Okay, this post is obviously self serving, but it is interesting to see how my content has filtered through the World Wide Web. Here is a list of articles at e-how.com where my articles have been cited as an authority. (more…)
Archive for the ‘Hiring an Attorney’ Category
Matt Berkus, Cited As Authority On E-how!
Friday, November 18th, 2011
Can You Protect A Cosigner Through Bankruptcy?
Wednesday, April 20th, 2011Let’s set the stage. To help his grown daughter establish credit and buy a vehicle, Don Debtor cosigns a vehicle loan for his daughter, Dawn? By cosigning, Don has made himself contractually obligated to pay the car loan in the event his daughter, Dawn, is unable to do so. Cosigners are jointly and fully liable for the cosigned debt.
Two years later, Dawn loses her job and is unable to pay the car payments, but this time she tells her dad. Of course, dad, in his head is flipping out, but because he loves his daughter, Don is reassuring and calm. In the mean time, she had run up her credit cards in a vain effort to stay afloat and now must file bankruptcy, and she does so. The car is upside down in value; Dawn owes $6,000 more than the vehicle is worth. (more…)
Is “Full Representation” Bankruptcy The Same As “Total Representation?”
Friday, March 25th, 2011You may have seen attorney websites and Google ads touting “full representation” bankruptcy for $599, or other such claims that the attorney is providing “full representation.” These claims are word games. After all, attorneys are essentially word-smiths; we parse and narrow the meanings of words and phrases.
Full Representation actually has a specific—not common sense—meaning in the bankruptcy world. Full Representation only means the following (more…)
$499 Bankruptcy!!! Is It Bait, or Is It Real? How Can I Find Out?
Saturday, October 30th, 2010If you live in COLORADO and Desire Total Bankruptcy Representation, then Call 877-319-7405 and Schedule a Complimentary Consultation with Matt Berkus
Whether you live in Denver, or any other state, if you do any sort of Google search for bankruptcy attorney; the results will include ads offering bankruptcy for very low prices, $499, $599, $699, etc. Can you really hire an attorney to fully represent you in bankruptcy for such a price and how do you find out? (more…)
This Is What Happens When You Use A Cheap or “Discount” Bankruptcy Attorney!
Thursday, October 21st, 2010Law Firm Under Fire For Mistakes Made On Bankruptcy Petitions
CHICAGO (CBS) – Bankruptcy filings are soaring in the Chicago area and more people are looking for legal help from low-cost law firms. CBS 2 Investigator Pam Zekman checked out mistakes made by a law firm that claims to be one of the largest in the country [Legal Helpers]. (more…)
My Attorney Isn’t Helping; What Should A Good Bankruptcy Attorney Do?
Wednesday, August 18th, 2010Question:
I am trying to help my brother who is contemplating bankruptcy. He hired a lawyer who has told him “there’s no hurry” (now 5 months ago) and has not helped him figure out whether settlement is possible. What should a good attorney do? My brother thinks he’s responsible for figuring this out and the attorney just sends in the paperwork. e.g., he’s trying to figure out if college tuition and health insurance are allowable expenses, and how far into the future he could pay it. Shouldn’t a lawyer be able to tell him?
Answer:
The answer is more a matter of opinion, there is often a wide divide between what attorneys are ethically obligated (more…)
Is There Such A Thing As An Average Attorney Fee For Bankruptcy?
Saturday, July 31st, 2010When you hire an attorney you are paying for a service, not a product. However, many people assume (though no fault of their own) that hiring one bankruptcy attorney for a specific situation is like hiring any other. In our day to day lives, we buy far more products than we do services, so when we shop for attorneys (or any professional service) we approach the purchase from a “product buying” context. However, case complexity (the perceived difficulty of the case) is only ONE factor (more…)
Why You Need A Lawyer For Chapter 13 Bankruptcy; It’s An Art!
Saturday, July 24th, 2010Bankruptcy is not about pushing reams of papers. Crafting a successful chapter 13 plan is an art form. If you are thinking about going it alone, or already did go it alone and was told by the court, trustee, or both that you need an attorney, then this fact should tell you something: easily half of bankruptcy attorneys won’t do chapter 13 bankruptcy. A chapter 13 bankruptcy is no place for the do-it-yourselfer, there are simply too many pitfalls. (more…)
