bambergerlaw.com

Mark J. Bamberger, Esq., Principal

The Mark Bamberger Co., LLC

Those with adjustable rate mortgages (“ARMs”) who made it through what seems to have been the worst part of the recent Recession are taking a deep breath in thanks of maintaining their homes from foreclosure either within or without Bankruptcy.  It is good news, to be sure.  But before uncorking that champagne, bear this in mind.  Many economic experts who study these things forecast that a second wave of foreclosures and bankruptcies on the near horizon.

The reason for this pessimistic prediction has to do with the structure of many housing loans.  Many of the ARMS still out there are about to hit a second “adjustment” phase, in which, like the first one, the rates will shoot for the sky.  This could raise some ARMs from 6% to perhaps more than 10%, meaning hundreds of dollars more in monthly mortgage payments for the average household and further financial peril.  This wave is predicted to begin washing up on our shores later in 2010 and into 2011 and 2012.  And no, this has nothing to do with the Mayan calendar!

As before, the important thing to do is avoid panic.  Just as the federal programs for home retention, for example President Obama’s Home Affordable Program, helped so many through the first wave, many who know this stuff say a second mortgage assistance program is on its way.  Also, mortgage brokers are now accustomed to dealing with attorneys representing economically challenged and desperate clients.  My mantra is this: “As wonderful as your house is, in this market the bank does not want it!  It is in their best interest to keep you as a paying customer as long as they can”.  In other words, they are on your side – well as much as a monolithic, cold, heartless creditor can be.

And on the subject of mortgage broker empathy, more often now I see more clients in my offices concerned about the pace of their loan modification under federal or state home retention programs.  They also complain about the mortgage brokers repeatedly losing paperwork and nagging them for “updated financials” to process their modification applications.  Although I join many others in assuming an insidious and nasty motive from mortgage brokers, some of this just makes sense.  As I advise my clients, mortgage creditors are so overwhelmed with modification applications that it can literally take four months or more for them to review a client file and render an offer on modification.  The lost paperwork and need for them to update that client’s financial information is more an artifact of the backlog than anything insidious.  Alternatively, if a client has evidence of nasty motives, I am more than happy to take their civil case against that mortgage broker.

Popularity: 35%

In these troubling economic times, I have a lot of clients in my offices asking if filing a bankruptcy is their best option.  Whether it be a Chapter 7 petition for a total bankruptcy as a “fresh start”, a Chapter 13 petition for a personal reorganization plan, or a Chapter 11 for business reorganization, the choice is never easy.  So often I have clients who are embarrassed with themselves or just plain mad at the world for what has happened to them.  It is true that often they have no one but themselves to blame for bad decision making.  However, the vast majority of my cases involve job loss, medical problems, or both.  These are conditions out of people’s control.  In these cases Bankruptcy is a viable and government-supported option.

I tell every client who discusses options with me that the reason bankruptcy is in federal court and not state courts is that it is an enumerated right granted to the federal government in our Constitution.   In fact, the concept of bankruptcy goes back much further than that in democratic history, but I will leave the history lesson for another time.  The bottom line is this – in some cases bankruptcy makes a great deal of sense for people to allow them the ability to “start over”.  Working in bankruptcy law is much easier ethically these days since the 2005 amendments to the bankruptcy code which made it much harder for people to file petitions just to escape paying what they owe.  There was abuse in the system, but not much anymore.  Now the bar to passing a “means test” is much higher and limits the bankruptcy option to those who truly need and deserve the assistance.

I have written in the past about the connections between bankruptcy and other aspects of my practice, namely civil litigation and criminal defense.  Usually when things start going bad for families or individuals, it goes there fast.  I have defended someone in a criminal case or filed a civil complaint for them, only to see them on my doorstep months later in dire financial shape and in need of bankruptcy counseling.  Again, for some, this option makes sense.  However, I take great pride in talking some clients out of bankruptcy when I think there are other options.  Bankruptcy is still serious business, although the stigma has been taken off it – to a large extent.   For some, I can arrange settlement offers to creditors at 20-30 cents on the dollar, allowing those clients to pay their debt and move on, without a bankruptcy.  Again, it is a tool provided by the federal government to help people, not cast them into an abyss of financial ruination.         MJB/091022

Popularity: 41%

Bankruptcy is a very difficult word to say. You are not alone. Last year over 2 million people filed for personal bankruptcy, and in Ohio nearly 3,500 bankruptcies are filed each month… and unfortunately, the number of bankruptcies in the US is growing.

A wide variety of circumstances can place virtually anyone in a precarious enough financial situation that may merit filing bankruptcy. Understandably, this can be a very scary thought for most individuals. Here at The Bamberger Law Co. LLC we handle matters in a caring and forthright manner.

Popularity: 36%