chapter 13 plan

I. Pursuant to Administrative Order 13-01, the Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Florida has implemented a "Loss Mitigation Mediation" (LMM) program. The goal of LMM is to "facilitate communication and exchange of information in a confidential setting and encourage the parties to finalize a fesible and beneficial agreement with the assistance and supervision of the United State Bankruptcy Court."

Chapter 13 bankruptcy is often used to save a person's home from foreclosure. Under chapter 13, you are allowed to stop the mortgage foreclosure case and catch your mortgage up-to-date. The chapter 13 plan usually involves paying off the mortgage arrearage over a 3 to 5 year period in addition to making your regular ongoing monthly mortgage payments.

A very hot topic in Miami is the "short sale". This usually involves a sale to another person with your mortgage company agreeing to satisfy its mortgage with a payment of less than the full amount due. A variation on the short sale is the "short refinance." In a short refinance, a person tries to refinance his mortgage with a new mortgage for less than the full amount owed on his existing mortgage with the existing mortgage company agreeing to take less than a full payoff.

Many people who have considered bankruptcy are aware of the fact that bankruptcy treats secured and unsecured debts very differently.  If most of your debt is secured, should you even consider bankruptcy? If not, what are your other options? Secured debts are debts that are attached to your assets.  A home mortgage is a good [...]