QUE ES LA BANCARROTA?

La bancarrota es una acción legal que pueden tomar los deudores para hacer frente a la insolvencia. Para la mayoría de los deudores será de ayuda incluso si no hay una liquidación completa de las deudas.

Hay varios tipos de bancarrota, y los deudores son elegibles para ciertas formas de quiebra sobre la base de su situación financiera, su tipo de negocio (en el caso de una bancarrota de negocios) y otros factores.

Una bancarrota puede ser voluntaria o involuntaria.

Una bancarrota voluntaria (la forma más común) es iniciada por el deudor.

En la involuntaria, un acreedor solicita la bancarrota de un deudor. Un deudor puede impugnar una petición de bancarrota involuntaria.

Una vez que se presenta la solicitud de bancarrota, se prohíbe a los acreedores utilizar cualquier medio que no sea el proceso de bancarrota para tratar de cobrar una deuda. Es decir, no pueden llamar, escribir o tomar acciones legales contra el deudor.

¿Cómo detiene la bancarrota las acciones del acreedor?
Tan pronto como se presenta una solicitud de bancarrota, el tribunal emite una suspensión automática, es decir, una acción legal que impide que los acreedores lleven a cabo actividades de cobro o acciones legales en su contra, para tratar de cobrar la deuda. En la mayoría de los casos, si el acreedor obtuvo el pago de los fondos después de que la petición fuera presentada, los fondos deberán devolverse y se pondrán a disposición de todos los acreedores a través del proceso de bancarrota.

¿Con qué frecuencia puedo declararme en bancarrota?
Si presentó una bancarrota según el Capítulo 7 y consiguió una liquidación de sus deudas, debe esperar ocho años antes de presentar otro Capítulo 7.

Usted no puede conseguir una liquidación en un caso según el Capítulo 13 si ha recibido:

Una liquidación en un caso anterior bajo Capítulo 7, 11 o 12 que fuese presentada en los cuatros años anterior al actual Capítulo 13
Una liquidación  según el Capítulo 13 en un caso presentado en los dos años siguientes a presentar el actual Capítulo 13

¿Tengo que enumerar todos mis acreedores en mi petición de bancarrota?
Sí. Debe enumerar cualquier compañía o persona a quien deba dinero, ya sea de negocios, amigos o familia.

¿Cómo afectará la bancarrota mi calificación crediticia?
La bancarrota del Capítulo 7 permanece en su informe de crédito durante 10 años y el Capítulo 13 permanece durante siete años. Puede comenzar a calificar para préstamos  un año después de declararse en bancarrota, si cumple con los requisitos de ingresos. Sin embargo, el prestamista probablemente le cobrará tasas de interés más altas de lo normal. Puede llevar entre cinco y siete años hasta que se le ofrezcan las tasas de interés normales de nuevo.

¿Puedo pagar a un acreedor después de declararme en bancarrota?
Bajo la Sección 524 (f) del Título 11, usted está autorizado a pagar cualquier acreedor que usted elija, una vez que su bancarrota ha finalizado.

¿Se eliminarán las deudas debidas a impuestos con la bancarrota?
Casi nunca pero existen casos que si.

¿Tengo que ir a los tribunales después de declararme en bancarrota?
Con una bancarrota según el Capítulo 7, por lo general tiene que asistir a una reunión de acreedores antes de su jurado de bancarrota, que tiene lugar 20-40 días después de presentar su solicitud de quiebra. Para una bancarrota según el Capítulo 13, tendrá que ir a la corte  ante su fiduciario en dos ocasiones para la reunión con los acreedores y la audiencia de confirmación.

¿Cómo puedo restablecer mi crédito después de la bancarrota?
Puede restablecer su crédito consiguiendo un garante para un préstamo y también obteniendo una tarjeta de crédito asegurada. Con una tarjeta de crédito garantizada, su límite de crédito se basa en la suma de dinero que le dio al acreedor como garantía de su tarjeta.

¿Puedo tener una tarjeta de crédito después de la bancarrota?
Sí. Normalmente, despues de un año de haberse declarado wn bancarrota, comenzara a recibir ofertas por email o por correo regular de tarjetas de credito...

Si tiene alguna pregunta sobre este tema u otro, favor consulte un abogado de bancarrota o pongase en contacto con nosotros, para decirle, donde puede conseguir la informacion que necesita..

HOW LONG IS A PETITION PROCESS?

The most common question we receive is, How Long does it takes to bring a relative to the US; and in the same way, we always hear to variety of time as an specific rule. Well the true about the time depends in different factors and do not exist an specific time frame.

 FACTORS THAT AFFECT THE TIME FRAME Several factors affect the time but we will mention the most common. US Citizen or Permanent Green Card Holder. the time frame varies between both, having the US Citizen also the benefits of been able to file a petition for their parents and brothers and sisters. 

How busy is the office, who is or will be handling your case? Some offices are more and extremely more busy than others and certain times of the year, is not en specific time or location of which is going to be less busy so you can apply there, cause you have to submit the petition to the address that correspond to your area or State.

How accurate was the I-130 form filed? if the petition form was filled with mistake, or incomplete, you will get it back on the mail, and you will have to redo the process again, so please avoid the headache and double check what you are doing, and double check the documents you are sending, and please pay attention to the signature area, sign where you are suppose to. 

Lost Check or NO funds. In some cases, the USCIS office could misplace your check and you may have to put an stop payment and send another one also pray that the USCIS do not find the old check and try to cash it. Another issue is the check bounce, cause the petitioner forgot to keep the funds or though had the funds available, and forgot he paid a couple bills and make a math balance error. 

Visa category. the Petition for a Spouse or children is not the same as a parent category but do not have to fall into the visa waiting list because is regulated by Immigration National Act, who promoted the family unity and much less a brother or sister, been the last subject to visa eligibility and waiting time, been about 20 years; Also depending on the country.

You have your receipt of acceptance on the mail. this only means that the petition was accepted, but keep in mind, this do not mean you relative is been approve to travel, this is just the first step. 

WHAT HAPPEN AFTER THEY APPROVE MY PETITION? your relative will be notify, about it and they will inform him, about the documents he or she must start to collect and also, what to do with them. After all documents are collected and submitted the way it was advised, the petitioner or the beneficiary will wait for an interview, where the consular office will review all the paperwork and the petition, and make a final decision.

Realistic Time Frame. if all goes smooth the process could be, between 1 year and 3 months to who knows. Yes, cause like we keep saying, all depends on the smooth of the process.

If you have questions about this topic or other, please send us an email or give us a call, we will be glad to respond to your questions and help you out, in the best possible way.

CUANTO DURA, UNA PETICION DE FAMILIAR?

 Una de las preguntas mas frequentes que recibimos es, Cuanto Tiempo tengo que esperar para que mi familiar llegue a vivir conmigo?

Verdaderamente el tiempo depende de muchos factores los cuales los analizaremos en este articulo.

                       FACTORES QUE DETERMINAN EL TIEMPO DE ESPERA

Ciudadano Norte Americano vs Residente Permanente O Green Card Holder.  verdaderamente tiene sus ventajas ser ciudadano Norte Americano, ya que el periodo para hacer una peticion a un hijo/hija/ esposo/esposa es mas rapido. Pero todo depende del desnvolvimiento de los documentos y el periodo de espera entre un proceso y otro.

Sin duda alguna, siempre escuchamos diferentes versiones que van desde que si se es Ciudadano Norte Americano puede durar de 3 a 6 meses (eso NO es cierto) hasta que si es Residente dura hasta 3 años (eso puede depender solo de como se manejen los documentos que se soliciten).

veamos por  parte las causas de por que puede demorarse una peticion ya sea Ciudadano Norte Americano o Residente Permanente.

LLenado de la Peticion inicial I-130 de la forma incorrect: Este es el primer paso de una peticion y debemos estar seguro que la informacion es correcta y que se firmo donde se debe y todas las partes, como interpretes y preparadores firmaron donde deben asi mismo como el peticionario.

Pago de la tarifa correcta por la Peticion: La peticion tiene un costo, y este pago se debe enviar con la peticion, debemos asegurarnos de que el cheque enviado tenga la cantidad correcta, este bien lleno y firmado, asi mismo si es un Money Order. Muchos cheques han sido devueltos por no estar firmados o por tener la cantidad que no es. A este proceso tambien debemos agregar que en ocaciones se envian cheques y money orders sueltos y estos se extravian en la misma oficina del USCIS. y se debe proceder a hacer otro cheque. Solo debemos rogar que el USCIS no encuentre el viejo y lo trate de cambiar antes de que se le ponga un Pare de pago o Stop Payment, ya que conseguir un reembolso es un asunto casi imposible de tratar pero se puede lograr con pasiencia.

Que tan ocupada o saturada de trabajo extra pueda estar la oficina que corresponda a su area?  Existen temporadas las cuales son inciertas de cuando tienen exceso de trabajo, esto atrasa el proceso de la peticion y a su vez desespera un poco tanto al peticionario como al beneficiario, lamentablemente NO se puede saber cuando se estara muy ocupado y cuando no, tampoco podemos cambiarnos a oficinas de procesamiento, por que nos hallan dicho que en otro estado es mas lento. Las oficinas de procesamiento son por region y usted debe enviar la peticion a la region que le corresponda. Si usted vive en New York NO puede enviar la peticion a la oficina que corresponda a california por que crea en un rumor de que esa trabaja mas rapido y es mejor. Su peticion puede ser devuleta o puede ser transferida a la oficina que le corresponda y esto haria que el proceso se alargue mas de lo normal.

Categoria de Visa: Los que son pedidos por Ciudadanos Norte Americanos No tienen que esperar por que una visa este disponible y este proceso se hace mucho mas rapido debido al Acto National De Immigracion el cual promueve bajo ley la unidad familiar, pero a su vez, se debe de esperar a que salga la cita consular y estar pendiente a que los documentos esten todo en orden.

Ciertamente el ser Ciudadano Norte Americano corta mucho el periodo de espera, pero en la mayoria de los casos el proceso dura mas debido a burocracia que no se puede controlar o tardanza en el envio de ciertos documentos solicitados.

Tomemos en cuenta en que una aceptacion de una peticion no es que ya fue aprobada la visa y que solo debe de esperar la cita consular, debemos enviar todo lo que se nos pida en la forma que se nos diga.

si tiene alguna pregunta sobre este u otro tema, por favor pongase en contacto con nosotros, estaremos listos para servirles con la mas humilde sonrisa.

IF I AM A US CITIZEN, WHAT RELATIVES CAN I BRING TO LIVE WITH ME IF I FILE A PETITION?

To promote family unity, U.S. immigration law allows U.S. citizens to petition for a spouse, child or parent to come and live permanently in the United States. Also a brother or a sister.

Who is eligible?
A U.S. citizen can file a petition for the following “immediate relatives,” as defined by immigration law:

Children, unmarried and under age 21;

Parents, if the petitioner is age 21 or over; and

Spouse

Immediate relatives have special immigration priority and do not have to wait in line for a visa number to become available for them to immigrate because there are an unlimited number of visas for their particular categories.

For other qualified relatives that a U.S. citizen may petition, they have to wait for a visa to becomw available.

WHY THE IRS AUDITED ME?

There is nothing sinister in an audit by the IRS


An audit is simply the IRS double-checking your numbers to make sure you don’t have any discrepancies in your return. If you’re telling the truth, and the whole truth, you needn’t worry.


However, people who are consciously cheating the system do have reason to be concerned.
Why the IRS audits people


The IRS conducts audits to minimize the “tax gap,” or the difference between what the IRS is owed and what the IRS actually receives. Sometimes audits are random, but the IRS often selects taxpayers based on suspicious activity.
What gets the IRS’s attention


We’re against subterfuge. But we’re also against paying more than you owe. As you walk the line this tax season, here are seven of the biggest red flags likely to land you in the audit hot seat.

1. MAKING MATH ERRORS
When the IRS starts investigating, “oops” isn’t going to cut it. Don’t make mistakes. This applies to everyone who must file taxes. Don’t accidentally write a 3 instead of an 8. Don’t get distracted and forget to include that final zero. Mistakes happen, but make sure you double- and triple-check your numbers if you’re doing your own taxes. You’ll be hit with fines regardless of whether your mistake was intentional. If your math is a little shaky, using good tax preparation software or a registered tax prepares in your area can help you avoid unfortunate errors. I will NOT and I repeat myself Do NOT try to do your taxes yourself if you don't know what are you doing. just because, you saw an add commercial, that says, "do your taxes your self and save money using our website"

2. FAILING TO REPORT SOME INCOME
Easy way to score an audit? Don’t report part of your income. Those lottery winnings or unemployment checks received, they will come afloat sooner than later, and the same goes for cash job made, if the business owner, who you perform the job, decide to give you a 1099-misc form.

3. CLAIMING TOO MANY CHARITABLE DONATIONS
If you made significant contributions to charity, you’re elligle for a good deduction. This bit of advice is common sense: Don’t report false donations. If you don’t have the proper documentation to prove the validity of your contribution, don’t claim it. Pretty simple. Claiming $10,000 in charitable deductions on your $40,000 salary is likely to raise some eyebrows. Even I have clients who does even more than that, but hey, they have proof that they are really donating to their churches.

4. REPORTING TOO MANY LOSSES ON A SCHEDULE C
This one is self employed. If you are your own boss, you might be tempted to hide income (don't do it) the suspicion that too many reported losses can arouse. The IRS may begin to wonder how your business is staying afloat.

5. CLAIMING A HOME OFFICE DEDUCTION
Claiming Home Office deductions is very tricky and most of the cases raise a red flag. and can be seen as fraud. It may be tempting to give yourself undeserved deductions for expenses that don’t technically qualify. The IRS narrowly defines the home office deduction as reserved for people who use part of their home “exclusively and regularly for your trade or business.” That means a home office can qualify if you use it for work and work only. Occasionally answering emails on your laptop in front of your 72-inch flat screen TV doesn’t qualify your living room as a deductible office space. Claim a home office deduction only if you have set off a section of your home strictly for business purposes. Be honest when you report expenses and measurements.

6. USING NICE, NEAT, ROUND NUMBERS
The numbers on your 1040 form and Documents Proofs will not be in simple, clean intervals of $100, that is a fact. When making your calculations, be precise and avoid making estimations. Round to the nearest dollar, not the nearest hundred. Say you’re a Technician claiming a $781.38 course to learn about an especial repair as a business expense; round that to $781.00, not to $1000. If you get audit you will not have proof of those $1000 expenses.

If you have any question, regarding this topic, please get in contact with us, we will be glad to answer any question, you may have.

WHAT IS BANKRUPTCY?

WHAT IS BANKRUPTCY? Bankruptcy is the process whereby a person legally declares himself or his business unable to pay outstanding debts. Depending upon the type filed, one meets with a judge to determine a payment schedule or have a legal bankruptcy discharge most if not all debts. Businesses also may declare bankruptcy, which either means the business will close, or that the business will continue to operate with reduced payments to debtors.


IS BANKRUPTCY A GOOD IDEA? There are many factors that have to be taken into consideration. This are:


1- SPEAK TO A LAWYER: A lawyer is the first option, you have, to get advice and explain your situation, some lawyers offer free consultation, which means they can advice you for free, you just need to find them.


2- KNOW WHAT TYPE OF BANKRUPTCY YOU QUALIFY AND WHY: Keeping this information to individuals only, we will only talk about the most common types of bankruptcy for individuals, which are:


                          CHAPTER 7: is a bankruptcy proceeding that can wipe out many of your debts in a three to six month period. However, you may lose some of your personal property.


                         CHAPTER 13: is a bankruptcy proceeding that can be more complicated than Chapter 7 bankruptcy. In Chapter 13, you will be required to make a repayment plan based off of your income, showing how you will pay off your debts in the next three to five years.


3- CONSIDER YOUR ALTERNATIVES: Bankruptcy is not for everyone. You should consider your situation carefully before making a decision. You may find that you do not need to file bankruptcy because you are judgment proof, or that you can fix your financial woes with a few simple changes.


4- ENSURE THAT YOU ARE ELIGIBLE TO FILE FOR THE TYPE OF BANKRUPTCY YOU WANT TO FILE. There are certain requirements that you must meet in order to file for certain types of bankruptcies. For example, you may not be able to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy if your income is high enough to pay off your debts through Chapter 13. Also, if your income is too low, or your debts too high, you may not be able to file for Chapter 13 bankruptcy because you cannot show that you are able to meet your repayment plan.


5- FIND OUT WHAT DEBTS WILL AND WON'T BE FORGIVEN. Certain types of debts, such as child support, alimony and tax debts, that cannot be wiped out through a bankruptcy proceeding, no matter whether you file Chapter 7 or Chapter 13.


6- FIGURE OUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO YOUR HOME IF YOU FILE FOR BANKRUPTCY: If you are already having problems making your mortgage payments, perhaps they will become easier if some of your other debts are forgiven. However, you may lose your home if you file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. On the other hand, if your income is high enough, you may be able to file for Chapter 13 bankruptcy and include your mortgage payments on your repayment plan.


7- FIGURE OUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO YOUR OTHER PROPERTY? What happens to other property during a bankruptcy proceeding will depend on what you've done with it and the property exemption laws that are available to you. If, for example, you put up your boat or your car as collateral on a loan, this makes that loan secured and the creditor may still be able to take your property even if you are in bankruptcy. Also, only certain types of property are protected by exemption laws in Chapter 7 bankruptcies.


8- FIND OUT IF YOUR CREDIT CARD DEBTS WILL BE WIPE OUT OR REMOVE: You should figure out if your credit card debt will be wiped out by a bankruptcy proceeding before you file. If you lied on a credit card application or spent well beyond your means, bankruptcy may not be able to forgive your credit card debt.


9- ENSURE THAT YOUR PENSION PLAN IS SAFE: Most pension plans and life insurance policies are protected by state laws in a bankruptcy proceeding. Before filing for bankruptcy, it would still be a good idea to find out whether your pension plan(401(k), IRA) and/or life insurance policies will continue to be protected.


10- MAKE SURE THAT ANY CO- SIGNER IS NOT STUCK WITH YOUR DEBT: You should go back through all of your debt agreements to make sure that no one that co-signed for any of your loans will be stuck making payments on your debt. Generally, Chapter 13 bankruptcy will protect any co-signers to your debts, but Chapter 7 will not.

11- LAST BUT NOT LEAST- YOUR PERSONAL LIFE WILL BE INVADED In order for bankruptcy to work, you will have to show the bankruptcy court every aspect of your financial life. In addition, other people may find out about your bankruptcy. In Chapter 7 bankruptcy, it is likely that some of your personal property will be taken and sold in order to pay off your debts. Also, in a Chapter 13 bankruptcy, you will probably have to ask permission to spend your own money for the next three to five years.


If you need more information about the topic, please send us a message and we will gladly respond to any question you may have.