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Last month, we shot a few new commercials, and we wanted to share them here on the site… We know that the unprecedented situation caused by COVID has put many DFW residents in a precarious financial situation. If you’re struggling with debt, give us a call at 214-760-7777 for a free, no-obligation consultation. We can help you get back on the road to financial freedom.
Even with many states opened up after the lockdowns caused by the coronavirus, many companies are filing for bankruptcy – several months without income, then slow business and mounting debt are an awful combination.
Many huge companies have filed for bankruptcy, and the list continues to grow. Well-known brands have declared bankruptcy, including J.C. Penney, Neiman Marcus, J. Crew, Gold’s Gym, Tuesday Morning, Bar Louie, Dean & DeLuca, Advantage Rent a Car, and Hertz.
Coresight Research is a company that tracks retail openings and closings, and at the beginning of 2020, they projected that 8,000 stores would close. In mid 2020, they updated their projection to 25,000.
These companies won’t necessarily go out of business – filing for bankruptcy allows protection during a restructure, so debt can be shed, operations can be redesigned, and low-profit locations can be closed. (more…)
Over the last month, over 22 million Americans filed for unemployment because of the shelter in place orders that have been put in place to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus. Many small businesses have been absolutely crushed by the forced closure, and those that were able to pivot and provide modified services are still hurting due to the drastically reduced demand. If people aren’t leaving their homes, they’re simply not buying.
The number of jobless Americans is expected to continue to grow at an exponential rate. A research paper released in late March by the St. Louis Federal Reserve estimated that we could hit an unemployment rate as high as 32% – that’s about 47 million Americans.
That’s an almost mind-boggling number of people who won’t be able to pay their mortgage, rent, or other bills – let alone buy groceries and other essentials. It’s been estimated that over half of Americans have already lost some income due to the lockdown.
Federal, state, and local governments are working hard to provide financial safety nets – the Payroll Protection Program was rolled out and quickly depleted. Mortgage lenders and automotive finance companies are deferring payments, and if you meet the requirements, you’ll receive a federal stimulus check. Unfortunately, for the millions out of work, the government stimulus check simply won’t be enough to keep them afloat.
Your first step should be looking at your budget. Figure out what you can do to save money immediately. Talk to your creditors, most will try to assist you if you’ve been laid off during the pandemic. Most mortgage, car, and credit card payments can be deferred. Student loans can be deferred as well. Many cities across the country have prohibited utility shut-offs – but skipping utility bills could lead to massive debt later down the road.
Once you’ve spoken to your creditors, you’ll have a better picture of your financial obligations. If you’ve got enough in savings, that might be enough to get you through the lockdown – but you’ll need to pay attention to how much you need to spend on essentials. You might be able to last longer by deferring non-essential bills and paying your minimum amount on others.
If you’re already at the point where the money has run out, or will run out in the near future, give us a call at 214-760-7777 – we’re happy to talk through your financial picture and let you know what your options are. It’s a free, no-pressure consultation – we’re not going to force you to file for bankruptcy, and in fact, might advise against it if there are better options on the table.
If bankruptcy is inevitable, you’ll end up filing for either Chapter 7 or Chapter 13.
Chapter 7 bankruptcy allows you to wipe out your debts permanently, with no obligation to ever pay them back. Chapter 7 is best for individuals who aren’t able to pay back a significant portion (or all) of their debt. Typically, this is best when there’s a massive amount of credit card debt or a huge medical debt.
Chapter 13 bankruptcy is more of a reorganization of your debts. If you’ve got a regular income stream and have simply fallen behind, Chapter 13 is a better option. A plan is created to repay all (or most) of your debt with installment payments.
For both types of bankruptcy, you’d typically have to meet with an attorney and then go to court to get a judge to approve your case. During the COVID lockdown, everything can be done online. We can do everything over the phone or through virtual meetings, and the courts are allowing cases to be filed virutally so social distancing can still be observed.
If you’ve lost your job or been furloughed due to the coronavirus and you’re falling behind on bills, call us at 214-760-7777 – we’re here to help! Even if bankruptcy isn’t right for your situation, we’ll help point you in the right direction to help with your finances and plan for your future.
Many of our bankruptcy clients come to us with completely out of control credit card debt – but that doesn’t mean they’ve been completely irresponsible. Thanks to higher interest rates and compounding interest, just a few missed payments can put you past a point where it’s nearly impossible to catch up.
Learning to manage credit card debt is a huge step in avoiding bankruptcy. If you follow these 5 simple tips, you’ll keep your credit cards under control and avoid spiraling credit card debt.
Credit cards make it far too easy to spend money you don’t have. If you know what you can spend each month, it will be easier to avoid those spur of the moment purchases that you can’t really afford.
Compounding simple interest adds up quickly, and after about 6 months, you’ll end up with a much higher balance that’s hard to pay off. Think of your credit card interest as a small pebble that causes a huge avalanche… it starts off small, but quickly becomes a huge force.
Most Americans don’t know much about bankruptcy – they’re limited to the knowledge they get from news stories and online gossip columns. Bankruptcy is much more common that most people realize, with over a million people filing for bankruptcy every year.
Generally, people assume that bankruptcy is meant for someone who can’t control their credit card spending. In reality, bankruptcy provides financial protection for much more than just credit card debt.
To help shed some light on bankruptcy and how it can help honest, hard working families, we’re sharing the truth about the five most common bankruptcy myths. As always, if you have any other questions, please call us for a free debt consultation – we’ll take as much time as you need to fully explain how bankruptcy works. (more…)
As we’ve mentioned in the past, the easiest way to avoid bankruptcy is to avoid accruing debt in the first place. Millions of Americans live with thousands of dollars in debt, and a single bump in the road like a car accident or the loss of a job can send them spiraling towards uncontrollable debt.
The sooner you form responsible spending habits, the sooner you’ll build a solid foundation that will help avoid the possibility of bankruptcy. If you follow these 7 simple tips, you’ll be able to save money and avoid accumulating debts that you struggle to pay off.
Eating out is the biggest monthly expense in most households. If you plan all of your meals each week and cook at home, you’ll save money – and you’ll probably eat healthier as well.
Are you a good, honest, hard worker who’s fallen on tough times? It doesn’t take much for most Americans – an unexpected major accident, the sudden loss of a job, a major home repair… Any unexpected major expense can start the downward spiral into uncontrollable debt.
It happens to the best of people all the time – don’t beat yourself up. Out-of-control debt doesn’t mean you’re a bad person.
Bankruptcy was created specifically for situations like yours. When you file for bankruptcy, you get the help you need – and you get it fast. Here are some of the immediate benefits of bankruptcy:
Bankruptcy offers emotional support as well:
Rubin & Associates can help you with all of these and more. Call us today for a FREE consultation at 214-760-7777 – we’ll listen to your story and walk you through all of your options. Let us help you get a fresh start today!
Filing bankruptcy doesn’t mean you’re a bad person. Not at all, in fact. Most of the time, it just means you got stuck in a bad debt situation.
Lots of good, honest, hard-working people get stuck in bad debt situations. Most people who file bankruptcy are good people who’ve had a few bad things happen to them. One bad “bump in the road” can set you down the path to bankruptcy – the sudden loss of your job or a car accident is all it takes for most people.
Let’s face it, life can be brutal. That’s why you buy life insurance, and homeowners insurance, and car insurance. And that’s why you have bankruptcy.
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This year, we’ve seen more older Dallas-area residents filing for bankruptcy, which unfortunately, isn’t surprising. According to national study, more American seniors (over the age of 65) are filing for bankruptcy than ever before.
The cost of living continues to increase for everyone, and for many older Americans, combined with rising healthcare costs and increasing debt, bankruptcy becomes the only option.
According to the study, the average debt for families with a head of household over the age of 75 has increased drastically since 2010, when it was only $30,288. In 2016, the average debt for the same families was $36,757.
Even more shocking, the number of families 75 and older with debt increased a staggering 60% from 2010 to 2016.
The average Social Security check is only $1,404 a month, and according to government data, that check accounts for more than 90% of the monthly income for over 40% of single seniors.
If you’re a DFW area senior and you’re struggling with debt, or your monthly expenses always exceed your monthly income, we can help! Call us today at 214-760-7777 for a free consultation. We’ll walk you through your options, so you’ll feel confident that you’re making the right step to move forward.
It’s always great to hear from happy clients… Bad things can happen to good people, and we love to help hard working Dallas area residents get a fresh start. Here’s an awesome review left recently by Mr. Shaw:
Mr. Rubin was at the 341 meeting with me in Plano. Sitting there nervously waiting, I was relieved to see Mr. Rubin walk in. This process is new to me. I was very apprehensive and a bit depressed in the first meeting with Mr. Rubin. I felt ashamed and feeling I had failed in my responsibilities. I left the meeting feeling a bit better with the confidence and knowledge that Mr. Rubin showed.
The entire staff I have been involved with at your offices have all been very pleasant, helpful and respectful, and left me feeling much more comfortable about this whole process.
After leaving the meeting yesterday with Mr. Rubin in the Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Office, I wanted him to know how much I appreciate his efforts and his work. Being represented by someone so comfortable in his abilities and knowledge has put me and my family at ease and confident that we have done the right thing and the future looks much better.
In my work as a Commercial Pilot, I strive to be as knowledgeable, proficient and confident in my flying as I can be, so that my passengers are relaxed and comfortable and safe on their flight. I take that responsibility very seriously. Its a good feeling at the end of a difficult flight to see their appreciation. Not unlike what Mr. Rubin has done for me. I can see that he takes his job and responsibilities very seriously as well.
Please tell him and his staff, thank you, for me and my family. We are very grateful.