“Some of the work you do as a lawyer is the same over and over again. However, the best lawyer sees problems coming and helps their clients understand the risks and their choices. Don’t hire someone who is only interested in getting your money.”
DIANE L. DRAIN, lawyer, mentor, and community activist.
W elcome to my blog, your go-to guide to navigating bankruptcy laws. I am a veteran bankruptcy lawyer and consumer advocate in Arizona. I’ve committed my life to teaching and mentoring in order to cut through the legal jargon that intimidates anyone facing financial hardship. This is the same dedication I had as a law professor when teaching bankruptcy.
Everyone has the right to know their own and others’ rights, even creditors. Avoid stressing over creditors. Learn the facts to make smart choices.
Helpful materials, updated legal information, and advice can help you achieve financial security. Bottom line: Everyone deserves a decent night’s sleep and a stress-free future.
RECENT ARTICLES
RECENT ARTICLES
Understanding the Current Financial Landscape: A Comprehensive Guide to Recent Articles and Developments in the World of Bankruptcy
June 22, 2019
June 21, 2019 – At the Federal Trade Commission’s request, a federal court has temporarily halted and frozen the assets of Grand Teton Professionals, an alleged credit repair scheme that charged illegal upfront fees and falsely claimed to repair consumers’ credit. […]
June 17, 2019
Urban African American neighborhoods are hardest hit as nearly 100,000 loans have failed. 6/2019 By Nick Penzenstadler and Jeff Kelly Lowenstein, read extensive report – article from USA TODAY Reverse mortgages – thousands of seniors, who worked their entire life to own a home, are finding their homes foreclosed for several reasons. The problem is [...]
June 10, 2019
6/2019 – Wells Fargo & Co. agreed to pay at least $385 million to customers who say they were signed up for auto insurance without their knowledge or consent when they took out a car loan. […]
June 8, 2019
YOUR MORTGAGE CLOSING CHECKLIST By Melissa Yu – JUN 03, 2019, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Closing is one of the most important stages of buying a house. Learn how to prepare and what to expect so you can close with confidence. Download our Closing Checklist Closing on a new home can be one of your most memorable [...]
June 8, 2019
6/5/19 – The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (Bureau) announced a settlement with Freedom Mortgage Corporation (Freedom), one of the ten largest Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) reporters nationwide. […]
June 1, 2019
Ever wonder how our court system works? It is rather confusing when you talk to me about bankruptcy and how that interacts with your creditor’s lawsuit and potential garnishment of your wages and bank accounts. […]
May 11, 2019
On February 27, 2017, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau “CFPB” issued a civil investigation demand “CID” to Seila Law, LLC seeking information about its business. to determine whether debt relief providers, lead generators, or other unnamed persons are engaging in unlawful acts or practices […]
April 30, 2019
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (Bureau) 2/5/2019 announced a settlement with Cash Tyme, a payday retail lender with outlets in Alabama, Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee. Cash Tyme is the operating name for CMM, LLC, and its wholly owned subsidiaries in those states. […]
April 28, 2019
There are Rules Governing Debt Collectors Debtor collectors are not allowed to call you before 8 am or after 9 pm (your time zone, not the caller’s). They cannot yell, swear, use crude language or threaten you in any way or do anything else that could be seen as harassment. Nor can they threaten to [...]
April 23, 2019
STRIKER ALERT – HB 2158: TAX SETTLEMENT; NATIVE AMERICAN VETERANS (TAX LIEN FORECLOSURES; SUBDIVISIONS; EXEMPTION) Unexpended and unencumbered monies remaining in the Veterans’ Income Tax Settlement Fund (which was established as part of the FY2016-17 budget) revert to the general fund on June 30, 2021, instead of June 30, 2019. The Department of Veterans’ Services [...]
April 18, 2019
Ever wonder why you make really stupid decisions, especially when you are overwhelmed, worried or distracted? Perhaps you are focused on one task, like dealing with a difficult child or employer, and you completely miss a really important appointment or buy something you did not want. […]
April 13, 2019
Reprint from Consumer Affairs Desperate consumers enter into these agreements without fully understanding how they work. Generally, debt relief or debt settlement companies offer a service to debt-burdened consumers to intervene with creditors–in most cases credit card companies–and secure a lower payoff amount. Often, desperate consumers enter into these agreements without fully understanding how they [...]
April 13, 2019
UPDATE: July 9, 2019 Freedom Debt Relief agrees to pay $20 million in restitution and $5 million in civil penalty to settle the claims for deception, abusive actions, misrepresentation, failure to disclose. […]
April 13, 2019
Do you receive random e-mail messages stating that an invoice is due with the invoice as a Word or Adobe document attachment? I’ve gotten at least three over this year. I know these are scams, but I would like to know that I’m not the only one being targeted. […]
April 13, 2019
By Russ Wiles, Arizona Republic, 2/25/19 (reprint) For many Americans, income tax refunds are the largest single chunk of money they receive all year. Imagine losing most or all of it to a debt collector or in a bankruptcy proceeding. […]
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March 16, 2019
WARNING TO THE WISE: Never do a short sale, deed in lieu of foreclosure, allow a trustee’s sale, or a foreclosure to go forward without first obtaining both legal and tax advice. You cannot undo serious mistakes once the process is completed. […]
March 5, 2019
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) released a report focusing on mortgages made to first-time homebuyers who are serving in the armed forces or are veterans. The Bureau’s report is the first time researchers have been able to provide a description and analysis of servicemembers’ mortgage choices and mortgage performance, both during and after the [...]
March 2, 2019
The insurance company’s first offer is based on the hope you will take the quick money and run. Lawyers who don’t care about their clients’ best interests can make a lot more money settling cheap and moving on to the next case, and the next, and so forth. […]
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