Bankruptcy - Listen for the information you don't want to hear and ask the questions you don't want to know the answers to ...

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I had a call this week from a potential client trying to deal with student loans she and her husband co-signed for their daughter. Her daughter defaulted and the lender was suing both the student and parents. The student file bankruptcy several years ago only because she had student loans thinking the debt was discharged because the loans were private school loans. Last year, the creditor starting collection efforts against the parents and they went through bankruptcy.

Within the last month, the creditor filed a the law suit. She called me to talk about the case and her bankruptcy. One of the first questions I asked her was, "Did you call your bankruptcy attorney? What did he say?" Her response was, "I didn't get a good feeling from him ... he said he told me this might happen."

I do not know how strongly or clearly her bankruptcy attorney explained the challenges and process of discharging student loans. Because this is an emotional and tumultuous time for clients, sometimes, they only hear the parts of the counsel that will help them and missing some of the issues that may continue on.

We as attorneys need to give our best efforts to make sure our clients understand everything. But in order to be successful, clients need to really listen ... even to the parts they don't want to hear. Also, clients should feel free to ask questions when they are unclear, missed something or even if they want or need to hear something again. Clients should ask the questions they are scared to learn the answers. Clients should not sign the bankruptcy petition and schedules until they believe they fully understand the ramifications of filing for bankruptcy.

If you are reading this blog thinking about filing bankruptcy, prepare to ask all the questions you have even if you fear the answers. Listen closely to all the information your attorney passes on to you. It is all important and allows you to make an informed decision on whether to file for bankruptcy protection or not.

If you want assistance, legal representation, or just want to know more about Mark Medvesky or Wells, Hoffman, Holloway & Medvesky LLP, check out our website at www.whhmlaw.com.

#bankruptcy #Chapter_7 #Chapter_13 #Montgomery_County #law_firm #Bucks_County #Pennsylvania

The Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians - Are You or Someone You Know a Foreign-Trained Registered Nurse (RN)?

The Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians is a great resource for new immigrants in the Philadelphia area. Part of its mission statement is:

"The Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians connects newly arrived individuals from around the world with the economic opportunities that they need to succeed in our region. Since opening our doors in 2003, we have assisted more than 10,000 people from over 140 countries..." http://www.welcomingcenter.org

I am on its newsletter distribution list and this came to me this week. I think it is great information to pass along. Direct from The Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians:

Are You or Someone You Know a Foreign-Trained Registered Nurse (RN)? The Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians is seeking foreign-trained nurses for our Immigrant Professionals Program. This is an opportunity to pursue your Pennsylvania nursing license and receive mentoring, job readiness training and other support services to continue your career path here in the Philadelphia region. For more information, contact:  Manuel Portillo at 215.825.7765 or manuel@welcomingcenter.org

Program eligibility requirements: Four-year college degree in Nursing from a foreign college or university A minimum of one year of professional work experience in the home country Residence in the Greater Philadelphia region Permanent work authorization Ability to communicate in English at a minimum of high Intermediate level Professional diploma and transcript of corresponding course work from the home country Commitment to obtain a Pennsylvania nursing license Commitment to seek professional employment working as a nurse in the Greater Philadelphia Region       Copyright © 2015, Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: One Penn Center, Suite 555 1617 John F. Kennedy Boulevard Philadelphia, PA  19103 215.557.2626 www.welcomingcenter.org

 

If this is you or someone you know, this might be a great opportunity. Take a look. Also, employers should know that the center works to connect employers with qualified employees,

This is not meant to imply The Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians in any way endorses or recommends me or my firm. I think it is good for people, both immigrants and employers, to know about this resource.

If you want to know more about Mark Medvesky or Wells, Hoffman, Holloway & Medvesky LLP, check out our website at www.whhmlaw.com.

#BucksCounty #Immigration #lawyer #lawyers, #MontgomeryCounty #Souderton #Law_Firm

Anticipating What Our Business Clients Need and When They Need It

I recently was engaged by a new professional business client.  I prepared two key operational agreements for the principals.  After delivering the documents ahead of the promised date, I did not hear back from the client after a couple of weeks. It became obvious to me they were too busy to read them. So, I scheduled a meeting at the client's office to summarize the agreements and answer questions. I knew this would help them focus on the issues involved and get these important documents signed and operational for the principals. They really appreciated this approach. This is just one way our business law team builds relationships with our clients.
By R. Kurtz "Kurt" Holloway

Bankruptcy - I cannot pay my bills ... how can I afford an attorney to file bankruptcy?

Quite frankly, if someone is asking themselves this question, they probably cannot afford not to file bankruptcy. Most attorneys request payment in full up front before they will file and the court requires the filing fee unless the debtor is eligible to have it waived. So how can someone afford to pay to file bankruptcy?

With a chapter 7 it is a little bit easier. Once a debtor meets with his or her attorney and decides filing under chapter 7 is the way to go, they can stop paying unsecured debt. For many people, a month or two of minimum payments they were making on credit card payments will cover and can be used for most of the costs of filing.



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Chapter 13 can be a little more challenging because the case is more complex and attorneys fees are usually a little higher. Also, the debtor is usually trying to keep property and some payments to creditors will need to continue. Some attorneys will take a partial payment up front and allow the client to pay the remaining fee through the chapter 13 payment plan.

Another possibility is to work out a payment plan with your attorney. Many attorneys will allow people to make deposits them until they have the full payment and then they will file the case ... like a layaway plan for legal services.

Finally, it might be time to ask for help from a family member or friend. This is a common solution. But keep in mind it should not be a loan. If it is, you will need to list that debt in your bankruptcy. Think of it this way ... is it better to consciously accept the fee knowing up front you cannot repay it or to borrow money thinking you are going to pay back but are never able to pay?

These are avenues for a debtor to consider when considering bankruptcy and he or she does not know how to pay for it. At some point, for many people, the fee just has to be found.

If you want assistance, legal representation, or just want to know more about Mark Medvesky or Wells, Hoffman, Holloway & Medvesky LLP, check out our website at www.whhmlaw.com.

#bankruptcy #Chapter_7 #Chapter_13 #Montgomery_County #law_firm #Bucks_County #Pennsylvania

FAQ - Bankruptcy: Will I lose my car if I file for Bankruptcy?

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No, as long as you have sufficient income to continue to pay for your vehicle, you should not lose your car. If you are current on your payments when you file a Chapter 7 bankruptcy, you may be able to formally reaffirm the loan agreement, which must be approved by the court. Also, you can agree to" pay and retain" the car with the loan company. Even if your payments are behind and your car is threatened by repossession, a Chapter 13 bankruptcy may be used to cure the existing arrears.

If you want assistance, legal representation, or just want to know more about Mark Medvesky or Wells, Hoffman, Holloway & Medvesky LLP, check out our website at www.whhmlaw.com.

Another article that may interest readers: Bankruptcy Exemptions - what are they?
#bankruptcy #Chapter_7 #Chapter_13 #Montgomery_County #law_firm #Bucks_County #Pennsylvania

USCIS - USCIS Launches Spanish-Language myE-Verify and Expands Services

Direct from the USCIS Bulletin:

" myE-Verify combats fraud, protects identity, educates workers

WASHINGTON — U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) today announced the launch of a Spanish-language myE-Verify, plus the addition of Case Tracker and Case History services to the English and Spanish myE-Verify websites. myE-Verify is a one-stop shop for employees and job seekers to access features for identity protection in E-Verify and visibility into the E-Verify process.

'Since its inception, myE-Verify has provided employees with valuable online tools and resources regarding the employment eligibility verification process,' said USCIS Director León Rodríguez. 'We are delighted to rlease our myE-Verify services for our Spanish-language customers.'

myE-Verify gives U.S. workers and jobseekers a free and secure way to participate in the E-Verify process by accessing features dedicated to employees, including Self Lock, Self Check, Case History, Case Tracker and the Employee Rights Toolkit.

The new Spanish-language myE-Verify will also have the following services, which are currently available on its English counterpart, launched in 2014:

• myE-Verify accounts – Employees and job seekers in the U.S. can set up free and secure personal accounts to manage the use of their information in E-Verify and Self Check.
• Self Lock – myE-Verify account holders can lock their Social Security numbers in E-Verify to prevent others from using their identities in E-Verify.
• Self Check – Individuals can confirm their own employment eligibility by checking databases that E-Verify queries.
• Resource Center – This section of the myE-Verify site contains information in multimedia formats to educate employees about their rights and the responsibilities of employers in the eligibility verification process.

myE-Verify is also introducing two new services. These new features are available nationwide in English and Spanish:

• Case History – myE-Verify account holders can generate a report to see when their data was used in E-Verify.
• Case Tracker – Individuals can track the status of their E-Verify case using the case verification number. While Case History does require users to create an account, Case Tracker does not.

To learn more about myE-Verify in English and Spanish, join us at a national engagement on September 10.

E-Verify is the free web-based service from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security used by over 600,000 employers to confirm the employment eligibility of people they hire.

For more information on E-Verify, visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify; for myE-Verify, visit http://www.uscis.gov/myE-Verify. For more information about USCIS and its programs, please visit www.uscis.gov or follow us on Twitter (@uscis), YouTube (/uscis) and the USCIS blog The Beacon."

If you want to know more about Mark Medvesky or Wells, Hoffman, Holloway & Medvesky LLP, check out our website at www.whhmlaw.com

#BucksCounty #Immigration #lawyer #lawyers, #MontgomeryCounty #Souderton #Law_Firm

USCIS - USCIS Simplifies the Immigrant Fee Payment Process

Direct from USCIS Bulletin:

" USCIS has simplified the process for paying the USCIS Immigrant Fee online in our electronic immigration system. The revised payment process reduces the amount of information an immigrant must provide to USCIS. Additionally, in response to customer feedback, anyone can now pay the USCIS Immigrant Fee for an immigrant. For example, a family member, friend, employer, attorney, or accredited representative can pay the fee as long as they have the immigrant’s Alien Registration Number (A-Number) and DOS Case ID.

The USCIS Immigrant Fee is required for individuals immigrating to the United States as lawful permanent residents. USCIS uses this fee to process, produce, and deliver Permanent Resident Cards (Green Cards).

If you have any questions about online filing, including how to pay the USCIS Immigrant Fee, please contact us using our online help form.
For more information on USCIS and its programs, please visit www.uscis.gov or follow us on Twitter (@uscis), YouTube (/uscis), and the USCIS blog The Beacon"

If you want to know more about Mark Medvesky or Wells, Hoffman, Holloway & Medvesky LLP, check out our website at www.whhmlaw.com

#BucksCounty #Immigration #lawyer #lawyers, #MontgomeryCounty #Souderton #Law_Firm