Sticks and Stones May Break My Bones But Words Will Never Hurt Me . . . Or Do They?

By Sarah E. Smith, Esq., Senior Staff Attorney to Kathleen A. Leavitt, Chapter 13 Trustee Las Vegas, NV

Are the words we use to describe the individuals who have chosen to file bankruptcy harmful to our industry? Think about it . . . in a moment of frustration or superficial wit, have you ever thought to yourself “this is why they are debtors!” or even uttered under your breath “Debtors are so stupid!”? Have you ever made these or similar comments out loud to people in your office? Or in a Meeting of Creditors waiting room, when you think you’re . . .

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Consumer Bankruptcy Reform Act of 2020 Introduced

December 13, 2020

By Hon. William Houston Brown, Adviser, Academy for Consumer Bankruptcy Education and Margaret A. Burks, Chapter 13 Trustee (Cincinnati, OH) Senator Elizabeth Warren (D. Mass.) and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D. N.Y.) have introduced the Consumer Bankruptcy Reform Act of 2020. Introduction of the Act is only the beginning of the legislative process, and no action toward enactment...

Critical Case Comment – Debtor Refuses to Give Location of Surrendered Mercedes; Pleads the Fifth

Henry E. Hildebrand, III

December 26, 2021

Where a Chapter 7 debtor fails to disclose the location of his Mercedes which he intended to surrender, fails to produce documents relating to the ownership of his property, and invokes his Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination, the Court appropriately denied the debtor a discharge. (Preston) In re Appleby, 2021 WL 5121854 (Bankr. S.D. Ohio, Nov. 3, 2021) Case Summary...

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An Open Thank You Letter to NACTT – Reflections from a New(er) Trustee: My First Two Years

March 7, 2021

By Dynele Schinker-Kuharich, Chapter 13 Standing Trustee (Canton, OH) I vividly remember getting the call that I was to be appointed as a Standing Chapter 13 Trustee (effective October 1, 2018). I was so honored, and humbled, and excited. At the time I was a panel Chapter 7 Trustee, but my heart had always been in Chapter 13. As corny...

Reconversion to Chapter 13 – Betwixt and Between?

Michael B. Joseph

January 21, 2024

“Is it possible to voluntarily convert a chapter 13 case to chapter 7, and later reconvert back to chapter 13? There is a split of authority on whether this maneuver is allowed.”

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Are Your Loyalties Divided?

August 22, 2021

By Cathy Moran, Esq., (Redwood City, CA) When a married couple books a bankruptcy consultation, you have an immediate problem: There be dragons, as early map makers helpfully provided. Because, as a lawyer friend of mine says: Anytime there are two people sitting across from you, you have a conflict of interest. That pithy expression has stuck with me and...

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The Importance of Using the Latest Master Mailing List for Serving Your Bankruptcy Documents

July 18, 2021

By Jay S. Jump, CEO, CertificateofService.com (Pasco, WA) One of the most important issues in serving your Chapter 13 Plans, Motions to Modify, Motions to Incur, Fee Applications, and other necessary documents served or noticed under the bankruptcy rules is using the most recent Master Mailing List (“MML”) from the Court. Your Court Clerk maintains and updates, on a regular...

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Private Collection Agencies – What You and Debtors Need to Know

November 17, 2019

Taxpayers who are contacted by a private collection agency on behalf of the IRS might have questions about the program. These taxpayers can visit IRS.gov to find answers to questions they might have. In fact, to better help these taxpayers, the IRS recently updated the private debt collection pages on IRS.gov. These updates added more information for taxpayers whose case...

What is a “Consumer Debt”?

M. Jonathan Hayes

April 21, 2024

By highlighting Judge Stephen Johnson's rulings and insights, Hayes brings readers an analysis of the definition of what consumer debt is . . . and is not.

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Senior Moments

December 1, 2019

By Peter Fessenden, Chapter 13 Standing Trustee, Retired September 30, 2017 (Portland, ME) To everything there is a season. There was a time to discover how little I knew about being a Chapter 13 trustee. There was a time to make mistakes. There was a time to address those mistakes. There was a time to solve problems. There was a...

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