Tag: Chapter 7

Geraci Law Open in Royal Oak, Michigan

Geraci Law helping the entire state of Michigan – see Attorney Jason Kara and Rob Brynjelsen’s visit to Royal Oak!

Geraci Law is handling Chapter 7 bankruptcy cases across the entire state of Michigan! We have an office right in downtown Royal Oak. You can meet with Attorney Jason Kara or Attorney Rob Brynjelsen.

You can call us at 800 CALL PFG for a free phone consult, schedule online @ https://www.infotapes.com/Bankruptcy/OfficeLocator

Attorney Jason Kara

Attorney Jason Kara is a senior attorney at Geraci Law. He has extensive knowledge of complicated bankruptcy issues. Attorney Kara is responsible for reviewing over-median Chapter 7 bankruptcies.

He is originally from Cleveland and moved to the Detroit area during high school. Attorney Kara attended Law School at Michigan State University where he graduated Magna Cume Laude.

While attending law school, Attorney Kara served on the Journal of Business and Securities Law. He spends his free time with his wife and two small children. He enjoys just about any athletic activity and is active in his community.

Attorney Rob Brynjelsen

Attorney Rob Brynjelsen is a senior and supervising attorney at Geraci Law. He is responsible for managing attorneys in Wisconsin, and Indiana. Attorney Brynjelsen is licensed to practice in Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan and Florida. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Philosophy from University of Illinois – Urbana Champaign and his Juris Doctor from University of Miami.

He has advised on more than 10,000 consumer bankruptcy cases. He spends at minimum a few weeks a year visiting all of our Indiana and Wisconsin locations ensuring the Geraci Law standard throughout the Midwest.

Dial 1-800-CALL-PFG for a free phone mini-consultation, or make an appointment online 24/7 at www.infotapes.com.  Bankruptcy laws are in place to help you.  Who knows bankruptcy like Geraci Law?  Geraci Law has 30,000 5-star reviews 5starsince November 2016!

Read ALL ABOUT DEBT RELIEF at www.bankruptcybookbypeterfrancisgeraci.com

Bankruptcy Chapters

Did you know there are SIX chapters of bankruptcies?

Did you know there are SIX types of bankruptcies? Bankruptcy is one of the oldest laws. Geraci Law is a consumer bankruptcy law firm focusing on individuals needing help with personal debt.

Most common bankruptcy types (also mainly for consumers) are Chapter 7 and Chapter 13. Some resources to read about Chapter 7 and Chapter 13:

Chapter 7: Fresh Start or debt elimination
Chapter 13: debt repayment, debt reorganization
Debt settlement, Consolidation vs bankruptcy
Get started on a debt free future
Bankruptcy infotapes

But what about the other 4 types of bankruptcies?

Chapter 9

This bankruptcy chapter is for cities, towns, counties, school districts – basically any municipality. The largest Chapter 9 bankruptcy filing was the City of Detroit in 2013. Filing a Chapter 9 bankruptcy protects municipalities from collectors and creditors while the city/school district/town/county creates a plan for their debt.

Chapter 11

You CAN file a Chapter 11 bankruptcy as an individual but so can a business. Similar to a Chapter 13, Chapter 11 is a reorganization of debt. In Chapter 11, an individual can keep operating the business and assets are not sold or auctioned to pay debt (unlike a Chapter 7).

Chapter 12

This is a very specific Chapter to family fisherman and family farmers struggling to pay debt. Like a Chapter 13, a repayment plan is spread out over the course of three to five years.

Chapter 15

This Chapter was added to the United States Bankruptcy Code back in 2005. Basically a debtor who has assets outside of the United States would file a Chapter 15 to cooperate with foreign courts.

Dial 1-800-CALL-PFG for a free phone mini-consultation, or make an appointment online 24/7 at www.infotapes.com.  Bankruptcy laws are in place to help you.  Who knows bankruptcy like Geraci Law?  Geraci Law has 30,000 5-star reviews 5starsince November 2016!

Read ALL ABOUT DEBT RELIEF at www.bankruptcybookbypeterfrancisgeraci.com

Utilities, Cable, Phone Bills and Bankruptcy

Worried about a shut off? Bankruptcy could help!

Utilities, Cable, Phone Bills and Bankruptcy. With summer heat raging across the country, if you are behind on your electric bill and worried about a shut off – bankruptcy CAN help. Attorney Peter Geraci answers your questions about utilities, cable bills and those pesky cell phone balances.

Bills are Usually Dischargeable

Bills for utilities such as gas, electric, water, sewer and phone are what we call unsecured debts, and they are dischargeable under either Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy. The only exception is fraud, such as where you hooked up the gas illegally.

When to List Utility Bills in Bankruptcy

In order to make it worthwhile to list a utility bill, calculate the average month utility bill, and multiply by three. So if your average electric bill is 140, three times is $420. So if you list a $420 past due electric bill in a chapter 7, you won’t have to pay it, but you’ll most likely have to put up a deposit of three times the average bill, or $420, and now you’re back to square one.

So the three times an average bill rule applies for gas and electric. And you’ll have to put up a deposit.

Avoiding Utility Shut-offs

Filing on gas and electric doesn’t make much sense unless you have run up a huge bill, and by now you have been shut off. What happens in cold states like Wisconsin, where they don’t shut off your winter gas until April, and then we get a rush of bankruptcies because it’s still cold enough to need gas and its off.

We also get a rush with people who have lived without gas all summer, and when it gets to be Halloween I need the gas back on. Those bills are usually several thousand, so putting up of $420 deposit isn’t too bad. Filing either Chapter 7 or 13 will require the utility to turn your electric or gas back on after you put up the deposit.

Water and Sewer Bills in Bankruptcy

Water and sewer bills are a little bit different. They usually aren’t very high, and in most cities, they are a lien on the real estate. So if you have a single-family home or multi-unit that you own, and you don’t pay the water and sewer bill, not only can they shut off the water, but there is a lien on the real estate. We don’t see too many water and sewer bills in bankruptcy but there treated pretty much the same as gas and electric.

Cable and Phone Bills in Bankruptcy

Cable and phone bills are a little different. Since so many people are disconnecting from cable TV, it’s not a real big issue if you’re three months behind on the $200 cable bill, and don’t particularly care for the service anyway. Otherwise they don’t have to give you credit again. Nobody has a land-line, so you’re talking about a cell phone bill, and those bills are never included in a bankruptcy because they cut you off after two months and now you have no cell phone service, which is something we rarely see.

In Summary

So in a nutshell, for gas or electric that is more than three months behind throw it in there, and as far as water and sewer pay it. Cable and telephone, either get a cell phone with a different carrier and a different cable service, or pay them to continue service.

Dial 1-800-CALL-PFG for a free phone mini-consultation, or make an appointment online 24/7 at www.infotapes.com.  Bankruptcy laws are in place to help you.  Who knows bankruptcy like Geraci Law?  Geraci Law has 30,000 5-star reviews 5starsince November 2016!

Read ALL ABOUT DEBT RELIEF at www.bankruptcybookbypeterfrancisgeraci.com.

Geraci Law in Michigan

Geraci Law L.L.C. is now taking cases in Michigan! We are handling cases out of Lansing, Detroit, Flint, Grand Rapids and Marquette. Michiganders get the same great service that clients come to expect from Geraci Law.

Geraci Law L.L.C. is now taking cases in Michigan! We are handling cases out of Lansing, Detroit, Flint, Grand Rapids and Marquette. Michiganders get the same great service that clients come to expect from Geraci Law.

You can schedule online at https://www.infotapes.com/Bankruptcy/OfficeLocator or call 800 CALL PFG to review your options by phone.

Attorney Jason Kara is a senior attorney for Geraci Law L.L.C. He has extensive knowledge of complicated bankruptcy issues.

Attorney Kara is responsible for reviewing over-median Chapter 7 bankruptcies. He is originally from Cleveland and moved to the Detroit area during high school.

Attorney Kara attended Law School at Michigan State University (Go Green!) where he graduated Magna Cume Laude. While attending law school, Attorney Kara served on the Journal of Business and Securities Law. He spends his free time with his wife and two small children. He enjoys just about any athletic activity and is active in his community.

Dial 1-800-CALL-PFG for a free phone mini-consultation, or make an appointment online 24/7 at www.infotapes.com.  Bankruptcy laws are in place to help you.  Who knows bankruptcy like Geraci Law?  Geraci Law has 30,000 5-star reviews 5starsince November 2016!

Read ALL ABOUT DEBT RELIEF at www.bankruptcybookbypeterfrancisgeraci.com.

How to Find the Best Bankruptcy Attorney for a Reasonable Fee

Why pay the same and not get the name?

Below is an article written by Attorney Peter Francis Geraci. Read this and more at https://www.infotapes.com/Articles.

Here is an “unknown” attorney advertising for bankruptcy on Google Local Leads. Know that when choosing a lawyer, there are BIG differences!  Anyone with $10 can put up a Google Ad. This person looks nice, but is

a. a one person shop

b. less than 20 reviews and other ratings not good

c. claims to have 5 office locations  sure, how when you are 1 person?

d. Licensed for over 10 years but nothing to tell where, no CV on website. (sure sign of trouble)

e. lists a cell phone for an office phone

f. claims to answer every call in person! and text. must be very busy. or not.

g. apparently just blew into town? claims to have experience but no clue where

h. only speaks English 

f. LICENSE? one revoked, probably abandoned, just resigned another, only remaining license just “updated”. no mention of federal court admission which is required for bankruptcy law. Probably has a federal license, but kind of sloppy not to mention it.

So, you pick this ADVERTISEMENT? why? because you have an inferiority complex, you don’t know how to select an attorney, you think you are going to “get a cheap lawyer” for a 50 page federal bankruptcy filing to eliminate 40,000 in debt and get experienced advice?

Then you find out that ALL LAWYERS CHARGE ABOUT THE SAME, MOST EXACTLY THE SAME, for Chapter 13, and within a couple hundred of each other for Chapter 7, depending on the type of Chapter 7, and there are over 15 types!

Seems to me this attorney is one step away from bankruptcy, totally unknown, working out of a basement, instead of 100 attorneys and staff, 500 years of combined experience, 40,000 FIVE STAR REVIEWS, real offices, Client Corner portal, PFG Debtor Education, and more!

We don’t like to “sell against the competition” but they sure like to do it to us….paper does not refuse ink, and Google doesn’t refuse paid ads!

Be careful. Why? Rumor has it that that attorneys FIRED from law firms for making phony entries about client matters, or just plain incompetence, or hiding their past, end up as solo practitioners, legends in their own mind.

Dial 1-800-CALL-PFG for a free phone mini-consultation, or make an appointment online 24/7 at www.infotapes.com.  Bankruptcy laws are in place to help you.  Who knows bankruptcy like Geraci Law?  Geraci Law has 30,000 5-star reviews 5starsince November 2016!

Read ALL ABOUT DEBT RELIEF at www.bankruptcybookbypeterfrancisgeraci.com.

Need help turning on the AC? Utility debt and bankruptcy!

It’s hot in Chicagoland and if you are worried about your electric bill and running the AC – check out Chapter 24 of Attorney Peter Francis Geraci’s “Complete Book on Bankruptcy.” Utility bills can be discharged in a bankruptcy. Excerpt is below, check out the entire book @ https://www.bankruptcybookbypeterfrancisgeraci.com/

CHAPTER #24 Gas, Cable, Electric, & Phone Bills

Gas, electric and telephone (utility bills) can be dealt with in a bankruptcy. If they are current, they should not be listed on a bankruptcy petition. If they are more than 3 months past due, they should be listed, because you can be protected from utility shutoffs, and continue getting utility service without paying the past due bills, in many cases. Most states have laws which say that public utilities cannot refuse to give you service after a bankruptcy, even if you had a bill with them that you are discharging.

For instance, if your electric bill is behind $600, and your regular monthly bill is $75.00, but your electric is shut off because you were so far behind, a bankruptcy will be of great help to you. I will list the electric company as a creditor, and provide you with documents that you must carry in person to the electric company. They will zero out your bill. You then can get service turned on, providing you make satisfactory deposit arrangements. Usually, the deposit would be 2 times an average bill, or 2 x $75.00. This may be payable in installments over several months.

So, you can see that, if you are severely behind in your utilities, and have enough other bills to warrant filing a bankruptcy, you can get your past due utility service up to date very quickly with very little money.

Cell phone carriers may shut off your service if you owe them money and file. The same with cable companies. Most will turn it back on when you provide them with the bankruptcy papers and catch up. Usually our clients only list those providers that are already shut off, so this is not a problem.

The only problem with clients whose utility bills are past due, is that it is a signal that the have problems that bankruptcy cannot solve. Not paying utility bills is like not paying your rent. Unless that is caused by a temporary disaster, you may need more income to live normally. If you don’t have enough income to pay necessities, you may find yourself back in the same situation again very soon after a bankruptcy. (see the Chapter on What Bankruptcy Won’t Solve)

Problem: Mrs. Wilson has 3 finance company loans, 4 credit cards, and a big hospital bill that was not covered by insurance. Her house payment is 2 months late, because she paid the other creditors instead of paying the house payment. Her gas bill is $600 behind, and her lights are off.

The Peter Francis Geraci Chapter 7 or 13 Solution: If she files a bankruptcy petition, her utilities can be “zeroed out”, and her outstanding balance reduced to nothing. She starts fresh with the utility companies, and will only have to put up a deposit in order to get service again. Of course, she will have to remain current in the future.

A Chapter 13 will pick up the past due mortgage payments and prevent collection by the other loans. Of course, there is no sense filing a Chapter 13 if she cannot meet her mortgage, utilities and Chapter 13 payment regularly in the future.

It may be better to file a Chapter 7 in such a case, and perhaps sell the house or live out the equity without making any more mortgage payments.

Reaffirmation Agreements and Mortgages – if the mortgage company fails to offer me one?

Reaffirmations on Mortgages in Chapter 7. You don’t need one, but if you can’t get one, here’s what to do!

Below is an article written by Attorney Peter Francis Geraci regarding reaffirmation agreements. Reaffirmation agreements can be complicated, use below as a guide to answer questions like – What do I do if I want to refinance and did not reaffirm my debt? My bank is telling me to reopen my Chapter 7 case and my attorney is telling me no. And more!

Read more articles like this @ https://www.infotapes.com/Articles

Reaffirmation Agreements and Mortgages – if the mortgage company fails to offer me one? – by Attorney Peter Francis Geraci

Under Chapter 7, your mortgage lenders get notice of filing the day we file your case.  The court sends notice, and most lenders search daily for new bankruptcy filings. Your petition includes a “statement of intention” to reaffirm, redeem or surrender the property. The lender then

  1. ceases any collection activity if you are late,
  2. may want a letter from us stating you can talk to them direct
  3. may stop sending you statements, and cancel   auto pay and online access (you may have to mail payments 5 days before due)

If you are current and want to keep the property, and your lender acts goofy like this, it can be a pain!   It may be as simple as

  1. call your lender and say: “ I want to continue payments, and statements”
  2. ask them what they need so you can keep on paying and have online access
  3. tell them you want to “reaffirm” your personal liability (they already know this)

What does “reaffirmation” of my personal liability on a mortgage have to do with paying them?   A “reaffirmation” makes your personal liability survive discharge, so if you default, and they foreclose, and sell the property, and don’t get enough to cover the loan, they can come after you personally. A reaffirmation doesn’t affect the validity of your mortgage, or your ability to pay it.  And they charge you $800 or so for preparing one.

Does it matter if my lender doesn’t want a reaffirmation of my personal liability?   No. It shouldn’t. Your bankruptcy included a “statement of intent to reaffirm”.  If you checked yes, it doesn’t mean much except you are OK with your personal liability on the mortgage surviving discharge. 

Who decides if the lender wants to enter into a “reaffirmation”?   The lender decides. Not you or us.

Lenders always send your info to their attorneys, who prepare the “reaffirmation” and send it to us. (Unlike credit unions, mortgage companies don’t do their own paperwork, they won’t send anything to you, or to us. They have their attorneys do it. So all you can do is tell whatever mortgage servicer to start taking your payments, and if they feel like it, you are OK with signing a reaffirmation, if they will prepare it.   No lender will sign anything prepared by you or your lawyer. Lenders will NOT prepare a “reaffirmation” if

  1. you are behind in any payment, taxes or insurance
  2. you are in some kind of forbearance, loss mitigation
  3. they don’t want to (maybe they sold your loan, or lost the original paperwork)
  4. they don’t have a valid lien on your property, etc. etc. etc.

If my lender wants to prepare a ‘reaffirmation” when do I sign it?   Before Discharge. The lender’s attorney must get us their reaffirmation so you can sign it before Discharge, about 4 months after filing of a Chapter 7. You can ask us to delay discharge if no reaffirmation before Discharge.

 Do I need a reaffirmation agreement to keep my house?  No.  Your mortgage is not affected.  You don’t need a “reaffirmation” to stay current.

If the bank allows me to reaffirm my liability on the promissory note, why should I sign a reaffirmation?   Lenders may refuse to report your payments to a credit bureau, or make any number of bizarre excuses for aggravating you, and say “You didn’t sign a reaffirmation, call your lawyers and have them reopen the case and send us one,”   They are just trying to get rid of you.

  1. Write down the Name, Employee #, contact info of anyone who tells you such nonsense, they might be located in China or India.
  2. Ask to speak to a supervisor.  Ask them to put the nonsense in writing.  Contact us with the details so we can help.

 If your mortgage company stopped reporting to the credit bureaus, and won’t accept your request to start reporting,

  • Request a payment history from your current mortgage company. Send this payment history to the 3 credit bureaus showing timely payments after bankruptcy discharge to show there are no missed payments.
  • Send your mortgage company a letter in writing stating:
  • You want the mortgage company to report both the timely and missed mortgage payments to Transunion, Equifax and Experian.
  • You do not consider the payment history reporting to the credit bureau a violation of collections.

Let your lawyers at Geraci Law know EXACTLY what the problem is, (who what where and when, take notes) if you can’t solve it with your lender.  We are pretty good at figuring things out, and there is NO charge for helping straighten out a mortgage lender, we do it all the time!  Don’t take bad treatment from a mortgage lender or servicer personally, they do it all the time.  The hotline for the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is at https://www.consumerfinance.gov/

Dial 1-800-CALL-PFG for a free phone mini-consultation, or make an appointment online 24/7 at www.infotapes.com.  Bankruptcy laws are in place to help you.  Who knows bankruptcy like Geraci Law?  Geraci Law has 30,000 5-star reviews 5starsince November 2016!

Read ALL ABOUT DEBT RELIEF at www.bankruptcybookbypeterfrancisgeraci.com.

Geraci Law Ready to Help Folks in New Albany, IN!

Geraci Law is ready help folks in New Albany Indiana and Southern Indiana! See pictures from PFG’s trip to New Albany.

Attorney Peter Francis Geraci and Attorney Robert (Rob) Brynjelsen took a road trip to New Albany, Indiana. Geraci Law is now handling Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy cases in New Albany, Indiana.

Fun facts about New Albany, Indiana!

  1. New Albany High School was the FIRST high school in Indiana.
  2. Edwin Hubble taught at New Albany High School from 1913-1914. For those who do not know – Hubble is the astronomer namesake of the Hubble Space Telescope.
  3. William Culbertson was once considered the wealthiest man in Indiana and built Culbertson Mansion. You can visit Culbertson’s now!
  4. Midwest Grain Products (formerly Seagram’s) is one of the world’s largest distilleries. Based out of Lawrenceburg Indiana (so just a few miles east of New Albany).

PFG and Rob enjoyed their trip to New Albany, some pictures:

Great sign to the entrance of Downtown New Albany with a history lesson!
Rob and PFG visit our New Albany office landlord – Geraci Law ready to help in New Albany!

Don’t Claw Your Way Out of Debt!

Bankruptcy relief for Middle Class Families is a Chapter 13 debt repayment plan. Or even a Geraci Law Chapter 7 for higher-income families. You don’t have to “claw your way out of debt.”

Read more from Attorney Peter Geraci at https://www.infotapes.com/articles

Bankruptcy relief for Middle Class Families is a Chapter 13 debt repayment plan. Or even a Geraci Law Chapter 7 for higher-income families

You don’t have to “claw your way out of debt”

A Wall Street journal front page article on September 21, 2020 is titled “pandemic upends middle-class family finances”. The article profiles families making $75,000 to $175,000 a year”. Job losses wreak havoc on loan laden households, the headline continues; “I will never claw my way out”.  https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-unemployment-debt-middle-class-family-finances-11600122791

Sadly, the breadwinner of one of the families is a 43 year old lawyer in suburban New York who claims to have been making enough representing families in foreclosures, and personal injuries, to affor her $9,000 per month in debt payments.  She was doing “coverage” work for Manhattan firms who hired her on a 1099 to “cover” their local court appearances.  That work has dried up now that those firms are appearing telephonically. 

You don’t want a “coverage” attorney handling your financial problems, and certainly not your Chapter 7 or 13.  These attorneys will take on your representation, because right now, they are not going to refuse work because they are not familiar with bankruptcy.  They will take your case, but if you are making over $65,000 a year, you are better off with Geraci Law.

Clients ask Geraci Law to manage over $1 Billion in debt every year.  Many choose to file Chapter 13 debt repayment plans.  Fees in Chapter 13 cases are only $4500 for a 60 month Chapter 13.  that is only $75.00 a month!!  Only a law firm that does an awful lot of these cases can afford to represent you for $75 a month! Geraci Law has over 12,000 Chapter 7 and 13 cases open during the average year, so we are not struggling to handle only one case, or make an appearance before only 1 judge.

This upstate New York lawyer would charge you the same as Geraci Law.  Now you know that almost every lawyer in the country charges the same as Geraci Law.  So why pay the same, and not get the Name: Geraci Law is by far on of the largest consumer bankruptcy firms in the country, with 100 attorneys and paralegals to make sure you get the most for your money.

If you make over $65,000 a year, you may be able to file either Chapter 7 or Chapter 13.  Which you qualify for is a complicated analysis that Geraci Law can perform once you upload your paystubs to the Geraci Law Client Corner.  Even if you make $100,000 a year, Geraci Law may be able to file a Chapter 7, or a Chapter 13 plan to reduce your payments and take the pressure off.  In 60 months, you may be Debt Free.

So, when you Need to Be Debt Free, it’s 1-800-CALL-PFG (1-800-225-5734).  Either that, or “you’ll never claw your way out”  Get your free Experian Soft Pull and Credit Score, KBB vehicle value, and debt to income ratio right on the phone.  Or set up a Geraci Law Virtual Consultation or COVID compliant office visit.

Don’t Labor Over Debt!

Don’t labor over debt this weekend – take a few minutes and go to http://www.infotapes.com and see what Geraci Law can do for you.

Don’t Labor Over Debt!

Geraci Law wishes everyone a Happy (and Safe) Labor Day weekend! It’s the workers both essential and nonessential that keep us going. Sometimes, even the hardest working need help.

Geraci Law is here if your hours are short, if your furlough becomes a lay off or if you are just in over your head.
Our attorneys are ready to consult if bankruptcy is an option for you to eliminate or consolidate your debt.

This weekend, check out http://www.infotapes.com. You can read some of our 30,000 positive reviews from REAL clients or ready about bankruptcy and how it can change your life for the better.


Celebrate safely this weekend! We’re closed on Monday but you can schedule online @ (SITE) or give us a call 7:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m. on Tuesday.

Dial 1-800-CALL-PFG for a free phone mini-consultation, or make an appointment online 24/7 at www.infotapes.com.  Bankruptcy laws are in place to help you.  Who knows bankruptcy like Geraci Law?  Geraci Law has 30,000 5-star reviews 5starsince November 2016!

Read ALL ABOUT DEBT RELIEF at www.bankruptcybookbypeterfrancisgeraci.com.

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