Lumen Law: Your lawyer for debt relief, estates, and business counseling

11/04/2009

If you want to plan for medical emergencies, you need some combination of a health care directive, living will, and durable power of attorney over property.

So I talked before about the need to combine a living will with a health care directive. At that time, I promised a future post on the necessity of a durable power of attorney for economic matters to coincide with these other powers. ...

11/03/2009

Protect your health! I've come down with a horrible cold the past few days. It gave me pause to think about prevention and health care. Take the time to wash your hands often, buy antibacterial sanitizer, get your flu/swine flu shots, and look into your health insurance options. There are many options such as short term insurance and health savings accounts that people don't even know about. Get informed!

10/29/2009

Illinois Marriage Law Update: If you hadn't already seen this, a same-sex marriage bill has been introduced in the Illinois legislature. This bill is pending alongside the same-sex civil union legislation that has been reintroduced multiple times over the last couple years. I would not bet on Gov. Quinn signing either law, even if it passed, prior to the gubernatorial elections. But you should be aware that advances in Iowa and other states are having an impact in Illinois.

The legislative battle over extending equal rights to same-sex couples had its share of ups and downs this past year. State Rep. Greg Harris (D-Chicago) got things rolling by introducing two measures -- the same-sex marriage and civil unions bills -- for the second consecutive year. ...

10/28/2009

Personal Bankruptcies Returning to Pre-Reform Numbers: For years people have said to me repeatedly that they believed they could not longer file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy because of the reforms of 2005. This isn't true. And people are realizing it at an alarming rate. I don't think it's a great thing that bankruptcies are skyrocketing--we've got to solve our overall financial problems. But I am happy that people at least realize the fresh start is still available for them and their families.

Consumer bankruptcies soared 41 percent in September from a year before and climbed from August as high unemployment and the housing market crash took their toll.

10/28/2009

From Bankruptcy to a Championship? The Cubs sale is final.

A new day has dawned for the fabled Chicago Cubs baseball empire. The Chicago Tribune Company has owned the cubs since 1981, when they purchased the franchise from the Wrigley family, themselves owners since 1918. ...

10/27/2009

This is the 5th Annual Chicago Bar Association / Chicago Bar Foundation pro bono week. Just wanted to send a reminder to all attorneys about the importance of legal services for low-income individuals and families in need. Especially in this econom...ic client, people who a short time ago were on top of the world are suffering with their backs against the wall. Do a good deed!

Founded in 1874, The Chicago Bar Association is one of the oldest and most active metropolitan bar associations in the United States. The Association's voluntary membership of 22,000 consists largely of lawyers and judges from Cook County and the State of Illinois.

10/26/2009

You NEED a living will and power of attorney. Don't take my word for it: ask Suze Orman or any other financial/life counselor you'll ever meet. Do it right the first time, the last time, and every time in between.

Under Illinois law, and the law of most states, it makes sense to have both a living will and a power of attorney for health care (sometimes called a “health care proxy”). We all remember the ...

10/26/2009

Debt relief: To make a decision, you need all the information and truth. Lumen Law offers consultations to discuss consolidation, credit counseling, bankruptcy, and other remedies, their benefits and pitfalls, and which is right for you.

Lumen Law provides a full range of debt relief services, including: bankruptcy, chapter 7, chapter 13, review of debt relief options, and credit repair. We are proud to have low flat fees for most cases and to provide personalized service.

10/26/2009

Check out the Illinois Law Blog article on new possibilities for keeping your home in bankruptcy.

A New York Times article today talks about the increasing trend of mortgage debts being wiped out in bankruptcy. As I noted in previous posts, if you’re mortgage is in foreclosure prior to filing for bankruptcy, there’s pretty much no way to save the home. ...

10/26/2009

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10/26/2009