Bankruptcy Attorney Denver

Credit Cards vs Debit Cards

Everyone these days have a credit card or a debit card.  This post does not have a lot to do with bankruptcy in Denver, but more about financial protection of your assets.  I wnted to go over this because it could cause a person to need to file bankruptcy in Denver if they were unaware of some of the nuances between a credit card and a debit card.  I am going to make this extremely generic because this is a bankruptcy site for people thinking about bankruptcy filing in Denver…

A credit card comes with anti-theft protection a debit card does not.  If someone were to steal your debit card and run through all the money in your bank plus some, it is possible the bank would not re-imburse any of the money actually taken from the account.  The same transaction made on a credit card would have less than $100 liability to you.

Now the credit card has the liability of uncontrolled spending for some…  So, you need to keep track of what you are spending and what you can afford, but generally a credit card would be better to use as long as the balance was paid off at the end of each month.

Give us a call if someone stole your debit card and because of that you are thinking about filing a bankruptcy in Denver.

Credit Cards vs Debit Cards… Simple Advice for General Finances ›

Don't be Caught Exposed in Your Bankruptcy Filing!

You would be amazed at the kind of calls I receive in regards to bankruptcy here in Denver!  Here is a typical example of what I have to endure.

Annoying Caller: Hey, are you a bankruptcy lawyer?

Me: Yes, how can I help you?

AC: I just have a quick question.

Me: OK, what is it?

AC: My ex-wife is trying to file for bankruptcy and I want to make her life hell.

Me: Is that a question?

AC: Ummm..  No, how can I make her suffer?

Me: Just talk to her.  I think that should do the trick.

AC: Huh? No, I want to make her life hell. 

Me: I am guessing you already have.  Goodbye.

I am a bankruptcy attorney in Denver, not a means to make people you hate suffer.  I want to help people who have legitimate financial issues come to a speedy resolution with their financial problems.  I did not go to 7 years of school just to make people you hate suffer.  Now, if you want real help, here is what you can do to make this more pleasant for us both.

1. Have your finances in front of you before we do our free initial consultation.  Obviously, you don’t have to have it all worked out when you call to schedule…  but you will before we meet.  This saves me time and in turn, saves you money.
2. When you call, know what you are looking for.  Are you wanting to set up an initial consultation or are you looking for free advice, but don’t really want help filing.  Either is fine, but I hope if it is the latter, you will at least take the time to read all of the helpful articles on bankruptcy BEFORE you call.  I am trying to make a living, like you, and I can’t afford to be do pro bono (free) work all day.
3. When you come to the initial consultation, have all of your assets and all of your liabilities listed in either a spreadsheet or at least on a sheet of paper divided down the middle.  Be as exact as possible.  Include any upcoming assets or liabilities on this sheet.
4. Do not waste time following the instructions you are given for a successful filing.  A bankruptcy requires real work.  If you are not prepared to go through some hoops and do some legwork, please save us both the headache of working together.
5. Don’t be afraid of listing everything.  Some people get embarassed about their financial situation.  I am here to help, not to judge you.  So if you are transparent and list everything, we can take care of you much better than if you don’t.  Anything not included does not go away (FYI)

Preparation and a serious approach to a bankruptcy filing are the pillars of our practice.  We are not here to hurt people or to make lives miserable.  If you are calling for that purpose, please don’t.  If you need real help for a real bankruptcy filing in Denver, we would love to help!

The Necessity of Preparation in a Bankruptcy Filing ›

Is this your wallet lately?

Have you been looking at your finances and realizing that you are pretty much broke and there are still a bunch of bills to pay?  If this is the case, then you have some things you can do to make sure you don’t have to file for bankruptcy in Denver soon.  The first thing that you need to make sure you do is COMMUNICATE with your creditors.  Often you can make partial payments and then not get hit with those hefty late charges.  If the creditor knows you are trying to pay them, they will often work with you if they get something right now.  You are more likely to get the full extent of their late charges if they can’t find out why you’re not paying.

The next thing you will want to do is PRIORITIZE your finances.  Your priorities should normally be:

1. Your home
2. Your necessities (heat, water, food)
3. Your highest interest charges (to get these out of the system as quickly as possible)… if this area is out of control, it may not be best…
4. Cable and other non-essentials.  You want to make sure that you are not foreclosed on with your home or starving to death.  If you have to file for bankruptcy in Denver, then your house can often be excluded from what is taken away. 

At the end of the day, if you are seriously considering bankruptcy, you need to talk to a professional bankruptcy attorney about your options because this article and others out there are speaking in generalities.  Looking at your specific financial situation can often create a whole other method of attacking the financial dilemna you are facing.

Call us for a free initial consultation here in the Denver area!

What to do When You are Broke… ›