What’s New on the Website
LegalConsumer™ Student Loan Bankruptcy Calculator Launched, Based on Department of Education Stipulation Affidavit
The calculator is based on the affidavit released by the Department of Education in an affidavit advising their lawyers to not object to student loan debtors seeking discharge based on undue hardship if they meet specific criteria outlined in an official Affidavit they released last November 2022.
Given the growing uncertainty about student loan forgiveness or cancellation status, many are now looking to other ways of getting rid of student loan debt, including seeking an undue hardship discharge under section 523A8 of the bankruptcy code.
LegalConsumer.com has a new calculator based on the Department of Education’s affidavit that they have given to their attorneys to be used in student loan cases to determine whether a borrower meets the criteria for undue hardship legalConsumer.com this affidavit and turns it into a step-by-step question and answer form that you can use free online.
Once you’ve completed the interview, you can print out a complete affidavit ready for filing if you decide to file bankruptcy someday or are already in a bankruptcy case and need to complete the affidavit.
New Probate Avoidance Forms Area
LegalConsumer is slowly launching a new Legal Forms By ZIpcode section of its website, offering access to common forms needed by consumers for everyday tasks. Forms come from the Nolo forms library and free sources of government forms.
The first phase of this project is the new Forms page of our Inheritance Law section.
Consumer Law News – March 2023
Student loan forgiveness plan likely to be struck down by the conservative members of the U.S. Supreme Court court, if it finds plaintiffs have standing to sue
In February 2023, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments on the student loan case and will decide by the end of June.
Based on how the questions went at oral argument on February 28, It looks like the Biden student loan forgiveness plan will be struck down by the court if they find that the plaintiffs have standing to raise the issue in the first place.
If the forgiveness program is struck down, many predict financial mayhem for student loan borrowers when payments (suspended since the Trump administration) resume in late Summer 2023.
Covid Supplemental Food benefits ended – $60 to $250 per month less for those on low-income food assistance.
As of March 1, 2023, covid era pandemic assistance programs are ending, including those for supplemental food benefits.
For those on a low income, this is a big deal. It can mean a whole week’s worth of groceries.
Bankruptcies will likely rise in the fall as programs like this expire and monthly Student Loan payments resume. People will realize that they are, in fact, insolvent and do not have sufficient income to pay off their accumulated debts. – Source: USDA.gov
Illinois Passes Mandatory time off Law, first in the nation.
Expansive paid leave legislation, known as the Paid Leave For All Workers Act, requiring Illinois employers to give workers time off based on hours worked, to be used for any reason, is ready for action by Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who said he will sign it. The Act passed both chambers of the Illinois legislature on January 10. – Source: CBS News.
California EDD accuses approved unemployment applicants of fraud and garnishes wages to get money back.
California’s Employment Development Department is accusing some pandemic-era unemployment claimants of fraud and demanding repayment years after their applications were approved.
In some cases, current wages are being garnished to claw back the unemployment money stating ineligibility, even before appeals can be filed.
Learn how to appeal a denial of benefits in our unemployment section.
– Source: KTVU FOX2 NEWS
Michigan Exemptions Set to Rise April 1, 2023
Michigan’s homestead exemption will rise to $69,200 with the new 2003 inflation-adjusted amounts for Michigan, published here. See our blog post for a complete list new exemption amounts for Michigan.
