Even Pro basketball players can get Bankruptcy Relief

Here is an article that I stumbled upon to show that even pro ball players have bankruptcy issues....although, he brought this on himself...at least he is taking steps to cure the problem...read on..

From the Press Register

Woman in court in Caffey case

Mother of ex-NBA player's son accused of violating court order

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

By BRENDAN KIRBY

Staff Reporter

An Atlanta woman entitled to tens of thousands of dollars in child support from a former professional basketball player went to federal court in Mobile on Tuesday to battle a $40,000 judgment entered against her for violating the player's bankruptcy.

Tuesday's hearing repre sented the latest twist in a saga that has seen former Chicago Bulls power forward Jason Caffey -- who is from Mobile and was a star player for Da vidson High School -- go from admired millionaire athlete to an alleged deadbeat dad who claims he cannot make court-ordered payments to seven women who have had at least eight of his children.

Karen Russell, who has been fighting Caffey for years over payments for their 15-year-old son, did win a small victory in that Tuesday hearing.

U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Margaret A. Mahoney decided that Russell, who now lives in Atlanta, should be able to appeal the $40,000 order, even though the normal 10-day window for doing so has closed.

Earlier this year, Mahoney had ordered Russell to pay after determining that she violated a freeze on debt collection mandated by Caffey's bankruptcy.

Russell said outside the courtroom that she was stunned when she learned that Mahoney had entered the judgment against her.

"It's surprising to me that they would even allow him to file bankruptcy to get out of paying child support," she said.

Under federal law, a bankruptcy judge cannot wipe away Caffey's child support obligations. But all creditors -- including the mothers of his children -- are supposed to stop all efforts to collect their debts while Caffey works out a bankruptcy plan with the court.

Still to be resolved is Caffey's demand that Russell pay his attorneys' fees. Mahoney set a hearing next month for that matter and suggested that Russell might want to hold off on her appeal until a final decision is made then.

Tuscaloosa County Circuit Judge Herschel T. Hamner Jr. found Caffey in contempt in July for not paying child support, and an arrest warrant was issued in August.

Caffey filed for bankruptcy protection that same month, yet Hamner issued the arrest warrant shortly afterward.

Mahoney ruled that Russell had a duty to put an end to the proceedings once the bankruptcy was filed. Not only did Russell not do so, the judge ruled, but she accepted money in October as part of a settlement Caffey's lawyer negotiated in order to get his client out of jail.

Russell, meanwhile, claims that she never knew about the bankruptcy order. She said an address where the notice was mailed is a Montgomery post office box that she set up to receive child support payments.

Lawyers who were representing Russell at the time have said they did not receive notice, either, despite testimony that Caffey's lawyers left phone messages and sent copies of the order by fax and e-mail.

Russell, who works for a chemical company, said she met Caffey when both attended the University of Alabama. They did not date exclusively or for very long, she said, but the relationship produced a son. She said she began having problems getting Caffey to pay within months of a child support order in 1995.

The only time Caffey regularly paid, Russell said, was when it was automatically deducted from his paycheck from the NBA. Court records put the child support debt at more than $82,000; Russell said it exceeds $100,000 when attorneys' fees are included.

Russell's lawyer, Penny Douglass Furr, said the $40,000 judgment against her client is separate from the money Caffey owes, meaning she could not simply deduct the amount.

"That's basically a year's salary for Karen."

filing multiple bankruptcy cases

Subject: filing chapter 7 again
Question: Hello,

I want to know if I was discharged from a chapter 7 in 2003 or 2004, can I in 08 file again for a chapter 7 due to a hardship, it would be for a car for 20,500 i also have a credit card that i probably would keep with limit at 1,000 and payments are only 30 a month. I'm also a authorized user for my mom's AMEX and the is on my credit-what will happen to that? I just can't afford paying the vehicle it anymore. I have tried to trade and sell and because of the neg equity and economy no wants to buy. I live in Georgia, is this possible? What is my next step? Please help! Thanks in advance

Answer:
Chapter 7 is only available again 8 years from the date you filed your last chapter 7. So, here, you would be able to file Chapter 13. With a chapter 13, you can pay back anywhere from 10% and up based on your income and your assets. Speak to a local attorney to help calculate your monthly payment.

Protecting assets in Chapter 13

Subject: bankruptcy
Question: I have thought about filing for bankruptcy, we bought a motor home when our finances were better, they have changed. with expenses of house payment and motor home payment and every day expenses it is getting too much. I am 66 and not working. my husband works because of health care and need the money. his income is around 19,000. we have a little in 401K. what will we be able to keep and can they garnish his wages and take our 401k?

Answer: This would depend on if you have any equity in the assets. Each state has exemptions to protect assets. Speak to a local attorney to do an asset/equity analysis, and if you don't have much equity, then you may qualify for chapter 7. If you have too much, then you would look at Chapter 13 to repay enough debt to protect the asset.

Mortgage Relief

Good News.

I recently attended a meeting presented by several prominent bankruptcy Judges in Chicago, IL. They discussed numerous topics on the current laws, rules etc. They all seemed to be in agreement that the proposed changes to the bankruptcy code that are pending in Congress currently, namely -reduction of mortgage interest rates and reduction of over financed mortgages - would be beneficial to the economy. They feel that the bankruptcy code is the correct place, since the tools are in place to enforce it and implement these changes...aka....ME!

What is being considered is allowing a debtor who has an extremely high Mortgage ARM, be able to modify that term to a fixed rate loan. They also may allow us to cram down and strip off mortgage amounts above the property's fair market value.

The judges indicate that there will be strict guidelines - such as how low we can reduce the rate, how long we can reduce the rate, and having a window in which the loan had to have been incurred or refinanced. So, now, the task is yours to write your senators and congressmen and women to say that you support this legislation.

Bankruptcy Statistics

801,840 Americans declared bankruptcy in 2007, up nearly 40 percent from the previous year -- in spite of tougher new bankruptcy laws.

76,120 more filed for bankruptcy in February 2008.


Foreclosures are on the rise....economy is slowing down, all contributing to these figures.

Quick fire questions and answers

Here are some quickfire bankruptcy questions and answers I've been getting lately. Many of them are about tax refunds, and what to do to finish a bankruptcy. Read up and enjoy!

Here is an updated bankruptcy question and answer session. As you can see there are many bankruptcy issues that can sway a case one way or another. Hold tight, here we go.

Chapter 7 and Lump sum SSDI payment

Question
My daughter applied for SSDI over 2 1/2 years ago. Her husband left her 2 years ago. Their divorce comes up in March. She just received a lump sum payment from Social Security for her disability. She has not paid any of her credit cards, etc. for the past two years however I have been paying her car payment; titled jointly. I have been paying all her expenses the past two years with the agreement she pay me back when she got her settlement. She is planning on filing Chapter 7. Does she have to disclose the lump sum payment of social security disability? She owes me $8k of the $15k she received. What effect will that have on her filing? Also what happens to the car since it is in her husband's name also? She would like to keep it. Thank you.

Answer
Yes, she would disclose it. Her attorney will use state exemptions to protect it. She should not pay you, as the trustee in the case can then come after you for the funds.
For a cosigned debt, she can choose to reaffirm the debt so she can keep the car, and should continue to make the regular payments on it.
She should talk to a local bankruptcy attorney to get state specific advice.

Subject: Motion for Deficiency

Question
I live in Ohio. Filed Ch.7. Surrendered our condo to the trustee, he abandoned the property,it went into foreclose and sold at auction. I recently received a notice for motion of deficiency filed by the condo association, which by the way was listed in the original filing. Do I owe this money? What happens if I don't go to the hearing?
Thank you
Answer
If you listed the debt in bankruptcy, then the bankruptcy discharged your obligation for this debt. I assume this is a state court motion, where they may be asking for $ from the lender, as they usually have a condo association lien on the property.
IF it is a bankruptcy motion, you should speak to your attorney.

Subject: chapter 7 and tax refund

Question
i live in wisconsin a few years back i was involved in a car accident. the womens attorneys sued for 85,000 and it was granted. i want to file chapter 7 since i really have no assets at all to get rid of this judgement.i still desperately need my tax refund which should be significant w/2 children.is it better for me to file my taxes before or after i file for bankruptcy?should i anticipate them taking a portion or all?i am extremely stressed about this due to having to pay for child care. thank you very much.
Answer
Each state has exemptions to protect assets. You should meet with a local bankruptcy attorney to advise you how to protect your assets and when is the best time to file a case. Car accident debts are normally dischargeable, unless there was DUI/DWI or intentional injury.

Subject: Filing taxes post bankruputcy discharge

Question
I have completed a Chapter 7 bankruptcy during 2007. I am unsure how, or if, I am required to report that to the IRS. I owe no back taxes, and taxes were not apart of my bankruptcy. All of the debt that was discharged was consumer credit debt. I maintained my home,car and personal belongings.
Answer
As far as I know, there are no special deductions or exemptions to list when filing your taxes in regards to your bankruptcy. You should mention it to your tax preparer just in case, since I am not a tax expert, and the tax code is as big as the bankruptcy code!

Subject: Getting out of Bankruptcy

Question
I need to know how can refinance my home loan and get out of bankruptcy.
Answer
I assume you are in chapter 13 bankruptcy. You will need to seek out a lender and get a proposed refinance contract. Then get that to your attorney to draft a motion to permit you to refinance. You should also order a payoff statement from the trustee. Once the motion is granted, (court will look to see if it is reasonable and necessary, comparing costs before and after etc.) then you can close on the loan and turn the proceeds over to the trustee to distribute to your creditors. You should allow about 30 days for the motion to be heard and granted.

Subject: chapter 7 questions

Question
My wife and I recently filed chapter 7(with an atty).I would like to know if I can talk to a lender about the terms of my loan.To be more specific,We own an RV and wish to keep it.However,I/we are not going to "reaffirm".The main reason is I know that the bank doesn't want it and I don't want to be responsible in the future if I cant continue to pay.At the present time we are current on our payments and are continuing to pay.Is it reasonable to ask them to reduce the loan amount or interest rate to help us as long as we continue to pay?.............more important,........Is it legal?

Thank you in advance for your time and help.Please be advised that your answer may generate more questions.I/we ahve talked with our attorney about alot,however he is on his honeymoon at this time and unavailable.
Answer
If you do not reaffirm, then there is no negotiation with the lender. The reaf may have better terms for you. if not reaffirmed, the lender has the right to the items back. IF you pay for them, it would be up to the lender if they will agree to let you keep the items if you are current. Since the RV may have some resale value, you need to speak to them directly about the options available if you do not want to reaffirm. They are under no obligation to let you keep the RV, even if you are current, if you don't sign the reaffirmation.

Subject: Chapter 7

Question
Went in for a consultation for chapter 7 but new questions arise after the consultation.
1. Been in SC for a year now planning on moving back to GA in a couple of months. Should I go ahead and file it now in SC or wait?
2. The lawyer told me to list my assets. Do I have to list my furniture/TV(I do not want to lose it)?
3. The lawyer also told me something about Chapter 722(something about car loan) do you know what kind of car I can get?
4. Should I file taxes before or after I file?
5. If I do list assets will a trustee actually come out to see it?
Answer
1. You would need to still file in SC for 90 days after you move.
2. List all assets, and your attorney will use the state exemptions to protect your assets so that you can keep them.
3. 722 is where you can buy your car for fair market value as opposed to paying off the balance of the loan. They can help you finance something after bankruptcy too.
4. Check with your attorney to see what portion of the refund may be protected.
5. Rarely does a trustee investigate assets. You sign the papers under oath, so be sure to list all of your assets.

Subject: chapter 13

Question
I have about 22,000 in unsecured debt. All very high interest rates (cc's and 3 personal loans). I tried consolidating part of my debt into a personal loan of 10,000 6 months ago. The consolidated loan is 24% revolving and in 6 months i only managed to bring down the total 100.00 dollars, and now I am even farther in debt and can't make ends meet. My minimum payments are 700 dollars monthly. I make 37,000 a year and own my home and don't want to lose it. I will need a care within 3-5 years. If I take the chapter 13 route, what would I expect to lower my payments too monthly and will the recent 10,000 unsecured loan (it was deposited in my account, however no luxuries were purchased with it, it was used for repayment of personal debt), affect my filing. I can't go on like this, I can not even barely make these payments of 700.00. I live in PA.
Answer
With Chapter 13, you would pay back anywhere from 10-100% depending on your income, and depending on your assets. You would pay this debt back with little to no interest. Speak with a local PA bankruptcy attorney to find out the exact percentage of repayment based on your individual situation.

Subject: Chapter 7

Question
Hello,

I have filed Chapter 7 and included my home (in Georgia). The mortgage attorney has a court date of January 31, 2008 for a motion of relief from stay. Will I be notified as to how soon I need to vacate the property or approximately how long will I have left to remain on property? I asked my attorney and was told 2-3 months after filing date. I just wanted to see if I could get a more definite time frame. Thank you in advance.
Answer
Once the stay is modified, the lender will start the foreclosure process. Foreclosures can be up to 9 months, depending on the case and the jurisdiction you live in. You would have a bit of time to stay in the property and to find alternate living arrangements. The bankruptcy will eliminate the balance owed on the mortgage.

ARM's and Conversions in Chapter 13

Here is a question I received the other day about conversions in relation to Adjustable rate mortgages.

Question
I am in Chapter 13 now and have a ARM that is going up, can I file Chapter 7 now?

Answer
Hi Gary.

A short answer is tricky. It would depend on the reason you filed chapter 13 in the first place. I assume also that your chapter case is still pending and are asking if you should convert to chapter 7. If you are in an asset driven chapter 13 (to protect an asset with a large value greater than your allowable exemption) the court would liquidate the asset. So, if you had a lot of equity in the home lets say, then the court would sell your home to pay the debt. If you filed ch7 less than 8 years before the chapter 13, you cannot convert. If you have disposable income or do not otherwise pass the means test, then you shouldn't convert the case. You should convert the case only if you have no equity in assets, you are current on the home, or were looking to surrender the home. You also have the option to modify your bankruptcy payments if your expenses have increased drastically. There are some limitations, so you should contact your lawyer about your intentions either way to help decide your best plan of attack. Sorry about the vague answer, but there are many scenarios to account for!
Thanks
Terry Leeders