Pepper & Nason

04/22/2026

Our firm received an award from Legal Aid of West Virginia at The West Virginia State Bar meeting for our pro bono work. Most prominently, Andy Nason has given decades of service to Legal Aid as a board member (including President), among other volunteer capacities. Emmett Pepper also has done some regular pro bono work for several years as well. Thank you for the recognition!

12/28/2025

We have done several of these kinds of cases to discharge student loans.

Now is a good time to be proactive with student loans, given that the federal government is starting to pursue wage garnishment for defaulted loans (past due for 9+ months) and ding credit reports for being 3+ months behind.

A new study suggests that distressed borrowers using a simpler bankruptcy process are succeeding — and that more people like them should try.

12/24/2025

The U.S. Department of Education will begin giving notices to garnish wages starting in January. Filing bankruptcy will pause garnishment, and there are other options for addressing student loans. Time is an issue, so it is a good idea to contact an attorney if you are unsure about your options or how to proceed.
https://www.peppernason.com/student-loan-debt/

Here is information from the Department of Education about how they can collect from student loan debtors:
https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/default/collections

Photo information:
Alpha Stock Images - http://alphastockimages.com/
Original Author: Nick Youngson -
http://www.nyphotographic.com/
Original Image: https://www.thebluediamondgallery.com/legal/wage-garnishment.html

10/08/2025

If you are facing foreclosure or think you might soon, talk to us. There sre things you can do to avoid that outcome or minimize its impact to your life.

A growing number of Americans, squeezed by inflation and elevated interest rates, face the risk of losing their home in foreclosure.

06/16/2025

Sometimes investments don't pan out the way we hope they will, and nest eggs aren't as beneficial as we would like. If expenses have led to debt, and it's hard to get ahead of the interest payments, there are options for finding ways to put the debt behind you.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1AUqWCYKxJ/

This beanie baby’s projected value in 2008 from 1998. Beanie Babies: the original 'investments' that didn't quite pan out.

05/24/2025

Bankruptcy is all about timing. It can put people back into the driver's seat for their lives, even big stars.

5/23/1979: Tom Petty refused to be bought and sold—so instead, he filed for bankruptcy.

At the time, Petty had very little to show financially for the two hit albums he’d already released. With songs like Breakdown and American Girl, you’d think he’d be rich. But he wasn’t. Why? Because the first record deal he ever signed wasn’t exactly a smart one.

So when Shelter Records was bought out by industry giant MCA, Petty saw a chance to free himself from that contract. And—like all record companies when money’s involved—they put up a fight.

Petty’s response? “I will not be bought and sold like a piece of meat.”
He refused to let MCA release his album and fronted over $500K to record it himself, planning to release it independently.

Eventually, the label came to their senses and let him out of the deal. But it didn’t stop there. They ended up creating an entirely new subsidiary just to re-sign him—this time to a $3 million contract.

Tom Petty really was that guy.

02/02/2025

Some of the most unjust, and increasingly common, student loan situations we see are for people past middle age. People 50+ often have $50k, $100k, or more in student loan debt.

12/13/2024

If you are also in a situation with overwhelming student loan (or other) debt and you feel like something's gotta give, call us and we can talk with you about options for a path toward getting rid of some or all of your debt.

Yesterday, student debtors over the age of 50 went to DC to demand Biden cancel student debt in his last few days in office. A 71 year old Black woman from Virginia came with us—she’s been brilliant and steadfast in fighting back.

No one from the Department of Education would meet with her — or any of our older student debtors. Her new loan statement was in the mail when she got home today.

Her balance is $656,542.80.

She borrowed ~$60k in 1985 going to law school.

12/02/2024

President Donald Trump is probably not going to forgive your student loans.

Did you know that there have been some recent changes that have resulted in a lot of student loan debts being addressed in bankruptcy? It's a good idea to talk with a student loan lawyer about your options. You can contact us at 304-346-0361 or on here.

https://www.peppernason.com/student-loan-debt/

📷: https://www.flickr.com/photos/gageskidmore/24949307320

04/23/2024

If you have a student loan from 2010 or before, there is a very important deadline coming up on TUESDAY APRIL 30, 2024! If you have questions, contact our office (304-346-0361) and we can talk it through with you. There is a proactive step you probably need to take to help address your debt that you won't be able to do after that date.

A Charleston, WV-based firm specializing in debt (bankruptcy, predatory lending, etc.), family/divorce, personal injury, and traffic/misdemeanor law.

02/29/2024

If you're at risk of your car being repossessed or your home being foreclosed on, filing bankruptcy stops those processes in their tracks. Contact us for a free consultation to figure out what options for managing debt will be best for you. 304-346-0361