Create Your Own Bankruptcy Calculator

Potential clients may hesitate to call a bankruptcy attorney, especially if they’re unsure about whether or not they even qualify to file. Alleviate hesitation and give your website visitors the confidence to call you by adding a Bankruptcy Calculator to your firm’s website. Simply choose a size below, copy and paste the HTML code on your website, and you’re good to go. We’re sharing it for free, so there’s no need to worry about money — and that’s something we know can resonate with any bankruptcy attorney.

Want to see the bankruptcy calculator in action? Click on the link to see how we’ve implemented it on our site.

The UCC and Mortgage Notes

If you’re attending the New York UCC seminar this weekend, your timing couldn’t be better:  Earlier this week the Permanent Editorial Board for the Uniform Commercial Code (PEB) issued its report , Application of the Uniform Commercial Code to Selected Issues Relating to Mortgage Notes.

The report specifically indicates that “It should not be assumed that all mortgage notes are negotiable instruments” and  affirms that the requirements of  section 3-104 must be met in order for a particular mortgage note to be considered a negotiable instrument.

(If you’re not registered for the UCC seminar yet, there is space available:  get more information or register now!)

After reviewing the report, Max is more confident than ever that the transfer and sale of mortgage notes is governed by Article 9.  If you’re not able to attend the seminar this weekend, look for a more in-depth analysis of the report in our upcoming newsletter.

Not yet receiving the newsletter?  Subscribe for free on the contact page of our website.

 

New York police order Occupy Wall Street protesters to leave Zuccotti Park

 

The operation was launched because of the increasing health and fire safety hazard posed by the protesters.

New York police began clearing Occupy Wall Street protestors from Zuccotti Park in an early-morning action Tuesday.

Authorities ordered the campers to temporarily leave the park and remove their tents and tarps so the park could be cleaned.

The operation was launched because of the increasing health and fire safety hazard posed by the protesters. Police, prior to the clearing operation, gave out leaflets that assured the occupants they could return after the park is cleaned, but they could no longer bring their camping gear.

At least 14 people were arrested after they refused to leave, according to Kanene Holder, a spokeswoman of the Occupy Wall Street movement.

Many of the protesters left the park, which used to be called Liberty Square, without any resistance.

Read full post…

Why You Should Compare Mortgage Companies

Have you ever bought anything worth comparing? If so why did you compare it to something else? The reason I ask this is because a lot of people will use a mortgage company without even comparing them to another mortgage company. If you want to get the best mortgage then you need to compare that provider with another provider. Trust me, when it comes to choosing the right mortgage company you need to compare at least 3 different mortgage providers.

One of the reasons why you should compare mortgage companies to each other is so that you know which mortgage provider offers the best payment plan. For certain providers they don’t allow early payments and this is a huge downfall. If you can’t make a payment early then you will never be able to pay off your home sooner than the very last payment is due. I know that you might not be worried about paying off your home when you have not even purchased it but the truth is that everybody tries to do this at some point and I know you will want to as well.

Another reason why you should compare mortgage companies is because they all have different requirements to get a mortgage. Thi Read full post…

Student loan borrowers: help is on the way

What a good week for borrowers: First, President Obama announced new rules to help homeowners with underwater mortgages. And now, new changes that can help roughly 5.8 million people who have federal student loans. Here’s how:

 

  • IBR (Income-Based Repayment). This program lets folks repay loans according to how much they make, rather than how much they owe—which can help lower monthly payments. I’ve been raving about it since it launched in 2009, but under the new “Pay As You Earn” proposal, IBR gets even better. Borrowers can cap their monthly payments at 10 percent of their discretionary income (down from 15 percent). And after 20 years of participating in IBR, your loans will be forgiven (down from 25 years). Plus, it goes into effect in 2012 (rather than waiting until July 1, 2014).

 

  • Loan consolidation. Many people have a combination of Direct Loans or FFEL (Family Federal Education Loans). Con

Read full post…

Saving for Future With Roth IRA

roth iraEvery person may seem to have shortage for money, when it is time to invest in Roth IRA account at some of point of time. One should not, reduce a contribution towards retirement savings because of such a crunch. Finding a way to catch up with money and investing in this account is the most practical thing to do. It can be finding a second job or tightening the budget to save more. Being ready with enough funds for future needs, is also part of finance management. When the time for withdrawal is near, one may find that the percentage of withdrawal for principal amount may be greater for the same portfolio, thus needing one to reduce the withdrawal rate so that it keeps the principal amount intact. To understand withdrawal limits and best value better, it’s ideal to check roth-ira.org.

Tightening budget may be necessary in order to manage Roth IRA account efficiently whenever the economy is bad. Times of recession need one to contribute more and/or withdraw less, in order to beat inflation in future. Although maximum limit for contribution to Roth IRA account cannot exceed $5000, and $6000 after 50 years, many a times, people find it difficult to manage contributing even few hundred dollars towards it. This calls for stringent money saving techniques, in order to keep up with contribution and also provide catch up contributions whenever there is an opportunity.

Coming out of debts or managing Roth IRA accounts, may need services of a professional, when the times are tough. One may often think it may be an additional cost, but once a person is bailed out of tight situation, professional may suggest plans for greater liquidity using returns from these retirement accounts. This is acceptable than becoming debt ridden, with no amount for retirement savings at all. One can easily manage to have cash flow when they have proper guidance with matters of investment and money management.

Mortgage Deficiency Article Published In Wall Stree Journal

The Wall Street Journal published a comprehensive, front page article on mortgage deficiency judgments. The article, written by Jessica Silver-Greenberg,  seemed to be consistent with facts I have observed in my practice. The author made many comments and points which are consistent with what I have previously written in this blog about mortgage deficiency judgments. The article reports that:

Lender sue for loan shortfalls in a small minority of cases when deficiencies are legally and economically available;

Although deficiency suits are still rate, the number of deficiency suits is gradually increasing. The article states, for example, that in Lee County there has been a 34 % annual increase in deficiency suits.

Credit unions and smaller banks are most aggressive pursuers of deficiency claims and account for most of the increase. The article states that the biggest banks are still reluctant to pursue deficiencies.

 

As I have written previously, various pundits and experts have since 2007 forecast that banks eventually will aggressive pursue deficiency claims. T

Read full post…

Don’t let your finances go up in smoke.

The most common phrase we hear when our clients call is I wish I had called you sooner. Some bury their heads in the sand whilst others ignore things completely, hoping the problems will go away. Burying your head in the sand and ignoring your debts can only make matters worse. To keep your finances in order you need to face them head on. Here are some helpful tips: