Mortgage insurance is something that many homeowners pay for, yet many homebuyers try to avoid paying for.  What is mortgage insurance and why is it a requirement of Federal Housing Authority (FHA) loans?  You may be wondering, “What is mortgage insurance and why do I have to pay for it?” Conventional mortgages have private mortgage...Read More

While bankruptcy can be stressful and frustrating, it is meant to help you in the long run.  Because of this, it is not impossible to refinance your mortgage after bankruptcy.  Depending on what type of bankruptcy you file for, you should be able to refinance fairly soon after your bankruptcy. Chapter 7 bankruptcy generally ends...Read More

Filing for bankruptcy is a big decision. You are probably nervous and overwhelmed about this step in your life. For this reason, you should not go through this alone! Hiring a bankruptcy lawyer will take a lot of the stress and guesswork out of this process. However, you might be hesitating to hire a lawyer...Read More

A sure-fire way to get into debt quickly is to start accumulating interest on some type of balance. Whether you’re dealing with a student loan, a mortgage, or a credit card, interest is the kiss of death for those trying to get out of debt and stay out of debt. It can be very difficult...Read More

An adversary proceeding is separate from the bankruptcy case that is taking place and it is important to understand this distinction. Put simply, an adversary proceeding is a separate lawsuit that arises during the bankruptcy case when a complaint is filed. An adversary proceeding is heard in front of a judge and is thus a judicial mechanism...Read More

Absolute Priority The order of payment to the different classes of creditors mandated by the Bankruptcy Code. Accord and Satisfaction An agreement to settle a contract dispute by accepting less than what’s due. Adequate Protection The right of a party with an interest in the debtor’s property to assurances its interest will not be diminished...Read More

The Supreme Court granted certiorari today in two of the three Chapter 7 lien-strip-off cases challenging the Eleventh Circuit decision in McNeal. Bank of Amer. v. Toledo-Cardona, No. 14-163 and Bank of Amer. v. Caulkett, No. 13-1421 (petition granted Nov. 17, 2014) (consolidated for argument) (Bank of Amer. v. Bello, No. 14-235 is still pending)....Read More

“Theresa really helped me through a difficult situation and provided a simple solution at a reasonable rate. I highly recommend Theresa for legal matters.” –T.C. “Back in the early 2000s, I taught Alternative Dispute Resolution at the Southern New England School of Law (now the UMass School of Law). Theresa was a star student in...Read More

Chapter 9 bankruptcy was put in place in order to provide protection from creditors for municipalities that have financial problems.  Municipalities that are readjusting their debts need protection from creditors, just like the average person does.  Chapter 9 bankruptcy provides the refinancing of debt, the reduction of interest or principal, and the extension of debt...Read More

If you’ve been doing research on bankruptcy, you are probably pretty familiar with Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy.  However, these are not the only bankruptcy options.  There are some other kinds of bankruptcy that you should consider before deciding which is best for you.  Chapter 20 bankruptcy and Chapter 9 bankruptcy are both good...Read More