Free Consultation Request



 + Filing Online

 + Chapter Seven

 + Chapter Thirteen

 + Chapter Eleven

 + What is a Trustee?

 + What is a 341 Meeting?

 + Ask a Lawyer

 + Choosing a Lawyer

 + Business Bankruptcy

    > 13 Famous Cases

 + Costs Involved

 + Bankruptcy Software




 + Bankruptcy Alternatives

    > Debt Consolidation

    > Credit Counseling

 + Avoiding Foreclosure


 + Bankruptcy Statistics

 + Twelve Bad Spending Habits

 + Common Terminology

 + Credit After Bankruptcy

    > Mortgages

    > Mortgage Refinancing

    > Beware of Payday Loans

    > Credit Cards

    > Rebuilding Credit Tips

 + Honesty is Best

 + Discharging Debts

    > Student Loans

    > Child Support

    > Alimony Payments

 + Bankruptcy Courts

 + Your Bankruptcy Record



 + Do It Yourself

 + Form Calculator - Schedule I

 + Form Calculator - Schedule J

 + Bookstore Help

 + Bankruptcy Forums

    > Forum Information

 + Free Credit Report




 + Employment Law

 + Real Estate Law

 + Business Law

 + Estate Planning

 + Tax Law




New Bankruptcy Laws







Home > Ask a Bankruptcy Lawyer - December 2006

Ask a Bankruptcy Lawyer
December 2006

If you have a general question about filing bankruptcy, you can submit your questions here. Please note that all questions received are answered by a real bankruptcy attorney, however, the answers given are only meant to be general in nature and are not meant to replace legal advice.

Mr. Markus has taken the time to help educate the public on personal bankruptcy issues, but is not offering you legal advice. If you live in the state of California and need a bankruptcy attorney, you can contact Mark here.

If you are outside of California and need an attorney, click here to find an attorney. Again, none of the information found on this site is meant to replace the advice you can obtain through a qualified legal professional, in your own state (as certain things differ by state in bankruptcy), who has taken the time to look at the specifics of your case before answering.



Mark J. Markus has been practicing exclusively bankruptcy law in Los Angeles and surrounding counties of California since 1991 and handles Chapter 7, 11, and 13 cases for debtors and creditors. Visit his webpage: http://www.bklaw.com/ for useful bankruptcy information and representation or you can contact him using the information below:

Mark J. Markus - Law Office of Mark J. Markus
11684 Ventura Blvd. PMB #403
Studio City, CA 91604-2652
Tel: (818) 509-1173   Fax: (818) 509-1460
This Firm is a Qualified Federal Debt Relief Agency





Two Houses, Back Credit Card Payments; Is Bankruptcy the Right Option?

Q: "My husband and I have 2 houses. One has been for sale almost 2 years. We can not make 2 house payments anymore so they are going to foreclose on it now. We also have credit card payments each month that we fell behind on. We live paycheck to paycheck. We are thinking about filing bankruptcy. What ramifications could it have?"

Signed: Foreclosure Imminent, Pennsylvania


A: That's a rather broad question. The ramifications it has will depends on many things, including what your alternatives to bankruptcy are, your overall financial structure, income, etc. The only way to properly assess the ramifications is to have a comprehensive consultation with a bankruptcy professional in your area.



Questions about What You Can Claim as Legitimate Expenses

Q: "I’m about to file bankruptcy and my father is telling me that I can’t claim my tanning bills ($100 per month) at all and that my hair care costs ($200 per month), make-up ($100 per month) and clothing expenses ($600 per month) or cell phone bill (I travel internationally and my plan is about $150 per month) at their real amounts, because the court would see it as unnecessary spending. I work as a model and these are all expenses that I have to spend to maintain my career. Is there any way around it?"

Signed: Aspiring Model, CA


A: If you declare these expenses on your tax return as business expenses (Schedule C) then you can most definitely "include" them as expenses in your bankruptcy budget as business expenses to offset your business income.


Ask a Lawyer Archives:

+   Is your median income the only factor in deciding if chapter seven is allowed?
+   Can the IRS come after back taxes of a discharged debt years later?
+   Do I list original debtors, collection agencies or both on my bankruptcy filing?
+   Is bankruptcy an alternative to home buying investments gone bad?
+   How is income determined when deciding if you are eligible for bankruptcy?
+   Can filing bankruptcy wipe away student loan debts?
+   Two houses and backed up credit card payments; Is bankruptcy best?
+   What counts as legitimate living expenses when filing bankruptcy?
+   Questions about using a bankruptcy lawyer vs. filing Pro Se
+   Is a back child support payment considered income when filing bankruptcy?
+   Will claiming bankruptcy affect the co-signer on my car?
+   Does one spouse filing bankruptcy affect the couple's joint tax return?
+   I can't pay an accident judgement, can bankruptcy get rid of it?
+   How are joint marital assets affected by a wife's bankruptcy filing?
+   Do I have to claim my 401K withdrawl as income?
+   Can I sign over a car to my daughter prior to filing?
+   Chapter 13 in danger of being dropped but would like to save the house
+   Debt collector calls may force us into bankruptcy
+   Husband claiming bankruptcy, but the wife has good credit
+   Need tips to find a credit counseling agency




© 2002-2008 FilingForBankruptcyOnline.com - All Rights Reserved. Privacy Information | Advertising Information
Disclaimer: We at FilingForBankruptcyOnline.com are not attorneys or paralegals. We simply provide general information on this website with the understanding that it is for informational purposes only and is not to be taken as legal advice. If you are in need of legal advice you should consult with an attorney. This site is absolutely not intended to replace the advice of a qualified legal professional.