Debt-Relief Firms Attract Complaints 
  Posted: September 17th, 2008
  The Wall Street Journal, wsj.com

As the economy weakens, a growing number of consumers are paying big money for services from debt-settlement companies that purport to help them settle their debts for a fraction of what they owe. But experiences shows, customers can end up wishing they hadn't sought such help. The Wall Street Journal takes a look at one consumer who hired a debt-settlement company.

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After bankruptcy, an entrepreneur rebuilds 
  Posted: September 25th, 2008
  CNN Money, money.cnn.com

CNN Money takes a look at one business owner's success in rebuilding his business life post bankruptcy. "After losing my first business, I built a successful new one and learned to live debt-free. "

"Strip-down" Could Ease Subprime Mortgage Crisis
  Posted: September 2nd, 2008
  UC Davis News, news.ucdavis.edu

Nearly all debtors who file for bankruptcy under Chapter 13 are homeowners, according to researchers at the University of California, Davis, Graduate School of Management and UC San Diego.

Alabama Bankruptcies continue to climb
  Posted: September 2nd, 2008
  The Birmingham News, al.com

Birmingham bankruptcy lawyer Brad Botes said his client base is approaching levels he has not seen since mid-2005, when a surge of clients sought bankruptcy protection prior to the tougher new law.

"Between foreclosures and others overwhelmed by debts as they deal with high gas, energy and food prices, it is no wonder so many people are struggling to get by right now," Botes said.
 

12 Myths about bankruptcy
  Posted: July 1st, 2008

Like most big, bad scary things, bankruptcy has a reputation based on a few tidbits of truth and lots of embellishment. It's not nearly as frightening once you know the facts.

With a mind toward de-clawing the monster, here are a dozen misconceptions about bankruptcy. - bankrate.com


When staying alive means going bankrupt  June 29th, 2008

Health insurance didn’t keep cancer-stricken California woman solvent - MSNBC.COM


Business bankruptcies soar in early part of year June 5th, 2008

Birmingham bankruptcy lawyer Brad Botes said the business growth is a sign that companies are being hurt by the credit crunch and a slowdown in the housing ... (read more) The Birmingham News - al.com

Bankruptcy Filings Up 30 Percent in Last 12 Months  June 4, 2008

Bankruptcy filings leapt up 30 percent for the 12 months ending March 31 -- from 676,000 in 2007 to nearly 902,000 this year -- according to data from the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts.
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The top five states for bankruptcy filings per capita in the 2008 data are Tennessee, 6.7 per 1,000 population; Georgia at 5.45; Alabama at 5.29, Illinois at 5.16; and Michigan at 4.82 per 1,000. - The National Law Journal

Build credit without a credit card April 22, 2008
Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine - MSN Money


Beware cut-rate bankruptcy advice. March 29, 2008
Liz Pulliam Weston - MSN Money

Bankruptcy has become little more than a few months in purgatory, rather than the seven-year ache -- and lifelong disgrace -- it once was.

Law Makes Debt Relief Harder for Homeowners. January 12, 2008
Jane Birnbaum - New York Times

Change in banjruptcy laws pondered amid home mortgage meltdown. January 7, 2008  - Rob Hotakainen - Kansas City Star / KansasCity.com

Banks fight home loan bankruptcy bill. November 7, 2007
Alan Ziebel - businessweek.com

Mortgage lenders are fighting lawmakers' efforts to enable bankrupt borrowers to reduce the size of their home loans, arguing this change would magnify the housing crisis by driving up interest rates.

Chapter 13 delivers foreclosure alternative. November 7, 2007
James Paton - rockymountainnews.com

Facing rising mortgage payments and a weaker housing market, more Coloradans are turning to Chapter 13 bankruptcy to try to avoid losing their homes.

Lawmakers Weigh Mortgage Bankruptcy Bill, November 16, 2007

WASHINGTON — U.S. House Democrats and Republicans are still negotiating a possible compromise on legislation that would give bankruptcy judges more flexibility to alter mortgage terms for borrowers facing foreclosure.

Bankruptcy Reform Bites Back
Christopher Farrell, businessweek.com, October 29, 2007

In past periods of economic turbulence, American households were able to escape mountains of bad debt—and keep their homes—by declaring bankruptcy. During the weak growth years from 2001 to 2003, for example, nonbusiness bankruptcy petitions averaged...

Homeowners fuel rise in bankruptcies
Mike Drummond, charlotte.com, October 25, 2007

Homeowners struggling to avoid foreclosure increasingly are turning to a perceived lesser evil -- filing for bankruptcy. Last month, amid a continued U.S. housing slump, consumer bankruptcies increased almost 23 percent from a year earlier, according to...

Bankruptcy law isn't much help to Tennessee
Mara Lee, ashlandcitytimes.com, October 18, 2007

Congress voted to change the bankruptcy code to require more people to pay some of what they owe because a majority of lawmakers believed Americans were using bankruptcy as an easy way out of debt. Two years later, figures compiled by the American...

Bankruptcy filings are on the rise
Jane Brissett, duluthnewstribune.com, October 14, 2007

Since the new federal bankruptcy law went into effect two years ago, the number of cases in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Duluth has fallen dramatically. But financial counselors say just as many people, if not more, are in financial trouble. And the number...


Bankruptcy FilingsIn First Half of 2007 Up 48 Percent from a Year Ago
Press Release (ABI) — The total number of U.S. bankruptcies filed during the first six months of 2007 increased 48.23 percent over the same period in 2006 in all bankruptcy court districts, according to data released today by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts. Total filings reached 404,090 during the first half of the calendar year of 2007 (January 1-June 30), compared to 272,604 cases filed over the same period in 2006. (Read More) - American Bankruptcy Institute

Declaring Bankruptcy Can Improve Your Credit Score
Credit scores can run the gamut among bankruptcy filers. "In that population, you'll find some consumers who have very good FICO scores, some who have very bad FICO scores, and in between" Granted, you won't be able to bring your score up to the perfect 850 as long as your bankruptcy stays in your report, but with good credit management after filing, a score in the 700s isn't impossible. - SmartMoney.com

Consumers facing tough times with debt
NEW YORK (AP) — NEW YORK - Rising interest rates and higher gasoline prices are putting the squeeze on consumers’ budgets, and many are finding it harder to keep up with their bills.- From MSNBC

Hooray for Bankruptcy!  or - PDF File
Author Spike Gillespie takes a look at Bankruptcy. - From the NY Times

Bankruptcy information contained in this section may not necessarily be written or provided by Bond and Botes directly.