Bradford W. Botes's blog

Typically, an economic crisis in the U.S. is accompanied by an increase in bankruptcy filings. During the Great Recession, the upward trend of bankruptcy filings tracked closely with the increase in unemployment. Based on historical trends, a new paper suggests, we should have seen an increase of about 200,000 consumer bankruptcy filings nationwide during the second quarter of 2020.

Most of us face financial crunches from time, and 2020 has been one long crunch for many people. Being short of money and having to pick and choose which bills to pay is always tough. Unfortunately, creditors and debt collectors make it much harder when they pour on the pressure. Your best defense against being bullied or manipulated into routing your money in the wrong direction is preparation. 

Financial stress and pressure from debt collectors can create a sense of urgency that isn’t always productive. The urge to get a creditor off the phone, stop the threatening phone calls, eliminate the possibility of a lawsuit and otherwise dial down the pressure makes many people reach for the first available release valve. Too often, that means a dangerous financial decision that will ultimately do more harm than good. 

Over the past 30+ years, Bond & Botes has been blessed with passionate attorneys who counsel their clients through trying times with care and attentiveness. Monica Blanding is a prime example of the passion and empathy we aim to embody as trusted partners in this practice area.

Most Americans are concerned about the impact of the pandemic and related shutdowns and business closures on the U.S. economy, and on their local economies and personal finances. State and federal government officials speak regularly about weighing the direct health risks of Covid-19 against the fallout from economic conditions created by extensive precautions. 

Most parents across the United States are facing an unusual choice this school year. The specifics are different from state to state, but the core question is the same: Should we send our children back into physical school buildings in August? 

Depending on the state, parents may have between two and four options. These include returning to a traditional school day, virtual learning on a traditional schedule, a hybrid model with limited classroom time, or opting out of the school system and homeschooling kids. 

The U.S. civil court system was designed to handle a wide range of non-criminal cases, ranging from family disputes to substantive contract breaches, property disputes and more. However, over the past several years, the civil courts in most states have been overrun by debt collection cases against consumers.