Doan Law Firm, LLP Newsletter
| Volume 1.1 - July/August 2010
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Welcome to the inaugural newsletter of the Doan Law firm!
Every few months you'll receive a new issue in your inbox with the following features:
- News you can use
- Powerful and relevant articles on issues related to bankruptcy
- "Financial Funny Bone"
- Client profiles of a fresh start
- Special offers for family and friends
We
are striving to provide understandable, relevant information on
bankruptcy and related subjects to help you and others make great
decisions about your financial future.
If you'd like to stay a little more closely connected, you can subscribe to our Bankruptcy Blog or find us on Facebook and Twitter. We post new videos, articles and newsworthy events there as well as on our Website.
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Contact Us Anytime!
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1.888.DOAN.LAW
1.888.362.6529
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News You Can Use
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The entire Doan Team is continuously focused on improving
client care. Our new slogan "Experience the Doan Difference" represents a
series of initiatives that provide clients with useful and easy to understand
information. One of the most exciting announcements is the launch of our Virtual Attorney™ video series.
Available on
our website, YouTube™ and Vimeo™, we've put together a unique series of short
videos that educate, entertain, and gently guide you through the bankruptcy
process. We produced these with you in mind, knowing that a well informed client
is a happy client. And, like our blog, we've made it easy for you to sign up
and receive a link each time we complete another video post. You can even
forward your favorites to your friends and relatives.
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Don't Cash in that 401k! |
 When
times get tough, especially if coupled with a job loss, it can be tempting to
go to any measure possible to survive. Paying the mortgage (if you are
going to keep the house), eating and fueling the cars are necessities, but the
absolute worst "solution" for keeping creditors at bay, short of
borrowing from the neighborhood loan shark, is cashing in your
retirement.
Retirement accounts, even large ones, are usually protected
in bankruptcy. Long after the credit card debt is discharged, the
retirement accounts remain. Pulling retirement to pay unsecured debts is
like suicide, a permanent solution to a temporary problem. Never use
retirement funds without consulting an attorney to develop a plan that will
take you through this crisis and into the future.
Read more Bankruptcy Blog posts here!
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Did You Know? You're not alone...
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According to an Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts' recently released
a report to Congress, in calendar year 2009, nearly 1.4 million consumer
bankruptcy petitions were filed, a 32% increase over calendar year 2008. More
Americans are learning and understanding their options.
Some
learned that Bankruptcy has its origin in the bible (Deuteronomy 15:1-2). Current bankruptcy laws,
like the Biblical provision, allow debtors to keep certain property when they
file bankruptcy. This gives debtors a fresh start and discourages debtors
from going into debt-bondage again after the bankruptcy is over; allowing them
to start over and become productive members of their community and contributors
to our economy.
Others
realized that financial concerns are the leading cause of stress in
America. Some people under financial stress are more likely to
engage in
destructive coping behaviors like drinking, smoking and
overeating. People under financial stress aren't able to engage in
preventative
healthcare. They don't get small things taken care of before they
turn into big things. Bankruptcy removes a great deal of stress
and allows
them to focus on creating a better life and holistic wellness.
For
some, financial stress is one of the two biggest threats to their
marriage (the
other being in-laws). If you combine the two in the form of a loan you
can't pay to the in-laws, it's a recipe for marriage death. Divorce
affects the entire family. Children who have gone through divorce
face risk factors in higher proportion than those with intact families;
living
in poverty, difficulty in school, behavior problems, trouble with peers,
and
depression. Maintaining healthy finances helps create healthy
families. Healthy families make up a healthy, productive
society
and bankruptcy can be an essential element of that equation.
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Meghan's Story: Opening the Door to a New Life
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 Meghan lived a great life in Mammoth, California's premiere
mountain resort. A snowboarding
instructor when the powder was good and working in the hospitality industry for
the rest of the year, Meghan enjoyed the beauty and excitement of living in
Mammoth.
As the economy
began to slow, Meghan found that Mammoth is susceptible to the slightest
downward motion as people began to forego vacations while they tighten their
belts. Employment options were fewer and
as she transitioned to work in a corporate environment, she realized this was
not the life for her. The condo she had
purchased made less and less sense and her finances became more and more
difficult.
Meghan moved to Southern California looking better job
opportunities. Before she fully settled
down, however, she felt a strong need to stop, regroup and formulate a
plan. She decided to take the
opportunity to look at all areas of her life and really figure out what she
wanted for her future.
After taking a few months to travel and visit friends, she
had a much clearer picture. An integral
part of closing the door on her old life and was filing for bankruptcy. It allowed her to get rid of the financial
baggage following her from Mammoth and lifted a great burden. Bankruptcy was not just a financial start
over, but was a major piece of the puzzle allowing her to learn lasting lessons
and allowing her to fully realize her dreams.
At first Meghan felt some trepidation when contemplating
filing bankruptcy. She felt a stigma and
initially though she needed to make everything right on her own. As she looked around at those she respected,
Meghan saw many different reasons people filed bankruptcy. She saw that they survived, bought houses,
were able to start over and have a future. As she looked at her mentors, she felt much more comfortable and
realized that bankruptcy is the solution society offers for situations just
like hers.
Meghan found the bankruptcy process empowering. She had made mistakes and bankruptcy allowed
her to learn and move on. She's now
settled in Southern California and working in a managerial position she very
much enjoys. She still hits the slopes
and enjoys Mammoth so often that some of the regulars don't realize she's left.
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Financial Funny Bone
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A man, who loved money more than just about anything,
said to his wife just before he died, "When I die, I want you to take
all my money and put it in the casket with me. I want to take my money to the
afterlife with me."
When he died she did what she had promised, came over
with the money box and put it in the casket. The undertakers locked the casket
down, and rolled it away. Her friend said, "I know you weren't fool enough to
put all that money in there with your husband!"
The wife said, "I can't go back on my word. I promised my dying husband I
was going to put that money in that casket with him."
"You mean to tell me you really put that money in
the casket!?!" exclaimed her friend.
"I sure did," said the wife. "I wrote him a
check."
Pledge
of Allegiance
In
light of the financial struggles of many Americans, the current pledge of
allegiance is outdated. It should read:
"I
pledge
allegiance to the fat cats of the United States of America, and to the
Federal Reserve for which it stands, one nation under mega corporations,
indivisible,
with increased interest rates and foreclosures for all."
Until
Americans start exercising their patriotic right to financial health, we might
be facing the flag, reciting these very words.
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Here's a Bankruptcy Buck for you or a friend... good for $100 off total fees!
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| Terms of Use: This coupon must be presented at time of initial consultation.
Consulting attorney will reduce total fee by $100 at the time of retainer.
Cannot be used as part of the minimum $200 retainer fee.
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Cannot be used with any other offer.
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