If you’ve filed for Missouri Chapter 13 bankruptcy before, you’re probably aware it will take between 3 and 5 years to receive your bankruptcy discharge if you satisfy all the requirement of your Chapter 13 plan. In the meantime you’ll have an automatic stay protecting you from creditors who would otherwise be harassing you. In order to get to the finish line though, it’s a good idea to stay… Continue reading

Payday loans have become an easy option for many workers in Missouri and Illinois. While it seems to be an easy fix when you are in a bind, you shouldn’t look at payday loans as an easy way to pay your bills.

Payday loans let you borrow against a future paycheck at an exorbitant interest rate. They allow you to write a post-dated check but require you to… Continue reading

Tax time is rarely a happy time for anyone. Having to take a full look at your financial situation makes you feel the effects of the economy more so than ever before. By April 15th, I think we’ll have a clear picture of just how hard this economy hit the families of Missouri and Illinois in 2009. Continue reading

New credit card laws originally put forth by the government in 2009 are just now going to affect most consumers. February 22nd is the date that most of the consumer protections (and profit cutting) begin. What consumer protections am I talking about? Here are the ones that I believe will affect Missouri and Illinois residents the most. Continue reading

Christmas is a great time for spending time with family and friends—and spending money on gifts for them. The cost of Christmas seems to only get bigger as the years go by. While credit card companies may have made it easier to spend more money, they’ve also made us dread the bills we get in January. So, for the sake of 2010, here are some tips on saving a few bucks that I’ve gathered after spending 15 holiday seasons working as a St. Louis Missouri and Illinois Bankruptcy attorney. Continue reading

Cold weather has swept St. Louis—and with it, comes the Missouri Cold Weather Rule, put forth by Attorney General Chris Koster. The rule requires that utility companies leave your utilities connected for the 24 hours following a forecasted temperature of below 32 degrees. So, if you are late on your utility bill, you won’t be “left out in the cold.” (Well, at least not immediately.) The utility companies are… Continue reading

The time after a bankruptcy is often much more relaxing than the chaos that preceded it. Without the annoyance of creditor calls, stress of overdue notices, and fear that comes with debt, you can finally look at your life with a clear mind. Now, it is time to learn how to spend money again—the right way. The best way to take your first step back into the world of… Continue reading

The front-page stories of many newspapers across America are saying that the end of the recession may be in sight. After third quarter growth rates that we haven’t seen since the recession hit in 2007, the spirits of Americans everywhere have lifted. It seems that the highly publicized “Cash for Clunkers” program along with the tax incentive for first time home buyers has sparked some consumer spending, resulting in… Continue reading

The world of Bankruptcy was different before the Bankruptcy code was amended in the late 90s. It was easier to file, easier to discharge certain debts, but more specifically, it was easier to put student loan debts into a Chapter 7. Now, according to Bankruptcy Law, you can only discharge student loans if you show your loan payment causes “undue hardship” on you and your family. What does that mean?… Continue reading

I’m sure you get tons of credit card offers in the mail just like me. They all come with tempting offers of low interest rates and no annual fees. I even am convinced to take some of them out of the envelope and read them. Ultimately, I decide against most of them. If you are having trouble “just saying no,” here are some suggestions you might want to think about… Continue reading