Going through a divorce can take its toll on your mental and physical wellbeing. If you have made the decision with your partner to divorce, it’s crucial that you find a reputable divorce attorney who can be with you every step of the way.

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Once you have found a divorce attorney in your area, it’s important that you know what to expect before your first meeting. To work well together, here are 5 useful tips that can help.

Have Questions Ready

If you arrive at your first meeting with your divorce attorney unprepared, it’s likely that there will be questions you forget to ask. To avoid this from occurring, it’s advised to write down every question that springs to mind in the days leading up to your initial consultation. This will mean you can leave your meeting feeling confident and assured that they are the right fit for your case. In addition to having questions ready, it’s vital that your divorce attorney can communicate effectively and listen to your needs.

Prepare Financial Documents

One of the biggest issues that are linked with a divorce is the finances, so your attorney will need to understand what the process will look like from the beginning. Before going to your first meeting, make sure that you gather all financial documentation and information. While there will be a lot of information that you can directly hand to your lawyer, they will gather a lot from these sorts of documents too.

List Relevant Information About Your Divorce

Any important aspects of your divorce and marriage must be noted down. Your divorce attorney will benefit from every minor and major detail which can help you with your case. Whether you deem it relevant or not, it’s best to provide as much information as you can, as it could strengthen your case.

Gather Tax Returns

The tax returns that you provide to your divorce lawyer will help them understand your overall financial situation. With your finances being one of the core issues during the divorce process, your tax return documentation will be extremely useful, especially when it is paired with the rest of your financial information that you have provided.

Be Honest

While there will be details of your marriage that are sensitive, it’s essential that you are upfront and honest with your divorce lawyer from the start. If you leave any important details out, your lawyer will learn about them from your partner and their attorney instead. Although it can be hard to share private information, the situation can change for the worse if you aren’t truthful. Your lawyer is there to help you with every aspect of your divorce such as property division appeals, finances, and ensuring you get a good settlement.

A good divorce attorney will have your best interests at heart and do everything in their power to ensure your case runs smoothly. If you don’t feel satisfied at your first meeting, it’s advised to research other divorce attorneys in your area.

 

A workers compensation claim can make for a messy situation. An insurance company may doubt your story or try to pay you less. You may have been on the clock but off the premises of the work place when you got injured. There may be discrepancies about the nature of the accident that caused your injury, or if your illness actually came from work.

Any of these issues may warrant hiring a lawyer to help you with the insurance company or represent you when dealing with the settlement agreement. Here are three general concerns surrounding lawyers and why you shouldn’t worry about them.

1. Cost

It’s no surprise that lawyers can cost quite a bit for representation. This causes many people to avoid hiring one at all for fear they can’t afford one. However, a lawyer doesn’t actually get paid from the beginning. They only receive payment once you do, and it’s an amount that’s agreed upon beforehand called a contingency fee.

2. Experience

There’s no doubt that getting the wrong lawyer can have major repercussions on your case. A lawyer fresh out of law school might cost less, but they won’t have the experience to get you what you need. Fortunately, there’s an abundance of lawyers to choose from. You can start by googling a lawyer (for example, “Iowa workers compensation attorney” or wherever is near you) and interviewing potential candidates to get a feel for their work.

3. Insurance

Handling an insurance company in workers compensation cases can be a big burden. Your lawyer will be the one to work with them. If you need to speak to them, a lawyer can guide you on what to say so that you don’t make any errors that could set your claim back.

If you’re ever uncertain about a workers comp claim, talk to a lawyer. Even making a first-time consultation can help you get a handle on your case.

The COVID-19 pandemic has taken the entire world by storm. Virtually the entire United States has had to shut down as small businesses closed their doors and hunkered down during a time of unprecedented crisis. As the country begins to open back up, there are going to be some important labor law issues that will rise to the surface. It is a good idea for both employees and businesses to rely on an experienced labor law attorney Orlando to help them sort through these issues.

Problems for Employees

One of the biggest issues employees might have to face has to do with their employment contracts. Many employees were placed on leave and are just now being brought back. They might have concerns about how they are going to be paid and whether their health insurance is going to cover the cost of any medical bills related to COVID-19. It is critical for employees to read their contracts carefully to make sure they understand what happens if they get sick on the job.

Issues for Businesses

Businesses are going to face concerns as well. As many businesses reopen, they are concerned about whether they can be sued or held responsible for workers’ compensation is someone gets sick due to COVID-19. While it might be difficult to prove that someone contracted the infection at their place of work, this is still a possibility that all companies need to consider.

Reopening After the Pandemic

While the idea of reopening is an exciting time for individuals, families, and businesses, it is also important to realize that this virus is still very much with us. Until there is a vaccine, this virus isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Therefore, it is important for both employees and businesses to protect themselves against this infection.

While many people may associate bail bonds with high profile celebrity cases or murder trials, bail bonds are also used for misdemeanor crimes. The bondsman agrees to cover your bond after someone on your behalf enlists their services for a fee. The bondsman takes a percentage of the bail set by the judge. With a bond, you do not have to remain in jail, but must return to court at the appropriate times and follow other guidelines. Here are some common misdemeanor crimes you can use a bail bond for.

DUI

Driving under the influence of alcohol has quickly risen as one of the most popular bail bonds. Local municipalities have cracked down on drivers with alcohol and drugs in their system. The bond helps you get out of jail faster. When searching bail bonds near me Allentown PA, make sure you find one that covers DUI or DWI depending on the jurisdiction.

Vandalism

Vandalism has made headlines in the most recent past when some people destroyed or damaged public park property near the Joshua Tree in California. The person charge must have deliberately meant to destroy or damage the property owned either by the public or a private person or entity.

Theft

Petty theft is often treated as a misdemeanor because there is no physical violence. Those charged with petty theft typically steal property with a low value. While grand theft auto is a felony, stealing less than about $400 is petty theft. Some states have higher thresholds, but most classify petty theft somewhere below $1000.

Trespassing

Entering someone else’s home or land without permission qualifies as trespassing. Many government properties including railroads do not allow trespassers on their property. Businesses, homeowners and government entities may post signs stating No Trespassing to warn people away from entering their property without permission. These are only a few of the many misdemeanors you may need a bail bond for.

In 2019, the U.S. State Department issued over 8.5 million visas to nonimmigrants. Every year, foreign employees of international businesses come to the United States to do their work, and companies must have a way to get them over here. The government offers several types of work visas.

Employers can petition for temporary and permanent work visas. Some examples of temporary work visas are the H-2A non-agricultural visa and the P-1B that is for someone who is a member of an entertainment group. One of the most common of the temporary work visas is the L-visa.

Eligibility

A company can file a petition for an L1-visa for its employees to work and live in the United States. As part of its eligibility for L1 status, the company must have a working relationship with a foreign business besides being an employer in the United States. There are two types of L1 visas:

1. L1A Visa

This is the visa used for those who work as managers and executives. It is a nonimmigrant visa that enables the U.S. employer to transfer the people in those positions from one of its affiliated foreign offices to an office in the United States. To qualify for this visa, the employer must be a parent, branch or affiliate of a foreign company working abroad or do business as an employer in the U.S. and in at least one other country. For an employee to qualify for an L1A visa, he or she must:

• Have one year of continuous employment within three years preceding application for admission with the same company
• Be seeking to enter in an executive or managerial position

2. L1B Visa

The L1B visa is for an intracompany transferee with specialized knowledge. The same qualifications apply as with the L1A visa. However, the employee seeking entrance must have specialized working knowledge of the organization.

Specialized knowledge means the individual has dedicated experience with the business’s product, service, research or equipment. This person may also have specific knowledge or expertise in the company’s procedures.

The L1 Visa Application Process

The application process involves filing an application and petition. After approval, the applicant must go to his or her country’s consulate or embassy to finalize the visa. The processing time will depend on the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services’ service center. For example, in Texas, the l1 visa Houston Tx processing time for the L1 visa may take from five weeks to three months. Consulate processing times vary but could take up to six months or longer.

If you want to sell your house fast and in a rush over the sale of your property, you are aware that you will be needing extra measures to do the sale. But then again, you may be worried that in doing this, you will be cutting some percentage that affects your take-home money from the value of your house. When you sell, you may perhaps consider advertising and informing the urgency in selling the property. Talking to your neighbors, relatives, and friends will be your first action. When it is already the talk of the town, do not be surprised if suddenly real estate agents will approach you and there is a long line of them especially if the property is so hot to sell. They will be offering options and giving you promises for a fast turn out. Of course, there is a price at stake and to top it all, we are talking for just a small amount.

When dealing with real estate agents, you will be wondering how much the commission will be. How many percentages it is going to be? In the United States, especially selling your house fast in Los Angeles, the usual percentage is nearly 6 percent. Literally, it will take you in computing how much it is going to be. For example, if your appraised property is amounting to $20,000, the real estate agent will be receiving around $1,200 or less. What a great score for the real estate agents. From their small talk, they will be benefiting for big cash.

Upon learning this, you may think of escaping from dealing with the real estate. Can you really sell the house fast without their expertise? Of course, you can do it!

Here are some tips in selling your house without a real estate agent;

1. Be realistic

You must know the value of your property, your location, the size, and the state of your house that can contribute to the selling price. The land cost will be different from the original price. For some years the price can be higher than before so it is really profitable investment. An appraisal agent can help you to score the house.

2. Compare the price of your property

Simply asking the price of the land in your neighborhood can help you reach your conclusion.  You can manage to sell the house by yourself in a competitive manner. It can bring up more potential buyers. If you are not aware of the price of your property, there is a risk of overpricing that will take you to zero inquiries.

3. Advertise, advertise and advertise

The power of advertising can be much helpful in selling your house fast.  There are many simple things on how to do it. Traditionally, a simple “for sale” sign in front of your house can be at help.  You can also share brochures and leaflets from your house. Another option is building a website to market your property and to attract potential buyers where you can also post online advertisements.

4. Hosting An Open House

You can always gather ideas on how to hold an open house just as real estate does. Posting online and placing signs all over your neighborhood for the announcement of the sale can be much help in advertising your willingness to sell your house fast. You can prepare some flyers to help you with the sale. You can also prepare simple but delightful refreshments that will help potential buyers to feel at ease where you can always be gracious to answer every inquiry.  Preparing property description sheets to hand out to everyone attending the open house can help you speak up about the property including brief information. After the open house, be ready to answer all inquiries and you may as well make a follow up for the highest bidder.

5. Negotiate with your potential buyer yourself

No one is knowledgeable about the property except you. When you found the legitimate buyer, you can proceed with accepting the contract from the seller. But if there is some revision on the contract, the seller can submit a new contract according to the buyer’s preferences. If you are not familiar with the written contract, you can always consult an attorney to review the contract.  Until both parties agreed, one and the other have to sign the contract and the process continues.

6. Best time to sell

A great timing can add a favorable outcome. If you want to sell your house fast Los Angeles California, the perfect time to sell your house on its advantage is in spring and summer. Various studies concluded that it will be long waiting for you if you decide to sell your house in wintertime. You can prepare a strategize plan on how to make a quick sale without compromising its profitable value.

When you first purchased your dream house, your first glance inspires you to have it. It may as well inspire potential buyers to think the way you do. They may perhaps be inspired in buying your house, recreate, and own it.  You can help a homebuyer because you know more than anyone else the selling point of your house, and you won’t be needing help from real estate agents.

 

Thеѕе dауѕ, a new tесhnіԛuе is rеvоlutіоnіzіng hоw buѕіnеѕѕеѕ including law firms mаrkеt their products. It іѕ knоwn аѕ inbоund mаrkеtіng.

Tоdау, lеt us talk about what inbоund mаrkеtіng including inbound marketing for law firms is, hоw it іѕ changing the fасе оf trаdіtіоnаl оr оutbоund mаrkеtіng, and whу уоu ѕhоuld bе іntеrеѕtеd аbоut іt.

Trаdіtіоnаl оr Outbound Mаrkеtіng

Outbоund marketing or trаdіtіоnаl mаrkеtіng іѕ a wау іn which соmраnіеѕ gо out and fіnd customers. It is a push ѕtrаtеgу. Outbоund mаrkеtеrѕ mаіnlу adopt twо ѕtrаtеgіеѕ:

They put out аdvеrtіѕеmеntѕ іn tеlеvіѕіоn, bіllbоаrdѕ, print mеdіа, etc. fоr реорlе to see.
They also асtіvеlу rеасh оut to реорlе bу mаkіng cold calls, ѕеndіng dіrесt mаіlѕ, etc. Thеѕе аrе tесhnіԛuеѕ which are іntеrruрtіvе іn nаturе.

Nоt еvеrуоnе lіkеѕ interruption

Remember how you have rесеіvеd саllѕ frоm marketers whіlе уоu were аttеndіng that urgеnt mееtіng, or that ad that came оn TV juѕt bеfоrе thе сlіmаx оf thе movie was about tо ѕtаrt? Whаt wаѕ уоur rеасtіоn tо thеѕе interruptions?

I rеmеmbеr hаvіng blасklіѕtеd a fіnаnсіаl ѕеrvісеѕ соmраnу bесаuѕе a ѕnеаkу соld саllеr from its оffісе саllеd me thrice in a single dау, and fіnаllу got vеrу upset bесаuѕе I соuldn’t talk to hеr аѕ I wаѕ on a business tоur!

Needless tо ѕау, only a hаndful оf thоѕе who rесеіvе thеѕе саllѕ or see the аdѕ асtuаllу rеmеmbеr thе product аnd buу it. Outbound marketing rеlіеѕ оn рurсhаѕеѕ mаdе by a ѕmаll percentage of реорlе who ѕее thе аdѕ, or rесеіvе ѕuсh calls. This rеѕultѕ іn wаѕtаgе оf thе money spent іn reaching оut tо реорlе who аrе nоt іntеrеѕtеd.

Another рrоblеm is thаt, with thе аdvаnсеmеnt оf tесhnоlоgу uѕеrѕ are now able to blосk these mаrkеtіng mеѕѕаgеѕ еаѕіlу. Mоѕt of thе dіrесt mаѕѕ еmаіlѕ land uр in thе junk mаіl fоldеr. There are rероrtѕ that people have аlѕо developed a blіndnеѕѕ tоwаrdѕ mоѕt оf thе ads that аrе ѕhоwn оn tеlеvіѕіоn. And lеt’ѕ nоt fоrgеt how реорlе gеt irritated with соld саllѕ mаdе to thеm. Aѕ уоu саn ѕее, thе outbound mеthоd оf mаrkеtіng is lоѕіng іtѕ ѕhееn rаріdlу.

Inbound Marketing

Inbound marketing оn thе other hаnd, іѕ nоt an іntеrruрtіvе ѕtrаtеgу at аll. It аdорtѕ a “pull strategy”, wherein іnѕtеаd оf rеасhіng оut to уоur сuѕtоmеrѕ, you attract thеm tо уоurѕеlf.

Itѕ fоundаtіоn lіеѕ in аddіng value to thе uѕеrѕ іnѕtеаd оf bоmbаrdіng them wіth mаrkеtіng mеѕѕаgеѕ. Thіѕ vаluе іѕ рrоvіdеd in thе fоrm of uѕеful соntеnt which hеlрѕ thе users іn оnе or mоrе wауѕ. Mаnу users go оnlіnе looking fоr a ѕоlutіоn to a рrоblеm thаt thеу are having. Inbоund relies оn ѕоlvіng thеіr рrоblеmѕ or gіvіng them vаluаblе іnfоrmаtіоn fіrѕt, аnd building uр engagement wіth thеm afterwards.

When users gеt benefited bу whаt you have to ѕау, they trу tо hеаr frоm уоu mоrе оftеn. Over time thеу start truѕtіng you аnd wоuld аlѕо bе interested іn uѕіng thе рrоduсt оr ѕеrvісе thаt уоu hаvе tо offer. When реорlе соmе tо уоu lооkіng fоr ѕоlutіоnѕ, іt іѕ fаr еаѕіеr tо dеlіght them, аnd increase your ѕаlеѕ eventually.

Thus, unlіkе іn оutbоund mаrkеtіng, where thе соmmunісаtіоn wіth thе customer starts wіth trуіng tо ѕеll something tо thеm, in inbound ѕаlеѕ іѕ ѕоmеthіng thаt соmеѕ lаtеr, оnlу аftеr thе uѕеr has bесоmе comfortable, and hаѕ ѕtаrtеd truѕtіng your buѕіnеѕѕ.

The inbound marketing process

It starts wіth аttrасtіng vіѕіtоrѕ to уоur website. Next, уоu соnvеrt thеѕе vіѕіtоrѕ іntо leads. Clоѕе the leads to mаkе thеm buу уоur оffеrs. Thereafter, уоu еngаgе wіth thеm a lоt mоrе аnd соntіnuе to keep them interested. This wіll kеер them lоуаl tо уоu, аnd wіll also become уоur brand ambassadors by tеllіng others аbоut уоu. This іnсrеаѕеѕ rереаt ѕаlеѕ аnd cross ѕеllѕ. Evеntuаllу the nееd fоr рrоѕресtіng for new customers will dесrеаѕе оvеr time.

The tесhnіԛuеѕ used іn inbоund marketing

Inbоund mаrkеtіng іѕ a strategy which іѕ created by соmbіnіng thе bеѕt оf thе dіgіtаl mаrkеtіng techniques. Thе exact tесhnіԛuеѕ thаt are uѕеd іn thіѕ ѕtrаtеgу dереnd оn thе tуре оf the business, іtѕ gоаlѕ, аnd thе customers thаt іt wаntѕ tо саtеr tо. Thе fоllоwіng аrе the digital marketing techniques thаt аrе uѕеd to create аnd inbоund mаrkеtіng ѕtrаtеgу:

Cоntеnt mаrkеtіng: Thіѕ іѕ thе соrе оf inbound. Thе business needs tо сrеаtе grеаt соntеnt which wіll attract thе uѕеrѕ. Whеn thе users rеаd content that іѕ vаluаblе tо thеm, they would vіѕіt the website оf thе business іn search fоr mоrе іnfоrmаtіоn. Thе business hаѕ to continue to gіvе vаluаblе іnfоrmаtіоn tо customers rеgulаrlу.

Sеаrсh Engine Oрtіmіzаtіоn: Thе website nееdѕ tо be орtіmіzеd fоr vіѕіtѕ bу the uѕеrѕ. Vаrіоuѕ ѕеаrсh еngіnе орtіmіzаtіоn techniques аrе аррlіеd to make sure thаt they get the best experience bу visiting thе wеbѕіtе оf thе business.

Sосіаl Mеdіа mаrkеtіng: A strong presence іn rеlеvаnt ѕосіаl mеdіа channels hаѕ tо bе buіlt-іn order tо еngаgе wіth thе uѕеrѕ. Aраrt from thе wеbѕіtе, the buѕіnеѕѕ wіll provide information through ѕосіаl media аlѕо. It аlѕо has tо lіѕtеn tо what the users are saying, rесеіvе fееdbасkѕ, аnd offer ѕоlutіоnѕ tо uѕеrѕ’ problems. Social Media іѕ also a grеаt way оf undеrѕtаndіng thеіr nееdѕ аnd еxресtаtіоnѕ of frоm thе business.

Emаіl marketing: Thе business nееdѕ tо kеер іn touch wіth сuѕtоmеrѕ bу sending еmаіlѕ tо thеm. Nоt оnlу is thіѕ a great wау of building engagement with рrоѕресtіvе customers, but it аlѕо іѕ a very effective tооl for сuѕtоmеr rеtеntіоn. Inbound hоwеvеr, depends оn реrmіѕѕіоn-bаѕеd еmаіlѕ which uѕеrѕ hаvе соnѕеntеd tо rесеіvе. Unlike in оutbоund mаrkеtіng, mаѕѕ mаіlеrѕ are never sent оut tо аnу сuѕtоmеrѕ іn іnbоund.

All thеѕе ѕtrаtеgіеѕ аrе соmbіnеd to fоrm аn еffесtіvе ѕtrаtеgу thаt соmрlеtеlу сhаngеѕ the way the buѕіnеѕѕ mаrkеtѕ its рrоduсtѕ. Inbоund саn also result іn ѕіgnіfісаnt соѕt ѕаvіngѕ when dоnе соrrесtlу. Hоwеvеr, the results frоm Inbound Mаrkеtіng tаkе some tіmе tо ѕhоw uр. Buѕіnеѕѕеѕ have tо соnѕіѕtеntlу do it оvеr a period оf time before rеаріng the bеnеfіtѕ. However, once the trаnѕіtіоn is complete, thе bеnеfіtѕ keep flowing іn.

The majority of people do not deal with the justice system on a regular basis. Therefore, whether someone gets arrested or has to deal with a traffic ticket, people might not know what to do next. It is important for everyone to defend their rights and that is where an attorney Reading PA can be helpful. At the same time, there are lots of attorneys from which to choose. How can someone make the right choice?

Consider the Specialty of the Attorney

Like medical professionals, some attorneys specialize in a certain area. For example, a lawyer who does criminal justice might not be the same lawyer who handles immigration law. Some attorneys specialize in financial crimes while others might handle personal injury or workers’ compensation cases. People need to take the time to research their attorney choices carefully and find an attorney who meets their needs. When in doubt, visit the website or simply call and ask. Most attorneys are used to having potential clients ask if they are the right person for the job.

Think About the Experience of the Lawyer

After finding an attorney who specializes in the right area, it is time to consider the experience of that lawyer. Some attorneys have more experience handling a very specific type of case than others. Therefore, ask the attorney if he or she has handled similar cases in the past. Then, ask how those cases turned out. This will give people a glimpse into what working with that specific attorney might be like.

Find the Right Legal Advocate

The decision to hire an attorney is an important one. Therefore, people need to take their time and think about this decision carefully. Their attorney should defend their rights vigorously and advocate for the best interests of his or her client.

Most people assume they are going to be safe at work when they leave home in the morning; however, an accident can happen in the workplace at any time. If someone suffers a serious injury at work, they could be eligible for a workers’ compensation claim. By working with an Iowa workers compensation lawyer, there are avenues for financial compensation that can help individuals make ends meet during the recovery process. On the other hand, there is a chance that a workers’ compensation claim could be denied. There are a few common reasons why this claim could be turned down.

Missed Deadlines To File a Claim

Insurance companies and employers are going to look for any possible reason to turn down a workers’ compensation claim because this saves them money. At the same time, their reasoning has to be valid according to the law. One of the most common reasons involves missed deadlines. In order for someone to receive workers’ compensation benefits, the injury or illness has to be reported to the employer as quickly as possible. After this, the employee has to file a workers’ compensation claim. There are different time limits for reporting these claims from state to state. If the deadlines are missed, there is a high likelihood that the claim will be denied.

Disputes Regarding the Circumstances of the Injury

Even though an employee may claim that the injury was related to his or her occupation, the employer might disagree. The employer could also claim that the employee was involved in some sort of misconduct that led to the accident. Finally, some employers might even claim that the injury stems from a pre-existing medical condition and is not the fault of the employer. Regardless, if the employer decides to dispute the workers’ compensation case, then the employee will have to gather evidence in order to support the claim. This is where working with a legal professional who has a lot of experience in the area of workers’ compensation is critical.

The Claim Was Filed After Leaving the Job

Finally, claims can also be denied if the injury was sustained after the employee left his or her job. If this is the case, there could be special rules that pertain to filing workers’ compensation claims after the period of employment has ended. If this is the case, a legal professional can help an employee protect his or her rights under workers’ compensation law.

Buying a property and going into debt for many years with a 15-year or 30-year mortgage loan is a serious business. Source of funds have to be considered in order to ensure continuity of payment on loan. But unprecedented situations may arise in the course of time preventing the homeowner from paying the loan entering into arrears for multiple months. Until it gets to a point that the property is facing foreclosure.

 

Foreclosure of a property happens when a homeowner has failed to pay the mortgage payments. Usually, when a homeowner misses multiple months in paying the mortgage, the lender then starts the legal process to get the property sold at a foreclosure auction in order to get its money back. The homeowner is notified by the lender, and the foreclosure proceedings can take a while. This allows the homeowner some time to make alternate moves to prevent the foreclosure. There are multiple ways to do that like negotiating the loan, asking forbearance, making a short sale, writing a deed in lieu of foreclosure, or filing for bankruptcy.

 

When you file for bankruptcy, the court will issue an order for an automatic stay—this prevents the lender or any collections agency from pursuing your debt temporarily. This also puts all the foreclosure activities in halt. That includes postponing a foreclosure auction for 3-4 months if in case the lender has already scheduled one, unless the mortgage company successfully files a motion to lift the automatic stay. Even so, the sale will still likely be put on hold, which gives the homeowner time to take other plans.

 

In the United States, there are six chapters of bankruptcy: Chapters 7, 9, 11, 12, 13 and 15. Among them, the most common forms filed are chapters 7 and 13.

 

Chapter 7 of bankruptcy is likewise called the “liquidation bankruptcy”—the most common and the most basic form of bankruptcy in the country. Although it will certainly buy you some time to negotiate with the creditor and cancel any debt your property has acquired, Chapter 7 will not protect it from being liquidated to repay the lender, and it’s unlikely that you will be able to keep it at all.

 

On the other hand, what most homeowners do is file Chapter 13 of bankruptcy—also known as the “wage earner plan.” This form of bankruptcy allows you to enter into a repayment plan without losing your property. You just have to diligently pay off your late payments set in the agreed repayment scheme along with your monthly mortgage to avoid foreclosure.

 

One of the reasons homeowners are unable to pay their mortgage on time is because they have multiple mortgages at once. When the value of their property drops, their junior mortgages are no longer secured. In Chapter 13, lien stripping can be used—this means you can ask the bankruptcy court to strip off the second or third mortgages under the category of unsecured debts. In bankruptcy, these are considered the least priority debts and may be paid only in partial or not at all.

 

Filing a bankruptcy can certainly affect your credit score. But going into a foreclosure can bring way more damages into your credit rating for years. It also doesn’t get rid of your other debts which will be difficult for you to buy another property in the future. After you are released from your debt liabilities through filing bankruptcy, your credit score will suffer at some point, but since you are back to square one after the discharge, you now have the opportunity to rebuild your credit into a better standing.

 

In conclusion, real estate investing is a serious business and as much as possible, you want to avoid facing foreclosure of your property or else you will see all the hard work you built crumble in front of you. Everything should be planned accordingly from the start and foreclosure is something that you must put on your list of what-ifs so that you know how to act appropriately to avoid it in the first place. But if by chance you get yourself into this kind of difficult situation, do not lose hope and never give up so easily. There is always a way to work around things. It’s best that you keep yourself informed and talk to experts always about how to deal with this kind of circumstances.

 

 

Meal Planning Your Way into Financial Freedom

One of the simplest ways of stretching your monthly budget is by eating at home. Nonetheless, the hassle that comes with eating at home, such as grocery shopping, preparing ingredients, and cooking can be a challenge to many.

So, is there a way of eating at home without having to go through that stress regularly?  The answer is yes. It is called meal planning. Here is what you need to know about it.

How Much Do You Spend on Eating Out? It’s Probably More Than You Think

In case you thought you were not spending a lot dining out; you are in for a surprise. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average American household spends nearly $3,000 every year eating out.

In light of such revelations, consider eating at home. Meal planning can make this easier.

This does not mean thinking about what you will have for dinner today. Instead, it means having a plan for what you are going to eat the entire week. You will also need to prepare a menu for the whole week in advance.

Next, you have to go to the grocery store and get all the ingredients that you will need for the week. Then prepare those ingredients in advance so that all you have to do on a specific day is cook.

Doing this not only curbs the urge to eat out (since you have everything ready at home), but it also saves you time by reducing the number of trips that you make to the grocery store, as well as the time you would take to prepare ingredients each day.

Meal planning is quite simple. Here is how a typical meal plan goes:

• Reviewing meal planning recipes online then plotting out daily menus
• Identifying the ingredients that you will need to buy
• Preparing the ingredients in advance

It is important to mention that meal planning is not just the process of stocking up on ingredients; it also necessitates the need to prepare mentally and learn to enjoy the process of making your own meals.

Dine In: Kill Two Birds with One Stone by Eating Better and Saving Money

For a person who is used to take out and eating out, it might take a bit of time to get used to preparing meals at home. However, think of the following benefits.

• Saving Money

As mentioned, when you know you have food at home, you will be less likely to eat out. Additionally, meal planning allows you to budget for your lunch needs as well, which ensures that you can prepare enough to carry your lunch with you.

Moreover, when you have a plan, you will be less likely to make impulse buys at the grocery store since you know what you want.

• Eating Healthy Food

Eating a nutrient-rich diet should be the norm, as you need it for optimal functioning in the body. However, it might not be possible to sustain such a diet if you do not plan prior.

Meal planning allows you to decide what healthy meals your loved ones are going to eat on a given week before going to the store. It will also help you stick to your goal of maintaining a healthy diet.

• Food Does Not Go to Waste

Most people have containers of food at the back of their fridge that is well beyond its expiry date. This kind of wastage is what drains your resources.

Meal planning allows you to know the exact amount that you will need to prepare based on your family’s eating habits, thereby eliminating wastage.

• Less Stress

When you do not meal plan, you will always stress about what you are going to prepare for lunch or dinner that day. Meal planning takes that uncertainty and anxiety away.

• Saving Time

With fewer trips to the store in addition to not having to prepare ingredients every time you want to cook, you will find yourself with just as much time as you would have if you ate outside.

The benefits of meal planning go beyond saving time; it also allows you peace of mind.

Meal Prep Tips, Recipes, and Hacks

The following meal planning ideas should come in handy during your meal prep:

• Have a Template

Instead of making a recipe from scratch each week, consider having a template of the general types of food that you cook every week. Ensure that that template has proteins, carbohydrates, fats, and vegetables. Therefore, all you will need to do is identify the food types that you will use that week.

• Consider Meal Planning Resources

There are online meal planning services that will do all the work for you, which means that your task will be simply to get the recipe, shop for ingredients, and prepare them. They spare you the hassle of having to come up with a meal plan every week.

• Have a Pantry List

Before you go shopping, ensure that you are aware of everything that you need. A pantry list should help you keep track of that.

• Cook in Bulk

Cooking in bulk ensures that you do not have to go to the kitchen every day. As such, whenever you have free time, make the most of it and cook as much as you can.

While at it, try to capitalize on any promotions the grocery store has to offer. To bring down your costs even further, if you use electric energy for cooking, look for cheap electric suppliers. Make sure to compare various electricity suppliers in PA before settling for a supplier.

Final Thoughts

The path to financial freedom involves cutting costs wherever you can. Meal planning allows you to reduce your eating expenses without compromising the quality and quantity of your food.

 

Being arrested and charged with a crime can be a scary experience. You may not know what to do once you get placed in jail. It could be months or even years until your trial takes place, so follow these three steps to stay out of jail until the trial and increase your chances of winning the case.

Find Someone To Post Bail

You are only allowed to make one phone call once you are arrested so you need to choose wisely. Your best chance of finding someone to post your bail money is to call a close friend or family member. Because bail is often set at $25,000 or more, most people have to visit a bail bonds person to get the money in exchange for collateral. A bail bond company in Mooresville can provide you with the quick cash you need to get out of jail until the trial is over.

Hire a Lawyer

You will need a lawyer to argue your case. While you are entitled to a free public defender, you may hire another lawyer who has a better reputation or more experience. Once you have found someone who can argue your case effectively, you will need to work with your attorney to build your case. A good lawyer will gather several types of evidence, including any or all of the types below.

• Ripped or bloodied clothing
• Video footage
• Photographs
• Physical evidence
• Eyewitness statements
• Character references

Stay Out of Trouble

While you are waiting for your trial to begin, you need to stay out of trouble with the law. A second charge could have a negative impact on your first case and could refute some of the evidence your lawyer has gathered, such as character witnesses. Focus on being a model citizen so the jury has less of a reason to rule against you. By following these steps, you may have a better chance of winning your case.