The attorneys at Bond & Botes, P.C. are proud to announce the winner of our 2018 Financial Hardship Scholarship: Marshall Stein. This fall, Mr. Stein is attending the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) to pursue a B.S. degree in Nursing. The $2,000 Bond & Botes scholarship will help cover some of his tuition costs for the school year. About Marshall Stein Life is not without hardships, but seeing young students overcome their struggles makes the future a little bit brighter. Marshall always had one goal in mind no matter what: get a college education. Marshall’s parents vowed to help fund…Read More
The Social Security Administration (SSA) recently announced a Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) for beneficiaries to be applied in the upcoming year. According to the agency, an adjustment of some 2.8 percent will be forthcoming for those receiving monthly monetary benefits in 2019. Extra Money for SSA Recipients That means a little extra money in the bank for about 67 million recipients. While that increase might not sound like much, consider the fact that there was no COLA at all in 2016, so something is better than nothing. For what it’s worth, this is the largest COLA since 2012’s 3.6 percent. Also…Read More
Sears, the once iconic and largest retailer in America, filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy protection today. While this bankruptcy has been long coming, the impact of Sears’ bankruptcy is profound. Humble Beginnings at Sears Sears & Roebuck (as it was once known) was founded in 1892 by Richard Sears and Alvah Roebuck as a mail order catalog company, and it quickly changed and revolutionized American culture. The now famous “Sears Catalog” allowed nearly every American the opportunity to take part in the Industrial Revolution. A lifestyle that was once only available to “city folk” was now just a mail delivery…Read More
Millions of Americans have revolving credit card debt. The rate of interest on credit card debt is usually very high in relation to other types of debt. These rates can vary. Many credit card rates are affected by the Federal Reserve’s benchmark rate. This means that when this rate rises, so does the interest rate on affected credit cards and consumers holding these cards must pay more interest. The Federal Reserve has recently increased its rate and more increases are expected. According to CreditCards.com, the average credit card interest rate is currently 17.01 percent. One year ago, the average rate…Read More
Is it just me or does it seem like your cell phone is blowing up? Ok, I know it’s not just me! There is something you can do about this persistent and annoying harassment under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). What Is the Telephone Consumer Protection Act? The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) is a powerful law that regulates telephone calls to both a home and cell phone. Specifically, 47 U.S.C. § 227(c)(5) sets forth the Do Not Call (DNC) list that is now common knowledge in our country. Click here to go to the government Do Not Call Registry….Read More
In my line of work, I see people frequently who are under an extreme amount of financial stress. These people handle the stress in one of two ways, there are those who could care less if collectors are calling but just want to get their finances under control and then there are others who are scared and stressed that they have collectors calling because they don’t have the income to pay the debts. It is how one views the stress that determines whether that stress will have an impact on their health. Stress and the Impact on Your Health Last…Read More
While the process of filing and successfully completing a bankruptcy case can be difficult and complicated, it is usually fairly simple and straightforward to qualify for bankruptcy. At Bond and Botes, Bankruptcy is our specialty. So when I’m meeting a prospective client, I can usually determine what types of case a person is eligible for after a short conversation. In consumer bankruptcy, a person can file for relief under either Chapter 7 or Chapter 13. Assuming you’re eligible for both types of case, which should you file? About Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Chapter 7 is the most common type of case…Read More
If you filed for an Extension of time to file your 2017 Federal Tax Return, you have until October 15, 2018 to submit your return. To make sure you meet your tax obligations, you should file an accurate tax return. If you make an error on your tax return, it will likely take longer to process and could delay a refund. You can avoid many common errors by filing electronically, which is the most accurate way to file a tax return. Here are several common errors to avoid when preparing your tax return: Missing or Inaccurate Social Security numbers –…Read More
Dina Lohan, the mother of the infamous actress Lindsay Lohan, filed a petition for Chapter 13 Bankruptcy earlier this week. Dina, who claims to be in the hole for more than $1.5 million, filed her bankruptcy petition just in time to save her Long Island mansion from being sold in a foreclosure auction. How Does a Bankruptcy Petition Stop a Foreclosure? When a Chapter 7 or 13 Bankruptcy petition is filed, an automatic stay immediately goes into effect. If the petition is filed before the house in foreclosure is sold, the automatic stay will stop the foreclosure process–potentially saving the…Read More
Last week, the Attorney General for the state of New York announced she had filed a lawsuit against nine student loan debt relief companies, a financing company, and two individuals who have leadership roles in these companies. The lawsuit was filed in New York Supreme Court. According to the lawsuit, the defendants used fraud and deception, as well as illegally advertised and sold student debt relief to thousands of consumers nationwide and in the state of New York. What Companies Are Being Sued? The student loan debt relief companies named in the lawsuit are Debt Resolve, Inc.; Hutton Ventures, LLC;…Read More
