Bankruptcy Archives - Page 4 of 10 - Rubin & Associates

Your Credit Score: What the Number Really Means (and What It Doesn’t)

Everyone knows that their credit score is important – but most Americans don’t understand how the scores are assessed or affected by their actions. Ideally, you want a credit score in the 700-800 range, but what does that really mean – and how do you get there?

Your credit score is calculated by one of the credit reporting agencies – EquiFax, Experian, and TransUnion. These agencies assign your credit score based on current and historical factors, and the score is an assessment of how likely it is that you’ll repay any debts that you accrue. The majority of the score is related to your past payment history and your current level of debt.

Lenders use your credit score to determine how risky it would be to lend you money. With higher credit scores, your loan terms and interest rates will be much better. If you have a lower score, you’ll be assigned a higher interest rate, since the risk is greater for the lender. If your score is low enough, you may not even be approved for the loan or credit card. (more…)

By Mark Rubin|2023-06-01T09:51:08-05:00May 25th, 2023|Bankruptcy, Bankruptcy Myths, Financial, Personal Finance|

Bankruptcy Do’s and Don’ts

If you’re on our site, you’re either considering bankruptcy or in the process of filing. Don’t be intimidated – we help tons of Dallas-Fort Worth area families just like you with bankruptcy cases every year. It’s an unfortunate truth of life – sometimes bad things happen to good people.

Sometimes, all it takes is one financial bump in the road – an unexpected job loss, a salary reduction, or a large medical expense – and you’ll be forced to file for bankruptcy. The bankruptcy laws were put in place for just this reason… Everyone deserves a fresh start.

You’ll definitely want to consult with your bankruptcy attorney once you’ve decided to file, but these are a few guidelines that can help you prepare for your bankruptcy. We’ve shared several tips to help you get ready to file, so you’ll have a better understanding when you discuss your situation with your attorney.

Things to do before filing for bankruptcy

1. Take a deep breath and try to relax. Filing for bankruptcy is a scary process, and most people are incredibly stressed out from the overwhelming debt and relentless calls from debt collectors. Your bankruptcy attorney is there to help you through the process. They’ll help explain the process so you understand what’s happening and what’s coming in the future. Take a deep breath and think about how much better your life will be once you have a clean slate. (more…)

By Mark Rubin|2023-05-01T11:02:43-05:00April 20th, 2023|Bankruptcy|

US Credit Card Debt Hits All-Time High – What Does That Mean For You?

Credit card debt in the United States hit a record high at the end of 2022, topping out at almost $1 trillion for the first time ever. During the last quarter of the year, delinquencies were growing at a faster and faster rate. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York released data that showed overall balances growing by $61 billion over the last three months of 2022 – with a grand total of $986 billion for Q4. This was the largest increase over a single quarter since the bank started tracking changes in 1999. (more…)

By Mark Rubin|2023-12-01T14:54:35-06:00March 20th, 2023|Bankruptcy, Debt, Financial, Personal Finance|

Struggling with debt? Here’s how to avoid bankruptcy

Debt is pretty much a fact of life for most Americans, especially in today’s post-COVID landscape. Most families do not teach their children how to responsibly manage money, which leads to problems down the road. The majority of today’s workforce has learned money management through trial and lots of error.

It is far too easy to get overextended on your finances, and most people do not realize that they are in trouble until it’s almost too late. When you are already stretching your finances to the limit, any unexpected bump can send you down the road to bankruptcy. (more…)

By Mark Rubin|2023-03-20T14:42:15-05:00September 29th, 2022|Bankruptcy, Debt, Personal Finance|

Should I file bankruptcy?

We have helped many hundreds of Dallas-area residents with their bankruptcy cases over the years, and the most common question we hear first is “Should I file bankruptcy?”

When you are drowning in uncontrollable debt, you are inevitably stressed and scared – and bankruptcy seems like a huge step to take. That is why we offer free consultations. We want to help explain every step of the process and all possible outcomes, so you will be able to make the right decision for your situation.

Let’s look at the advantages and disadvantages of bankruptcy and ways to decide when bankruptcy might be the right decision for you.

What exactly is bankrtupcy?

The federal government established bankruptcy laws to allow individuals and businesses a way to get relief from debts that they are unable to pay back, in order to get a fresh start. The laws were created so that honest people who had unfortunate circumstances could get a clean slate and start over. (more…)

By Mark Rubin|2022-09-01T09:07:21-05:00August 30th, 2022|Bankruptcy|

Recession 2022 – is it coming, and what does it mean?

The Great Recession hit America hard from December of 2007 to the middle of 2009, millions of US residents lost their livelihoods and homes. It was the worst economic downturn since the 1930s and the Great Depression, and it took almost a decade for the labor market to fully recover.

There are very few people still alive who remember the Great Depression, so the recession in 2008 is the only true recession that most Americans have experienced. Sure, we hit a downturn when COVID restrictions locked everything down in 2020, but that was not a true recession.

Because most people have only experienced the recession of 2008, all of the predictions of a “major” recession in 2022 have most of the population freaking out – but recessions are a perfectly normal part of business cycles. Many economists agree that a worst-case scenario is not likely in 2022. (more…)

By Mark Rubin|2022-08-01T11:24:58-05:00August 1st, 2022|Bankruptcy, Debt, Financial|

What not to do before filing for bankruptcy

While most of our potential clients ask about what’s involved in a bankruptcy case, and what they need to do when they are filing, many forget to ask what NOT to do… And the things you shouldn’t do before filing are just as important as what comes afterward.

In fact, there are several things you could do before your bankruptcy case that could cause major complications – and could possibly even cause your case to be denied!

As we always say, the most important thing to do when considering bankruptcy is to meet with an experienced bankruptcy lawyer. The advice and guidance you will receive are vital to avoiding bumps in the road during your case.

So, for anyone out there who is considering bankruptcy and has not talked to an experienced attorney yet, here are the five most important things you should avoid doing before you file for bankruptcy: (more…)

By Mark Rubin|2022-06-01T11:28:34-05:00February 24th, 2022|Bankruptcy, Debt|

Mortgage forbearance ending – how do you keep your house?

We are coming up on two years of the COVID-19 pandemic – clearly, no one thought it would last this long. Many Dallas-area residents have had to take significant pay cuts or have even lost their jobs. Our firm has helped hundreds of DFW residents get a fresh start after COVID-related problems caused unmanageable debt, but many other people in the area are still struggling.

Most of the foreclosure and eviction moratoriums have ended recently, so many Dallas residents are wondering how they’re going to keep their homes. Rubin & Associates is here to help! We have put together this blog post to help answer some of the common questions we’re hearing about the end of mortgage forbearance. (more…)

By Mark Rubin|2022-06-01T10:57:28-05:00November 30th, 2021|Bankruptcy|

4 Scary Ways to Damage Your Debt

It is Halloween this weekend, so we had to share something scary here on the blog… and this time, we are sharing 4 Scary Ways to Damage Your Debt. Let’s face it – nothing is scarier than overwhelming debt that spirals out of control.

If you are not careful about how you spend your hard-earned money, and even how you conduct transactions online, you can easily start down the path to crushing debt. Today’s post is going to examine the 4 most horrifying ways you can head down a scary financial path.

1. Hackers and scammers

Digital thieves have become incredibly creative – you need to be extremely careful whenever you provide your credit card number to ANY online service. Charities are a common ploy, so make sure you do research on a charity before you make a donation – especially if you are solicited at your front door or over the phone.

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By Mark Rubin|2021-10-29T12:44:53-05:00October 29th, 2021|Bankruptcy, Debt, Money Management|

6 Tips For Avoiding Bankruptcy

The proliferation of credit cards and the “gotta have it now” American lifestyle have lead to a problem: for many Americans, living with debt is par for the course. The changes in America’s financial landscape due to COVID and resulting lockdowns have only made things worse. In many cases, debt spirals out of control until filing for bankruptcy appears to be the only way out.

Most of our clients are regular, hard-working DFW-area residents who simply hit an unexpected bump in the road. Whether it was the loss of a job, reduction in wages, or an accident, a single speed bump on the road of life can send you in a completely different direction.

Once you start living on credit and spending more than you can afford to pay off, the debt multiplies quickly until it seems like there’s no escape. (more…)

By Mark Rubin|2021-09-26T14:26:16-05:00September 26th, 2021|Bankruptcy, Debt, Personal Finance|