Probate Basics

The legal distribution of assets and property left by someone who has died is called ‘probate.’ It is a process of law, involving government and courts, that ensures proper and legal distribution of their assets. Even if the deceased person had a legal...

Understanding Wills and Trusts

A will is a written document that defines how your assets will be distributed after you die. Trusts are legal arrangements that involve a separate legal entity to hold and distribute assets — during your life, after your life, or both. As an alternative to...

Bankruptcy Basics

Bankruptcy is a set of legally-defined ways for individuals or businesses to settle debts without full payment, by following rules that govern their assets and financial actions for a period of time. There are two broad types, liquidation and reorganization. Under...

Bankruptcy Protection

When a person or business concludes that meeting their debts is not realistic, they may file for bankruptcy in Federal Bankruptcy court. A bankruptcy filing places an automatic stay on debt-related actions and judgements, including wage garnishment —...

What is A Bankruptcy Petition?

Filing for bankruptcy starts with disclosing all financial information. This is done on a form called a ‘bankruptcy petition’, provided by the US Bankruptcy Court. The bankruptcy case starts when the bankruptcy petition form is filed. Both individuals and...