You Get to Keep Much of Your Property

July 19, 2011 By Tom Jr.

You Get to Keep Much of Your Property

Even if You File Chapter 7 Bankruptcy

Chapter 7 bankruptcy is referred to a “liquidation” bankruptcy. That sounds scary, doesn’t it? We all need a home to live in, a car to drive to work and the grocery store, and clothes to wear. We all have personal items that we treasure because they hold fond memories or have been passed down in the family. If you’re like most people, you will breathe a sigh of relief to know that you get to keep much of your property even if you file Chapter 7 Bankruptcy.

In some states, Chapter 7 filers get to pick between the federal exemptions and their state’s exemptions. In Ohio, you get to use Ohio’s generous Chapter 7 exemptions. When something is “exempted,” it means that you get to keep it. Chapter 7 filers get to keep all or most of their property.

Here are the generous Ohio Chapter 7 exemptions:

Your home

Your home has a $21,625 exemption, for a single filer, and $43,250, for a married couple, filing Chapter 7 bankruptcy together. This means that if your equity is less than or equal to $21,625, for an individual filer, or $43,250, for married couples, you can keep your home so long as you can continue to pay the mortgage, insurance, and taxes.

Your car

Each person can protect up to $3,450 of equity in a car. This means that a married couple filing bankruptcy jointly can protect up to $6,900 of equity in cars.

Your jewelry

Each person can protect up to $1,450 in jewelry. This is $2,900 of jewelry for a married couple.

Your personal items

Each person can keep up to $11,525 of personal items (with no item being worth more than $550) and a married couple can keep up to $23,050 of personal items. Examples of personal items would be clothing, furniture, books, computers and the like.

Your tools

Each person can protect up to $2,175 worth of tools of the trade. This is $4,350 for a married couple.

Wild card

In addition, there is a wild card of $1,150 per person ($2,300 per married couple) that could be used to help you to keep your car, home, or cash.

Where do I get help?

We understand that you’re highly stressed and, perhaps, even scared. You are not alone. There is no reason to be. We focus our practice on bankruptcy law and you can reach us at 513-793-6555 or by email at Thomasjr@geygan.com. We will gently walk you through the process and aggressively fight for your legal rights.

Filed Under: Bankruptcy, Chapter 7

Can an Immigration Attorney Help Me?

July 19, 2011 By Tom Jr.

Can an Immigration Attorney Help Me?

The law is complex because there are many lawyers in many different areas of legal practice. You may not understand what an immigration lawyer does and may be wondering, “Can an immigration attorney help me?”

Immigration Lawyers Help Foreign Nationals Enter or Stay in the United States for Many Purposes

Immigration lawyers help foreign nationals (i.e. people from countries other than the United States) come to or stay in the United States. Perhaps, you want to visit, study, work, live with family, develop an investment or business, entertain, conduct research, become a citizen, or hire a foreign national for work you in the United States. Immigration attorneys do all of these things to help people like you.

Are Your Needs on the Immigration Attorney Matters List?

Here is a specific list of common immigration matters of how we help our clients. If you don’t find your needs on this list, or if you’re unsure of what your specific needs are, please feel free to telephone or email our office. We would be happy to analyze your case and see if we’d be a good fit, free of charge and with no obligation. Of course, our conversations are strictly confidential.

A Listing of Immigration Attorney Matters

Family and Fiancé/Fiancée Visas

- Spouses
- Fiancés
- Children of Spouses
- Children of Fiancés
- Parents
- Siblings (brothers and sisters)
H-1B Visas
H-1B Transfers
Asylum
Investment Visas
PERM/Labor Certificates
EB-1, EP-2, and EP-3 Visas
Consular Issues
E2 Visas
L1 Visa
Doctor, Nurse, and Healthcare Visas
Employment Based Green Cards
O & P Entertainers, Performers, and Athletes
I-601 Hardship Waivers
J-1 Waivers for Physicians
American Citizenship

Where to get help with immigration matters

It’s easy to get help. We will answer your questions and address your concerns. Call or email our immigration lawyers today (Thomasjr@geygan.com.) We will gently walk you through your immigration issues and aggressively fight for your legal rights. Call Geygan & Geygan today: 513-793-6555. Our office is located in Ohio, but we are licensed to practice immigration law throughout the United States.

At Geygan and Geygan, we focus our practice on immigration matters so we are uniquely qualified to help you and your family. Success with immigration matters requires a full understanding of the facts, the immigration law, and the current immigration policies. Please contact our office to discuss how we can help you. All conversations are confidential.

Filed Under: Adoption, Asylum, Citizenship, Deportation & Removal, Employment, Employment Visas, Family based Immigration, Family Member, Family Visas, Green Card, Green Card, Green Card, Immigration, Immigration Court, Investor Visas, Naturalization, Reform/New Laws, Treaty Investors, Waiver

What is an immigration waiver and how do I know if I need one?

July 12, 2011 By Tom Jr.

What is an immigration waiver and how do I know if I need one?

If you or a loved one is deemed to be inadmissible to enter the United States or is being deported, you or your loved one may be eligible for a waiver which allows you to enter by exception, or stay in the U.S. when you would otherwise be deported. Without a waiver, your visa application will be denied or you would be deported. Without qualified legal counsel, you may not realize that you need a waiver until your visa interview and that puts you at the end of the line for help.

How a Waiver Helps You

A waiver allows you to enter the U.S. or stay in the U.S., even if you would be otherwise inadmissible or deportable for any reason. This waiver may be granted because you are the spouse, son, or daughter of a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident and you can show that the denial of the immigrant visa or permanent resident status would result in extreme hardship to the U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident spouse or parent.

Steps to Obtaining an Immigration Waiver, in Brief

Consult with a qualified immigration attorney.

Identify that a waiver is needed.
Prepare a waiver package.
Wait for a decision on your waiver.

What if I make a mistake preparing my waiver package?

If a mistake is made in the preparation of the waiver package, your waiver application will be denied. Upon denial, you must fix your errors and resubmit your waiver package.

Unfortunately, resubmission will put you at the back of the line, regarding application review. This is a serious delay because waiver consideration can take up to several years.

Where to Get Help Obtaining a Waiver to Inadmissibility

If you have questions regarding obtaining a waiver to inadmissibility and entering the United States, be sure to consult with a qualified immigration attorney. Immigration is a very specialized area of law; be sure your attorney focuses his or her practice on immigration and getting green cards.

We focus our practice on immigration law and help people just like you. You are not alone.

Your next step is to contact our office: 513-791-1673 or Thomasjr@geygan.com. We will gently walk you through the waiver process. In addition we explain immigration issues such as how to get a green card, represent you in front of the Department of State & USCIS as needed, and aggressively fight for your legal rights.

Filed Under: Immigration, Waiver

Quick Answers to Your Bankruptcy Questions

July 12, 2011 By Tom Jr.

Quick Answers to Your Bankruptcy Questions

If you’re like most people who are contemplating bankruptcy, you have a lot of questions on your mind and a busy life. Here are quick answers to your bankruptcy questions. If you need more information or have questions, be sure to consult with a qualified Ohio bankruptcy attorney.

How long does bankruptcy take?

A Chapter 7 bankruptcy typically takes 6 months from filing.

A Chapter 13 bankruptcy typically takes 3 to 5 years from filing.

What’s the difference between a Chapter 7 and a Chapter 13 bankruptcy?

A Chapter 7 bankruptcy is a liquidation.

On the other hand, a Chapter 13 bankruptcy provides for a repayment plan of debts.

How do I get the creditor phone calls to stop?

As soon as your bankruptcy petition is filed and accepted, a stay is issued and all creditor attempts to collect debts will cease.

How long will a bankruptcy stay on my credit report?

A bankruptcy will stay on your credit report for up to 10 years.

Can I keep my house and car if I file bankruptcy?

Ohio has exemptions that may allow you to keep your home and car.

There is a $20,200 house equity exemption per person. So, the exemption is $40,400 for a married couple filing bankruptcy together.

The car exemption is one car with equity of up to $3,225 per person. This means that the exemption is $6,450 for a married couple filing bankruptcy together.

In Chapter 13 bankruptcies, if you can make your mortgage and car loan payment, you can keep your home and car.

Will my student loans be discharged in my Chapter 7 bankruptcy?

No, student loans are not generally discharged in bankruptcy.

Will my taxes be discharged in bankruptcy?

Probably not; it is only in rare cases that taxes are discharged in bankruptcy.

Will I be able to rent an apartment after I file bankruptcy?

You may have difficulty renting. Look for an apartment from an individual as opposed to an apartment complex with strict credit history policies. A co-signer or paying rent in advance would also help.

What is an automatic stay?

An automatic stay is issued by the court when your bankruptcy petition is accepted. The stay stops many lawsuits and garnishments, all creditor attempts to collect debts, and it halts foreclosures and repossessions.

Where do I get help with my bankruptcy questions?

Call or email our qualified bankruptcy attorneys. You can reach us at 513-793-6555 or Thomasjr@geygan.com.

Filed Under: Bankruptcy, Chapter 13, Chapter 7

What is the DREAM Act?

July 12, 2011 By Tom Jr.

Immigration reform makes headlines nearly daily. On May 11, 2011, the Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid, introduced the DREAM Act in the United States Senate. The legislation seeks to address some of the 11 million undocumented persons currently in the United States.

· What is the DREAM Act?

The DREAM Act would help undocumented college students and members of the military become U.S. citizens. The Act only applies to those who were brought to the U.S. as young children illegally, through no fault of their own.

· What is the rationale behind the DREAM Act?

The DREAM Act recognizes that the people who would benefit are fully Americanized, having gone to school in the U.S. and, perhaps, not even realizing that that they are not citizens until they apply for a college, a job, or a driver’s license.

By going to college and serving in the military, these people are bettering and contributing to the well-being of the United States.

· What’s the status of the DREAM Act?

On June 28^th of 2011, Senator Dick Durbin led a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Refugees and Border Security hearing on the DREAM Act amnesty bill. At the beginning of the hearing, Durbin stated, “When I look around this room, I see America’s future, our doctors, our teachers, our nurses, our engineers, our scientists, our soldiers, our congressmen, our senators, and maybe our president.”

· Will the DREAM Act pass Congress and become law?

Only the future will tell if the DREAM Act becomes law. It may be attached to other immigration measures such as the E-Verify measure which is the government’s social security number internet verification system.

The E-Verify measures have not yet become law and critics are concerned that there will be numerable false positives. In other words, workers who are citizens may be turned down for work if their social security number is not verified.

There is also discussion that the DREAM Act may be attached to a military spending bill.

Where to get help with your immigration issues

If you have immigration questions or concerns, be sure to consult with a qualified immigration attorney. Immigration is a very specialized area of law; be sure your attorney focuses his or her practice on immigration law.

We focus our practice on immigration law and help people just like you. You are not alone.

Your next step is to contact our office: 513-791-1673 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting or Thomasjr@geygan.com. We will analyze your case and legal opportunities as well as gently walk you through the immigration process. In addition we explain immigration issues such as how to get a green card or become a citizen, represent you in front of the Department of State as needed, and aggressively fight for your legal rights.

Filed Under: Immigration, Soap Box