Can you discharge back taxes in bankruptcy?

Many Americans are very aware of April 15^th – the day income tax returns are due to the federal government. This day has come and gone, so why are we still talking about taxes? Because many people are still worrying about back taxes owed to the IRS that they cannot pay.

For those left with questions about their unpaid taxes and how to handle them, you are not alone. An estimated 17% of taxes go unpaid each year in the United States. Our office works with people in similar situations to provide answers about this topic, and to help explain taxes’ role in the bankruptcy process.

Can a City go Through Bankruptcy?

 Speaking from behind a podium with a sign saying “Detroit Can’t Wait,” veteran lawyer Kevyn Orr spoke to reporters and citizens about his plan to bring the financially ailing city from the brink of bankruptcy. Orr is currently acting as an emergency manager of Michigan’s former capital, operating with many of the same powers as a bankruptcy judge in lieu of putting the city through an official bankruptcy process.

What Exactly is a Chapter 13 Payment Plan?

When you file for a Chapter 13 bankruptcy, you’re making plan to maintain ownership of your assets while paying off your debt to creditors over time. But not all debt is the same…and what if you can’t make your payments on time? We decided to answer some common Chapter 13 questions that our clients often have in this post.

What are Secured Debts and Redemption?

We handle many Chapter 7, or “liquidation” bankruptcies at our Queens, New York office. In this kind of bankruptcy, an appointed trustee sells a debtor’s non-exempt assets, with the proceeds going to the client’s creditors. The individual’s debt is then eliminated alltogether or drastically reduced. We tell clients that certain exemptions can protect their assets during  Chapter 7 proceedings, and that they can also keep certain secured property by paying the replacement value of it to creditors. This approach is especially helpful for people who owe more on their loans than the current value of their property. In this post we go into more depth about secured debts, redemption, and Chapter 7 bankruptcy.

What are Some of the Most Common Bankruptcy Myths?

For all the facts available about filing for bankruptcy, there are just as many harmful myths that cause confusion and stress to people in debt. In this post, I hope to set the record straight and dispel some of the most common bankruptcy myths once and for all.

What Will Bankruptcy Really do to my FICO Score?

Will filing for bankruptcy affect my immigration status?

What do 2012 Bankruptcy Rates Mean for 2013?

While many Americans are focused on keeping their financial resolutions in the New Year, there are some positive signs from 2012 that bode well for 2013. Figures from the American Bankruptcy Institute (ABI), a non-partisan group that analyzes bankruptcy issues, show that 57,788 commercial bankruptcies were filed during the 2012 calendar year, a 22% decrease from 74,415 filings in 2011. This trend was also mirrored in Chapter 11 bankruptcies for 2012, which fell 10% from 8,658 filings in 2011 to 7,760.

What happens when a hospital goes bankrupt?

Interfaith Medical Center in Brooklyn, a local hospital serving Bedford-Stuyvesant and Crown Heights residents, filed for bankruptcy protection after years of financial trouble.

The hospital services a quarter of a million residents in the area, mainly those of African and Caribbean descent. Instead of merging with another company it decided to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy to keep its doors open.

How Will the Newly Elected Senate Affect Bankruptcy Laws?

Next month will see a record number of women enter the U.S. Senate – 20 in total – and there is sure to be important financial policy change coming out of this Democratically held legislative body. One woman who is creating some early buzz is Elizabeth Warren, the Democratic Senator-elect of Massachusetts. Her experience as a bankruptcy law expert makes her a strong advocate for consumer protection, and we should keep an eye on her plans for the Senate when the next session begins in 2013.