STOP ROBBING PETER TO PAY PAUL

Most people think of Bankruptcy as the end of their financial borrowing life.  We've heard, "Oh, I won't be able to buy a house or a car or get loans again".  This simply is not true.  Bankruptcy is a federal program that is designed to help you.  It's about protection; you just have to file the right chapter that is going to be most beneficial to you.  Attorney Mark Williams can help you; he's been helping people and businesses get financially on track for over 25 years; he can do the same for you.

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF CHAPTERS IN BANKRUPTCY?

Most commonly used are Chapter 7, 11 and 13

Chapter 7 is probably the most commonly used of all 3 mentioned because it is considered a 'straight' bankruptcy and because it causes the greatest amount of debt relief.  

Chapter 11 is usually used by corporations or big businesses; although individuals can also file for Chapter 11.  With Chapter 11, there are no liquidation of assets and removal of debt; rather, the debts and assets are reorganized into a repayment plan.  If you own a business, under Chapter 11 you can continue operation.

Chapter 13 is for individuals; it is similar to a debt consolidation, but is done through a court system; but most importantly it protects your home, your retirement and belongings to say the least.

Call now at 637-9620.  Consultations are free. 

Attorney Mark Williams has over 22 years of experience in protecting the rights of injured victims.  He can help you too. #1 trusted bankruptcy attorney in Guam.  The Law really is on your side.

Check out more valuable information about Guam's Laws and working with

Mark Williams, Guam's Best Lawyer, on Dededo Law Office's websites: www.guamlegal.com www.bankruptcylawyerguam.com  www.injurylawyerguam.com                

Financial First Aid

Many people do not want to think about financial burdens and problems as they go into the New Year.  Even as people start creating their new budgets for the year at hand it may become clear that there isn’t enough money to go around.  Anxiety can creep in at that point and individuals start thinking about second jobs and the longer they think about that, they realize they’ll never see their families or wonder how would anyone be able keep up with that kind of schedule.

We’re here to tell you there is Financial First Aid.  Bankruptcy isn’t what your Momma told you.  Bankruptcy is a federal program that is designed to help you.  It doesn’t take away all your assets.  It doesn’t stop you from borrowing for 7 years.  It doesn’t ruin your name, etc.

Let us tell you what it really does.  It can give your life back.  It can help you get your finances under control and in some cases, improve your credit score.

We’ve heard people say, ‘I made my bed, I gotta lie in it’.  This is just wrong thinking.  Bankruptcy isn’t about people not being responsible; its about people needing a helping hand.

At The Law Office of Mark Williams, we will be your helping hands.  Give us a call, the consultation is free and you’re going to get some good information about what Bankruptcy is really all about.  Call 637-9620.  There is a solution.

Attorney Mark Williams has over 22 years experience in turning around people's financial situation.  He can help you too. #1 trusted bankruptcy attorney in Guam.  The Law really is on your side.

Check out more valuable information about Guam's Laws and working with

Mark Williams, Guam's Best Lawyer, on Dededo Law Office's websites: www.guamlegal.com www.bankruptcylawyerguam.com  www.injurylawyerguam.com                

Why Credit Repair Companies Are a Rip Off

Beware of this rip off

I have a very important warning for you. There is a hot rip off that is booming all across the country that can take you from a difficult financial situation and dig you deeper into a hole. Here’s how it works. There are thousands of organizations, companies, whatever you want to call them that claim that they can clean your credit.

That whatever bad stuff is on your credit report, late pays, collections, charge-offs, that they can magically make that stuff go away and give you a pristine clear credit report. It is a big fat lie. And in fact, it is illegal in several states. What they’re doing is they’re barraging the credit reporting agencies with dispute letters that temporarily for a very short window will clean your report and then all the bad information comes back, in the meantime you pay them hundreds or thousands of dollars that will be better used in your life.  Source: http://clark.com/personal-finance-credit/bankruptcy/why-credit-repair-companies-ar/

Bankruptcy Can Offer True Relief

After Bankruptcy, most people's credit scores begins to improve.  After the discharge of your bankruptcy you can begin to start rebuilding your credit.  Before filing bankruptcy there are often several different damaging dings on a credit report from different lenders; all with different time stamps running before they can be removed. It is very difficult to improve your credit score when you still have delinquent debts or negatives on your credit report.

It is very important to understand that once a bankruptcy discharge is granted, a new time period starts running and everything positive that occurs from that point will increase your credit score and bankruptcy will actually provide true relief from your unsecured debt.

Check out more valuable information about Guam's Laws and working with

Mark Williams, Guam's Best Lawyer, on Dededo Law Office's websites: www.guamlegal.com www.bankruptcylawyerguam.com  www.injurylawyerguam.com

The good thing about bankruptcy

Bankruptcy rates spiked during the 2008 recession and many were pretty judgmental toward the millions who couldn't afford to pay their bills.

But Suze Orman says bankruptcy is the better option over burying your head in the sand. "When somebody really doesn't have money to pay their bills then they should claim bankruptcy and face it right on and start all over again," says Orman.

Many people heeded this advice over the past five years. In 2008, bankruptcy filings jumped 32 percent to 1.1 million and in 2012 the filings jumped to 1.3 million. However, in June 2013, the U.S. courts reported filings closer to the early recession era at around 1.1 million.


Record-breaking filings have some at odds with Orman's advice. "Many gripe when I tell someone to claim bankruptcy," says Orman. "But what if you've got all this credit card debt, mortgage debt and car loans, and you just stop paying all these things because you just don't have the money?" asks Orman of her naysayers.

She points out that there's really not much difference and the alternative to filing may be far worse.

"If creditors sue and win they have the legal authority to garnish wages or put liens on your home," says Orman.

She says it's better to take "the legal route that is claiming bankruptcy, to let your creditors know that you really can't afford to pay it."

http://www.suzeorman.com/blog/the-good-thing-about-bankruptcy/

Check out more valuable information about Guam's Laws and working with

Mark Williams, Guam's Best Lawyer, on Dededo Law Office's websites: www.guamlegal.com www.bankruptcylawyerguam.com  www.injurylawyerguam.com          

VOTES ARE IN: Guam’s Best Law Office: Law Offices of Mark Williams, P.C!

VOTES ARE IN: Guam’s Best Law Office: Law Offices of Mark Williams, P.C!  Thank you Guam!
The Law Offices of Mark E. Williams, P.C. offers a wide range of practices to best serve the people of Guam.

From bankruptcy to personal injury claims to immigration to wills and trusts, this year’s Pika’s Best Law Office have the experience and knowledge to make sure their clients receive justice.

Williams extended his sincere gratitude in being selected at Pika’s Best Law Office. His office’s special attention to their client’s legal issues ensures that the office practices a “client focused approach.”

The office invites you to visit their location in Dededo to see what they can do for you.

http://www.guampdn.com/story/entertainment/pika-magazine/2017/09/30/pika-best-guam-2017-island-services/669180001/

Check out more valuable information about Guam's Laws and working with Mark Williams, Guam's Best Lawyer, on Dededo Law Office's website, www.GuamLegal.com.

BANKRUPTCY IS TAKING BACK YOUR POWER!

BANKRUPTCY IS TAKING BACK YOUR POWER!

What bankruptcy will do is give you back up when you want to say NO to any family members or friends who continue to ask for money.

You know what I am talking about.  Your kids or adult children, parents, or friends who continue to hound you about money, and you just can’t say no to them. You try to say no, you know you should say no, but you just can’t bring yourself to say the word, no.  Why is that?  My clients feel incredibly guilty when saying no to just about anyone.

Guilt is a fascinating emotion that if allowed to exist unchecked, will lead to spending patterns that may lead to a bankruptcy filing.  Think about those people in your life who are stingy with their time or money; they have no trouble saying the word no even before you have finished the question.

People who say no value their time and resources and will choose very wisely on when, where and how they will spend these assets.  You too need to take a moment and learn the power of saying, NO.

It will not be easy as every action will have an equal and opposite reaction.  Meaning, as you become more comfortable with saying no to requests the more people will ask what is wrong with you or why are you mad at them. You are not being selfish for taking this stand but rather you are placing value on your time and financial resources.

How hard did YOU work to obtain your money?  Did you work 1-2 jobs?  Did you work overtime? Did you work holidays and weekends? Did you do without something you wanted or needed simply because you gave your money to someone who asked for “a loan”?  A loan that you have not seen the repayment even though it has been months or years since you initially gave them your money.  Now ask yourself, what is the person who is asking for money willing to do?

Have they tried to get a job? Any job?  If they have a job, are they trying to pick up extra hours?  Have they tried to sell something to make ends meet?  Have they offered to do a job for you as an effort to help out if you give them a loan?  We could go on and on, but more often than not, the answer is still going to be no.  Why?  Because they know you will feel guilty and eventually give them the money they requested.

Break this pattern of financial insanity and use your power of saying NO!  How does bankruptcy help you with this?  You tell whoever is asking for money:  No, I may not give you any money because my attorney and I have worked out a budget.  In this budget, there is absolutely no room for me to give you any money at this time.  You can even say you have signed the bankruptcy schedules under penalty of perjury of law, therefore, by giving them money you place yourself at risk for breaking federal law.  Finishing by informing them you rather not spend five years in jail for lying to the court.

Learning to say no is truly a power that will provide you with a lot of strength.  It won’t be easy at first but then learning to walk for the first time wasn’t easy either but today you can do it without thinking.

Analyze each request as to whether you can afford your time or finances.  Make a pro and con checklist to see if the pros outweigh the cons.  You will make two columns.  In the pro column, you will list all the reasons why the request is a good one and you might say yes.  In the con column you will list all the reasons the request is not a good one and therefore, the answer should be no.  In the analysis ask the question, what is this person willing to do to assist with the request? If the answer is nothing, your answer should immediately be no.  Otherwise, review the final work product and see which column has more answers that will be the way you should consider the request.

The practice of listing out the pros and cons will assist you in making an educated decision about answering any request.  The more you practice this technique the easier it will become.  Soon you will catch yourself running a pro and con list in your head as to whether or not the request is even worth considering.

Remember, knowledge is power.  The more knowledge you have about valuing your time, money and resources, the greater chance you will have to use your power of saying, NO!

Check out more valuable information about Guam's Laws and working with

Mark Williams, Guam's Best Lawyer, on Dededo Law Office's websites: www.guamlegal.com www.bankruptcylawyerguam.com  www.injurylawyerguam.com                 

THE TRUTH ABOUT DEBT SETTLEMENT SERVICES

Debt Settlement Services are not as consumer-friendly as the industry presents it:

• One woman didn’t realize she would face a tax bill on her forgiven debt.

• Another man opted against bankruptcy in part because he erroneously thought he would lose his personal possessions (wrong).

• Another woman was shocked after enrolling in Debt Settlement Services, at how far her credit scores tumbled and how much interest she was charged when she applied for a new car loan, and the negative impact on her credit report extended for years, as is typical with the process of completing a debt settlement program.

Where debt settlement falls short

Here are some of the biggest problems with debt settlement:

Negotiations can take years. Customers are told to stop paying their credit cards, loans and other debts and funnel money instead into a savings account. Freedom Financial Network, the nation's largest debt settlement company, says half of its customers eventually settle at least 75 percent of their debt, but the process usually takes three to four years!  During this time, customers endure the constant risk of being sued over their debts.

The math often doesn’t work. Debts are reported to be settled for 45 percent to 50 percent of the current balance, however this is misleading because this amount is often higher than the initial balance, because of late fees, penalties and interest.  On top of this problem, the typical debt settlement fee is 20 percent of the debt at the time of enrollment. 

 

On top of all that, the forgiven debt is reported to the IRS as taxable income! 

This means that when the Debt Settlement Program is done, with inflated balances, and a 20% fee charged by the Debt Settler, a consumer in a 25% tax bracket can expect to pay about 90% of the original debt balance owed, and this is considered a successful result!  However, the successful result is only in the pockets of the Debt Settlement provider, which is profiting from consumers' credit problems!

Many debt settlement companies actually spread false information about bankruptcy.  National Debt Relief, another large debt settlement company, claims on its website, “Declaring Chapter 7 bankruptcy may mean saying goodbye to most of the assets that you’ve accumulated over the course of your life.” In reality, very few people who file for Chapter 7 lose any assets at all, and instead erase most if not all of their debts in two to three months.

Debt Settlement companies also claim that bankruptcy is harder on credit scores. In reality, credit scores begin to recover immediately after bankruptcy. The main difference, of course, is that Chapter 7 bankruptcy typically takes months, while debt settlement typically takes many years.  Plus, only bankruptcy halts any collection activity, including lawsuits, garnishments, and foreclosures.

When it comes to cost, effectiveness, and rebuilding credit, “the one option that shines above all the rest is bankruptcy,” says Steve Rhode, a former credit counselor. “It’s the cheapest and fastest and the best way to rebuild your credit" and deal with creditors and your debts, and protect you and your families' property.

Check out more valuable information about Guam's Laws and working with

Mark Williams, Guam's Best Lawyer, on Dededo Law Office's websites: www.guamlegal.com www.bankruptcylawyerguam.com  www.injurylawyerguam.com