Dealing with Financial Mistakes in a Tough Economy

When thrown into the depths of financial hardship you simplify your life as much as possible. You cut corners on all of your spending; you pinch your pennies as hard as possible and even cut coupons to stretch every cent. But still, the bills continue to arrive in your mailbox each day. The electricity, water,

Can Taxes be Discharged in Bankruptcy?

If you have oppressive tax debt that is only metastasizing larger, like a cancer, because of interest and penalties assessed by the IRS, you may have abandoned all hope that you will ever be rid of them. Indeed, many people believe that tax debt is something that is next to eternal — something that will

What is Bankruptcy?

The word “bankruptcy” has roots from two words found in ancient Latin; “bancus” which translates to “bench,” and “ruptus,” which can be interpreted as “break” or “shattered.” In ancient times a “banker” would set-up his bench in the market area and conduct his business. When a banker failed or lost his money, the bench would

Financial Dysfunction and Fun Have Never Gone Together

The phrase “Let’s put the fun back into dysfunctional!” has become famous over the years. It can be found on coffee mugs, bumper stickers, magnets and more. The one place it can’t be found is your finances, especially if you are going through a bankruptcy. Since the Great Recession hit a few years ago, many

Sometimes Bad Things Happen to Good People

Few things in life can be as embarrassing as having to admit that you need to declare bankruptcy.  Maybe you associate bankruptcy with some sort of failure: be it a financial or even moral failure. However, there are many things that can lead to bankruptcy that are not your fault such as a job loss,