Consumer Law. Foreclosure, Bankruptcy.

But I'm sure if we try hard enough, we can get to number 1 by the end of the year.

According to RealtyTrac:

Florida continues to hold on to its No. 2 ranking for the amount of foreclosure activity in the state, as one in every 140 housing units received a foreclosure filing in August, according to RealtyTrac, the Irvine, Calif.-based online marketplace for foreclosures.

Nevada, which ranked No. 4 in July, edged out California for the No. 1 spot, with more than one in every 62 housing units falling into foreclosure last month. California slipped to No. 3, with one in every 144 housing units facing foreclosure.

Florida saw 62,401 properties with foreclosure filings last month. Of those, 39,507 were lis pendens, 16,446 were notice of foreclosure sales and 6,446 were foreclosed on and repurchased by a bank.

And 95% of all those foreclosures will go uncontested.

The Law Office of J. Joseph Bardine, P.A., is a law firm in downtown St. Petersburg, Florida, which represents clients primarily in foreclosure defense and bankruptcy. For more information, please visit us at bardinelaw.com for more information and to contact us for a free consultation.

In a word, no.

Most student loan debt is not dischargeable in bankruptcy, and recent reform to student loan law does nothing to change that.

The House of Representatives recently passed a bill, taking steps to eliminate the influence of private banks:

H.R. 3221, the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act, passed along a party line vote of 253 to 171 in the U.S. House Thursday Night. The bill proposes big changes to student loans by taking private banks out of the equation.

Only the government would administer student loans, meaning the Feds would no longer have to pay subsidies to banks for offering student loans in the first place.

This is good news, but not for those contemplating bankruptcy. The best way to avoid getting harangued for your student loan debt is not to accumulate any, if you can help it. I borrowed 130K to attend law school and the salary required to pay it all back before I’m dead is astronomical. So think before you borrow. Look for grants and scholarships before looking to lenders. Because if you are faced with bankruptcy, you’ll be stuck with the student loan bill.

The Law Office of J. Joseph Bardine, P.A., is a law firm in downtown St. Petersburg, Florida, which represents clients primarily in foreclosure defense and bankruptcy. For more information, please visit us at bardinelaw.com for more information and to contact us for a free consultation.

Things are tough right now. For everybody. Bills are mounting, creditors won’t stop calling, you’re behind on your mortgage.

If you’ve been served with a foreclosure complaint, you have 20 days to respond. If you don’t, you could lose your house. Don’t let the bank take your house without a fight.

95% of all foreclosures in Florida are uncontested. Don’t be one of those people.

Simply deciding to confront your situation and fight the foreclosure—in most cases—easily buys you a year or more in your home. Simply deciding to fight allows you to stay in your home mortgage free.

You have options and you should be thinking about contacting an attorney.

The Law Office of J. Joseph Bardine, P.A., is a law firm in downtown St. Petersburg, Florida, which represents clients primarily in foreclosure defense and bankruptcy. For more information, please visit us at bardinelaw.com for more information and to contact us for a free consultation.