The North Carolina Bankruptcy Information Blog

To commemorate the Federal Trade Commission’s annual National Consumer Protection Week (March 6 – 12, 2011), the FTC is providing a budget-load of handy-dandy information designed to protect your money, your credit, and your overall post-recessionary financial future. So whether you’re rebuilding your economic life post-bankruptcy, or simply trying to speed up your savings, the NCPW blog can yield a wealth of resources exactly at a time when average Americans need a financial infusion, including information about:

• Avoiding foreclosure rescue and other mortgage-related scams;
• Knowing how to spot employment opportunity scams;
• Making the most of your money in the early stages of your career;
• Building and maintaining a budget to improve financial stability;
• Avoiding time-share and credit-card scams offered via text messages; and
• Learning what steps to take to save your home from foreclosure.

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It’s tax season. Which means that for most people, it’s time to realize just how much we give to Uncle Sam every year. For some, the prospect of a refund provides a glimmer of hope that some new money is coming in soon to pay off debts.

Just a quick little note on your tax dollars before we get into the meat of this post: it is actually better to owe just a little bit of money after filing because that means that you have used more of our your own money throughout the year instead of giving it all to the government.…

Most people understand that wage garnishment is basically what happens when a court order requires your employer to withdraw a portion of your paycheck for the repayment of a debt. If you are already up to your ears in debt and barely able to make ends meet each month, one wage garnishment, be it by the IRS or another entity, can be the straw that breaks the camel’s back.

Although any kind of debt can eventually result in garnishment of wages, the most common types include back child support, unpaid court fines or judgments, defaulted student loans, and the biggie: delinquent taxes owed to the IRS or any state government.…

The economic recovery packages rolled-out by the federal government are providing a lot of people in the midst of rebuilding their financial livelihood a chance to get back on track even faster. For those who are underway with getting back on their feet after a successful bankruptcy, today’s housing market, in conjunction with the First Time Buyer Tax Credit, is offering home ownership opportunities not seen in a long time.

Here’s a breakdown of how the homebuyer tax credit shakes out:

You are eligible for the tax credit if it has been three years since you owned a home. This is ideal for those who may have lost a home through foreclosure or decided to sell to reduce their monthly mortgage commitments before bankruptcy.…

You know it as the faceless organization behind all those numbers subtracted from your paycheck, but for those who are considering bankruptcy, it pays to understand just what impact the Internal Revenue Service could have on you.

The IRS is a party to more than 40 percent of all bankruptcy cases, primarily because past due taxes are fairly common. If the collection of last year’s taxes is the only reason they are listed as a creditor, then everything should work out just fine. However, those who have attempted to bury assets to avoid tax obligations in conjunction with a bankruptcy typically lose more than a decent credit standing.…