By Ryan C. Wood Something many people do without notice or praise is contribute money to their favorite charitable organization each month. It is not uncommon for people to continue to make donations even during times of hardship if they are able to do so. They do this for many reason

By Ryan C. Wood The answer is an emphatic yes. If you somehow own a star in the sky, or a rock on the moon and they are worth nothing, it is property of the bankruptcy estate when you file for bankruptcy protection and must be disclosed. At the same time, if the property is worth some

By Ryan C. Wood There has not been too much movement in actress Teri Polo’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy case since I last checked in. A couple of operating reports were filed regarding Ms. Polo’s income and expenses since the case was filed and the approval of professionals to represent Ms.

By Ryan C. Wood What if I cannot pay my Chapter 13 plan payment? First of all it happens. It is called a change in circumstances and circumstances can change multiple times throughout a Chapter 13 Plan. Second, ever case is different and different circumstances call for different solu

By Ryan C. Wood This topic is extremely relevant given the recent investigation and settlement Corinthian Colleges, Inc. entered into with the Department of Education on July 3, 2014. In a recent decision by the Honorable Dennis Montali in the Christoff case, Bankr. Case No. 13-10808,

By Ryan C. Wood When filing for bankruptcy protection leases are what are called an executory contract. An executory contract is a contract that still has a required performance. Unexpired leases for houses or apartments are executory contracts that must be listed in the bankruptcy sc

By Ryan C. Wood Yes, actress Teri Polo filed for bankruptcy protection under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code, Bankruptcy Case No. 14-17165, in the Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California. Unlike the rehashed mass of articles out there regarding her bankruptcy filing

By Ryan C. Wood A bankruptcy estate is created when a petition for bankruptcy protection is filed. Generally all real and personal assets you own at the time you file your bankruptcy case becomes part of the bankruptcy estate. There are certain assets that are not included in the bank

By Ryan C. Wood Great question, especially if you owe your electric company or natural gas company quite a bit of money. In most jurisdictions you do not really have a choice of providers of your natural gas or electric service. So if you file for bankruptcy and owe your utility compa

By Ryan C. Wood First, it happens. Second, it is not the end of the world depending upon the circumstances. A recent Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals case, In re: Cery Bradley Perle addressed this very issue with some not normal circumstances. In the Perle case a creditor tried to chall