Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct  Rule: 1.6 Confidentiality of Information (a) “Confidence” refers to information protected by the client-lawyer privilege under applicable law, and “secret” refers to other information gained in the professional relationship that the client has requested be held inviolate or the disclosure of which would be embarrassing or would be likely to be detrimental to the client. (b) Except when permitted under paragraph (c), a lawyer shall not knowingly:  (1) reveal a confidence or secret of a client;  (2) use a confidence or secret of a client to the disadvantage of the client; or  (3) use a confidence or secret of a client for the advantage of the lawyer or of a third person, unless the client consents after full disclosure. (c)…

I worked on 2 really difficult CHAPTER 13 BANKRUPTCY PLANS this past Saturday. Both client sessions lasted 3 hours each. What sets our office apart from others is that we make sure that the clients are actively involved in the entire CHAPTER 13 BANKRUPTCY process. Each case has its own challenges – BUT – the biggest and more important challenge is budgeting. You have to really spend time on SCHEDULE I and SCHEDULE J to get to a DISPOSABLE MONTHLY INCOME (DMI) number that will work. You have to be able to fund a CHAPTER 13 BANKRUPTCY PLAN or you are dead in the water. The plan won’t work, the CHAPTER 13  case will get dismissed and clients will be unhappy. Here is a copy…

I was working on a CHAPTER 13 BANKRUPTCY matter recently and my client had filed a CHAPTER 7 BANKRUPTCY years ago – back before everything was computerized. He couldn’t remember who the judge was so BOB DENTON helped me fill in the blanks and I just want to share the information: HON. HARVEY D.WALKER               1977 – 1983 HON. STANLEY B. BERNSTEIN    1983 – 1984 HON. ARTHUR J. SPECTOR              1984 – 2002 HON. DANIEL S. OPPERMAN           2006 – PRESENT. There were several “fill ins” after Judge Spector left the bench and all of that information is available on the Court website. Our State of the Art Computer system allows us to serve all of the Counties and Cities in the North East Michigan including: Saginaw (Saginaw,…

We have started using GOTOMEETING.COM with great success. It is safe, secure and all you need is a computer, a phone and an internet connection. With GO TO MEETING, we can schedule a consultation or conference and provide you with the same advice that we provide in a face to face meeting. The benefits are huge: No transportation costs and you talk and learn from the convenience of your home. During our virtual consultation, we can determine your options – whether you need to consider a CHAPTER 7 BANKRUPTCY or a CHAPTER 13 BANKRUPTCY – or whether you need to file BANKRUPTCY at all. As I have said time and time again – Bankruptcy is not the answer for every financial problem – it’s not…

Effective May 1, 2012, here are the new MEANS TEST numbers for filing BANKRUPTCY IN MICHIGAN: 1 person household      $45,056 2 person household      $51,660 3 person household      $60,313 4 person household      $72,454 * Add $7,500 for each individual in excess of 4. Also remember that household size is based on “head in beds” – not dependents like the IRS. Our State of the Art Computer system allows us to serve all of the Counties and Cities in the North East Michigan including: Saginaw (Saginaw, Frankenmuth, Chesaning, St. Charles, Hemlock, Shields, Freeland, Carrollton ); Bay (Bay City, Essexville, Auburn, Kawkawlin, Linwood, Pinconning, Standish); Midland (Midland, Sanford, Edenville, Wixom Lake); Gratiot (Ithaca, Alma, St. Louis, Breckenridge); . Isabella (Mount Pleasant, Shepherd, Coleman); Gladwin (Gladwin, Beaverton, Rhodes); .Clare…

If you are a “high earner” – meaning your household income exceeds the MEDIAN INCOME established by the US Census Bureau and relied on by the US Bankruptcy Court – you may have to file a CHAPTER 13 BANKRUPTCY. The MEDIAN INCOMES* for Michigan households were just adjusted on May 1, 2012 and the average for North East Michigan is as follows: 1 person household      $45,056 2 person household      $51,660 3 person household      $60,313 4 person household      $72,454 * Add $7,500 for each individual in excess of 4. Also remember that household size is based on “head in beds” – not dependents like the IRS. BUT – even if your household exceeds the MEDIAN INCOME we still may be able to AVOID FILING A CHAPTER…

We have been using “GO TO MEETING” with incredible success. We just schedule a time to meet online and we send you a link and a password and we connect “ONLINE” for your BANKRUPTCY consultation. Just like an office visit, we can jump right on the computer and start entering numbers in to our “State of the Art” computer system and help you to determine whether Chapter 7 Bankruptcy or Chapter 13 Bankruptcy is a better alternative for you. Call today and schedule an online Bankruptcy consultation through “GO TO MEETING” – it’s safe, secure and you don’t have to worry about spending your precious dollars on gas. Our State of the Art Computer system allows us to serve all of the Counties and Cities…