Asian Journal- The Filipino-American Community Newspaper

Friday
Feb 10th
Text size
  • Increase font size
  • Default font size
  • Decrease font size
Home Consumer Atty. Raymond Bulaon Drowning In Debt: Where’s My Personal “Bail Out”?

Drowning In Debt: Where’s My Personal “Bail Out”?

(0 votes, average: 0 out of 5)
With all the recent news about the crisis on Wall Street and the multi-billion federal bailout, the big question you’re probably asking is: “What does any of this mean to me personally and for my own debt problems?”  After all, how can you be worried about the crisis on Wall Street when you are too busy worrying about the financial crisis in your own home? This is what I’ve been hearing from most of the people who have come to our office recently for financial advice.

When the rumors first came out that Uncle Sam was coming to the rescue with $700 billion in hand, a lot of people became optimistic that this can somehow have a positive impact on their personal situation. After the final bill was passed, however, it became immediately apparent that bailout does very little to stop the 6.5 million foreclosures that are expected to occur in the next few years. Instead, the harsh reality is that the bailout bill is nothing but a bailout of the banks and financial institutions and their highly paid executives, the same institutions who created this huge financial disaster. Frankly speaking, that makes me angry because the millions of families that have been pushed to the financial brink by the greedy lenders who have caused this problem get to be rescued by the government while these poor, struggling families get nothing.

Take the proposal by some Democrats to include in the bill some changes in bankruptcy laws that would permit judges to modify home mortgages in order to make them more affordable for bankrupt families. Advocates for these changes said that this could have helped as many as 75 percent of struggling homeowners. But, no, it didn’t happen. What about the proposed foreclosure moratorium- at least a temporary suspension in foreclosures, say 3-6 months, to at least provide a little breathing room for banks and borrowers to work out loan modifications? No, sorry again, but we didn’t see that in the final bill either.  Thus, for many people who are living paycheck to paycheck and struggling just to keep their head above water, it can be extremely frustrating to hear about a $700 billion bailout for the industry whose CEO’s make millions, while these people can’t even make it to next payday.  Sad to say, the crisis on Wall Street has drawn attention away from the real problems that millions of families face today but these are serious problems that cannot simply be ignored.  I believe that the government needs to do more and act swiftly to respond to this deepening crisis or the continuing foreclosures will drag down the economy even further.

If you are facing your own personal financial crisis and need immediate help, don’t sit around and wait for the government to bail you out because it’s not going to happen (Pardon my bluntness but it’s the truth.) Instead, you need to take matters into your own hands and act now before you run out of time. Maybe you’re in foreclosure, struggling with unpaid bills, lawsuits, judgments, bill collectors or a combination of the above. There is no doubt we are facing difficult times and a lot of people are afraid of what the future holds for them. But instead of letting fear stop you from taking action, you need to be realistic and see things as they are instead of being in denial. Maybe you just need to put the past behind you and start over. Let me evaluate your situation and recommend possible solutions. For a free office consultation, call Toll-Free 1-866-477-7772.  We have offices in Glendale, Cerritos and West Covina.

(None of the information herein is intended to give legal advice for any specific situation.  Atty. Ray Bulaon has successfully helped over 4,000 clients in getting out of debt. For a free attorney evaluation of your situation, please call  Ray Bulaon Law Offices at  TOLL FREE  1-866-477-7772).
 

La Beez Hive for Hyperlocal Ethnic News

Find us on Facebook!Follow us on Twitter!
Would a teacher on H1B qualify for tax treaty exemption?
A TEACHER on H1-B visa, working on his second year in the US, recently dropped by at my office asking if I could prepare his exemption from tax...
Loan modification for the unemployed?
THE government created the Making Home Affordable Program to help struggling homeowners stay in their homes. Although close to $80 billion has been...
Overtime and other wage violations are rampant in Los Angeles
A RECENTLY released study by the UCLA Institute for Research on Labor and Employment provides the most comprehensive examination of current wage-law...
Family business: The Chinese way
“The only people you can trust are family – and a business enterprise is created as a familial life raft.”  - John Cao, Harvard Business...
The tax aspects of selling your home
FOR most of us, our home represents our largest asset. Over time, the management of this asset can make a big difference in our overall financial...
What you should know about gift taxes
THE federal government imposes a substantial tax on gifts of money or property above certain levels. Without such a tax someone with a sizable estate...
A warning to homeowners who have been sued
IF YOU are facing a mountain of debt, I know the stress can be overwhelming. Perhaps you’re tired of the collection calls and the daily harassment...
Are you in denial about your credit card debt?
WHEN it comes to credit card debt, a lot of people are in denial that they have a problem. Of course, denying doesn’t help because until you get to...
False Prosperity
The economic and debt problems of our country have been highlighted in the last two weeks. Very large and very old banks as well as the largest...
Loan modification denied: Can filing BK help?
IMAGINE this. You anxiously waited for months and months for your lender’s response after submitting your loan modification request. After hours...
Give your grandchildren the gift of Life
WHEN you are trying to choose just the right gift for your grandchildren, you can have a tough time sifting through the newest trends and fads. Last...
The Gary Coleman estate saga: Making a valid will
IT HAS become a showbiz phenomenon – celebrities gaining posthumous popularity- and the story of the talented ex-child star Gary Coleman is one of...
Giving the gift of education
SCHOOL days can be expensive days. According to The College Board, Trends in College Pricing 2008, the average published total charges, including...
Unfit trucks in our roads threaten public safety
A STUDY conducted by the American Association for Justice (AAJ) found that commuters are sharing roads with an alarming number of trucks that are in...
Are you financially exposed?
MANY people realize the need for life insurance but keep putting it off until it is too late. You may think that life insurance is confusing,...
Obama” Chi Art for historical collection
ON March 7, 2007, I dreamt of a young and handsome black man giving a speech on the roof of the White House. Thousands of golden dragons and four...
New laws on employee protections signed by CA governor
THERE are already compre­hensive laws relating to minimum wage, overtime pay, and other working conditions in the work­place. Governor Jerry Brown...