"There is No Substitute For Experience."

JACK I. HYATT
Bankruptcy Attorney
ocean city Bankruptcy Lawyer
Attorney Credentials:
Former Assistant State's Attorney
Admitted To Practice Before:
The U.S. Supreme Court
All Maryland Courts
Federal District Court
Member:
Maryland State Bar Association
Baltimore City Bar Association
Baltimore County Bar Association
University of Baltimore
A.A. B.S. J.D.
Honorable Discharge U.S. Army

Many of the payment plans are unrealistic and unworkable. The payment plans also ruin credit. Many clients wonder why a non-profit organization would advise them to attempt such an unrealistic program. Learn the facts before you accept a creditor counselor's assumption that bankruptcy is not a good option.

1. Consumer Credit Counseling works for your creditors, not for you. A former Assistant Attorney General for the state of Texas had this to say about Consumer Credit Counseling Services: "I think that consumer credit counseling service is intrinsically deceptive. They're funded or incorporated by the very people they are truly representing? not the consumer/debtor but the creditors trying to collect the money.

I think they're a con; they pitch themselves as serving the consumer's best interest but they don't. Their promotions practices are deceptive and the consumers are being grossly misled. If they were lawyers, they'd get disbarred! Representing one-party and acting for the other? Come on! Think about it! If lawyers won't get involved in an enterprise like Consumer Credit Counseling, you know it must be bad."

2. Consumer Credit Counseling is paid by the credit industry to "help" you pay creditors. Your creditor counselor is being paid by the credit card companies. Interestingly enough, this is not a well kept secret. Information from the National Foundation for Credit Counselors reveals that up to 15 percent of each payment collected is paid to the Consumer Credit Counseling Services office.

Although they describe this payment as a contribution from the creditor, in reality, it is a commission. The National Foundation for Credit Counselors materials state: "The majority of our funding comes from voluntary contributions from creditors who participate in our Debt Management Plans." Can you expect to get impartial advice about filing bankruptcy from a collection agency?

3. Consumer Credit Counseling's nonprofit status does not mean they are not making money at your expense. Consumer Credit Counseling Services makes a point of describing themselves as a nonprofit organization. Most consumers probably don't realize that nonprofit businesses operate to make a profit. Rather than distributing earnings to stockholders as dividends, the profits are paid out to the employees and officers as salary or bonuses. They make money, and a lot of it!

Most hospitals are nonprofit organizations also. A company's nonprofit status has nothing to do with whether or not they are motivated to make money. As reported in the Washington Post, of the Office of the Corporation Counsel said: "Consumers should not let down their guard just because a credit-counseling agency calls itself nonprofit. It is easy to set up a nonprofit counseling agency and use the counselors to sell the services of a related for-profit company."

4. Consumer Credit Counseling often cannot reduce interest charges on credit accounts. Many people are convinced that the organization also has the ability to have finance charges reduced or waived. Information from a Consumer Credit Counseling Service web site makes it clear that they cannot always do this. In fact, the majority of creditors will not waive finance charges.

5. Consumer Credit Counseling will ruin your credit. What about your credit? The credit industry wants you to know that filing a bankruptcy can adversely affect your credit. The fact is, participating in their program can be just as bad, or even worse, than filing bankruptcy. An important overlooked fact is that you would not file a bankruptcy or participate in a Consumer Credit Counseling Services program unless you already had serious credit problems. Anyone who participates in a repayment plan through CCCS will have that fact reported on their credit.

You can expect all of your credit accounts to be closed, and you can expect to have a very difficult time opening any new accounts. The result is pretty much the same as a bankruptcy, except a bankruptcy doesn't cost as much or last as long. Joining one of the CCCS repayment programs often results in lower credit scores than if you filed a bankruptcy. Here is what David Butler, in his article The Complete Guide to Understanding Credit Ratings & Credit Reports, says this about Consumer Credit Counseling: "If you ever want to get a mortgage again in the next 7 years, avoid turning your debts over to Consumer Credit Counseling Services or any other debt management service. There used to be a time when this program really made sense, and it still ought to - but now most lenders won't touch you until the Consumer Credit Counseling Services is off of your credit report. You're almost better off doing a Chapter 13 bankruptcy, if you want to start getting credit reestablished anytime in the next 7 years."

6. Your credit rating is most likely BETTER 2 years after filing bankruptcy than 3 years after entering a payment plan with Consumer Credit Counseling Services. The reason is simple. Immediately after a bankruptcy filing, which typically only takes a few months, you can start rebuilding your credit. When you are in a repayment plan with Consumer Credit Counseling Services you won't be able to do much of anything to reestablish your credit until the typical four to five year payment plan is completed.

Even worse, the derogatory information that Consumer Credit Counseling Services will cause to your credit report will haunt you for seven years after you complete the Consumer Credit Counseling Services program. Consumer Credit Counseling Services likes to call filing bankruptcy the "10 year mistake." Maybe Consumer Credit Counseling Services should call their own program the "twelve year mistake."

7. Consumer Credit Counseling's stated goal is to help your creditors. The National Foundation for Credit Counselors, the organization that most Consumer Credit Counseling Services locations belong to makes their mission clear. Their literature states: "NFCC is committed to developing, promoting and maintaining successful relationships with creditors.

At NFCC we work with creditors - one by one - to develop policies to make your customer plans successful. Our nonprofit network of more than 1,300 locations returns close to $5 billion to creditors every year. NFCC member agencies help your customers avoid bankruptcy." The bottom line is simple. The more you pay ? the more Consumer Credit Counseling Services makes. Whose side do you think they are on?

Is there a reason to be embarrassed?   Because over a million people a year have filed for the past seven years, the process has changed so that there is no embarrassment.

Will I be able to get new credit?   Some of our clients get cars a week after the case is closed and houses within a year.

Will Bankruptcy will destroy my life?   It actually gives you a fresh start to a better life.

Will I lose control of my life?   It gives back control over your life by ending the harassment, calls and payments you can't afford.

Is Bankruptcy expensive?.   We offer low fees, payment plans in most cases and have evening and weekend appointments. Will I lose everything?   In most bankruptcies, you keep all of your property.

Is a Bankruptcy published in a nespaper?   Very few people, if any, will know about your case.

What will my future be like?   In most cases, when you go through the bankruptcy process, it gives you a brighter future.

Will I lose my bank accounts?   Bankruptcy will protect monies in your bank account.

What if my employer finds out?   In a chapter 7, your employer will most likely not find out and even if so, you cannot lose your job.

What will I do if I have to start over?   The fear should be: What would you do if you didn't have a chance to start over?

What if I don't qualify for bankruptcy?   If we take your case, you will be given bankruptcy protection. We have qualified thousands of people for bankruptcy since 1973.

I don't understand anything about bankruptcy?   At your first appointment, we will fully explain all of your options.

When will the harassing phone calls, garnishments, suits, letters stop?   They all stop once the bankruptcy case is filed.

Will Bankruptcy will hurt my credit?   Most people's credit is already bad or will be bad soon by the time they call a bankruptcy attorney. The bankruptcy gives you a fresh start.

Contesting dischargeability

Some kinds of claims against an individual debtor survive the discharge without the creditor having to do anything to protect the claim. Examples are child support, student loans, criminal restitution and judgments arising from drunk driving.

Other kinds of claims survive the bankruptcy only if the creditor takes action in the short time allowed.

Table of debts dischargeable and non dischargeable in Chapter 7

A creditor whose claim against the debtor was incurred by fraud, dishonesty or other forms of intentional "bad acts" or which is a non support claims which arose in a divorce may contest the discharge of his claim in a Chapter 7 bankruptcy by filing a timely nondischargeability suit and proving, to the satisfaction of the court, that the elements for non dischargeability are met. These adversary proceedings must be filed within 60 days of the first meeting of creditors or the claim is discharged.

If you hold a pre bankruptcy judgment for fraud against the debtor, that judgment may be conclusive in an action for non dischargeability in the bankruptcy court. You still need to file the non dischargeability action; you may not have to prove anything more than the existence of your judgment.

Glossary

Bankruptcy has its own language. Here is a brief definition of those terms used in this site and in the Bankruptcy Code.

Adequate protection: Payment to a secured creditor to protect the value of the creditor's lien during the bankruptcy proceeding from loss due to depreciation or non payment of a senior lien.

Adversary proceeding: A lawsuit filed in the bankruptcy court which is related to the debtor's bankruptcy case. Examples are complaints to determine the dischargeability of a debt and complaints to determine the extent and validity of liens.

Collateral: The property which is subject to a lien. A creditor with rights in collateral is a secured creditor and has additional protections in the Bankruptcy Code for the claim secured by collateral. The measure of the secured claim is the value of the collateral available to secure the claim: it is possible to have a lien on property that is subject to a senior lien or liens such that the security available to pay the claim is really without value to the junior creditor. The general rule with respect to liens is "First in time, first in right." More on Secured Debts.

Confirmation: The court order which makes the terms of the plan for repayment of debts in a Chapter 11, 12 or 13 binding. The terms of the confirmed plan replace the prepetition rights of the debtor and creditor.

Consumer Debt Debts incurred by an individual for personal, family or household purposes. Taxes are not consumer debts; neither are business loans. The means test only applies to those with primarily consumer debt.

Contingent: Used to describe debts that are not fixed in right at the time, but are dependent on some other event happening to fix the liability.

Conversion: Cases under the Code may be converted from one chapter to another chapter; for example, a Chapter 7 case may be converted to a case under Chapter 13 if the debtor is eligible for Chapter 13. Even though the chapter of the Code which governs it changes, it remains the same case as originally filed.

Creditor: The person or organization to whom the debtor owes money or has some other form of legal obligation.

Debtor: The debtor is the entity ( person, partnership or corporation) who is liable for debts, and who is the subject of a bankruptcy case.

Bankruptcy estate: The estate is all of the legal and equitable interests of the debtor as of the commencement of the case. From the estate, an individual debtor can claim certain property exempt; the balance of the estate is liquidated in a Chapter 7 to pay the administrative costs of the proceeding and the claims of creditors according to their priority. More on the estate

Chapter 7: The most common form of bankruptcy, a Chapter 7 case is a liquidation proceeding, available to individuals, married couples, partnerships and corporations. More in Bankruptcy Basics.

Chapter 11: A reorganization proceeding in which the debtor may continue in business or in possession of its property as a fiduciary. A confirmed Chapter 11 plan provides for the manner in which the claims of creditors will be paid in whole or in part by the debtor.

Chapter 12: A simplified reorganization plan for family farmers whose debts fall within certain limits.

Confirmed: A plan of reorganization in Chapter 11, 12 or 13 approved by the court and binding on the parties is said to be confirmed.

Debtor in Possession: In a Chapter 11 case, the debtor usually remains in possession of its assets and assumes the duties of a trustee. The debtor in possession is a fiduciary for the creditors of the estate, and owes them the highest duty of care and loyalty.

Denial of discharge: Penalty for debtor misconduct with respect to the bankruptcy case or creditors as a whole. The grounds on which the debtor's discharge may be denied are found in 11 U.S.C. 727. When the debtor's discharge is denied, the debts that could have been discharged in that case cannot be discharged in any subsequent bankruptcy. The administration of the case, the liquidation of assets and the recovery of avoidable transfers, continues for the benefit of creditors. More on denial of discharge.

Discharge: The legal elimination of debt through a bankruptcy case. When a debt is discharged, it is no longer legally enforceable against the debtor, though any lien which secures the debt may survive the bankruptcy case.

Dischargeable: Debts that can be eliminated in bankruptcy. Certain debts are not dischargeable; that it, they may not be discharged through bankruptcy or may only be discharged through Chapter 13. Family support and criminal restitution are examples of debts which cannot be discharged. Debts incurred by fraud can only be discharged in Chapter 13. More on which debts can be discharged. Considerations in contesting discharge of a debt.

Dismissal: The termination of the case without either the entry of a discharge or a denial of discharge; after a case is dismissed, the debtor and the creditors have the same rights as they had before the bankruptcy case was commenced. Dismissal is the penalty for many essentially minor infractions of bankruptcy procedures under the 2005 amendments.

Domestic Support Obligation: Debts for alimony, maintenance or support owed to child, spouse or governmental entity that paid for the support of the child or spouse. A new term introduced by the bankruptcy amendments of '05.

Exempt: Property that is exempt is removed from the bankruptcy estate and is not available to pay the claims of creditors. The debtor selects the property to be exempted from the statutory lists of exemptions available under the law of his state. The debtor gets to keep exempt property for use in making a fresh start after bankruptcy. More on Exemptions.

Exemptions: Exemptions are the lists of the kinds and values of property that is legally beyond the reach of creditors or the bankruptcy trustee. The debtor in bankruptcy keeps the exempt property. What property may be exempted is determined by state and federal statutes, and varies from state to state. Call Ocean City Bankruptcy Lawyer Jack Hyatt 410-484-4900.

Fiduciary: one who is entrusted with duties on behalf of another. The law requires the highest level of good faith, loyalty and diligence of a fiduciary, higher than the common duty of care that we all owe one another. The debtor in possession in a Chapter 11 is a fiduciary for the creditors, owing loyalty to the creditors and not the shareholders of the debtor.

Avoidance powers: Rights given to the bankruptcy trustee (or the debtor in possession in a Chapter 11) to recover certain transfers of property such as preferences or fraudulent transfers or to void liens created before the commencement of a bankruptcy case. More on preferences.

Bankruptcy Code. Title 11 of the United States Code governs bankruptcy proceedings. Bankruptcy is a matter of federal law and is, with the exception of exemptions, the same in every state. When federal bankruptcy law conflicts with state law, federal law controls. Bankruptcy Code incorporating changes effective 10/17/05.

Assets Assets are every form of property that the debtor owns. They include such intangible things as business goodwill; the right to sue someone; or stock options. The debtor must disclose all of his assets in the bankruptcy schedules; exemptions remove the exempt assets from property of the estate.

Automatic stay: The injunction issued automatically upon the filing of a bankruptcy case which prohibits collection actions against the debtor, the debtor's property or the property of the estate. See Relief from Stay on terminating the injunction.

Avoidance: The Bankruptcy Code permits the debtor to eliminate (avoid) some kinds of liens that interfere with (or impair) an exemption claimed in the bankruptcy. Most judgment liens that have attached to the debtor's home can be avoided if the total of the liens (mortgages, judgment liens and statutory liens) is greater than the value of the property in which the exemption is claimed. This is sometimes called "lien stripping." For more, see Lien Avoidance and Lien Stripping. Call Ocean City Bankruptcy Lawyer Jack Hyatt 410-484-4900.

Chapter 13: A repayment plan for individuals with debts falling below statutory levels which provides for repayment of some or all of the debts out of future income over 3 to 5 years. More in The Power of 13.

Charged Off: This is an accounting term that means the creditor does not expect to collect on the debt. It relates to the creditor's taxes. It starts time periods under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. It does not mean that the debt is no longer legally enforceable.

General, unsecured claim: Creditor's claim without a priority for payment for which the creditor holds no security (or collateral). If the available funds in the estate extend to payment of unsecured claims, the claims are paid in proportion to the size of the claim relative to the total of claims in the class of unsecured claims.

Indemnify: to guarantee against any loss which another might suffer. In bankruptcy, it is used to describe the undertaking of one spouse in a divorce to assume certain debts of the marriage and to see that the other spouse is not forced to pay. Also called a "hold hamrless" clause.

Lien: An interest in real or personal property which secures a debt; the lien may be voluntary, such as a mortgage in real property, or involuntary, such as a judgment lien or tax lien.

Liquidated: A debt that is for a known number of dollars is liquidated. An unliquidated debt is one where the debtor has liability, but the exact monetary measure of that liability is unknown. Tort claims are usually unliquidated until a trial fixes the amount of the liability of the tort feasor.

Means Test: Added to the Code in 2005, the means test is intented to screen out those filing Chapter 7 who are supposedly able to repay some part of their debts. The test is found in Official Form B22a. Debtors who fail the means test may convert their case to another chapter of bankruptcy. More about how the means test works.

Meeting of creditors The debtor must appear at a meeting with the trustee to be examined under oath about assets and liabilities. Creditors are invited but seldom attend. The meeting is sometimes called the 341 meeting, after the section of the Bankruptcy Code that requires it. More about "going to court".

Non dischargeable: A debt that cannot be eliminated in bankruptcy. Non dischargeable debts remain legally enforceable despite the bankruptcy discharge. The Code's list of non dischargeable debts is found at 11 U.S.C. 523. The scope of the discharge in Chapter 13 differs from the discharge in Chapter 7. Discharges compared. Call Ocean City Bankruptcy Lawyer Jack Hyatt 410-484-4900.

Perfection: When a secured creditor has taken the required steps to perfect his lien, the lien is senior to any liens that arise after perfection. A mortgage is perfected by recording it with the county recorder; a lien in personal property is perfected by filing a financing statement with the secretary of state. An unperfected lien is valid between the debtor and the secured creditor, but may be behind liens created later in time, but perfected earlier than the lien in question. An unperfected lien can be avoided by the trustee.

Personal property: Assets, such as cars, stock, furniture, etc., that is not real estate or affixed to real property,

Petition: The document that initiates a bankruptcy case. The filing of the petition constitutes an order for relief and institutes the automatic stay. Events are frequently described as "prepetition", happening before the bankruptcy petition was filed, and "post petition", after the bankruptcy was initiated. Call Ocean City Bankruptcy Lawyer Jack Hyatt 410-484-4900.

Preference: A transfer to a creditor in payment of an existing debt made within certain time periods before the commencement of the case. Preferences may be recovered by the trustee for the benefit of all creditors of the estate. More on preferences.

Pre-petition: Claims or events arising before the commencement of the bankruptcy case, that is, before the filing of the bankruptcy petition. Generally only pre petition debts may be discharged in a bankruptcy proceeding.

Priority: The Bankruptcy Code establishes the order in which claims are paid from the bankruptcy estate. All claims in a higher priority must be paid in full before claims with a lower priority receive anything. All claims with the same priority share pro rata. Claims are paid in this order: 1) costs of administration 2) priority claims and 3) general unsecured claims. Secured claims are paid from the proceeds of liquidating the collateral which secured the claim.

Priority claims: Certain debts, such as unpaid wages, spousal or child support, and taxes are elevated in the payment hierarchy under the Code. Priority claims must be paid in full before general unsecured claims are paid. Priorities listed. Discussion of priority taxes.

Proof of claim: The form filed with the court establishing the creditor's claim against the debtor.

Property of the estate: The property that is not exempt and belongs to the bankruptcy estate. Property of the estate is usually sold by the trustee and the claims of creditors paid from the proceeds. More on property of the estate. Call Ocean City Bankruptcy Lawyer Jack Hyatt 410-484-4900.

Reaffirm: The debtor can chose to waive the discharge as to a debt that is reaffirmed. Generally, the parties to the reaffirmed debt have the same rights and liabilities that each had prior to the bankruptcy filing: the debtor is obligated to pay and the creditor can sue or repossess if the debtor doesn't pay. More on reaffirmation and the alternatives.

Relief from stay: A creditor can ask the judge to lift the automatic stay and permit some action against the debtor or the property of the estate. If the motion is granted, the moving party (but no one else) is free to take whatever action the court permits. Relief can be absolute, for example, permitting the creditor to foreclose on property, or limited, as for example, allowing the recordation of a notice of default. More on relief from stay.

Schedules: The debtor must file the required lists of assets and liabilities to commence a bankruptcy case, collectively called the schedules. Call Ocean City Bankruptcy Lawyer Jack Hyatt 410-484-4900.

Secured debt: A claim secured by a lien in the debtor's property by reason of the debtor's agreement or an involuntary lien such as a judgment or tax lien. The creditor's claim may be divided into a secured claim, to the extent of the value of the collateral, and an unsecured claim equal to the remainder of the total debt. Generally a secured claim must be perfected under applicable state law to be treated as a secured claim in the bankruptcy. More at Is This Debt Secured? Call Ocean City Bankruptcy Lawyer Jack Hyatt 410-484-4900.

Trustee: the court appoints a trustee in every Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 case to review the debtor's schedules and represent the interests of the creditors in the bankruptcy case. The role of the trustee is different under the different chapters. More on trustees.

Unsecured: A claim or debt is unsecured if there is no collateral that is security for the debt. Most consumer debts are unsecured. See Is This Debt Secured?

Debts arising in divorce:

When a divorce or separation agreement or judgment creates a debt in favor of the former spouse, those non support obligations to the former spouse may be excluded from the Chapter 7 bankruptcy discharge. 11 U.S.C. 523(a)15.

The creditor spouse doesn't have to prove fraud or dishonesty; he or she must prove that discharge of the debt creates a greater hardship on the creditor spouse than excluding the debt from discharge would create for the debtor spouse.

These non support, marital debts are non dischargeable only if the creditor/spouse files an adversary proceeding within 60 days of the first meeting of creditors. (The rule for support debts is different: they are non dischargeable without action on the part of the benefited party).

More on family issues in bankruptcy

Should I file a non dischargeability action?

Before spending time, money and emotional energy in contesting the discharge of your claim in the debtor's bankruptcy, you need to ask yourself some hard, real - world questions about why you might contest dischargeability. Consider:

What is the likelihood that the debtor will have assets or income in the future from which your claim could be paid, if you were successful in excepting the debt from discharge?

If the debtor is older, low skill or discredited in his field of endeavor, or subject to other substantial non dischargeable claims such as taxes, the chances of recovering money after the bankruptcy to pay your non dischargeable claim are questionable.

What are the costs of litigating the nondischargeability action?

How do those estimated costs compare to the size of the debt you want to collect? What is the risk that you won't prevail?

Did the dishonest or malicious act create the debt or did it occur after you extended credit?

Generally, to prevail, you must show that but for the dishonest act, the debt would not have arisen. Lies about intent to repay the debt, made after the debt was incurred, usually won't support a non dischargeability action,

Bankruptcy Myths

Myth 1: Everyone will know you have filed for bankruptcy.
Myth 2: You will lose everything you have.
Myth 3: You will never be able to own anything again.
Myth 4: You will never get credit again.
Myth 5: Filing bankruptcy will hurt your credit for 10 years.
Myth 6: If you're married...both you and your spouse have to file for bankruptcy.
Myth 7: It's really hard to file for bankruptcy.
Myth 8: Only deadbeats file for bankruptcy.
Myth 9: Filing bankruptcy means you're a bad person.
Myth 10: Filing for bankruptcy will hurt your credit.
Myth 11: Even if you file for bankruptcy, creditors will still harass you and your family.
Myth 12: If you file for bankruptcy, it may cause more family troubles and may even lead to divorce.
Myth 13: You can't get rid of back taxes through bankruptcy.
Myth 14: You can only file once for bankruptcy protection.
Myth 15: You can pick and choose which debts and property to list in your bankruptcy.

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