The Chapter 13 Meeting of Creditors

Have you recently filed Chapter 13 Bankruptcy? Do you have an upcoming Meeting of Creditors hearing? Many Chapter 13 debtors get a little nervous about the meeting since they are not exactly sure what to expect. So, I decided to take some notes on exactly what happens during the meeting for the benefit of those who have an upcoming meeting. Of course, I knew what was going to happen since I've done these hearings before for my clients, but I wanted to note the exact words this hearing officer (trustee) was using and the exact questions she was asking. Sometimes, clients have visions that creditors are going to sit there and hammer them all day with questions or something. This is just not the case, in my experience. Let's start with some basics.What is the Meeting of Creditors?The Meeting of Creditors is a hearing that is held 20 to 40 days after the bankruptcy petition is filed. The debtor must attend this meeting, at which creditors may appear and ask questions regarding the debtor's financial affairs and property. If a husband and wife have filed a joint petition, they both must attend the creditors meeting. The trustee also will attend this meeting. It is important for the debtor to cooperate with the trustee and to provide any financial records or documents that the trustee requests.The trustee is required to examine the debtor orally at the meeting of creditors to ensure that the debtor is aware of the potential consequences of seeking a discharge in bankruptcy, including the effect on credit history, the ability to file a petition under a different chapter, the effect of receiving a discharge, and the effect of reaffirming a debt.In some courts, trustees may provide written information on these topics at or in advance of the meeting, to ensure that the debtor is aware of this information. In order to preserve their independent judgment, bankruptcy judges are prohibited from attending the meeting of creditors. This paragraph was adapted from Bankruptcy Basics, a FREE publication, to receive a copy go to http://www.bankruptcyzone.com/index.php/free-ebook/.What Can You Expect at the Meeting?Well, that's what this article is all about. Let's talk about that:If you have an upcoming meeting of creditors hearing, the best way to overcome your fear of the unknown is simply to go to a meeting(before yours) and just sit there and observe. That will probably prepare you much more than if you learn about it second hand.So what I've tried to do is give you blow by blow of what happened at this particular meeting of creditors about a week ago (December, 2005). I primarily practice Bankruptcy in the Northern District of California, although I can practice anywhere in California.Disclaimer: The following is an example of what occurred on a particular date in my jurisdiction (Northern District of California, Oakland Division) at a Chapter 13 Meeting of Creditors hearing in December, 2005. This may vary dramatically

Top Ten Wholesale Drop Shipping Tips For Your Success

For those who aren’t familiar, dropshipping is a business term used for a situation where a seller sets a retail price for an item, collects the payment, sends the wholesale cost to a dropshipper and the item ships directly from their warehouse. In most cases, the seller never even handles the merchandise because every aspect of shipping is handled by the dropshipper. As successful as the industry has become, there are concerns that arise from this method of selling. In order to familiarize you with those concerns and other helpful information, a list of 10 tips has been compiled. Anyone in the dropshipping industry, or who is considering it, should take their time and gather as much information as possible.Tip 1: Check out the dropshipper’s reputation with the Better Business Bureau in their area. How long have they been in business? Has anyone ever filed a consumer complaint against the company? If so, has the complaint been resolved? This information can be found at http://www.BBB.org.Tip 2: Ask the dropshipper how quickly they will be able to fulfill and ship the order. Be sure to inquire about whether or not a tracking number will be available. The tracking number will be very important because, if an item doesn’t arrive, you will need to have some means to track the purchase and to make sure that it was shipped. If a customer doesn’t receive a product, they will look to you for answers.Tip 3: If you are dropshipping, this means that the item you are selling is not in your possession. It’s very important to let your customers know this. Sellers should indicate that the item will ship directly from your supplier.Tip 4: An important factor to consider is the delivery time. It’s pertinent to let buyers know that, because the item is shipping directly from your supplier, they may need to allow extra time for delivery. Make sure to ask your dropshipper how long delivery takes so that you may pass this information on to your buyers.

Rental Property Secrets

As a rental property owner, I am always looking for ways to maximize the rental income and keep my units marketable without having to do any major renovations. I am always keeping my eye out for potential properties that I can buy, and easily rent out that will cover the mortgage and a little more. That being said, one of the biggest mistakes that I see other landlords and rental property owners make is that they are reluctant to or just flat out won’t put any money into their properties because they don’t think they will see a return for that investment. When I tell some of my counterparts that I put new kitchens and bathrooms into all of my rental units they think I am nuts. To quote one of my friends who has some properties, “Why would you spend $4,000 on an apartment that is just going to get destroyed by the next people that rent it?”. To answer his question, I thought I would write this article.First, let’s think about the mathematics behind it. Granted each market or city is going to have a different result, but for where I live in the Philadelphia area this holds true. By doing a little research and finding comparable apartments in your market, you can find out what the magic number is. What are the three features that are going to stick out about any apartment? The condition of the rugs, the bathrooms, and the kitchens. If any of these items look worn or beat up, it is going to be harder to rent and you won’t be able to get as much for it… that is just a fact of life. So let’s say you spend $3,000 to upgrade the kitchen and bathroom(s). Yes, it is possible to spend that little on upgrades and I will show you how later on. Assuming the rest of your unit/building is in good condition, that $3,000 investment can produce an extra $200 a month in rent for me per unit. At $200 a month, you made your investment back in just over a year and you are now making more money per unit. Think about it. If a prospective renter is looking at two apartments: one with a dated kitchen and one with a modern kitchen and bathroom, which one is he/she going to choose? Not only that, but a nicer apartment is going to command a higher rent which in turn brings in a higher income renter who is less likely to abuse and destroy the apartment.For some of you, I am sure that $3,000 to renovate a kitchen and bathroom(s) probably made you chuckle

Welcome to Biz4ge – Dedicated to Business Transformation

Welcome to the Biz4ge website – dedicated to the success of business transformation efforts in organisations of all types and sizes, but especially to those who must manage much of it without the benefit of expensive external specialist support!
The content of this website has been forged by the decades of collective experience it’s authors have (see About Us) of working with and for large organisations around the globe and in most sectors on their change management efforts. This website assembles our extensive knowledge of business transformation and business architecture techniques.
Very importantly, it does so in a way that cuts through much of the technical jargon and complexity surrounding them thereby making them more accessible, relevant and an essential performance improvement and benefits delivery tool for mid-market and larger organisations.

Use a Payday Loan for Your First Car

Use a Payday Loan for Your First CarSo you are fresh out of university and you got yourself a nice job. You’re earning quite well and you are all set to live a life of your own finally. There is only one problem – you need a car that you can call your own. You probably had one during your uni days – your parents might have gotten it for you or you inherited it from your dad. The thing is, it is probably going bonkers on you. As old as it is, you probably want one that would serve you better. Am I painting a familiar picture here?I am sure that you would want a car of your own, something a bit better than that old piece of junk you have. Then again, being relatively new on the job, you might not have had enough time to save up for something flashy and brand new. How about a used car? Maybe you can find one for relatively cheap and yet do the trick.So you find one for several thousand pounds, maybe less. What is your next step? You are probably thinking about dealer financing or taking out a car loan from your bank. Both are feasible, of course, but what if you could get some cash to augment what you might have stashed away in a much easier manner and without too much hassle?For some cases, a payday loan could work for you. For example, if you only need about £1,000 to £1, 500 more to purchase that car using cash, you can save a lot more than if you took up the dealer’s offer for financing. Same thing for a car loan from a conventional bank. You merely have to look for a good payday loan provider and you

Telstra's NBN speed hump

One of the most common questionings of the proposed National Broadband Network is: "What if they build it and no-one comes?" Well, we may be about to find out even before the NBN is built.
Telstra’s announcement that it will switch on its upgraded hybrid fibre coaxial cable network in Melbourne from December 1 will provide something of a preview of the early years of the NBN.
The network upgrade was announced in the dying days of the Donald McGauchie/Sol Trujillo regime and in the lead up to the announcement of the outcome of the original NBN tender process – the one that didn’t produce a conforming or acceptable tender and led to the brilliant political strategy of, not announcing a failure, but the glittering new fibre-to-the premises network at a cost to taxpayers of up to $43 billion.
McGauchie and Trujillo didn’t know what was coming towards them. They thought the government was within weeks of announcing that a consortium, not including Telstra, would build a fibre-to-the-node network, cutting across Telstra’s copper lines, at a cost to the taxpayer of $4.7 billion or so.
So they came up with an idea designed to demonstrate Telstra’s ability to threaten the new network, protect its own position in the sector and provide a two-finger salute to the government in the process.

ASIC action against One.Tel directors fails

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Bartholomeusz: Into the Myer tax mireThe corporate watchdog has failed in its civil action against One.Tel founder Jodee Rich and the failed teleco's finance director Mark Silbermann, and is at least $20 million out of pocket as a result.NSW Supreme Court judge Robert Austin on Wednesday handed down his judgment in the long running case launched by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) in December 2001

International Electrotechnical Commission

International Electrotechnical CommissionBy promoting international cooperation toward all problems and related issues regarding standardization in the electrical and electronic technology fields, the IEC, a non-governmental organization, was started in October, 1908, for the purpose of realizing mutual understanding on an international level. To this end, the IEC standard was enacted for the purpose of promoting international standardization.UL (Underwiters Laboratories Inc.)This is a non-profit testing organization formed in 1894 by a coalition of U.S. fire insurance firms, which tests and approves industrial products (finished products). When electrical products are marketed in the U.S., UL approval is mandated in many states, by state law and city ordinances. In order to obtain UL approval, the principal parts contained in industrial products must also be UL approved parts. UL approval is divided into two general types.One is called "listing" (Figure 1), and applies to industrial products (finished products). Under this type of approval, products must be approved unconditionally.The other type is called "recognition" (Figure 2), and is a conditional approval which applies to parts and materials.CSA (Canadian Standards Association)This was established in 1919 as a non-profit, nongovernmental organization aimed at promoting standards. It sets standards for industrial products, parts, and materials, and has the authority to judge electrical products to determine whether they conform to those standards.The CSA is the ultimate authority in the eyes of both the government and the people in terms of credibility and respect. Almost all states and provinces in Canada require CSA approval by law, in order to sell electrical products. As a result, electrical products exported from Japan to Canada are not approved under Canadian laws unless they have received CSA approval and display the CSA mark.Approval is called "certification", and products and parts which have been approved are called "certified equipment", and display the mark shown in Figure 3.The mark shown in Figure 4 is called the "Component Acceptance" mark, and indicates conditional approval which is applicable to parts.The C-UL mark shown in Figure 5 (finished products) and Figure 6 (parts) indicates that the product has been tested and approved in UL laboratories

There is a large number of people who are employed in a company in a so-called “at will” scheme. It means that they have not signed any formal or bind

There is a large number of people who are employed in a company in a so-called “at will” scheme. It means that they have not signed any formal or binding employment contract or have not signed any kind of agreement in terms of his or her employment with their employers. This being the case, the law of the state has implicit permission that their employment can be ended at any given time, whatever occurs to their employers. Meanwhile other employees have an employment contract signed with their employers, with a clause of “at will” to the condition that their employment may end depending on the employers’ option. Are you an “at will” employee? You may think that you have no say whatsoever on whatever your employer would “will” for you, like ending your employment without due process of the law. You may think that filing for wrongful termination charges against your employer is null because of the fact that you are an at will employee.Fret not. You and other “at will” employees in the country are still entitled to some degree of legal protection from an employer’s wrongful termination. You cannot be terminated for

How to Resign to Your Job Gracefully

There are numerous reasons why employees would want to quit their job. It can be caused by a bad relationship with colleagues, mental or physical issues, career change decision or wanting a greener pasture. This is always a crucial stage for everyone because of the fear of not handling your resignation properly because you wouldn’t want to burn bridges while your struggling to start anew. Resigning gracefully is possible, below is the top ways on how to do it.1.It is a norm to resign in person, be professional and face your boss. Set an appointment to discuss this pressing matter and provide a written resignation that contains your intention of leaving, the date you are resigning, the date you would like to live and affix your signature.2.Do not be a coward and announce your resignation through email, fax or phone. You need to be polite even if your leaving. And don’t ditch your job without a warning,

to Elect S Corporation Tax Status for Your LLC

An LLC can be taxed similar to an S corporation. If you are wondering, why you would even want this type of tax treament? Read on and I'll explain.Owners or members, as they are usually called, of an LLC have the choice to elect how the LLC will be treated for tax purposes. This is a fairly new option allowed by the tax regualtions. In the past, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) classified business entities as either partnerships or corporations based on four different factors.The four factors included: (1) Limited liability; (2) Centralized management; (3) Continuity of life; and (4) Free transferability of interest. A business entity would be taxed as a partnership if it possessed two of the four characteristics. It would likely be taxed as a corporaiton if it possessed three of the four characteristics. This led to a lot of confusion and uncertainty for business owners.Then in 1997, new IRS regulations came into effect which allowed business entities like LLCs to elect the tax treatment they desired. These regulations became known as the "check-the-box" regulations. They can be found in Income Tax Regulations 301.7701-1 through 301.7701-3. The form for making the election is IRS Form 8832 and details about the election process are set forth in the instructions to Form 8832.The regulations give business entities like the LLC several different options. They can operate as an LLC but still enjoy the beneficial characteristics of a corporation while being taxed similar to a partnership. In the alternative, the regulations allow an LLC to elect corporation tax status and then make the S corporation election.In a nutshell, partnership taxation is a form of pass through taxation where the the income and deductions "flow through" the entity and are reported and paid by the individual partners. Most LLCs and S corporations are taxed this way. On the other hand, if an entity is considered a corporation, it will have to pay income taxes on its net profits and then when those proceeds are paid to the shareholders in the form of dividends, they will have to pay tax again at their personal level. This is called the "double tax" of

Voice Broadcasting: A Powerful Tool, But Dangerous In the Hands of Fools

Voice Broadcasting can be such a great technology for so many applications. It has been a popular and growing tool now for many years and for good reason. Imagine being able to deliver a message to large numbers of people without having to pay the cost of tele agents, and having the ability of sending one message to a live pick up vs. a different message to an answering machine. Add to this the marrying of interactive voice technology where a recipient is able to press a number key and be transferred to a live agent, or place an order for a product or service. It is the ultimate technology in terms of cost efficiencies and flexibility for marketers, political consultants, municipalities, collection organizations, and many other entities. But powerful tools in the hands of fools create a great deal of danger. See Bob Tuttle and Mark Edwards for details. Their firm "The Broadcast Team" (aka TBT) was recently fined $1,000,000 by the FTC and the Department of Justice for violations Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR) in the course of using "voice broadcasting" to call millions of U.S. consumers using automated dialers and prerecorded messages.The Federal Trade Commission today announced that Tuttle and Edwards firm was charged with making tens of millions of illegal automated telemarketing calls and they have agreed to pay a $1 million civil penalty under a settlement reached with the agency and the U.S. Department of Justice. They had violated the Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR) in the course of using "voice broadcasting" to call millions of U.S. consumers using automated dialers and prerecorded messages. A federal district court action brought by DOJ on behalf of the Commission alleges that the Florida-based telemarketer's automated phone dialing service called and then illegally hung up on more than 64 million people – and called more than a million numbers that were listed on the National Do Not Call (DNC) Registry. Lloyd Gomberg, Senior Vice President of Freedom telework Inc. said “The law is very clear- Even when Voice broadcasting is legally permissible the calling list still must be scrubbed against the FTC and various States Do Not Call Lists.”Gomberg further noted that Freedom Telework Voice broadcast

International Electrotechnical Commission

International Electrotechnical Commission
By promoting international cooperation toward all problems and related issues regarding standardization in the electrical and electronic technology fields, the IEC, a non-governmental organization, was started in October, 1908, for the purpose of realizing mutual understanding on an international level. To this end, the IEC standard was enacted for the purpose of promoting international standardization.

UL (Underwiters Laboratories Inc.)
This is a non-profit testing organization formed in 1894 by a coalition of U.S. fire insurance firms, which tests and approves industrial products (finished products). When electrical products are marketed in the U.S., UL approval is mandated in many states, by state law and city ordinances. In order to obtain UL approval, the principal parts contained in industrial products must also be UL approved parts. UL approval is divided into two general types.

One is called "listing" (Figure 1), and applies to industrial products (finished products). Under this type of approval, products must be approved unconditionally.

The other type is called "recognition" (Figure 2), and is a conditional approval which applies to parts and materials.

CSA (Canadian Standards Association)
This was established in 1919 as a non-profit, nongovernmental organization aimed at promoting standards. It sets standards for industrial products, parts, and materials, and has the authority to judge electrical products to determine whether they conform to those standards.

The CSA is the ultimate authority in the eyes of both the government and the people in terms of credibility and respect. Almost all states and provinces in Canada require CSA approval by law, in order to sell electrical products. As a result, electrical products exported from Japan to Canada are not approved under Canadian laws unless they have received CSA approval and display the CSA mark.

Approval is called "certification", and products and parts which have been approved are called "certified equipment", and display the mark shown in Figure 3.

There is a large number of people who are employed in a company in a so-called “at will” scheme. It means that they have not signed any formal or bind

There is a large number of people who are employed in a company in a so-called “at will” scheme. It means that they have not signed any formal or binding employment contract or have not signed any kind of agreement in terms of his or her employment with their employers.

This being the case, the law of the state has implicit permission that their employment can be ended at any given time, whatever occurs to their employers.

Meanwhile other employees have an employment contract signed with their employers, with a clause of “at will” to the condition that their employment may end depending on the employers’ option.

Are you an “at will” employee? You may think that you have no say whatsoever on whatever your employer would “will” for you, like ending your employment without due process of the law. You may think that filing for wrongful termination charges against your employer is null because of the fact that you are an at will employee.

Fret not. You and other “at will” employees in the country are still entitled to some degree of legal protection from an employer’s wrongful termination. You cannot be terminated for reasons that would violate the labor law and other public employment policies.

Here are the following statutes or legislations that strive to protect “at will” employees against wrongful termination by employers.

1. Laws on Civil Rights concentrating on Pretextual Termination – This is an extension of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. It contains protections for employees against anti-discrimination. Employers cannot terminate an employee’s work for reasons of their gender, race, religion, skin color or country or nationality of origin.

There are even legal protections added to prevent discrimination on employees for their age.

As such, employers of at will employees may terminate an employment for arbitrary reasons as long as they are not with unlawful and discriminatory purposes or motives. If you believe that you have been a victim of wrongful termination that is pretextual, you have the right to file a case against your employer with claims that their lawful firing is motivated with unlawful discrimination.

There are numerous reasons why employees would want to quit their job. It can be caused by a bad relationship with colleagues, mental or physical issu

There are numerous reasons why employees would want to quit their job. It can be caused by a bad relationship with colleagues, mental or physical issues, career change decision or wanting a greener pasture. This is always a crucial stage for everyone because of the fear of not handling your resignation properly because you wouldn’t want to burn bridges while your struggling to start anew. Resigning gracefully is possible, below is the top ways on how to do it.

1.It is a norm to resign in person, be professional and face your boss. Set an appointment to discuss this pressing matter and provide a written resignation that contains your intention of leaving, the date you are resigning, the date you would like to live and affix your signature.

2.Do not be a coward and announce your resignation through email, fax or phone. You need to be polite even if your leaving. And don’t ditch your job without a warning, more so if you are planning to work in the same industry.

3.While delivering your oral resignation, be honest and tactful. Affirm that your

MOLLY, THE ASSISTANT, Molly treasurer at XYZ Corp. in Miami, opened an e-mail from a former colleague who no longer worked for the organization. The e

MOLLY, THE ASSISTANT, Molly treasurer at XYZ Corp. in Miami, opened an e-mail from a former colleague who no longer worked for the organization. The e-mail read: "Hi Molly, there should be a refund of $716 on my old corporate Visa card from the IP Conference. I paid for, but did not attend, the conference and did not turn in the charge to XYZ for reimbursement. Can you have Visa issue a refund check to me? Thanks very much for your help."The e-mail was from Jerry, a former XYZ executive who had been Molly's boss at one time. The message seemed innocuous enough. Jerry had legitimately charged a business conference to his corporate credit card, but he had canceled his registration because he left the company. Therefore, he was due a refund.It would have been very easy for Molly to trust her former boss and get him the refund. Instead, because something didn't seem quite right, she chose to check on whether XYZ had already reimbursed Jerry

To understand loans and mortgages we need to understand loan limits first. If your loan amount exceeds the amount below, you will qualify for a Jumbo

To understand loans and mortgages we need to understand loan limits first. If your loan amount exceeds the amount below, you will qualify for a Jumbo Loan, which carries higher interest rate.One-Family (single family homes) $417,000 Two-Family(duplex) $533,850 Three-Family (triplex) $645,300 Four-Family(fourplex) $801,950FIXED Loans:30 Year Fixed Mortgage Rates This loan program is fixed for 30 years. Your interest rate will not change for 30 years. This is ideal for people who plan to stay at their present property for a long period of time.20 Year Fixed Mortgage Rates Fixed for 20 years. Your payment will be higher than 30 year fixed loan becuase your loan term is only for 20 years. Interest rate will not change for 20 years.15 Year Fixed Mortgage Rates 15 year fixed loan has a loan term of 15 years and will not change during this

Are you aware of someone who have been injured or killed in a construction site? Perhaps all of us know the dangers of construction worksites. It is a

Are you aware of someone who have been injured or killed in a construction site? Perhaps all of us know the dangers of construction worksites. It is a fact that many a family have lost a breadwinner because of a construction accident.Workers in the construction industry do not comprise a very big percentage of the total number of United States workforce. However, concerning worker injury and fatality rates, the construction industry sector has one of the highest percentages of such among all other industry sector in the country.The basic causes of almost all construction accidents are fairly due to equipments used, work methods and site conditions. Here are some of the noted cases about construction accidents caused

Can You Tithe Your Way Out Of Debt?

In the course of being active in the local church and attaining Associate Degrees in Pastoral Counseling and Theology, I became convinced that the teaching - "tithe your way out of debt" - is false teaching! There is no scripture that justifies this, not even Malachi. In fact, much of the church teaches Malachi incorrectly. They do not teach the entire passage on tithing. The leave out its beginning that speaks of "you have gone away from mine ordinances". The word "ordinances" means "laws". And, as Paul said -" he (Jesus) released us from the curse of the law". An evangelist friend argued that tithing was before the Law. I argued that so was circumcision. We agreed to disagree.

Can You Tithe Your Way Out Of Debt

In the course of being active in the local church and attaining Associate Degrees in Pastoral Counseling and Theology, I became convinced that the teaching - "tithe your way out of debt" - is false teaching! There is no scripture that justifies this, not even Malachi. In fact, much of the church teaches Malachi incorrectly. They do not teach the entire passage on tithing. The leave out its beginning that speaks of "you have gone away from mine ordinances". The word "ordinances" means "laws". And, as Paul said -" he (Jesus) released us from the curse of the law". An evangelist friend argued that tithing was before the Law. I argued tha