If you are in the situation of needing bankruptcy counsel, or any counsel for that matter, it’s best to get a referral from someone you know and then do some amount of interviewing of the prospective attorney in an initial consultation. If the attorney doesn’t explain the process, the costs, and the time frame that the process will take, then simply look elsewhere for someone to help with your problem.

I am as open and upfront on the process and cost as I can be, because if  you are a person in dire straights and need bankruptcy counsel, then you need clear answers to your questions and clear expectations on the process that will happen. I will state my costs here to simply give you an idea of what should be paid. I am not the cheapest, by any means, but I’m also not the most expensive.  We attempt to charge enough to do a great job for our clients using our trained staff, who can put time into doing and explaining the process. Just like in other areas of life, most times you get what you pay for. I quote my price for a single bankruptcy Chapter 7 filer as being $1,500 in total, which includes the court filing fees, the credit counseling fees, and the credit reporting fees (these fees total almost $400 and are included in my pricing). If  the client is filing a joint Chapter 7 bankruptcy with their spouse, then the charge in total is $1,750, with once again, the credit counseling and reporting fees and the court filing fees included.  I understand that although I’ve gone through this process many times, it is most likely your first time, so I try to treat this part of the relationship as open and as clearly as I can and explain the cost as if I were the person going through the bankruptcy. 

Call my office to set up your consultation today.   Todd Courser @ 800-807-5018

Call my office to set up your consultation today.  Todd Courser @ 800-807-5018

Call my office to set up your consultation today.  Todd Courser @ 800-807-5018

Todd Courser – phone – 800-807-5018

http://www.justice.gov/usao/mie/news/2012/2012_2_3_gbalcewicz.html

Flint, Michigan – George Balcewicz, III, 44, of Lapeer, Michigan, was convicted yesterday by a federal jury on 8 counts of tax evasion, announced United States Attorney Barbara L. McQuade.

United States Attorney McQuade was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Erick Martinez, IRS-Criminal Investigation.

The jury deliberated for approximately 2 hours before returning the guilty verdicts, concluding a 3 day trial before United Stated District Judge Mark A. Goldsmith.

According to the evidence presented at trial, during the 2001 through 2008 tax years, Balcewicz earned taxable wages totaling over $569,000 through his employment as an electrician. In attempting to evade his taxes, Balcewicz provided his employers with false Form W-4s claiming that he was exempt from income tax withholdings, and failed to timely file his federal income tax returns with the IRS. Balcewicz failed to pay over $60,000 in taxes due to the IRS.

“Those Americans who file honest tax returns can rest assure that the government will hold accountable those, like George Balcewicz, who don’t,” said Erick Martinez, Special Agent in Charge IRS-Criminal Investigation.

Tax evasion carries a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000, per count.

Most people will first apply without the aid of an attorney and if their claim is rejected then the will seek counsel to assist with the appeal process.

http://www.ssa.gov/dibplan/index.htm

Disability is a subject you may read about in the newspaper, but not think of as something that might actually happen to you. But your chances of becoming disabled are probably greater than you realize.

Studies show that a 20-year-old worker has a 3-in-10 chance of becoming disabled before reaching retirement age.

While we spend a great deal of time working to succeed in our jobs and careers, few of us think about ensuring that we have a safety net to fall back on should we become disabled. This is an area where Social Security can provide valuable help to you.

The disability planner will help you find out:

• How you can qualify and apply for benefits,
• What happens if your application is approved,
• Who can receive benefits on your earnings record,
• What you need to know about receiving disability benefits, and
• When Medicare coverage starts for Social Security disability beneficiaries.

If you are questioning whether or not bankruptcy or debt consolidators are the way to go, please call my office to set up a free initial bankruptcy consultation.  I will be happy to guide you through this decision.

Todd Courser 800-807-5018

Remember the old saying, “You can’t fight City Hall?”  Well, that saying is only partly true.  You can fight City Hall, but you may run out of money, energy, life or the cost may be so high that you really will end up with a victory that is Pyrrhic, where the victory is at a devastating cost to the victor.  We have helped clients across the country, who have worked with others, who claim to be experts in settling tax debts, when in reality they were simply experts in taking money from those who were desperately attempting to find relief. 

So if you’re in this position with the IRS and need help getting your life back on track, give my office a call to set up a consultation.  We can help put together a plan that will allow you to get your life back.

I am committed to helping those who need help and are truly committed to putting forth effort to get their own lives back in order.

Todd Courser 800-807-5018

You should seek good counsel if you find yourself in this situation.

IRS Code – Excerpts

What is Cancellation of Debt?
If you borrow money from a commercial lender and the lender later cancels or forgives the debt, you may have to include the cancelled amount in income for tax purposes, depending on the circumstances. When you borrowed the money you were not required to include the loan proceeds in income because you had an obligation to repay the lender. When that obligation is subsequently forgiven, the amount you received as loan proceeds is normally reportable as income because you no longer have an obligation to repay the lender. The lender is usually required to report the amount of the canceled debt to you and the IRS on a Form 1099-C, Cancellation of Debt.

Here’s a very simplified example. You borrow $10,000 and default on the loan after paying back $2,000. If the lender is unable to collect the remaining debt from you, there is a cancellation of debt of $8,000, which generally is taxable income to you.

Is Cancellation of Debt income always taxable?
Not always. There are some exceptions. The most common situations when cancellation of debt income is not taxable involve:

• Qualified principal residence indebtedness: This is the exception created by the Mortgage Debt Relief Act of 2007 and applies to most homeowners.
• Bankruptcy: Debts discharged through bankruptcy are not considered taxable income.
• Insolvency: If you are insolvent when the debt is cancelled, some or all of the cancelled debt may not be taxable to you. You are insolvent when your total debts are more than the fair market value of your total assets.
• Certain farm debts: If you incurred the debt directly in operation of a farm, more than half your income from the prior three years was from farming, and the loan was owed to a person or agency regularly engaged in lending, your cancelled debt is generally not considered taxable income.
• Non-recourse loans: A non-recourse loan is a loan for which the lender’s only remedy in case of default is to repossess the property being financed or used as collateral. That is, the lender cannot pursue you personally in case of default. Forgiveness of a non-recourse loan resulting from a foreclosure does not result in cancellation of debt income. However, it may result in other tax consequences.

These exceptions are discussed in detail in Publication 4681.

If you need help please call my office to set up a counsultation in regards to cancellation of debts by a lender.

Todd Courser – phone – 800-807-5018

For the second meeting, you will bring back the thoroughly filled out questionnaire, all of the documents and the first payment toward the bankruptcy (typically $500).  We will go through the questionnaire, the documents and clarify any questions that you may have about your situation or the bankruptcy process.  We will then set up a third meeting.  Before you come to the third meeting, you will need to complete credit counseling online.  We will explain to you how to do that.

At the third meeting, you will pay the remaining balance on the bankruptcy.  We will go through the petition with you, making any corrections that are needed.  You will sign your petition.  Then we will file the petition with the bankruptcy court.

The court will provide us with a date for your Meeting of Creditors (hearing), which will be about 30 to 45 days after the filing date.  I will go to the meeting with you.  If there are no adjustments required by the Trustee, then the discharge will be received in about 2 months.  Sometimes there are minor adjustments or additional documents that the Trustee will require.  In that case, we will supply what is needed and then the discharge will happen in about 2 months.

Call my office to set up your consultation today.  Todd Courser 800-807-5018

1. While waiting for a hearing with my clients I watched a pair of debtors (husband and wife) go through a hearing while both wearing Rolex watches they had not listed on their petition.

Note to Self – Don’t wear jewelry other than your wedding bands.

2. I witnessed another hearing where the debtors (who were not my clients) had not listed the fact that they had a condo in Hawaii.  

Note to Self – List all the property you have because the trustee, who is running the hearing, can see nearly all real estate transactions electronically.

3. You need to actually go to your hearing even if you have “changed your mind.”

4. Don’t argue at the hearing and blame your spouse for the boat that was bought or the bills that didn’t get paid.

5. Don’t transfer anything to a family member to avoid the power of the trustees – they can see most transfers and attack you both civilly and criminally.  They can also sue your family member to get the item back.

6. Don’t fight with your spouse OR your attorney.

7. Don’t lie to the Trustee.

8. Make sure you bring your ID and your Social Security card.  Get there early.

9. If you don’t understand the question then say, “I don’t understand the question.”

10. Make sure you are polite,  honest and answer each question directly.

If you are in need of bankruptcy help, please call my office and set up a free consultation.  We will help you through your hearing!

Todd Courser phone 800-807-5018