Author Archives: Jay Butchko
Pot and Bankruptcy Don’t Mix
Florida continues to slowly embrace marijuana. It is currently legal to use marijuana if you have a prescription to treat a medical condition, and dispensaries are popping up across the state to fill those scripts. Currently, the state has not decriminalized the drug for recreational use, though that could be on the horizon. Indeed,… Read More »
Is Bankruptcy the Right Choice for You?
Many people begin thinking about bankruptcy as an option only after they have accounts go into collection and it becomes blindingly apparent that they cannot service their debt load while paying other bills. When faced with the choice of paying off a credit card or going without food, most consumers realize that there is… Read More »
Bankruptcy & Arbitration Agreements
If you have a contract, chances are you also have an arbitration agreement. Arbitration is an alternative dispute resolution technique (ADR, for short) that can keep you out of the courtroom. Instead, you will present your case behind closed doors to one or more arbitrators who act as judges. Many businesses like arbitration because… Read More »
Teaching Young Children Financial Responsibility
One reason many people are hesitant to file for bankruptcy is that they fear setting a poor example for their children. They believe that bankruptcy is a way of running away from their financial problems, and they want their children to be better with money. First, filing for bankruptcy is actually a step to… Read More »
Student Loans Have Become a Presidential Campaign Issue
With the 2020 election fast approaching, candidates are beginning to talk policy, and one issue that keeps popping up is student loans. Readers of our blog will not be surprised to learn that student loans dwarf nearly all other debt in the U.S. According to Student Loan Hero, 45 million Americans are carrying an… Read More »
Should You Fear Bankruptcy?
As experienced South Florida bankruptcy lawyers, we are continually surprised by how afraid many of our clients were at the thought of filing for bankruptcy. Some of them admitted that they should have called us years ago but were too afraid to pick up the phone. Others stated that they would do almost anything… Read More »
Are You Too Old to File for Bankruptcy?
MSN has an interesting article centered on the question, “Are you too old to file for bankruptcy?” Many of our clients are seniors who wonder whether they should go through the hassle of filing for bankruptcy when they don’t have many more years left. Although the MSN article raises important considerations, we must add… Read More »
Famous Actor’s Ex-Wife Denied Bankruptcy Protection
Jean Claude van Damme was a leading action hero in the 1990s whose credits include Bloodsport, Sudden Death, and Timecop. For a few years in the 1990s he was also married to Darcy LaPier, a model. According to Radar Online, Ms. LaPier has attempted to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection. With a Chapter… Read More »
New Bill to Limit Credit Card Interest Rates
Four Democratic Party senators have introduced a bill in Congress that would limit how much interest credit card companies can charge. According to Payments Journal, the Senators want to prohibit credit card companies from charging more than the maximum interest allowed in the state where a cardholder lives. Current Law Most states have usury… Read More »
How a Bad Credit Score Affects Your Future
Very few Americans even know what their credit score is. This three-digit score typically ranges from 200-850 and is used by lenders to determine whether to extend a loan and what interest rate to charge. A good credit score is a terrific asset and shows you are a good credit risk. But a poor… Read More »