The Psychology of Bankruptcy

“I’m going to smoke this cigarette because I want to feel better now; I don’t care about the long-term effects.”  “I’m going to spank my son because I want him to stop crying now; I don’t care about the long term-effects.” These attitudes are very common, especially...

The Means Test

Chapter 7 bankruptcy is designed to give a fresh start to consumers who face overwhelming debt website here.  Chapter 7 bankruptcy is not designed to allow consumers to elude their creditors.  There have always been anti-fraud provisions in the Bankruptcy Code, but...

Credit Counseling and Bankruptcy

Sometimes you may receive an offer for a free weekend in Florida, if you attend an “information session” extolling the virtues of a timeshare.  Pre- and post-petition bankruptcy debt counseling is similar, except that no one is trying to sell you a timeshare. The...

Behind the Numbers

When you see a restaurant commercial, the “special price” never includes tax and tip.  When you see unemployment figures, the totals never include underemployed and discouraged workers.  When you see foreclosure statistics, the figures never include homes which are...

Consumer Debt Reduction

The conventional wisdom is that paying down your debt is a good idea all of the time.  In fact, paying down debt is only a good idea some of the time. Before you commit your hard-earned cash to debt reduction, ask yourself a few questions: 1.      Have I considered...