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Oct 05
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CARES Act Reduced Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Payments & Modified Plans

By COVID-19, Understanding Bankruptcy No Comments

Don’t miss this opportunity for additional relief with Chapter 13 Bankruptcy from the CARES Act.

COVID-19 has changed the world in numerous ways from putting entire countries on strict lockdown to taking the lives of millions to changing the way many companies do business. Many of these effects, like so many other world events, disproportionately negatively affect those who are struggling through difficult financial times.

Individuals who have declared bankruptcy have still had to make payments that were specified in their debt resettlement agreements. Thanks to the CARES Act, though, those who have outstanding Chapter 13 payments may be able to reduce their monthly payment amount.

DISCLAIMER: The following blog post is just advice, and you will be better served to call David S. Clark with your bankruptcy questions. This blog contains helpful tips and advice, but is not professional legal advice, and shouldn’t treated as such.

Need Bankruptcy Help? Call David S. Clark

Disposable Income Amendments

Any payments made under federal law relating to the national emergency declared by the President cannot be counted as “current monthly income” or “disposable income” when considering the debtors repayment plan.

This provision will benefit those who are currently paying off bankruptcy payments and future Chapter 13 bankruptcy pursuants.

Payment Plan Modifications

The CARES Act permits debtors to seek payment plan modification if they can prove that they have suffered a “direct or indirect” hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The law does not give extensive definitions for “direct or indirect” hardships caused by the pandemic, so pursuants will have to make a verifiable case that they suffered financial difficulties because of the coronavirus pandemic.

It is unclear the extent to which debtors will be able to alter their original payment plans. However, the law allows for debtors to seek modification in their favor, so debtors should take advantage of this opportunity.

How Long Will This Last?

These amendments were originally put into law on March 27, 2020 and were scheduled to sunset, or expire, on March 27, 2021. However, due to the continued economic uncertainty from the pandemic, these amendments were extended until March 27, 2022.

If these amendments are not extended past the latest expiration date, then debtors have about six months to take advantage of these helpful provisions for Chapter 13 Bankruptcy.

David S. Clark Can Help

Having helped people file for and carry out Chapter 13 Bankruptcy plans for over 20 years, David S. Clark has had to adjust to changes in the law, changes in the larger culture, and countless other changes relating to his clients’ bankruptcy cases.

These recent changes are intended to help debtors. David S. Clark can help walk you through taking advantage of this opportunity, rather than failing to make your payments because of additional financial hardships caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Call David S. Clark today for help with the CARES Act reduced Chapter 13 Bankruptcy payments and modified payment plans.

DISCLAIMER: The above blog post is just advice, and you will be better served to call David S. Clark with your bankruptcy questions. This blog contains helpful tips and advice, but is not professional legal advice, and shouldn’t treated as such.

Apr 20
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How COVID-19 Is Affecting Bankruptcy Law in Alabama

By Bankruptcy Law, COVID-19, Understanding Bankruptcy No Comments

Seeking bankruptcy in Auburn or Opelika will look a bit different after the COVID-19 pandemic. Make sure your bankruptcy attorney knows about these changes and is prepared to help you understand them.

There seems to be no area of society that the COVID-19 virus has not affected. 

One of the most significant effects and hotly contested issues is the role that this pandemic has played in the economic downturn that our entire country has experienced.

One thing that is certain, though, is that COVID-19 has made many people in Alabama suffer financially.

As an avenue for financial relief during personal economic crises, Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 Bankruptcy have, unsurprisingly, had some rules changed

Residents of Auburn and Opelika who are seeking to file bankruptcy should be aware of these changes so that they can take advantage of their benefits to debtors seeking relief.

Under the CARES Act and the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 here are some of those changes:

DISCLAIMER: The following blog post is just advice, and you will be better served to call David S. Clark with your bankruptcy questions. This blog contains helpful tips and advice, but is not professional legal advice, and shouldn’t treated as such.

Need Bankruptcy Help? Call David S. Clark

Chapter 13 Payment Extension

If debtors can prove to their local bankruptcy court that they have endured a financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic, then they may qualify for an extension to the payment plan for seven years.

Waived Original Signature Requirement

Because the entire country has been in lockdown at some point during the pandemic, some bankruptcy courts have decided to waive the requirement that a bankruptcy attorney must get a “wet signature” from his or her client on the bankruptcy petition.

This is simply the original signature from the debtor on the petition to file bankruptcy.

Debtors and their bankruptcy attorneys can review the necessary documents virtually rather than meeting in person.

This allows for the bankruptcy process to move forward without the physical contact that was previously required.

Section 341 Meeting of Creditors

Regardless of whether or not a debtor files for Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 Bankruptcy, he or she will have to attend a “meeting of creditors.”

This is where the debtor faces all of his or her creditors alongside the court-assigned trustee and discusses every relevant detail of what is owed so that everyone can have a unified, realistic expectation of what needs to be paid back.

Stimulus Money Cannot Be Counted as Income

When filing for bankruptcy, debtors have to list their income to submit to the courts.

With the stimulus checks that were given to many Americans, some people’s income drastically increased. If a debtor had to claim this as income, this could misrepresent the true financial situation of him or her.

In order to prevent this misrepresentation, the debtor is able to leave any money received from a stimulus check related to the coronavirus pandemic out of consideration when adding up income.

This list is a good start in the search for information on how the coronavirus pandemic has affected bankruptcy, but it is by no means exhaustive.

If you are an Auburn or Opelika resident who is considering filing for bankruptcy, you should consult an Auburn/Opelika bankruptcy lawyer who can explain in depth how bankruptcy law has been affected by recent COVID-19 legislation.

David S. Clark is a bankruptcy attorney who has represented numerous residents of Auburn, Opelika, and Lee County. Contact David S. Clark today for a free evaluation on your bankruptcy case!

DISCLAIMER: The above blog post is just advice, and you will be better served to call David S. Clark with your bankruptcy questions. This blog contains helpful tips and advice, but is not professional legal advice, and shouldn’t treated as such.

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