Bankruptcy & Foreclosure
Bankruptcy may be used to help people faced with a pending foreclosure. Chapter 13 is a type of personal bankruptcy that can often be used to stop the foreclosure process and provide the property owners time in order to pay back the amounts they are behind.
The Foreclosure Process
A foreclosure typically occurs after a homeowner has fallen behind on mortgage payments for a number of months. Foreclosure basically means that the home or real estate is going to be sold at a public auction. The homeowner will receive notification of the approaching sale as part of the process. Once you receive notice of the pending foreclosure sale, you should review your chapter 13 bankruptcy options as a possible means of avoiding foreclosure and curing the arrears you owe to the lender over a period of time. It is important to act quickly if you do receive a notice of a pending foreclosure sale to ensure that you are fully aware of your options.
Chapter 13 & Foreclosure
Congratulations Todd Almassian
August 27, 2015
Todd was recently selected by his peers and named the Best Lawyers’ 2016 Grand Rapids Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law "Lawyer of the Year".
Best Bankruptcy Practices
August 24, 2015
At Keller & Almassian, PLC each client is paired with a bankruptcy paralegal. Paralegals often make the clients more comfortable. The Paralegal can help the client gather and organize their documents. Having the Paralegal prepare pleadings is an excellent way to keep the cost of down for the client.
Best Bankruptcy Practices: The Good & The Bad
Potential bankruptcy clients are undoubtedly facing difficult issues. Bankruptcy may be able to cure a client’s difficulties, it can just as easily create more problems. At Keller & Almassian, PLC we describe the benefits of bankruptcy and outline potential pit falls. It is important for our clients to fully comprehend the impact of bankruptcy.
Best Bankruptcy Practices: Discover the Financial Problem
August 17, 2015
Our attorneys explore with the client the true underlying cause of their problem, and tailor the advice specifically to the problem they are having. The Keller & Almassian, PLC approach is to first listen to the client’s situation; and second to describe solutions and how each solution would address the client’s problems. For example, if the potential client has non-dischargeable priority tax debt, a second mortgage that can be stripped, and unserviceable unsecured debt, it is best to explain how each proposed option will address these issues differently.
Best Bankruptcy Practices: The Bankruptcy Interview
When interviewed by our attorneys, potential clients are asked important questions. To keep the clients best interest in mind, sometimes these questions are asked in more than one way. This is especially crucial in bankruptcy. Answers to these questions may require more than a yes or no. Not getting the correct answers can be a sanctionable mistake, especially with increased scrutiny now being given to the information contained in bankruptcy pleadings. For example, a client may not understand that the attorney needs to know about their fractional ownership interests in assets, such as vehicles, joint bank accounts with relatives, or a family cottage. Instead of simply asking if the client owns any other bank accounts, we ask, “are you aware of your parents adding your name to their bank accounts for estate planning purposes?”
MLive Article
August 7, 2015
Despite big losses, creditors supporting Family Christian Stores bankruptcy sale
Foreclosure
One of the most frightening things that can happen is for someone to face the prospect of losing their home. As bills fall behind, homeowners may face foreclosure actions. When a bank forecloses on your home, it may seem impossible to find a way to prevent them from selling your property and evicting you and your family. This may not be the case.
