Sacramento bankruptcy & injury law blog

Stay informed with the James Keenan Law Blog, where you’ll find helpful insights on personal injury law, legal tips, and updates that matter to you. Learn your rights, understand the legal process, and get expert guidance to help you make confident decisions after an accident.

Credit Report Accuracy

Credit report accuracy may not be that accurate. Consumers often rely on credit reports and scores to establish credit. Mortgages, car loans and credit card accounts are some of the more common examples or creditors who look to consumers' credit scores to extend credit. The better the credit score of potential creditors, the more likely loans will be made. Perhaps more importantly, the better the credit the less those loans will cost.

Creditor input and public records provide primarily for credit report accuracy. But creditor input is not always so reliable, nor are all public records. This summer credit reporting agencies will begin relying on public records to evaluate credit worthiness. That's good. Given the many inaccuracies of credit reports in the past, this should be a positive move on behalf of consumers. This LA times story pinpoints the potential problem with credit reports, as well as the measures taken to make the reports more accurate.

Credit Fixes

Bankruptcy is a negative on your credit, but your debt is often worse. This is particularly so if you cannot afford your current debt. Not paying your debt on time, or paying it at all, can undermine your credit severely. Lawsuits can be

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Mounting Consumer Debt

Debt is on the rise. This recent Bloomberg article reflects the mounting consumer debt in America. Sacramento consumer debt is no different. The Bloomberg article portrays trends in consumer debt. It analyzes debts aside from mortgages, and the trend is clear. Consumer debt is up. It is up in Sacramento the same as it is in the rest of the country.

The alarming part of the story is that income is not keeping up with the mounting consumer debt. This debt is primarily credit card debt, personal loans and payday advances. They are high interest loans. If this trend continues, something has to give. Consumers, likely, will be left holding the bag. But how?

Mounting consumer debt does not pose a problem if income is up. But it is not. At least not to the degree debt is up. When income cannot keep pace with debt, defaults result.

Bankruptcy Relief

For those living with increased debt, bankruptcy can help. Bankruptcy is a legal process to eliminate debt. Credit card debt and personal loans are often the cause of filing bankruptcy. Payday loans only makes matters worse, and there are a lot of those loans out there. The common denominator to

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Dance Mom's Bankruptcy

Abbey Lee, the reality TV star of "Dance Moms," filed for bankruptcy several years ago. And the Dance Moms bankruptcy did not go well. Why? She didn't disclose all her assets when she filed for bankruptcy. That's bad!

Filing bankruptcy provides protection from creditors. It allows you to eliminate debt you cannot afford. And that's good. But you must follow the rules to receive the bankruptcy benefits. One of the most important rules is to disclose your assets when you file for bankruptcy. Dance Moms bankruptcy did not do this. She tried to hide nearly a million dollars in assets from the bankruptcy court, and then lied about it. Again, this is bad.

Dance Moms bankruptcy is a cautionary tale. Her plight is now in the hands of the bankruptcy court. And she is going to jail. See for yourself. She's not the first. Nor will she be the last to suffer such fate.

Fair-Catch?

As a former football player, I've often likened bankruptcy to the fair-catch. It's simple. Wave your hand in the air when you catch a kick and you can't be tackled. In exchange, you can't run. Filing bankruptcy is waving your hand in the air. Your

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Not Alone Filing Bankruptcy

Not Alone Filing Bankruptcy

You are not alone filing bankruptcy. As this US Magazine story portrays, even celebrities file for bankruptcy. Even celebrities who earn millions file for bankruptcy. Why? The answer is simple. Debt beyond the ability to repay is a recipe for bankruptcy. This is true whether you earn millions or much less. If you cannot afford to repay your debts, bankruptcy may be the solution.

Knowing you are not alone filing bankruptcy is often a comfort to those considering bankruptcy. Thoreau was right when he spoke of people leading lives of quiet desperation. This is especially so when dealing with debt. Feeling you are alone in your debt dilemma needn’t be. Millions of others live under the canopy of debt, often believing they are alone in their plight. They are not.

debt trainCredit availability is, obviously, tied to debt. And credit availability is now back. Much of credit market dried up during the great recession in years past. Now credit is back. So is debt. And along with it the need for debt relief. There is no more comprehensive or complete recovery from debt than filing for bankruptcy. Again, that is why you are not alone filing bankruptcy.

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