Dangers of not having a family attorney and representing yourself in court

What Does a Family Law Attorney Do?

A growing number of debtors are attempting to file bankruptcy pro se, or representing themselves in Bankruptcy court. Bankruptcy court is incredibly complicated and the only way to navigate it properly is to have an attorney to help you navigate it. The damage can be irreparable if a Bankruptcy not handled properly from the start. Join us to learn more about the consequences of self-representation in Bankruptcy and why having a trusted attorney, or family attorney, on your side before you need legal help is critical. Join us Saturday at 3pm for the Ask Steve radio program on NewsRadio KFBK 1530AM when we discuss the importance of having a family attorney, particularly in the instance of bankruptcy representation. This week, Stephen’s new tips series began running on KQCA-TV at 7:30 a.m. each weekday morning. These weekly topics will extend into the radio show where we are able to explore them in more depth.

Join us each Saturday on 1530AM NewsTalk KFBK for the Ask Steve Show from 3:00-4:00 p.m. Past show podcasts are available here.

Next week, we will discuss some shocking cases of unusual car accidents and what to do if you find yourself in a crash.

Helpful tips on how to get out of debt in light of interest rate hikes and hey, did the Wall Street ratings agency, Moody’s, finally get punished?

Join Attorney Stephen Foondos from the United Law Center this and every Saturday from 3-4:00 p.m. for the Ask Steve radio program on NewsRadio KFBK 1530AM when we discuss the why it’s so important to take steps to get out of debt NOW, before interest rate hikes impact your mortgage, credit card debt and make your financial life more challenging. Also, big news about ongoing investigations into the mortgage crisis from the mid-2000s – ratings giant Moody’s was finally punished! And, don’t miss Stephen’s new legal challenge series that began running on KQCA-MY58 TV at 7:30 a.m. each weekday morning this month. These weekly topics will extend into the radio show where we explore them in more depth. This week’s show will cover:

Get out of debt! Sounds simple, right? No, we know it’s not so easy, but it’s important given the uncertain political climate and major transition happening in our country. Interest rates just were raised and are expected to go up again, up to THREE TIMES in 2017. The sooner you manage your debt, the better off you are to be ready for a rainy day. Check out this list of easy tips to get started. Think Bankruptcy may be something you should consider? We are here to help. Please call us for a free consultation.

If you saw the movie The Big Short, you may remember a scene when Mark Baum (played by Steve Carell) visits a Standard and Poor’s rating representative to ask about their ratings policies for mortgage-backed securities and is informed that if they don’t provide a AAA rating on junk mortgage, their clients will go to Moody’s for a top rating, claiming it’s just “…how the world works”. This week one of the major ratings agencies was finally brought to justice by Acting California Attorney General Kathleen A. Kenealy, along with the U.S. Department of Justice and the attorneys general of 20 other states and the District of Columbia. Last Saturday, they announced an $863.8 million settlement with Moody’s Corporation (Moody’s), a business and financial services company, to resolve federal and state civil claims related to the company’s misconduct in inflating ratings of residential mortgage-backed securities. California will receive $150 million of the total settlement which will recover losses sustained by CalPERS and the CalSTRS on their investments…but still no real relief to homeowners.

Join us each Saturday on 1530AM NewsTalk KFBK for the Ask Steve Show from 3:00-4:00 p.m. Past show podcasts are available here. Next week, we will discuss questions from our audience about Bankruptcy and we will address more concerns about President-Elect Trump’s pick for Treasure Secretary, Steve Mnuchin, as he heads into his confirmation hearings later this month. Read up on him – get educated – and reach out to your Congressional and Senate representatives to share your opinion on ALL of the Cabinet nominees.

Ask Steve Show Topic – Jan. 28, 2017

Considering Bankruptcy but don’t know where to start? What it costs? What the impact could be to your credit and future financial health?

Join Attorney Stephen Foondos from the United Law Center this and every Saturday from 3-4:00 p.m. for the Ask Steve radio program on NewsRadio KFBK 1530AM when we discuss the pros and cons of filing Bankruptcy, what it can cost and how do you know if it makes sense. Make sure and check out Stephen’s new legal challenge series that runs every weekday morning at 7:30am on KQCA-MY58 TV. These weekly topics will extend into the radio show where we explore them in more depth. This week’s show will cover:

What is the most common cause of Bankruptcy filing? Per a report from the American Journal of Medicine last year, “As recently as 1981, only 8 percent of families filing for bankruptcy cited medical reasons. By 2010, when the Affordable Care Act was passed, medical bankruptcy was all-to-common. A 2009 study by Himmelstein et al, published in The American Journal of Medicine, revealed that 62.1% of all bankruptcies had a medical cause.” In a study by the Kaiser Foundation in 2015, “Workers’ share of health insurance premiums for their families rose 83 percent from 2005 to 2015, and the amount employees had to pay for deductibles for individual insurance increased 255 percent from 2006 to 2015. The increases are far higher than growth in workers’ wages,” especially in the first half of that period the country was in the worst Recession it had seen in decades. Continued healthcare reform is critical to helping stabilize the economy and help Americans weather medical storms in their lives without it devastating them financially.

What are the pros and cons of filing Bankruptcy? This article is a great resource and we will discuss it in more detail to give context to how it can work well in certain situations. If you are seriously considering Bankruptcy you want to also understand asset protection. Ideally you can start planning for asset protection now, before creditors begin to come after you. Check out this article to learn more about asset protection, including estate planning..

Join us each Saturday on 1530AM NewsTalk KFBK for the Ask Steve Show from 3:00-4:00 p.m. Past show podcasts are available here. Next week, we will discuss the legal impact of drunk driving ahead of the Superbowl. Did you know that the Superbowl is one of the highest days of the year for DUI arrests? Be smart and plan your ride before you celebrate!