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Wage garnishment is the most common type of garnishment. In Arizona, the wage garnishment process usually starts when a creditor files a writ of garnishment of earnings, therefore, initiating a civil lawsuit against a debtor, who has defaulted on payments. If the judge rules for the creditor, the Court grants a money judgment in favor of the creditor and against the person owing the money. The judge issues a court order to the creditor. If the debtor does not pay, then the creditor can use the money judgment to file for a wage garnishment. The creditor serves the wage garnishment documentation on the debtor’s employer, and it requires the employer to withhold (garnish) a specified amount from the debtor’s paycheck each pay period. If your employer has been served with this court order, they cannot refuse to garnish your wages without severe repercussions. The court order requires your employer to send the funds to the person or organization that you owe money until the debt is paid off unless other payment arrangements are made with the Court or creditor.

An Overview of Wage Garnishment in Arizona Wage garnishment is the most common type of garnishment. In Arizona, the wage garnishment process usually starts when a creditor files a writ of garnishment of earnings, therefore, initiating a civil lawsuit against a debtor, who has defaulted on payments. If the judge rules for the creditor, the […]

Filing bankruptcy is a huge decision. And, there are a lot of smaller, yet extremely important choices to be made regarding the process. Should you file bankruptcy? What type of bankruptcy should you file? When should you file bankruptcy?

If you are about to lose your home to foreclosure, it is a good reason to start thinking about bankruptcy as a fresh start. Make sure to consult with a qualified bankruptcy attorney immediately. If you wait too long, it may be too late to save your home. Starting the bankruptcy process can halt the foreclosure process, which may give you the necessary time to save your home.

Before filing your bankruptcy case, it is important to decide if bankruptcy is your best option. Depending on the specifics of your financial problems, we will gather and discuss a great many facts in your case. We will want to know all aspects of your financial situation and what your desired outcomes are. It may be difficult to discuss all the circumstances you are facing in bankruptcy. However, if you are to take full advantage of the protections offered you under the United States and Arizona bankruptcy laws, we must know everything, including who and what you owe, whether or not you are behind on your payments, and any other financial information.

Reaffirming a Debt in Bankruptcy
There are times when clients who have filed chapter 7 or 13 bankruptcy will ask whether or not they should reaffirm a debt that would otherwise be discharged in their bankruptcy. Reaffirmation is an agreement made with a creditor to continue paying off a debt even after bankruptcy. There may be legitimate reasons for wanting to reaffirm a debt or loan. However, before the changes in bankruptcy law in 2005, it was not uncommon for creditors to use coercive methods to try and get debtors to reaffirm a loan. Reaffirming a debt means that you will be legally responsible for repaying the debt after your bankruptcy even though the bankruptcy would have released you of any legal responsibility to pay it back.

In previous blogs, I have written introductory information about the basic process in chapter 13 bankruptcy. In this next series of articles, I will discuss some of the issues surrounding chapter 13. In order to file chapter 13, you must be an individual with regular income. There are limits to the amount of debt you can have and still be eligible to file chapter 13. As of April 1, 2013 the limits are now $1,149,525.00 for secured debt and $383,175.00 for unsecured debt. These numbers are adjusted every three years. If you are close to these numbers, be sure and contact our office to get the current applicable limitations.

  Before filing your bankruptcy case, it is important to decide if bankruptcy is your best option. Depending on the specifics of your financial problems, we will gather and discuss as many of the facts in your case. We will want to know all aspects of your financial situation and what your desired outcomes are. […]

Many people are confused about the difference between a charge-off and a bankruptcy discharge.  What is the difference, and which one is better? A charge-off occurs when your creditor, usually the bank with which you have your credit card, declares that your debt is unlikely to be collected.  The bank has, after assessing your situation, […]

Everybody asks me what they get to keep and what they will lose. And so let me start by saying 98% of all bankruptcies that are filed are called “no-asset cases,” meaning that my clients keep everything that they own, everything, and that’s because everything is exempt from attachment by a creditor. So let me […]