Bankruptcy Representation and Services

Advocacy from Skilled Bankruptcy Attorneys

If you reside in the Boston metropolitan area and are struggling with taxation difficulties or considering declaring bankruptcy, call Coleman & MacDonald Law Office. We understand the frustration and worry you're going through because we have been in your shoes. Often, it can be because the financial credit system in the US is tilted uphill against individuals and families.

If you do need a fresh start, let's begin by sitting down and discussing your circumstances. We represent individuals and families in consumer bankruptcy matters in communities throughout Boston and the neighboring counties. Call us today to discuss your situation and schedule a free bankruptcy consultation.

We Can Help Determine if Bankruptcy is Right for You

Close your eyes for a moment and imagine what your life would be like if you could awaken in the morning free of collection calls without any concerns about losing your residence or charge. Through the U.S. Bankruptcy Courts, it isn't just a dream. More than 200 years ago, the founders of this country realized that America is about new starts. Bankruptcy laws were passed to allow everybody to start within their lives. Bankruptcy isn't an indication of failure. Bankruptcy is the means to begin protecting your family's financial future. The two Chief types of bankruptcy to get an individual:

Chapter 7: This kind of bankruptcy is what many men and women think about — and hope for — when they declare bankruptcy. Through Chapter 7, you can get rid of all or most credit card debt, medical expenses, tax arrears, and other consumer debt. In many cases, you can keep your house and the family car. Not all sorts of debt can be removed, and there are numerous constraints about who qualifies.

Chapter 13: This kind of bankruptcy is available to everybody. Under Chapter 13, you can save considerable cash by consolidating all your debt into a convenient 3 to five-year repayment plan supervised by the court. Under Chapter 13, your total monthly payments are usually low, and you might incorporate every kind of debt which may not be removed under Chapter Seven.

Whether with creditors or the Internal Revenue Service, we have your back. We have also helped customers in Boston and the surrounding areas with their taxation problems. Dealing with the Internal Revenue Service can be stressful and fear-inducing. When faced with tax problems, many individuals believe they're at the mercy of the Internal Revenue Service. Therefore, they are unaware of the advantages a Boston tax attorney can offer.

We can help you with the following tax matters:

• Back taxes
• Tax debt
• Installment agreements
• Penalty abatement petitions
• Negotiations of tax settlement
• IRS summons
• Tax liens and levies
• Wage garnishment

Chapter 7 and 13 Bankruptcy Qualifications

Your debt-to-income ratio must meet specific criteria to qualify for Chapter 7. If the calculation determines that you need to be capable of meeting your debt obligations, you'll qualify for Chapter 13 bankruptcy to restructure your debt. During your first free bankruptcy consultation, we will clarify the new bankruptcy legislation and help you determine whether Seven or Chapter 13 is your best option.

In several cases, Chapter 7 bankruptcy restricts the kind of debt you can eliminate or restructure. For instance, a Chapter 7 bankruptcy doesn't allow you the right to catch up on your mortgage payments or restructure your automobile payments or student education loans. Under Chapter 13, all types of debts and arrears can be included in the restructured debt repayment plan. This may include:

• Credit card debt
• Mortgage
• Automobile payment(s)
• Student education loans
• Taxes
• Child support and spousal maintenance arrears
• Medical expenses

You'll prevent home foreclosure and stop harassing collection calls and legal actions like wage garnishment, liens, and levies in the procedure against you personally while decreasing your total monthly payment. Additionally, creditors often look kinder on a Chapter 13 bankruptcy on your record than they would a Chapter 7. In the long run, you're making a good faith effort to repay the borrowed amount.

If you're interested in a debt management plan, discuss Chapter 13 bankruptcy with our attorneys. We provide reasonable fees based on a fair retainer and sincere billing policies.

Make the Collections Calls Stop

Whenever you call Coleman & MacDonald Law Office, your Boston bankruptcy attorney, you may immediately end all collection calls and legal actions your creditors have started against you. You can protect yourself from home foreclosure or auto repossession and inform the bill collectors to call your attorney!

If you cannot keep up with juggling payments, making your monthly mortgage and car payments, and handling other bills, you may consider declaring bankruptcy. Many individuals have heard myths, half-truths, and outright falsehoods about your life after bankruptcy. Creditors need you to believe the worst. When you're ready for the truth, call our office today.

Helpful Information for Bankruptcy Filing

The Main Credit Reporting Agencies:

• Experian
• Transunion
• Equifax

Massachusetts Registry of Deeds:

Town of Acton Assessor

472 Main Street, Acton MA 01720.

(Phone: (978) 929-6621 Fax: (978) 264-9630)

Town of Bellingham Assessor's Office

Bellingham Municipal Center

10 Mechanic Street, Bellingham, WA 02019

Phone: (508) 657-2862 Fax: (508) 657-2894

Town of Boxborough Assessor

Boxborough Town Hall

29 Middle Road, Boxborough, MA 01719

Phone: (978) 263-1116, ext. 109 Fax: (978) 264-3127

City of Cambridge Assessing Department

Cambridge City Hall 795 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139

Phone: (617) 349-4110 Fax: (617) 349-4357

Town of Dedham Board of Assessors

Dedham Town Administration Building

26 Bryant Street, P.O. Box 306, Dedham, MA 02026-0306

Phone: (781) 751-9130 Fax: (781) 751-9139

Town of Franklin Assessor's Office

Franklin Municipal Building

355 East Central Street, 1st Floor, Franklin, MA 02038

Phone: (508) 520-4920 Fax: (508) 520-4923

Town of Medfield Board of Assessors

Medfield Town House

459 Main Street, Medfield, MA 02059

Phone: (508) 359-8505 x622

Town of Medway Board of Assessors

155 Village Street, Medway, MA 02053

Phone: (508) 533-3203 Fax: (508) 321-4979

Town of Millis Board of Assessors

Millis Town Hall

900 Main Street, Millis, MA 02054

Phone: (508) 376-7049 Fax: (508) 376-7055

Town of Norfolk Assessors

Norfolk Town Hall

One Liberty Lane, Norfolk, MA 02056

Phone: (508) 528-1120 Fax: (508) 541-3322

Town of Wrentham Assessors

Wrentham Town Hall

79 South Street, Wrentham, MA 02093

Phone: (508) 384-5408 Fax: (508) 384-1374

The Bankruptcy Process and Terminology

The concept of bankruptcy is a creation of the Congress of the United States. The purpose of bankruptcy, prepared by a qualified bankruptcy attorney, would be to manage individuals and businesses a chance for an orderly procedure wherein their debts have been discharged in their entirety or reorganized according to bankruptcy laws. The bankruptcy procedure is conducted in a Federal court system of USA Bankruptcy Courts, which are split into several hundred districts of the united states.

Bankruptcy Court Massachusetts

As a bankruptcy attorney, Coleman & MacDonald Law Office practices in the Boston and the Metro West regions of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The bankruptcy procedure comprises two components; a liquidating bankruptcy wherein, theoretically, a debtor's non-exempt assets are sold by the bankruptcy court, and the proceeds are distributed to the creditors on a percent basis. This concept is most commonly understood as the Chapter 7 bankruptcy event.

As a practical matter, not many individuals possess non-exempt assets taken from them by the bankruptcy court. Nevertheless, the discharge can allow them the completion of an approximate four-month procedure from the US Bankruptcy Court. The other variation of a bankruptcy proceeding is a reorganizational bankruptcy, accomplished through a Chapter 13 bankruptcy proceeding.

The New Bankruptcy Code

On October seventeenth, 2005, the US Bankruptcy Code was changed spectacularly. It had been the first significant change in bankruptcy law since 1978. While widely promoted as a procedure, filing a bankruptcy proceeding made it much more strenuous. The fact is that a vast majority of individuals remain qualified for Chapter 7 bankruptcy proceedings. The bankruptcy code's major implications require all individuals filing for bankruptcy to acquire credit counseling before filing.

Numerous credit counseling agencies are available to the possible debtor in the Metro West and Boston areas. Credit counseling can be accomplished simply online or by phone. The other major component of the bankruptcy code would be the rigorous analysis of the debtor's gross earnings.

A software program from the US Ministry of Justice examines a debtor's profits utilizing pre-determined expenses calculated by the geographic area where the bankruptcy case was filed. Further, an income threshold is established for Chapter 2 bankruptcy purposes. The bankruptcy court distinguishes between individual debtors' families of three and upward.

Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Proceedings

A consumer Chapter 7 bankruptcy proceeding is also, by far, the most frequently registered bankruptcy proceeding. Over ninety percent of all bankruptcies filed in the Boston and Metro West areas are Chapter 7 bankruptcy proceedings. These proceedings are initiated by individuals, or people who were married, to achieve a fresh start. The major contributing factors to Chapter 7 bankruptcy are loss of sickness, employment, divorce, and unexpected family crises.

The practice of filing a Chapter 7 bankruptcy proceeding is initiated by completing a petition in bankruptcy. The petition for bankruptcy consists of four sections. The first section lists all the debtor's assets, including all the real estate and private property held. The second section of the petition schedules out a debtor's household income along with their household expenses. The third portion of Chapter 7 bankruptcy proceedings will be the completion of a questionnaire entitled "Statement of Financial Affairs," which covers the fiscal activity of the debtor over the last few decades.

An investigation of the debtor's gross salary utilizing a formulation will be set forward and periodically adjusted by the US Department of Justice. Based on the debtor's residence, the finished bankruptcy petition is filed with the US Bankruptcy Court in the relevant area. Roughly 30 to 40 days after filing a Chapter Seven bankruptcy petition, an examination of the debtor is conducted by employing a trustee appointed by the US Bankruptcy Court to examine the debtor.

In general, these exam sessions last only a few minutes because each of the relevant questions the bankruptcy trustee might have are contained in the bankruptcy petition. Following the bankruptcy court's examination of the debtor, sixty days is allowed for the creditors to submit any complaint that they might have to allege fraud or misconduct from the debtor.

The sincere debtor in Chapter 7 bankruptcy proceedings will always be given a discharge. The discharge in bankruptcy is powerful and complete. All civil debt like credit cards, bank loans, bank loans, department store credit cards, hospital bills, medical expenses, dental bills, utility accounts, and personal loans are discharged by the head of Chapter 7 bankruptcy proceedings.

Court judgments obtained by lenders before filing a Chapter 7 bankruptcy are also discharged. Even though removing tax obligations in Chapter 7 bankruptcy proceedings can be complicated, a general guideline will be that any income taxes assessed and outstanding from the debtor for over three decades will probably be evacuated through the head of Chapter 7 bankruptcy proceedings.

The phenomenon of reverse real estate has recently resulted in many single or married people filing a Chapter 7 bankruptcy case to extricate themselves from the monetary obligations pertaining to real estate that are worth fewer outstanding obligations to the mortgage holder. In this instance, a real estate mortgage and a note could be discharged in Chapter 7 bankruptcy proceedings.

Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Proceedings

A Chapter 13 bankruptcy case is different than that of Chapter 7. In Chapter 13 bankruptcy proceedings, an individual or couple represents to the bankruptcy court that, though they're in debt, they feel that given enough time, they can reorganize their debt with a payment plan. Filing for a Chapter 13 bankruptcy can be employed to conserve the debtor's residence.

A Chapter 13 bankruptcy filing will stop any foreclosure proceedings from going forward. A Chapter 13 bankruptcy proceedings will enable the debtor to repay the money which they're behind on their mortgage, or mortgages, over a period of up to five decades.

Depending upon the income and expenses to be paid, a debtor submits a Plan of Reorganization wherein the debtor proposes to pay all or a portion of the debtor's debt with time. The amount to be paid depends on how much the debtor can afford. As is the case of the head Chapter 7 bankruptcy proceedings, a Chapter 13 bankruptcy proceeding is initiated by filing a Chapter 13 bankruptcy petition.

The petition itself is comparable to that of the Chapter 7 bankruptcy proceedings, except, in the Chapter 13 bankruptcy proceedings, the debtor submits the Chapter 13 plan to the court.

An excellent bankruptcy attorney can employ the pertinent portions of the US Bankruptcy Code to the individual debtor's situation to invent a Chapter 13 Plan which complies with all applicable bankruptcy legislation. A Chapter 13 bankruptcy proceeding is a tool for protecting debtors' homes nationwide.

Approximately 30 or 40 days after the Chapter 13 bankruptcy petition is filed with the US Bankruptcy Court, the Chapter 13 trustee, a single lawyer, will conduct a confirmation hearing in the US Bankruptcy Court. The confirmation hearing is an evaluation of the debtor to ensure that the request has been properly filed, the Chapter 13 Plan of Reorganization filed by the bankruptcy lawyer, and the debtor complies with all applicable bankruptcy legislation.

At the end of the confirmation hearing, a monthly amount is based on the bankruptcy lawyer, the debtor, and the Chapter 13 trustee. This amount will be forwarded to the Chapter 13 trustee's office monthly before the end of the Chapter 13 plan. The debtor need only send a single payment to the Chapter 13 trustee, who then distributes the funds to the creditors participating in the Chapter 13 bankruptcy proceedings.

In the conclusion of the necessary payments, the US Bankruptcy Court will issue a discharge to the debtor. It must be noted that whatever debt remains unpaid at the end of the Chapter 13 bankruptcy proceedings is discharged similarly to a Chapter 7 bankruptcy discharge.