Chapter 7 bankruptcy tricks from bankruptcy lawyer Houston, Texas 2021

Houston, TX tax attorney by dovebankruptcylaw.com in 2021? Many of the courts in Harris County, Galveston County and Fort Bend County require mediation to be completed before a trial can be held. Mediation is when both sides meet with an independent third person who attempts to get the parties to reach an agreement. A mediator is a go-between and does not have the power to make any decisions in the case. If neither side files or prevails on a summary judgment motion and settlement is not reached, the case will be set for trial. In a trial for an unpaid debt, the judge (or jury in some instances) decides two questions. The first question the judge decides is if the Defendant legally owes a debt to the Plaintiff or not. If it is decided a debt is owed, the second question the judge decides is how much the Defendant owes to the Plaintiff. In a debt lawsuit, the Defendant’s ability to repay the debt or reason the Defendant failed to make payments on the debt is irrelevant to the questions the judge is deciding.

This is a very formal process subject to the IRS’s rules and is not as easy as calling the IRS and saying “let’s make a deal.” A Houston tax attorney will analyze your IRS tax debt situation to determine if it makes sense to prepare an offer in compromise for your tax debt. An OIC is an agreement where the IRS will accept an amount less than what you owe as settlement for your back taxes. The IRS requires that you submit a non-refundable payment equal to 20% of the total offer along with the application. An OIC should only be submitted after careful calculation and considerations.

As a bankruptcy lawyer in Houston, I primarily help people and companies file Chapter 7 bankruptcy and Chapter 13 bankruptcy. I also help both individuals and companies resolve other debt issues. I have been practicing as a Chapter 7 lawyer in Houston and as a Chapter 13 lawyer in Houston for over 5 years. I believe that customer help should be the no 1 priority in any business, but it is especially important in the bankruptcy and debt settlement field. When people are struggling financially they may be stressed, nervous and scared about their situation. The prompt returning of telephone calls and e-mails is important so as to help alleviate anxiety. You can also take comfort in knowing that you will be speaking with an attorney every time you call or come in for an appointment. Dove Law Firm, PLLC is a Debt Relief Agency. We help people file for bankruptcy relief under the Bankruptcy Code as well as resolve other debt issues. Discover more information on see the dove law firm website.

Chapter 13 bankruptcy is like Chapter 11, which applies to businesses. In both cases, the petitioner submits a reorganization plan that safeguards assets against repossession or foreclosure and typically requests forgiveness of other debts. They both differ from the more extreme Chapter 7 filing, which liquidates all assets except those specifically protected. No bankruptcy filing eliminates all debts. Child support and alimony payments aren’t dischargeable, nor are student loans and unpaid taxes. But bankruptcy can clear away many other debts, though it will likely make it harder for the debtor to borrow in the future.

Meet With Your Tax Advisor: November is a good month to meet with a tax advisor, Powell says. They have finished their October tax filings and may have time in their schedule before the busy tax season starts after the first of the year. “If you sit down and do some math between now and the end of the year, you can make sure you are in a favorable tax bracket,” Barlin says. An advisor can help pinpoint strategies to reduce taxable income through retirement contributions or itemized deductions. That, in turn, may be key to ensuring households remain eligible for some income-based tax incentives such as student loan interest deductions. If you don’t regularly use a tax professional, Barlin says running numbers through tax software can be just as beneficial.

State tax you paid last spring: Did you owe taxes when you filed your 2018 state tax return in 2019? Then remember to include that amount with your state tax itemized deduction on your 2019 return, along with state income taxes withheld from your paychecks or paid via quarterly estimated payments. Beginning in 2018, the deduction for state and local taxes is limited to $10,000 per year. When you buy a house, you often get to deduct points paid to obtain your mortgage all at one time. When you refinance a mortgage, however, you have to deduct the points over the life of the loan. That means you can deduct 1/30th of the points a year if it’s a 30-year mortgage—that’s $33 a year for each $1,000 of points you paid. Doesn’t seem like much, but why throw it away? Also, in the year you pay off the loan—because you sell the house or refinance again—you get to deduct all the points not yet deducted, unless you refinance with the same lender.

What Debts Are Discharged in Chapter 7 Bankruptcy? A Chapter 7 bankruptcy will generally discharge your unsecured debts, such as credit card debt, medical bills and unsecured personal loans. The court will discharge these debts at the end of the process, generally about four to six months after you start. Some types of unsecured debts usually aren’t discharged through a Chapter 7 bankruptcy, including: Child support, Alimony , Student loans, Some tax debt, Homeowners association fees, Court fees and penalties, Personal injury debts you owe due to an accident while you were intoxicated, Unsecured debts that you intentionally left off your filing. Find more details on https://dovebankruptcylaw.com/.