizona foreclosure laws. Diane is also a mentor to hundreds of Arizona attorneys.

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You and Jay are the best attorneys I have ever had or needed and thank God for the Honorable Robert Gottsfield in recommending you folks – I would have never made it through the entire process without you and Jay and God Bless you both always and stay in touch as well. You folks are the BEST OF THE BEST in Arizona.

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I can’t say enough good things about Diane. The way she handled my not typical circumstances was amazing. I was very nervous to start the bankruptcy process but Diane just has a very comforting way of explaining the whole process. My only regret is that I didn’t find Diane sooner. If you find yourself in a financial situation that you can’t correct on your own, please Call Diane Drain as soon as possible.

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