NEW MEANS TEST FIGURES have been announced by the U.S. Trustee Program for use with bankruptcy cases filed on or after November 15, 2013. Here are the Kansas income numbers based upon family size: 1 - $43, 793 2 - $57,502 3 - $65,394 4 - … [Continue reading]
Kansas Bankruptcy Courts Stay Open During Federal Government Shut Down
Posted on September 30, 2013 Written by
The Kansas bankruptcy court is open for business even if the federal government shuts down. Cases may still be filed. Automatic stays still go into effect stopping collection. Help is still available. See how a government shutdown will affect … [Continue reading]
Kansas Bankruptcy Court Entrances Closed by Budget Cuts
Posted on June 16, 2013 Written by
Only One Door Open to Public Only one entrance at each of the Kansas bankruptcy courts is now open to the public. All other doors at the courthouses are closed and locked to save money on security staffing because of budget cuts as of June 3, … [Continue reading]
Pay Your Credit Cards 0% in Chapter 13
Posted on June 4, 2013 Written by
But I want to pay my debts....I just can't do it at credit card interest rates. What you want, then, is Chapter 13. If the credit card company won't agree to an interest rate that you can handle, you can impose a Chapter 13 repayment plan on … [Continue reading]
Why Your Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Was Dismissed (And How To Avoid It)
Posted on May 9, 2013 Written by
Filing a Chapter 13 bankruptcy can feel like a brand new world. Unless you do your share, it won't last for long. Each month, thousands of people from around the country look to the bankruptcy court to stop a foreclosure, forestall a repossession, … [Continue reading]
New Way to Pay Your Topeka Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Payments
Posted on April 20, 2013 Written by
There is a new way to pay your bankruptcy payment to the Topeka chapter 13 trustee. Jan Hamilton Trustee has contracted with TFS Bill Pay so you may send money to the trustee electronically. This is a service through a third party. It … [Continue reading]
New Less Paperwork Mortgage Mod Program Starts July 1
Posted on March 28, 2013 Written by
Washington, DC – The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) today announced that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will offer a new, simplified loan modification initiative to minimize losses and to help troubled borrowers avoid foreclosure and stay in … [Continue reading]
Kansas Median Income Increases April 1, 2013
Posted on March 22, 2013 Written by
New median income data for bankruptcy cases filed on or after April 1, 2013, has been released by the U.S. Trustee Program. KANSAS 1 earner  $42,577 2 people $56,851 3 people $65,907 4 people $76,402 For cases filed on or after … [Continue reading]
EITC Exemption Update
Posted on February 21, 2013 Written by
 We have two updates for you in the ongoing fight in Kansas for the right to keep one year's worth of earned income tax credit in bankruptcy. Kansas Bankruptcy Trustee Appeals Earlier this month, the Bankruptcy Appellate Panel affirmed the … [Continue reading]
Debtors Win EITC Appeal
Posted on February 5, 2013 Written by
The new Kansas exemption law allowing a person to keep one year of earned income tax credit in bankruptcy is constitutional, a third court has ruled. This is good news for lower income working families with children who received EITC and who are … [Continue reading]
Congratulations Judge Norton!
Posted on February 1, 2013 Written by
Congratulations to our friend and colleague, Cynthia Norton, who was sworn in today as U.S. Bankruptcy Judge for the Western District of Missouri. She is pictured here with U.S. District Court Chief Judge Fernando J. Gaitan, Jr., who administered the … [Continue reading]
Free Topeka Tax Help
Posted on January 30, 2013 Written by
Here is a list of where you can go in Topeka for free tax return preparation help. If you are a debtors in a bankruptcy case, take a copy of the 2012 tax returns, both federal and state, to your bankruptcy attorney. Refunds should not be spent … [Continue reading]
Bankruptcy Dollar Limits Expected to Ease April 1, 2013
Posted on January 21, 2013 Written by
It will be a little easier for the debtor in bankruptcy when an adjustment in limits and formulas occurs on April 1. There will be modest increases in the chapter 13 debt limits, in means test formulas and federal exemptions when the … [Continue reading]
Medical Bills Cause Money Woes Bankruptcy Stops
Posted on January 6, 2013 Written by
A trifecta of life changing events - illness, job loss or divorce - often starts an avalanche of financial problems that results in bankruptcy. Most of us are one serious illness or injury away from medical bills we can't afford to pay, even when we … [Continue reading]
Feedback Sought on National Form for Chapter 13 Plan
Posted on January 3, 2013 Written by
Feedback is being sought on a suggested mandatory national form for chapter 13 bankruptcy plans. The Advisory Committee on Bankruptcy Rules has created a working group to study the proposal and is holding a conference on January 18, 2013, to discuss … [Continue reading]
New Year Resolution: Get Out of Debt
Posted on January 1, 2013 Written by
Getting out of debt competes with losing weight for the most common New Year resolutions. Here is some advice for making your New Year resolution stick. One secret is to create a goal and a sub-goal. If your resolution is to get out of debt, you … [Continue reading]
