Chapter 7 tips by bankruptcy attorney Houston, TX: Folks often have the misconception that if the lawsuit is not placed in their hands, they cannot be served and the lawsuit cannot proceed. This is not true and sometimes if you are served by alternative service you may not realize you have been served (if, for example, the lawsuit is affixed to your door and a nosy neighbor takes the lawsuit). If you are aware a lawsuit has been filed, do think if they have not put the lawsuit into your hands that the lawsuit cannot proceed. A lawsuit begins when the ‘Plaintiff’ (the person or company doing the suing) files the ‘Original Petition’ in the appropriate court. If the dollar amount the creditor is suing for is less than $10,000, the lawsuit will usually (but not always) be filed in a ‘Justice of the Peace’ court. Otherwise a lawsuit for an unpaid debt will typically be filed in the county court or district court for the county in which you live.
I hope that you find this website to be helpful and informative. Information on a website, however, is not a substitute for the knowledge and advice of an experienced bankruptcy attorney. Once you have had a chance to look over our website, please fill out the contact form or give us a call to talk more about the specifics of your situation. I will get back to you the same business day, if possible. Take your first step towards a fresh financial start! I believe that customer help should be the no 1 priority in any business, but it is also very important important in the bankruptcy and debt settlement field. When people are struggling financially they may be stressed, nervous and scared about their situation. The prompt returning of telephone calls and e-mails is important so as to help alleviate anxiety. You can also take comfort in knowing that you will be speaking with an attorney every time you call or come in for an appointment. Dove Law Firm, PLLC is a Debt Relief Agency. We help people file for bankruptcy relief under the Bankruptcy Code as well as resolve other debt issues.
Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC): Millions of lower-income people take this credit every year. However, 25% of taxpayers who are eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit fail to claim it, according to the IRS. Some people miss out on the credit because the rules can be complicated. Others simply aren’t aware that they qualify. The EITC is a refundable tax credit—not a deduction—ranging from $529 to $6,557 for 2019. The credit is designed to supplement wages for low-to-moderate income workers. But the credit doesn’t just apply to lower income people. Tens of millions of individuals and families previously classified as “middle class”—including many white-collar workers—are now considered “low income” because they: lost a job, took a pay cut, or worked fewer hours during the year. The exact refund you receive depends on your income, marital status and family size. To get a refund from the EITC you must file a tax return, even if you don’t owe any taxes. Moreover, if you were eligible to claim the credit in the past but didn’t, you can file any time during the year to claim an EITC refund for up to three previous tax years.
The list of property you don’t have to sell or turn over to creditors (exempt property), and the total value that you can exempt, varies by state. Some states let you choose between their exemption list and the federal exemptions. But most Chapter 7 bankruptcy cases are “no asset” cases, meaning all of the person’s property is either exempt or there’s a valid lien against the property. At the end of the process, approximately four to six months from your initial filing, the court will discharge your remaining debts (meaning you don’t need to pay them anymore). However, some types of debts generally aren’t dischargeable through bankruptcy, including child support, alimony, court fees, some tax debts and most student loans.
Harvest Your Capital Losses: If you own stocks that have lost money, you can sell them and deduct up to $3,000 on your federal taxes. Just be careful not to violate the wash-sale rule, which would disallow the deduction. This rule states you cannot purchase the same or a substantially similar stock within 30 days before or after the sale. “Some people think it’s OK if I do it using two accounts,” Zollars says. They may think they can sell a stock from a taxable account and then immediately purchase similar securities in an IRA. However, this is not allowed. “That’s not the way the rule works,” he says. Read extra information at bankruptcy attorney in houston.
To be eligible to file for Chapter 13 bankruptcy, an individual must have no more than $394,725 in unsecured debt, such as credit card bills or personal loans. They also can have no more than $1,184,200 in secured debts, which includes mortgages and car loans. These figures adjust periodically to reflect changes in the consumer price index. One of Chapter 13 allows you to stop an effort to foreclose on your home. Filing a Chapter 13 petition suspends any current foreclosure proceedings and payment of any other debts owed. This buys time while the court considers the plan, but it does not eliminate the debt. Hopefully, the bankruptcy plan will free enough of your income that you’ll be able to make regular mortgage payments and keep your house.