The state Senate Commerce Committee heard extensive testimony on A1739 (McKeon)/S2989 (Pou), which makes certain for-profit debt adjusters eligible for licensing to conduct business in New Jersey. The measure was voted out of committee last week. The New Jersey State… Read More

Unlike most debts, student loans generally do not get discharged in Bankruptcy. The legal standard in undue hardship, meaning that the person must show inability for anything more than bare survival. It appears that, for US government loans, an easier… Read More

Ronald I. LeVine, of Hackensack, NJ, former chair of the NJ State Bar Association Comsumer Protection Law Committee, testified on September 15 before the NJ Assembly Committee opposing an attempt to debt adjusters to remove the current NJ statutory prohibition… Read More

Ronald LeVine testifies before NJ Legislature NJ outlawed Debt Settlement Services many years ago (1979) realizing that the practice is inherently abusive, while allowing certain limited exceptions. You may have seen ads by the settle–your-debt folks, but they are all… Read More

Jury selection is a process that assures all parties to a trial have an unbiased jury. In NJ, a criminal trial requires 12 jurors, a civil one needs only 6. To that end, prospective jurors are questioned individually in open… Read More

The big 3 Credit Reporting Agencies (Equifax, Trans Union & Experian) agreed to change reporting of medical debt, in a move that will help consumers to retain good credit scores in spite of billing issues with medical service providers. A… Read More

As of today (June 22, 2022), the amount of debt that a person taking advantage of Chapter 13 Bankruptcy to reorganize their debts has been increased to 2.75 million dollars, but only for the next two years. Previously the limit… Read More

With the latest three-year update of the figures, the exemptions (amount a person can keep) has increased 11%. As of April 1, 2022, the minimum exemption in NJ will now be $15,425 with exemptions for other items increased as well…. Read More

The State of NJ announced mortgage assistance to homeowners behind in their mortgage or real estate taxes. A three-year forgivable loan, up to $35,000 is part of the package. Eligibility requirements include that that the homeowner was current on the… Read More

A Fresh Start: An Introduction to Bankruptcy, Foreclosure, and Debt Relief To provide for education of our working partners and the public, we are providing a free seminar on the fundamentals of Bankruptcy Law. For easy availability, it will be… Read More