As a St. Louis bankruptcy attorney, I have potential clients come to me asking about wage garnishment laws. That’s not as easy of answer as one might think because in our area people come to see me from two different states that have different regulations when it comes to wage garnishments. I can give you the different rates that can be used if your wages are garnished in Missouri and Illinois.

• The standard wage garnishment/deduction:

• In Missouri: 25%
• In Illinois: 15%

• If you are the head of household:

• In Missouri: the standard rate goes down 10%
• In Illinois: the standard rate remains the same

• If your wages are being garnished for child support:

• In Missouri: Up to 65% of your wages can be garnished
• In Illinois: For 1 child you can be garnished 20% of your income, it goes up to 28% for 2 kids, and up to a maximum of 50% for 6 or more children

Bankruptcy is a solution to wage garnishment, it completely stops once you file. Filing bankruptcy can also stop creditors from taking any other action against you, such as, repossession, foreclosure, etc.

If your wages are being garnished in Missouri or Illinois, you may not need a lawyer, but what you do need is helpful information to arm you from harassing creditors. That’s why my best advice is before you speak to a St. Louis bankruptcy attorney, debt collectors, or sign any forms, you need to read my free book. “Get Out of Debt: Secrets Your Creditors Don’t Want You to Know” can give you the answers you need to start fresh financially.

Why you SHOULDN’T EVER borrow money to pay off debts to avoid Missouri bankruptcy! Continue reading

No is a word that a bankruptcy attorney will not often use, especially if they offer low rates. Should attorneys say no a little more often? Maybe. So if an attorney is inclined to decline, what reasons would they have to make this decision? Here are a few:

Cases with no real debt

If you don’t have debt then why are you looking to file… Continue reading

An experienced Bankruptcy attorney will tell you it’s a good idea to keep one credit card even after filing bankruptcy, you may ask why? This is because a cash-only existence doesn’t always provide for emergencies. I usually recommend my clients get one credit card to use responsibly after they receive their discharge.

That means for regular, necessary expenses and emergencies only (as I have often explained to… Continue reading

Any bankruptcy attorney can tell you about the toll debt takes on a family. We see it everyday when we’re helping our clients deal with it. Now that foreclosure rates are at an all time high, keeping your family’s home has been moved to the top of your to-do list. But what a lot of people don’t realize is that foreclosure from a mortgage isn’t the only thing that… Continue reading

So how do you make the most of it once you’ve file for bankruptcy? You may not realize it, but chances are your credit score has improved.

It may be hard to believe given the nature of bankruptcy, but most of our clients actually see their credit score improve after filing bankruptcy. This is just further proof that bankruptcy doesn’t hurt your credit. It’s important that you don’t

Recent emails leaked by a former Bank of America employee may contribute to the suspicion that loan documents were altered to force borrowers into illegal foreclosures. Continue reading

You might know what to expect if you’re filing your tax return after bankruptcy, even if you’re not expecting a refund. As a bankruptcy lawyer, I try to make sure my clients are getting all of their tax forms filled out properly.

You want to make sure you avoid these common mistakes regarding your income taxes, these are according to the IRS.

1. Claiming the wrong filing… Continue reading

It really is a small world. If you have found yourself in need of a bankruptcy attorney’s services it’s possible that not all of your assets are in the United States. Foreign bank accounts or assets are going to be important to disclose to your bankruptcy lawyer.

When you meet with your bankruptcy attorney, they will have you list all of your debts and assets. This is the sort… Continue reading

If you decide to file for bankruptcy, being a Missouri Bankruptcy Lawyer, I’m sure your top fear concerns your property? Is that harassing repo man still going to come after you? I will tell you that in 99.9 percent of the cases I’ve represented this has never occurred. If a client has filed for bankruptcy, they cannot be harassed by debt collectors any longer.

As a Missouri bankruptcy… Continue reading