I have previously posted tips on how to avoid a Christmas debt hangover. Maybe you didn’t get the memo, but that’s okay. Pull up a chair and we’ll roll up our sleeves to see what we can do. The first thing to do is not to panic. December is traditionally a slow time for bankruptcy…
New California Law Limits Use of Credit Reports in Employment Background Checks
Clients often ask me if filing for bankruptcy could prevent them from getting a job. There is a new law in California that address that issue for many of my clients. Subject to several exceptions listed below, most California employers cannot review your credit report beginning January 1, 2012 Jobs that allow a credit check…
“Why am I Being Punished for Being a Responsible Earner, Saver, Spender and Investor?
I recently posted a request on my Facebook page and my Twitter page soliciting blog ideas and I posed the following question: “So if you could ask a bankruptcy attorney any question, what would it be?” The title for this blog entry is an actual question I received from a Facebook friend. While the question…
Bankruptcy as Part of Your Retirement Plan?
Filing bankruptcy as part of your retirement plan might sound odd, but it merits consideration. It is hard enough watching your retirement investments shrink without having to worry about paying your creditors. Bankruptcy can be an important part of your plans to retire and be self sufficient. Let me explain. If you are approaching retirement…
An Open Letter to the American Bar Association
The American Bar Association (“ABA”) has chosen Toronto as the location its annual convention for 2011. I mean no disrespect to neither the people of Canada nor the City of Toronto. Canada is a trusted friend of the United States and I am told that Toronto is a wonderful city, but why is the ABA…
A Bankruptcy Roadmap and a Helping Hand
As a bankruptcy paralegal, I speak with many people who are lost, overwhelmed and confused because of their crushing debt. They often know that bankruptcy is what they need, but they also need a helping hand and a roadmap to get started on the right path. I am often the first voice that our potential…
Budgeting: The Principle of Half
As a bankruptcy paralegal, I often find myself looking for ways to save money. I’ve recently started using less of some o f my household products and you know…it works! If someone gave you a coupon for ½ off laundry detergent would you accept it? If you could buy your favorite brand of paper…
Coupons: Don’t Leave Home Without Them
Never leave home with your coupons! I recently started watching the show Extreme Couponing on The Learning Channel. The show follows people who obsessively clip coupons that save as much as 95% or more on their grocery bills. Some of these extreme couponers are very obsessive about collecting and using coupons. While I don’t think…
Chapter 7 Bankruptcy – How Long Does It Last?
One of the most common questions is I get about Chapter 7 bankruptcy is how long the process takes. In my experience, clients spend more time worrying about the decision to file bankruptcy and gathering the necessary paperwork than the time actually spent in bankruptcy. Once a Chapter 7 bankruptcy case is filed, it moves…
Junior Seau…Rest In Peace
You may wonder why a bankruptcy attorney is writing about the death of former NFL superstar. In my bankruptcy practice, I often encounter people who are depressed because of their debt problems and I hope to offer encouragement to people to seek help for whatever problems they might have.
I did not know Junior Seau personally, only by reputation. On the gridiron, he was considered one of the best defensive players of his generation. In the business world, he was a successful owner of a popular sports bar and restaurant. In the world of philanthropy, he was known for his personal generosity and for his charitable work through the Junior Seau Foundation. He was a legend and now he is gone.
I will not pretend to know what demons he faced in his personal life. As one who has struggled with depression in the past, I do know what it is like to feel like being in a dark place with no hope and many of my clients encounter this. Even today, I still do not fully understand it myself. But I do know there is always hope.
Junior Seau’s death is a tragic loss to his family, the Chargers and the San Diego community. My hope and prayer is that somehow some good can come of this. If someone is reading this and feeling desperate, my encouragement to you is to seek help. Talk to a therapist, a friend, a pastor…anybody. Even if you are in dark place, there will be someone who can turn on the light for you. There is always hope, you just need to reach out to find it no matter how hard it seems to be.
And if you are in a good place, reach out and stay close to your family and friends. You may never know when you might be the person who makes all the difference.