Blog
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Dawn of the Dead: Zombie Mortgages
It has been 17 years since the financial crisis of 2008. It is again time to look at “zombie mortgages.” With the passage of time, property values have, for the most part, increased. In some cases, there has been dramatic appreciation. This makes it attractive for junior lenders to seek to recover as much as
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Furry Blurry Expenses: Pets and Bankruptcy
“Once you have had a wonderful dog, a life without one is a life diminished” (Dean Koontz in A Big Little Life: A Memoir of A Joyful Dog) Some time ago, while serving as Chapter 13 Trustee, I administered a case that involved household cats. During the Section 341 meeting a large monthly expense line
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A New Path to Property Inheritance: Delaware’s Transfer on Death Act
Delaware has become one of the most recent states to enact a Uniform Real Property on Death Act. With the signing into law of House Bill 147-Substitute 1, Delaware residents have a new way to pass down real estate. This act seeks to benefit all residents, especially those from underserved communities by providing them a
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Ferry Joseph, P.A. Donates Suits to The Ferris School
We are proud to assist the Ferris School with their “Monthly Manhood Monday” initiative, which benefits adjudicated youth in our community. Attorneys, staff, and family of attorneys and staff of Ferry Joseph came together to donate suits, blazers, dress shirts, and neckties to this cause. Pictured are Denise Grenda, Ferry Joseph Receptionist who organized this
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What Is a Prenup and Do You Really Need One?
Chances are, you have probably seen the viral kiss cam clip from the Coldplay Concert. At the concert, the kiss cam focuses on what appears to be a couple holding each other. Once the couple notices the camera is focused on them, the man drops to the ground out of view, while the woman turns
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What Delaware’s New Law Means for Terminally Ill Patients
Assisted Suicide or Death with Dignity? One evokes a traumatic experience fraught with emotional pain and controversy, while the other focuses on personal choice not letting a terminal illness dictate your final days. Both are terms used for the practice of medical aid-in-dying, which has become a focal point of legislative and medical debate over
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Treatment of Luxury Assets Under Chapter 13
Welcome to Trustee: “Is this expense necessary?”Debtor: “It brings me joy!”Trustee: Eyebrows raisedDebtor’s Attorney: Does it matter? It’s secured.“ It is once again time to reexamine debtors who elect to retain and pay for luxury items in Chapter 13. We look to the often-cited 9th Circuit case of Drummond v. Welsh 711 F3rd 1120 (9th Cir, 2013).
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Home Equity Conversion Mortgages
Reversal of Forture In a national TV ad campaign, Tom Selleck’s deep resonating voice touts the benefits of a reverse mortgage. He appears as the trusted spokesman for the loan. The sales pitch peddles the ability of senior homeowners to easily tap their home equity and receive a monthly stream of payments. Selleck is one
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Sibling Rivalry: The Power of 11 USC Section 363(h)
Imagine siblings Eli and Peyton Manning, Serena and Venus Williams or the Property Brothers-Drew and Jonathan Scott fighting over property division. It is hard to imagine these celebrities fighting, but for others, it does happen. It is conflict that involves more than sibling rivalry, beyond teasing, or competition. These conflicts are fraught with ugliness when