Crushing Debt

How would you react if you were car-jacked and kidnapped for three hours? What lessons can you take from such an extremely stressful situation? And how can you apply those lessons to other stressful situations, especially financial stress? How do you react when someone is suing you for money? When you are fearful of eviction, foreclosure or bankruptcy? Today's guest on the Crushing Debt Podcast is...

Are you sufficiently saving for retirement? Do you have a 401k through your work, or are you an employer that offers a 401k to your employees? How do you, as an investor minimize the loss in value in your 401k when the market drops or corrects? How do you, as an employer minimize your liability to provide investment advice to your employees through the 401k plan? This week's guest on the Crushing...

You can't earn any money after filing Chapter 7 bankruptcy. The Chapter 7 Trustee will come into your house and take all your stuff. Chapter 7 is now harder to file. These are all myths about filing a Chapter 7 (Liquidation) bankruptcy case.  Last week, I talked about thirteen myths about Chapter 13, and this week, I'm following it up with seven myths about Chapter 7. What are the other myths?  Yo...

A Chapter 13 requires you to pay ALL of extra money to the Trustee every month! You are prohibited from moving, buying a new car or taking a vacation during a pending Chapter 13! Your creditors have to approve the Chapter 13! The Trustee will take all your stuff when you file Chapter 13! Yes, these are all myths and untrue when you file Chapter 13. This week's episode came about from a consultatio...

CBS News Headline: "With Evictions Set to Restart, Housing Advocates Fear Another Coronovirus Wave." Los Angeles Daily News: "Why Unprecedented Spike in Evictions is Expected as Federal Moratorium Expires." Miami Herald: "Avalanche: Miami Renters Brace for Mass Evictions as Moratorium Ends." The last time the CDC extended the eviction moratorium through July 31, 2021, it was intended to be the fin...

How did you get started in business? Do you enjoy what you do?  What do you enjoy most? How do you support your local small business community? Today's guest on the Crushing Debt Podcast is Realtor Donnie Hathaway of Berkshire Hathaway. Donnie is a Florida native, born an raised in Pinellas County, Florida, who began his real estate career in 2016. While Donnie and I do discuss the local real esta...

Do you know how to invest to pay down student debt while planning for the future? What is the likelihood of federal payments resuming in October 2021? What do you need to know and how can you prepare for either outcome? How can you figure out your best path forward? To determine if you should refinance or if you should work toward forgiveness programs such as a PSLF (Public Student Loan Forgivenes...

What should the tenant do when the landlord dies during the term of the lease?  What if the lease is month-to-month and there is no term?  Can the landlord's heirs evict the tenant to sell the house and cash in on their inheritance? You can find the related blog post here: My Landlord Died, Is My Lease Still Valid? | Florida Landlord Tenant Law (yesnerlaw.com) We have a few listener-related landlo...

Being on the Freddie Mac Exclusionary List is a bad thing. It means you are unable to participate in any real estate transaction where Freddie Mac is a party. Mostly, this impacts Realtors, Mortgage Originators, Title Companies and Title Attorneys, inspectors and appraisers. However, we've seen this impact real estate investors and other people simply trying to buy a house using Freddie Mac financ...

Do you want to buy properties for pennies on the dollar? Do you want to create consistent cash flow buying, selling and renting properties? Do you want to quit your job? This week's guest on the Crushing Debt Podcast is coach, mentor, trainer and real estate investor Todd Ashton. We talk about: How to get started in real estate; Strategy of buying, selling and holding tax liens; Its all about cont...

Do you know the banking aspects of digital currency? Are you a company that wants to accept payment in bitcoin or alt coins? Are you a business leader who wants to learn more about wholesale banking and how it relates to your business and business processes? Do you want to provide your customers with the best solutions for their businesses or personal needs? This week's guest on the Crushing Debt...

What is blockchain technology? Does blockchain have any application outside of crypto currency?  What is crypto currency? Can investing in Bitcoin or Alt Coins (like Ethereum, Dogecoin, etc) help you eliminate your debt? This past weekend, I attended the Florida Bitcoin and Blockchain Summit and it was amazing.  There were many sessions dealing with Bitcoins and other Alt Coins, but there were als...

Do you feel forever stuck in debt? Do you feel stuck on a "hamster wheel"? Do your monthly payments barely pay interest and make no dent in principal? Over the course of the Crushing Debt Podcast, I've talked about different ways to eliminate debt. In today's episode, I talk about nine strategies that have worked for my clients to eliminate debt. Did I miss any strategies? Are there any that you h...

Learn how to eliminate debt by moving a houseplant from one part of your house to another! This week's guest is Patricia Lohan, Feng Shui expert, manifesting magnet, alchemist, healer, spiritual nomad, and real-life Irish Celtic Shaman. Some people call her the "Mary Poppins of Prosperity, Abundance & Peace of Mind." I had so much fun in this interview that I joke about what Feng Shui is, and I no...

What happens to your guns when you die?  What if the person who will inherit your guns is ineligible to own a gun - a minor, a convicted felon, or someone else? Our guest on this week's episode of The Crushing Debt Podcast is attorney Angela Tormey, owner of Ally Legal in Lithia, Florida. Angela focuses on probate and estate planning, with experience in Gun Trusts. In this week's episode, Angela a...

Those of you who subscribe to the Crushing Debt Podcast (which is free to do by the way) know that every six months, I record an episode based on lessons learned at our community garage sale. This week's episode is all about knowing your audience. Whether we're talking about sales, negotiation, debt settlement or some other topic. For example, in sales, what items do you put out right away at the...

How can you leverage the law to make more money? How can you leverage the law to protect what you've created? I had so much fun with this week's guest on the Crushing Debt Podcast, a former marketer turned corporate director turned lawyer, turned entrepreneur who uses her immense talents to serve women and women-owned businesses - Jamie Moore Marcario, owner and founder of Brava Business Law, the...

Do you love your bookkeeper? Do you have someone doing your books, or are you doing it yourself or, worse, not keeping track at all?  If there are checks in the checkbook, is there money in the account?  Do you track your expenses by your online bank balance? This week's episode of the Crushing Debt Podcast is a repeat guest and our friend Julie Shopa of Clarity Finances. Julie was previously a gu...

Filing bankruptcy can be a difficult decision, that comes with feelings of inadequacy, insecurity, and self-doubt.  However, feeling like you have to file a second time can seem even worse. Don't let the title of this episode fool you. I will always be available to help consult with past, current, and future clients. It's not so much that I don't want repeat clients, as I want to help my clients s...

What is the biggest mistake people make after being in a car accident? What is the number one reason that people who have been in a car accident are forced into bankruptcy? How can you avoid being charged with a DUI, even if the accident was the other driver's fault? In today's episode of the Crushing Debt Podcast, my guests Tom Roman and Paula Roman, of Roman & Roman help answer these and other q...

Gender wage gaps ... glass ceilings ... the pink tax ... these are all things women are still having to navigate in our society. As a white male that employs three women, what can Yesner Law do to help? What can you do to help? This week's guest on the Crushing Debt Podcast is Liz   Dederer , Tampa-based CEO and founder of Selling with Service. She's a 20-year, 5-time entrepreneur, sales and money...

Every year, the American Bankruptcy Institute (ABI) hosts a 2-day Continuing Education Seminar on bankruptcy law, The Alexander L. Paskay Memorial Bankruptcy Seminar. Each seminar produces multiple topics that I bring to you in different episodes of the show. This week, one topic we discussed was how to confirm Chapter 13 (payment plan) bankruptcies faster.  So I brainstormed thirteen ways to conf...

Do you find yourself stuck in a J.O.B. ("Just Over Broke")? If so, can you jump-start your own firing, freeing yourself to move on to bigger and better things and attain the success that you desire. In today's Crushing Debt Podcast episode, I'm excited to interview my client and friend, the author of the new book "Why My J.O.B. Quit Me!" Mechiel Kopaska. Mechiel shares her story and how she went a...

Did you know that Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae can stop you from buying or selling a house? They can stop you from making a living if you're in the real estate industry? Being on the Freddie Mac Exclusionary List is NOT an accolade. It is something you want to avoid entirely if possible.  Why? Being on the List means that you are prohibited from being involved in a transaction where Freddie Mac is a...

To prevent the spread of COVID, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ordered a prohibition against eviction if the tenant filed an affidavit with the Court and the landlord attesting to five criteria: Tenant used best efforts to obtain all available government assistance for rent or housing; Tenant earns no more than $99,000 in annual income for the Calendar Year 2020 - 2021 (or no...