Written by Canterbury Law Group

Why You Should Not File for Bankruptcy

In some circumstances, filing for bankruptcy is the only solution to deal with your financial crisis. For others though, bankruptcy is actually a bad idea and should be avoided.

Each situation will be different, depending on how much debt you have and what kind of debt it is. It’s essential that you seriously think about the benefits and downfalls of bankruptcy, and see if it is the best solution for your current situation.

Your top bankruptcy attorney in Scottsdale is ready to help you with all of your bankruptcy needs. First, though, see if your reason for bankruptcy is a good one.

Cannot Pay Small, Unsecured Debt

Unsecured debt is commonly known as past due to credit cards. It’s debt that has no outstanding collateral for the credit card company to seize from you. That means the lender lets you spend as much as you want without tendering any security in case you default on the loan. If you do default on your payments, there is nothing for the lender to repossess.  While they certainly can sue you, that again only gets them a judgment.  Eventually, that judgment will likely lead to garnishment of your banking accounts and a paycheck.

This isn’t to say that you can stop paying small loans and you’ll be fine. There are still issues involving your credit and the chance of the lender suing you in court. However, this is not a good reason to claim bankruptcy. In many cases, you or your bankruptcy lawyer can negotiate with the lender to set up a payment plan that works for you, or to pay a lump sum to clear up the debt.

There are also occasions in which the lender may write off your debt as uncollectable, but that isn’t a solution to rely on.

Student Loans, Income Tax, Court Judgment, or Child Support

Bankruptcy doesn’t necessarily erase all of your loans. In some cases, bankruptcy won’t help you with certain loans. Depending on what you owe, each situation is treated individually.

Filing for bankruptcy for debt like student loans, income taxes owed, certain court fines or penalties and child support won’t do you any good. There may be extreme cases when bankruptcy can quash this kind of debt. For the most part, though, bankruptcy can’t do anything about these types of debt.

Stop Collection Agencies from Calling

If you are wary of collection agencies calling you all the time, there’s an easier way to make them stop than filing for bankruptcy. Through the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), if you request them to stop calling, they must oblige under federal law.

Send a written letter to the collection agency stating you do not want them to contact you anymore. If they continue to call after your request, keep a record of the phone calls, you can sue the collections agency later and potentially collect damages and fees.

Want to Restart

If you’re looking at bankruptcy as an easy way out of your debt, you may want to reconsider that mindset. For starters, there will be certain debts as we mentioned that will never go away after filing for bankruptcy.

Filing for bankruptcy is also hard on your credit. Bankruptcy remains on your credit record for up to ten years. That means if you want to take out a loan for a new vehicle or a mortgage, you may have a hard time being approved for many years to come.

Written by Canterbury Law Group

Rediscover Yourself After a Divorce

Going through a divorce is no easy matter. It’s emotionally, mentally, and even physically draining. It’s easy to find yourself alone and wondering what went wrong that got you to this point.

One of the hardest parts of a divorce comes after signing the papers – rediscovering who you are. Many find themselves asking this question after years of putting other’s needs before their own. One is left wondering who they are and what they are going to do next with their life.

Whether you commenced the divorce or not, this new phase in your life can be looked at like a fresh start. Between your divorce attorney in Scottsdale, your friends, and your family, all of them can help you along your journey of rediscovering yourself after dissolution.

Get Lots of Rest and Recover

The first thing you should do is take some time to rest. You are likely to go through the grief process because the truth is, you’re losing many things as you go through a divorce.  Many years or decades may have been shared with your former partner. After final separation, you are likely to mourn the loss of that past life.

Give yourself time to go through the grief process and to rest. You will need to have the energy and peace to get yourself back up on your feet.  Think twice about dating new people right away.  Do not rush into the dating market.  You need to reset your internal clock and moral compass first.

Connect With Your Old Self

Change happens when you are with a partner for a long time. You start to pick up your spouse’s traits and sometimes have to give up ones too.  Not only that, many find themselves falling out of touch with certain hobbies and activities they used to enjoy before getting married.

After the dissolution, use this time to reconnect with your old self before marriage. What were your hobbies and favorite activities? What were you good at and what did you want to get better at? Start getting back in touch with the things you love.

Reconnect With Anything Given Up

As mentioned, there is likely something you would have not given up before entering a marriage. Maybe your spouse was allergic to pets, and you always had a dog around. There could have been a hobby you enjoyed that your partner didn’t. The things you used to love but have not looked at in quite some time, maybe a place to refocus your new time and energy now that you no longer have a life partner.

Try New Things

Not only are you rediscovering who you were after a divorce, but it is also a time to try new things. It could be anything that you’ve wanted to try, but never did when you were married. Make a list of all of the activities and adventures you wanted and start working through them.

Surround Yourself With Love

In the end, one of the best ways to rediscover yourself after a divorce is to surround yourself with friends and family that know you best. You may have found yourself becoming distant while going through the divorce process. Your friends likely don’t want to pick sides, or you don’t want to put them in that situation. However with the case now over, keeping in touch with your friends will help keep you uplifted, avoid the feeling of loneliness, and help get you back to the self you have missed for so many years.

Written by Canterbury Law Group

My Workplace is Going Bankrupt – What Do I Do?

When a business goes bankrupt it, it isn’t the management and owner who tends to get hit the hardest. Instead, it is the on the ground workers who are more likely to feel the hit the hardest.

Higher paid employees like management who would know more about the bankruptcy likely have enough money saved up that they can get by. For entry-level employees and those not in management, however, chances are they won’t be as well off.

If you fall into this category and your business is going bankrupt, it can be a scary time. You are likely wondering what will happen to you. Will you still have a job? Are the bills going to pile up and will you have to file for bankruptcy yourself?

We want to provide you with the best bankruptcy help in Scottsdale. So, if your company is going bankrupt, as an employee, here is what you should know.

It depends on the Type of Bankruptcy

There are two types of bankruptcy claims that a business can go through. Depending on which one is being processed, will determine what happens to you as the employee.

If your company is filing for Chapter 11, the business is asking help from the courts to repay creditors and sell off assets. There is a chance you could get laid off as they go through cost-cutting measures. On the other side, the employer may retain all positions, but written employment contracts may be up for renegotiation that could not end well in your favor.

If your company is filing for Chapter 7 though, this is the liquidation of the entire business, meaning the company’s existence comes to an end. Most likely all employees will be out of a job after the end of the liquidation and the bankruptcy concludes.

Unpaid Wages Will Get Paid Out

If you get laid off due to the bankruptcy liquidation, any wages you’ve earned that has not been paid will be treated as a debt owed from the employer. There is a cap for wages, and salary earned up to 180 days before bankruptcy.

You cannot guarantee payment, however. In the Fair Labor Standards Act, unpaid wages are not covered. This means if there are not enough assets to pay for all of the unpaid wages, you may not receive anything at all.

You May Lose Your Pension

Most likely your employee pension plan will get terminated in the event of a liquidation. There was, though, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) put in place to protect private sector workers. So, if your employer cannot pay your benefits, the PBGC will help out to fill the gap in pension assets. 

Vacation Pay

If you have accrued vacation days, they will fall into unpaid wages. This means you are likely to get compensated for them. However, once again, you cannot guarantee that you will receive your payout. The labor laws differ from state to state.

These are a few of the things to look out for if your company is filing for bankruptcy. If handled well, you could still be compensated for any unpaid wages, pensions, benefits, and vacation days after discharge. However, there is always the risk that you will receive nothing if the company cannot come up with enough money to pay their debts and your owed wages.

Written by Canterbury Law Group

Four Tips to Help When You Want to Ask for a Divorce

No matter how much work you put into a marriage, some ultimately will end in divorce. You’ve done everything you can. The two of you have sought out help and done what is asked. In the end though, no matter what you do, the two of you can’t seem to get along.

If the word divorce is going through your mind, it can be a scary topic to discuss. How do you bring it up to your partner without causing a war? There’s no easy way to ask someone for a divorce. With a little bit of preparation and empathy, however, you can bring up the topic without causing too much stress on your partner.

Your divorce attorney in Scottsdale is here to help you with all of your legal matters when ending a marriage.

Prepare Yourself

The first thing you want to do is prepare yourself for the conversation. It would help if you were confident in your decision and that it is the best option for both of you.

Ask yourself why you want a divorce in the first place. Use this reason as a way to explain it to your partner. Then, try and put yourself in his or her shoes and come up with different questions he or she may have. The more answers you have, the better you can explain the situation clearly to your partner.

Talk in an Appropriate Environment

There are a time and a place for having a conversation about divorce. Timing is crucial when delivering this type of news. Of course, there is no perfect time for having a conversation about divorce. There are though, times that are more appropriate than others.

You wouldn’t’ want to bring up a divorce if your partner recently underwent a stressful situation or had some kind of trauma. That could make an already stressful situation even worse.

Choose a place that is private and where there are minimal distractions and stressors. The more calming and comfortable the environment is, the better chance you have for the discussion to go more smoothly.

Own Your Decision

Unless this isn’t the first time the word divorce has come up, your spouse is likely to feel caught off guard. How you deliver the message will determine the rest of the conversation.

You want to own your decision. Be clear that you have made up your mind and that this is what you want. Be firm as you talk, yet gentle and empathetic towards your partner. Being rude and getting upset will only make things worse.

Get Professional Help

After the divorce conversation, there will be many emotions between the two of you. The best way to handle them is for each of you to seek out professional help. Speaking with a divorce coach or a counselor will help you deal with your emotions and heartbreak so that you can move forward with the process in a healthy way.

There is no easy way to ask your spouse for a divorce. However, they cannot force you to remain married if you want out.  Either spouse can seek divorce at any time.  However, you can prepare yourself for the conversation. Keep your partner’s emotions in mind when delivering the news. Try and put yourself in his or her shoes so you can understand how they might react. The more peaceful the conversation, the better off everyone will be.  They deserve care and respect, they were once your life partner.

Written by Canterbury Law Group

4 Steps to Get Your Business on Track After Filing for Bankruptcy

Bankruptcy is a dreaded word by not just business owners, but families as well. It is not something that people want to go through, but it is the reality for many. With a business, sometimes you can put in all the hard work in the world but still end up filing for bankruptcy.

When starting a business, 30% will fail during the first two years. That number increases to 50% in the first five years, and 66% in the first 10 years. Only 25% will actually make it to at least 15 years.

With these stark statistics, there’s a likely chance that a new business may end up filing for bankruptcy. If that is the case, can your business survive, and if it does, can you get it back on track?

Getting the top bankruptcy attorneys in Scottsdale is one step to take. After that, consider some of the following points to help you get your business back on track.

Determine Which Type of Bankruptcy You’re Filing For

Depending on which bankruptcy you end up choosing to file, whether it be Chapter 7, Chapter 13, or Chapter 11, the case will significantly impact the outcome for your business.

For Chapter 7, your entire business is liquidated and sold off. You would then have to start over from scratch. In contrast, Chapter 13 bankruptcy will affect your company, but you will still have the debt to deal with. With Chapter 11 though, your business will continue to operate daily as your case pushes through the bankruptcy process and a reorganization plan is approved.

Understand What Went Wrong

One of the most important things to focus on after going through the bankruptcy process is to determine what went wrong. One of failure’s benefits is that it’s an opportunity to learn and grow. Take a look at your prior business plan and make essential notes of which parts went wrong that caused you to go into bankruptcy.

Build Your Credit Back Up

One of the hardest things about bankruptcy is that your credit score takes a significant hit. That number is essential if you need to file for a loan to start your business back up again.

Work towards building your credit back up. Start by paying all of your bills and credit cards on time. The more diligent you are about any remaining debt and paying it off, the more favorable outcome it will have on your credit score.

Find Another Source of Revenue

If your business can continue while you are going through bankruptcy, find additional ways to bring in more money. The reason you went into bankruptcy is that you lacked money. So, if you can find other ways to increase your monthly revenue, you’ll have more money to put towards your debt and to keep your business running.

Don’t look at bankruptcy as the end of an era. Instead, consider it as a second act— the new chance to get your company back up and running smoothly once more. It will take a lot of hard work and dedication, but a business can survive and thrive after filing for bankruptcy.

Written by Canterbury Law Group

What to Think of Before Marriage – Should You Get a Prenup?

Prenuptial, it isn’t the most pleasant conversation to have while planning out your wedding. For many cases though, a prenup is essential to have. For others though, they can just as easily do without one.

A prenuptial agreement is a legal document that predetermines someone’s property holdings before marriage. The purpose is that someone is ensuring the disposition of the property in case the marriage ends in divorce. Not only that, but it also protects one spouse from the other spouse’s debt if they have any prior to marriage.

How do you know you should get a prenup before marrying? It varies couple to couple, depending on their financial situation, investment account levels, and anything one feels that it should belong to them regardless of whether the marriage survives. However, there are a few important guidelines to consider.

If you’re wondering about prenuptial and other legal matters around marriage, contact your divorce lawyer in Scottsdale for information.

A Prenup Can Usually Speed Up the Divorce Process

Although you don’t enter a marriage with the intent of getting divorced, it can be beneficial to know that a prenup can speed up the process just in case. Without one, you’re likely to spend months in the courtroom discussing legal matters, marital property allocations, and having to decide who gets what.

By signing a prenup, you won’t have to go through the fighting and arguing over the property. Instead, you can simply the matter and move on with your life a lot quicker.

You Can Reach a Fair Deal

Unless your divorce is uncontested and mutual and the two of you can easily agree on who gets what, deciding who gets certain properties from the marriage can be time-consuming, challenging, and frustrating. This is when a divorce can get real ugly quick.
A prenup, if deemed valid by the Court, saves you from all of this. The legal document helps you and your spouse reach a fair arrangement in case of a divorce, usually in a swift and rapid manner.

Protects You From Debt

In today’s world, debt is more common than ever. Signing a prenup can protect you from your spouse’s debt that he or she incurred before the marriage. The legal document will outline what happens with the debt if a divorce occurs. If the debt was not your debt, to begin with, it could save you a lot of money in the long run.

The Downside to a Prenup

One of the most obvious downsides to a prenup is the lack of romance they instill. They can cause issues in a relationship. The partner being asked to sign a prenup may feel like the other partner may not trust him or her. This lack of trust could continue and end up damaging the relationship beyond repair.

Another reason is that many feel a prenup is basically a plan for heading to an ultimate divorce. When someone asks for a prenup, they may not believe the marriage will last. Again, this can cause issues in the relationship, whether or not the person asking for the prenup believes this.

Before asking for a prenup, seriously think about whether or not your situation needs one. Asking for one when the other partner doesn’t agree on it could end up being a deal breaker before the wedding even happens. Prenups provide protection and help settle the worst case scenario, but they can also bring up unpleasant feelings and you may lose your fiancé.

Written by Canterbury Law Group

Dealing With the Emotions of Bankruptcy

For many, accepting the fact that their finances are beyond their control and that bankruptcy is the only option is challenging. The thing is, though, bankruptcy should not be looked at as the end of the world.

Filing for bankruptcy is a way of admitting that you need help with your finances, and are willing to put in the work to regain control. However, the word bankruptcy still has a negative connotation to it. With that can come the stress on your mental and emotional well-being.

When going through bankruptcy, it is important that you remain as strong as you can. That is why we have the following six tips to help you deal with your emotions while going through bankruptcy.

Realize You Are Not the Only One

Filing for bankruptcy can be a blow to the ego. Your debt got out of hand to the point that there was nothing more you could do to control it. It can negatively affect your mental well being. The last thing you need, though, is for you to be hard on yourself which will only make you suffer even more.

Understand that you are not alone. Many people go through a bankruptcy claim, and many of them come out better after it’s all said and done. Look at a bankruptcy claim as a step you’ve taken to regain control of your finances, and not that you’ve given up. The truth is, you haven’t given up by taking this path because it’s only the first step of many that you’ll be taking to get out of debt.

Speak With Your Attorney

Your bankruptcy attorney is there to answer all of your questions and to guide you through the bankruptcy processes. By going with the top bankruptcy attorney in Scottsdale, they know how difficult a bankruptcy claim can be on someone’s mental well being. A good attorney will be compassionate and understanding, all while not allowing you to give up mentally and emotionally.

Lean on Family and Friends

Even if you want to keep your bankruptcy claim very private, it is still beneficial to have someone you trust to lean on. A close friend or family member will be able to listen to your problems and give you a shoulder to cry on. Take advantage of this as to avoid bottling everything inside.

Educate Yourself on Finances

After filing for bankruptcy, it’s a good idea to start reading up on what you can about finances and recovering from bankruptcy. Financial education will help you through your bankruptcy journey, as well as prevent you from ending up where you were before all of this. 

Seek Counseling

If you find that bankruptcy has taken an extreme toll on your mental health, seeking out counseling services is a good idea. These trained professionals can listen to your problems, and give you advice and coping mechanisms that will help you make it through bankruptcy.

Volunteer

For some, keeping their mind busy will help clear their head and stop thinking about bankruptcy for a moment. Going out and volunteering is an excellent way to do this. Volunteering is a way to lift your spirits by doing something good for someone else.

Written by Canterbury Law Group

Moving Forward After Filing for Bankruptcy

Filing for bankruptcy is not something families want to do. Unfortunately, though, it is something many American’s have to do.

Filing for bankruptcy is not the end of the world. In reality, it is actually the opposite for many people. It can be looked at as a fresh start with finances, and a way to plan your path to financial freedom. However, it isn’t as easy as it sounds. After filing for bankruptcy, it takes a lot of time and dedication to continue moving forward. Bankruptcy is not a quick fix and is a decision that must be taken seriously.

For some, when the possibility of bankruptcy is an option, the question of how to move forward afterward will come up. With our bankruptcy help in Scottsdale, and along with some of the following tips, we will help you move on with your life after claiming bankruptcy.

Keep Paying Any Reaffirmed Debts

Some debts can survive bankruptcy, which means you will still have to pay them down. There are loans which are entitled to the value of the collateral. This means you will still be required to make the payments agreed upon in the original loan documents.

It would help if you didn’t look at these reaffirmed debts at as something negative. As long as you continue to make your payments on time, the reaffirmed debts can help you rebuild your future credit score.

Use a Secured Credit Card

Continuing with life without a credit card can be challenging. Many companies require a credit card before making a reservation, renting something, or even trying to purchase an item.

Using a credit card is what also helps build and improve your credit rating. A good credit score will allow you to apply for loans and mortgages, whereas a negative credit score is likely to get you denied. However, if you have a poor credit score or went through the bankruptcy process, it could be difficult to obtain one.

A secured credit card is something you should consider using after going through bankruptcy. These credit cards a basically pre-paid cards. You must deposit money into the card account before making any purchases with the card. The money is used as collateral; therefore you can only spend up to what you deposited. You can, though, deposit more to increase your credit, or even be rewarded an increased credit line from the bank.

Avoid Building Debt

One of the best things to do after applying for bankruptcy is avoiding what got you there in the first place. Try not to accumulate any new debt. Keep paying all of your bills on time. Create a budget to help you keep your spending in check, as to not spend more than what you’re earning. The more you can do to keep your cash flow higher than your expenses, the better chance you have of avoiding any more debt.

Don’t let bankruptcy be the end of your finances and your life. Although it will require work on your part, you should think of it as a fresh start to help you get your finances under control. By committing to it, you’ll be able to repair your credit score, pay off all of your loans, and work your way towards financial freedom.

Written by Canterbury Law Group

5 Factors That Can Spark a Divorce

When a couple gets married, chances are they aren’t planning to get divorced down the road. Unfortunately, divorce is quite common in the United States. It is a stressful and sometimes quite painful time for both parties involved.

There are many factors that can contribute to a divorce. Some have warning signs in which you and your partner can work on. Others, however, are out of your control and are the result of an unfortunate circumstance.

The Canterbury Law Group, your divorce lawyer in Scottsdale, came up with a list of some of the top factors that can spark a divorce.

Lack of Communication

The lack of communication in a marriage is typically at the top of any list when it comes to divorce. Having good communication is critical in any relationship, but especially in a marriage. Without communication, it is hard to tell what your spouse is thinking, how he or she is feeling, and the two of you need to address any concerns.

High Expectations

Another common factor in a divorce is when one partner has too high of expectations for the other. Whether it be due to finances, household chores, or making someone happy, if a spouse has unrealistic expectations of their partner, it can generate many issues. If someone feels like they can never be good enough for the other person, it can result in them being unhappy and inevitably wanting out of the marriage.

Finances

Money is another significant factor in a divorce. If both partners are not on the same page with their finances, it can lead to a lot of trouble down the road. If one spouse wants to keep spending on expensive items, but the other one wants to save for the future, the two of them are bound to clash. Having opposing views with finances can lead right to divorce.

Lack of Intimacy

Intimacy in a marriage is essential for staying close to one another. Having intimacy in a marriage means both physical and emotional. If one partner starts to withdraw from the other and it never gets fixed, it could lead to divorce. Having that strong physical and emotional connection will help keep a couple strong and connected.

Wrong From the Start

In some circumstances, the marriage may have ended the moment it started. Marrying for the wrong reasons (for money or something other than love and having a connection), will likely lead to divorce sometime down the road. For a successful marriage, it is essential that the person you choose is someone you genuinely want to be with for the rest of your life. If there is a hesitation, it could be a sign that it may not be the right person for you.

Marriages will have their problems at one point or another. However, that doesn’t mean a divorce will happen. Depending on how the couple handles martial problems and works to get past them, that will likely determine if a divorce is in the near future or not.

Spending quality time with each other, having those emotional and physical moments will help keep the connecting between both partners thriving. Communicating with one another will help to overcome issues before the turn into something more extreme.

Written by Canterbury Law Group

Keep Your Credit – Avoid Bankruptcy

Debt is scary. When you open up your account and see that you owe more money than you can spare, it can quickly become overwhelming. Sometimes, the stress leads one to believe that the only remaining option is to file for bankruptcy.

Although bankruptcy doesn’t have to be the end of the world, it is best to leave it as a last resort option. If you can no longer pay any of your debt and have done all that you can to try and get afloat, bankruptcy may be your only option and ironically, the best option.

Before you make your decision, see if there are any other things you can do before calling for bankruptcy help in Scottsdale.

Sell, Sell, and Sell Some More

When the word bankruptcy comes to mind when you look at your finances, that is when you know you need to take immediate legal action. See what you have that you can afford to live without and sell it. The more quick cash you can bring it, the more debt you can pay off and avoid filing for bankruptcy.  But do not do anything until you seek counseled advice from licensed bankruptcy lawyers.

Bring in More Money

See if there are ways that you can bring in more money each month. That additional income could go straight to your debt to pay it off quicker. There are many side-gig jobs available that will pay a decent wage. Whether it be a skill you have that you can teach to children, or are crafty and can sell items, there are lots of little things you can do for extra cash.

Crack Down on Your Spending

If you still have a bit of time before you have no choice but to file for bankruptcy, sit down and go through your spending habits. See where you can make cuts and by how much. Set up a budget based on your monthly income, and try to get as much money going into your debt as possible.  But do not do any of this until speaking to a licensed bankruptcy lawyer who can and will help you map it all out in advance—do not guess on the right steps, let your lawyer show you the actual steps to make as you go.  This feels better, a lot better, as you go.

Ask for Help

There is no shame in bankruptcy.  The President of the United States has done it. It is so easy to get ourselves into debt, and so hard to get out of it. Maybe all you need is a small loan from a family member to get your payments back on schedule. Asking for help from family, friends, and professional financial people can help keep you on track to avoid bankruptcy.  Your lawyers too will show a way out.

If you’ve done all you can and bankruptcy is your only hope, do not fret. Bankruptcy does not mean the end. Although it will affect your credit score, you can then get yourself back on your feet and start over.  Your bankruptcy attorneys will show you through the tunnel to the next and hopeful life phase beyond discharge.

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