Debt can quickly become overwhelming, especially during challenging economic times. If you find yourself struggling to make ends meet as your income is consumed by debt payments, you are not alone. Chapter 7 bankruptcy may offer a path to regain control of your finances and get the fresh start you deserve. Why Consider Chapter 7 Bankruptcy? When debt becomes unmanageable, it can lead to significant financial stress. You may be worried about losing your home, car, or other assets. Chapter 7 bankruptcy offers relief by discharging certain unsecured debts, such as: Credit card debt Medical bills Non-Collateralized Debt Filing for Chapter 7 also initiates an automatic stay, which temporarily halts actions from creditors, including foreclosure, repossession, and wage garnishments. This immediate relief can provide much-needed breathing room to begin rebuilding your financial future. Acting Quickly Matters Delaying action can lead to severe consequences, such as foreclosure, repossession, or depleted savings. The sooner you explore your options, the better positioned you’ll be to protect what matters most. If you’re in Livingston, NJ, and considering Chapter 7 bankruptcy, taking swift action can help you regain financial stability. How Attorney Stuart M. Nachbar Can Help Navigating bankruptcy can be complex, but you don’t have to face it alone. Attorney Stuart M. Nachbar has been helping individuals and families in Livingston, NJ, work through the Chapter 7 process. From evaluating your financial situation to representing your interests in court, Mr. Nachbar is committed to guiding you through every step. Benefits of Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Debt Discharge : Eliminate qualifying debts and start fresh. Immediate Relief : Stop creditor actions with an automatic stay. Protect Assets : Retain certain exempt property during the process. Take Control of Your Financial Future Living with debt can feel like an endless cycle, but you don’t have to face it alone. Chapter 7 bankruptcy can offer a way forward, giving you the chance to rebuild and move toward financial freedom.

In a groundbreaking move, Congress has authorized nearly $2 billion in funding to enhance autism research and support services over the next several years. This significant investment underscores a growing commitment to addressing the needs of individuals with autism and their families. From advancing scientific understanding to expanding access to critical resources, the funding aims to create a brighter future for the autism community. Read this article from DisabilityScoop to explore what this means for research, services, and advocacy efforts nationwide.

Drivers failing to pay surcharges are sent a notice indicating when their license will be suspended and another notice confirming suspension for non-payment. Moving out of state or failing to maintain a current address with the MVC does not excuse surcharge debts. After suspension, surcharges and a $100 restoration fee must be paid to restore the license privilege. If the surcharge remains unpaid a Certificate of Debt is filed in Superior Court. The court issues a judgment, which allows the state to collect unpaid surcharges through involuntary means. The judgment amount (surcharge debt) must be paid before personal property can be transferred or sold. Judgments include a collection cost and interest charges calculated on the judgment balance. Unpaid judgments are assigned to collection agencies and law firms. Credit bureaus are made aware of unpaid accounts. If you accumulate too many points against your license or are convicted for particular traffic offenses, you may be required to pay a surcharge in order to keep your license. For 6 points within 3 years, you’ll have to pay $150, plus $25 for each additional point. For your first DWI, you’ll have to pay $1,000. Worse, those aren’t just one-time charges. You’ll have to pay every year for three years. So, you’ll pay a total of $450 over 3 years for having 6 points. For a DWI, you’ll pay a total of $3,000 over 3 years. What Happens If You Don’t Pay A Surcharge? If you don’t pay a surcharge, the New Jersey DMV will suspend your license. In order to get your license reinstated, you’ll have to pay the surcharge and a reinstatement fee of $100. Remember that driving on a suspended license will cost you a surcharge of $250 per year for 3 years, so you can’t just ignore the problem. How Can We Help? When you file for bankruptcy, the New Jersey DMV will reinstate your license. You can discharge your surcharge debt through the bankruptcy process under either Chapter 7 or Chapter 13, so you won’t have to worry about your license getting suspended again for the same charges. What Fines and Surcharges Can Be Discharged? Any municipal traffic court fines from speeding, to DUI, to driving without a license can be discharged by filing Chapter 7 bankruptcy or Chapter 13 bankruptcy. In addition, all DMV surcharges (including the $3,000 surcharge for DUI) can be discharged. Fines and surcharges are unsecured debts. All unsecured debts can be discharged by filing Chapter 7 bankruptcy. Most unsecured debts can be discharged in a Chapter 13 bankruptcy filing, but you may have to pay back a small percentage of the fine or surcharge over a three- to five-year period. DUI Arrest and Bankruptcy A drunk driving arrest can put anyone into a deep financial hole. In today’s economy, few people can afford the fines or vehicle surcharges that come with a conviction. Filing bankruptcy can be a way to get a fresh start. Your Time Is Limited If you let surcharges go unpaid, the DMV may choose to file a Certificate of Debt in court. The court will issue a formal judgment against you and may allow the DMV to collect from you whether you like it or not. That may mean levying your bank account or garnishing your wages. Filing for bankruptcy will get you the protection of the automatic stay, which will stop wage garnishment and other collection actions for the duration of the bankruptcy, but you won’t be able to get a discharge for surcharge debt if there’s already a judgment against you. Here is the NJ MVC's Official Policy, Taken from the State's Website: I FILED FOR BANKRUPTCY. HOW DOES THAT AFFECT THE SURCHARGES THAT I OWE? If you have a surcharge assessment and have filed for bankruptcy, a copy of your bankruptcy petition needs to be forwarded to the Surcharge Administration Office, P.O. Box 136, Trenton, NJ, 08666 or faxed to (609) 633-8273. After the MVC receives the petition, a hold will be placed on your surcharge account and any surcharge suspensions will be satisfied. If an MVC restoration fee is due, you will be responsible for that payment. Once your bankruptcy case is discharged, the Surcharge Administration has the ability to write-off the entire balance on all pre-petition event violations. However, you will be responsible and billed for all post-petition surchargeable violations. These are violations you incurred after filing for bankruptcy. Please note that only surcharge assessments are dischargeable. Judgments are non-dischargeable. To have the judgments satisfied, you will need to pay them in full, or petition the Superior Court, a year after your discharge, to have the judgments vacated. If your bankruptcy case is dismissed, you will be responsible and billed for the entire balance of your surcharge account. If you re-file or your case is re-opened, you will need to mail or fax the Surcharge Administration. Please contact the Bankruptcy Unit at (609) 292-7500, extension #5025 for further information.

When it comes to education, there are a lot of indications that special needs law is improving. Resources and research continue to guide parents and teachers into best practices and science-based tips for success. But even with the continued improvements and awareness, many experts believe that the special needs education system is still broken and far more complicated than it needs to be. In 1975, President Gerald Ford signed the “Education for All Handicapped Children Act.” But he signed it with a statement of concern that the law was underfunded, promised too much to families, and was burdened by complex technical requirements, according to Education Week . Now, over 43 years later, many people still adhere to Ford’s concerns. Education Week goes on to say that the most concerned people are those who have spent their professional careers or personal lives deeply involved in the cause of educating students with disabilities. Many experts agree that while the specialized education system for special needs children is progressing, the implementation of the system is broken and so it is not fully functioning. Judith Heumann – a pioneer in securing legal rights for the disabled – explains some main areas of concern for the future of special needs education: Underfunding. Special Education Degrees further explains the budget issues that span the nation regarding special needs education, saying that special education programs are facing increasing enrollment and decreasing budgets. The result is that there are fewer teacher assistants available, which results in a greater workload for special education teachers. The teachers available may also face shortages of essential resources and equipment for delivering effective lessons. Failure to identify and evaluate students properly. Sometimes the special learning needs are either not identified at all, or not identified in a timely manner. Misplacement of services. Some children receive special needs instruction who do not need it, and some children who need it do not receive it. A chronic shortage of special needs teachers. This shortage is in part due to the budget constraints, and also due to lack of professional support for teachers in this field. Poor implementation and the need for simplicity in a complex system. This is apparent in the reality that many parents with special needs children still find it difficult to secure the education that their children need and deserve. In these and other respects, the future of special needs education does look concerning. And if you’re the parent of a child with special needs, you’ve likely faced your own unique challenges. We have a long way to go in making education fulfilling and fair for all children with disabilities. But that doesn’t mean you have to weather the storm alone! Sometimes, bringing justice to the system starts with bringing justice to your child and your family. If you’re concerned about the special needs education your child is receiving in New Jersey, or feel that your child is being treated unfairly, it might be time to talk to an attorney experienced in special needs law. The Law Office of Stuart M. Nachbar. has been helping families like yours for 20 years now, and he’s here to help fight for the legal rights of you and your child. Give us a call at (973) 233 4049 or contact us online today ! We serve clients throughout the following counties: Essex, Warren, Sussex, Morris, Passaic, Union, Somerset, Hunterdon. Bergen, Hudson and Middlesex. We are close by to Livingston, West Orange, Newark, Belleville, Clifton, Irvington, East Orange, Paterson, Passaic, and Verona and more.

Many people wonder what actions they take effect their Credit? What can they do to raise a Credit Score? What are the Criteria that Equifax, Experian and TransUnion use to create and reduce/raise the score? Below are the primary items these groups look at: 1. On-Time Payments: To lenders, your history of on-time payments indicates whether you'll make payments on-time in the future. 2. Oldest Credit Line: The age of your oldest account indicates to lenders how much experience you have handling credit. 3. Credit Used: Lenders look for signs of responsible credit usage, and the less you use, the better it is for your score. If it's possible, try to reduce how much you owe by paying as much as you can each month. Using less than 30% of your available credit is a good goal. 4. Recent Inquiries: With some exceptions, lenders tend to see too many recent inquiries as a sign of risk, so the fewer the better. If you're borrowing too much, a lender might see this as a sign that you're stretched too thin financially and might not be able to pay them back. 5. New Accounts: To lenders, opening too many new accounts in a short window of time could point to credit problems. 6. Available Credit: Your Debt to Income Ratio as well as the amount of Credit accessible balanced against the amount that you owe in Credit Debt. Obviously, such things as Judgments, Foreclosure, Bankruptcy and Repossessions can also effect your credit score. Each one of these items works differently as well. Speak to your bankruptcy lawyer about your situation and perhaps he/she can explain this part and how bankruptcy may actually help to raise the score.

How does debt relief work? According to a Debt Relief Program Group, whose name shall remain nameless in this article, a debt relief program reduces the outstanding principal amount you owe to your creditors. Most can not decrease interest rates or change the length of a loan term, but some may. During debt relief, the company negotiates directly with creditors on behalf of their clients in an attempt to have the Creditor accept less than the full amount owed. This, in theory, enables the creditor to get paid sooner and the client to resolve the debt in two to five years, which is much faster than by making minimum payments. In addition, they are usually able to waive interest, while in the program. Compare this to the relief under title 11 of the United States Code (the Bankruptcy Code). In a Chapter 7, all debt (excluding Tax and Domestic Support Obligations) are subject to discharge. In a Chapter 13, even some tax debt is able to be discharged. Any debt not paid in full in your Chapter 13 Plan is discharged in full. Timing is also very crucial. A Chapter 7 (if you qualify) is usually completed 6-7 months from the date you file. A Chapter 13 is usually 36 - 60 months. Interest on your unsecured debt (your credit cards) is frozen as of the date of the filing, whether in Chapter 7 or Chapter 13. According to the Debt Relief Program, these are the upsides and downside of Debt Relief:

As all parents know, kids can add an aspect of difficulty to just about anything. And when you have a child with special needs , everyday situations can become especially challenging. Add the disruption of holiday plans, family gatherings, and travel into the mix and things can get more complicated than ever! If you’re a parent who is dreading the holiday season for these reasons, keep reading! We’ve gathered tips from experts on how to make the holiday season enjoyable for you, your special needs child, and your entire family! Be Brave! As a parent with a special needs child, you might be afraid to try something “complicated” like traveling for the holidays, but it might not be as complicated as you imagine! Try branching out this season if you think it would benefit your family. Even family trips don’t have to be as stressful as you might imagine, says My Family Travels . Plan Ahead! Whether you’re planning a trip or just planning a family gathering, planning ahead can help minimize stress for everyone involved. Planning ahead can help ensure that both you and your child have what’s necessary to avoid stress or anxiety. Don’t Overwhelm Your Child. Figure out the hours of the day when your child will be the most rested, relaxed, and engaged, and plan holiday meals, gift exchanges, and gatherings around those times. Scale Down. This advice can be helpful to almost any aspect of holiday planning and festivities with special needs children. Don’t feel pressured to do anything just because it’s what other families are doing, or even if it used to be part of your tradition as a child. Do what works – in the time frame, quantity, and energy level that works for your child. For example, there’s no need to attend the full performance of The Nutcracker Ballet. Watch a video at home, or research some shorter, special needs-friendly performances in the area. Similarly, if your child wants to go shopping to buy presents for friends and family, try shopping in small doses – maybe just looking for one or two gifts at a time, or try online shopping from the comfort of home. Brief Friends and Family Ahead of Time and Ask for Their Understanding. Don’t be afraid to explain your child’s needs and comfort zones to holiday guests. Let them know what your child can handle and what might be overstimulating. Ask for understanding and let them know that some activities might need to be cut short or adapted. Don’t worry if friends and family don’t understand – just move forward in a way that’s best for your family. When Traveling, Call Ahead to Ensure Accessibility. If you decide to travel for the holidays, make sure to ask if your planned lodging, entertainment, dining, and transportation locations offer the accessibility your child needs. If accessibility isn’t an option, don’t be afraid to provide feedback and then look for other options. Avoid Crowds and Overstimulation. There are lots of ways to avoid crowds and overstimulating situations while still enjoying the festivity. For example, pack cookies for a car excursion to find the best decorations instead of walking through busy malls or markets to see the sights. Try visiting holiday displays on off-hours, and even invite Santa for a private visit rather than the potentially overwhelming experience of visiting Santa at the mall. Research “sensory-friendly” experiences in the area that your child might enjoy. Plan Fun Holiday Activities at Home. Make your child feel both comfortable and important by planning activities they can participate in and enjoy at home. Baking cookies, making decorations, building gingerbread houses, watching age-appropriate holiday movies, and holiday sing-alongs are all great places to start! Don’t Be Afraid to Walk Away . As Very Well Family reminds us, some friends and family are great with understanding your life with a special needs child, and others are not. It’s okay to walk away from situations where you feel pressure, judgment, criticism, or unnecessary stress. Take It Easy. Remember that the holidays aren’t a contest. It’s not about doing it best or better. It’s about making memories and connecting with loved ones. When making plans, and deciding where to cut back, revisit your priorities. As a law office dedicated to special needs law, we care about your entire family’s well-being. If you ever feel that your special needs child is being treated unfairly or unjustly in regards to their rights under special needs law , don’t hesitate to get compassionate legal assistance. Call  973-834-8058  or send a message online . We serve clients in Livingston, West Orange, Newark, Belleville, Clifton, Irvington, East Orange, Paterson, Passaic, and Verona.

Do you have a special needs child? Are you concerned about them getting the education experience and opportunities that they deserve? Fortunately, special needs law protects the rights your child has to fair and equal education. There are five main laws that protect special needs education: the Education for All Handicapped Children Act , the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act , No Child Left Behind , Individualized Education Programs , and Students with Disabilities and Postsecondary School. Unfortunately, even with these laws in place, many parents still face difficulty in securing the educational experience that their special needs children need and deserve. When Should You Get Legal Help? The process of special needs education is designed for you and the school district to collaborate in developing an appropriate plan and services to help your child without the need for lawyers or court systems. However, Special Education Guide explains that while special needs law attempts to keep the special education process “non-adversarial,” school districts often push back and create barriers. Schools tend to push back when they are asked to do more than just provide the “cookie cutter” approach to special needs education. But as many parents know, special needs education is not “one size fits all.” Unfortunately, school districts sometimes disregard both the law and the needs of their students because they assume that most parents don’t know special education laws or the rights of their children. If your child’s school district decides to fight back, it’s time at the very least to have a consultation with a special education lawyer, says Special Education Guide . How Exactly Can an Attorney Help? Maybe you feel it’s time for some legal assistance in fighting for your child’s education, but what exactly will that look like? How can an attorney help fight for your child’s rights? Keep reading for some specific ways that an experienced attorney can help with your special needs case. Providing legal knowledge and experience. Special needs cases can be complex and nuanced. While some cases might lend themselves to self-representation, the more complicated your case is, the more likely it is that you could benefit from some legal assistance. Nolo suggests that, for example, a dispute involving complicated placement and service issues, might require the specialized knowledge and experience of an attorney . Ensuring that you have a fair chance at justice. Whether or not your school district has an attorney can be a determining factor in deciding to hire your own. If the school district has an attorney, it’s in your best interest to secure the same protection and leverage for your side of the case. Securing your child’s school files Requesting an evaluation or an IEP meeting Preparing for the IEP eligibility meeting Preparing for the IEP program meeting. This includes drafting parts of the IEP for you and suggesting what material will be most effective. Attending an IEP meeting Reviewing evaluations and IEP forms , before you sign them Identifying specific legal issues that apply to your situation Helping you informally resolve a dispute with the school district Assessing the strength of your case. If you’re considering filing a complaint or lawsuit, you might want an attorney to evaluate the viability of your case first. An attorney experienced in special needs law like Stuart M. Nachbar, Esq. can help you decide if your case is strong enough to invest your resources in, and then provide insight that can increase your chances of winning your case. Preparing for and attending hearings Writing post-hearing briefs Preparing a complaint for you to file with the appropriate educational agency Representing you in court Saving you time and energy. If you work full time, are a single parent, or have a difficult schedule, you may want someone else to take charge and free your mind of the effort your case will likely require. In general, families use attorneys to help with their special needs cases in one of two different ways. One path is to hire an attorney to provide advice and assistance as needed throughout the individualized education program (IEP) process while you do most of the work. The other path is to have your attorney be directly involved in every detail of your case as your formal representative. You may choose to have an attorney do everything from beginning to end in your special needs case or IEP process, or you may have an attorney only handle certain tasks. Whichever path you choose, Law Office of Stuart M. Nachbar is here for you and your family! Call  973-834-8058  or send a message online . We serve clients throughout the following counties: Essex, Warren, Sussex, Morris, Passaic, Union, Somerset, Hunterdon. Bergen, Hudson and Middlesex. We are close by to Livingston, West Orange, Newark, Belleville, Clifton, Irvington, East Orange, Paterson, Passaic, and Verona and more.

Before you sign up, or decide to cancel a card, take a minute to think about the long-term financial plans you may have and how cancelling a card later might impact your credit score. According to a 2019 Bankrate survey, 61% of American credit cardholders said they had cancelled at least one credit card, but just 42% knew that doing so typically hurts one's credit score. 1. Is the credit limit on this card helping my credit utilization ratio? Your credit utilization ratio (CUR) is an important factor when determining your overall credit score. It's calculated by taking the amount of credit you use and dividing it by the amount of credit you have available across all your cards. In general, experts recommend using 30% or less of the total credit you have available across all cards at any given time. So, if you have a $12,000 credit limit, you shouldn't spend more than $4,000 at a time. "By closing a credit card account, the consumer is taking some of their available credit off the table." says Tommy Lee, a principal scientist at FICO. If your spending doesn't change, but you have less credit available, your credit score could take a hit because you're utilizing more of your available credit. 2. When did I activate the credit card I'm considering closing? Your credit history is another big piece of your credit score. It's the average amount of time that all of your credit cards have been active. In the eyes of lenders, a longer credit history is generally better because it proves financial responsibility overtime. That's one reason experts advise against closing credit cards, especially older ones, since doing so could shorten your average credit History. Credit expert John Ulzheimer, formerly of FICO and Equifax, argues this line of thinking is a myth because your credit history is not immediately impacted when you close a credit card. It's the policy of the credit bureaus to leave any closed cards on your credit report for 10 years following termination. So long as they show up on the report, they are calculated into your average credit history age. Even with the 10-year grace period, Ulzheimer says he would never recommend you close your oldest card because you always want the value of its age on your credit report. 3. Is having access to high credit card limits tempting me to overspend? Credit cards with generous spending limits can serve up some serious temptation to overspend. Before you cancel a credit card, consider this other way to manage how you're using the card. Take it out of your wallet and remove it from any and all Apps. Save it for that rainy day, and for most people, out of site is out of mind. Is the card I'm considering closing a store credit card? First of all, Store Cards are great when you open them, but that is it. They usually have APR's and very tight late charges. Studies have shown that shoppers with store cards end up spending more at the store than they would if they did not have the store card. My advice, as a bankruptcy attorney, unless you are making a major purchase (new appliances, new flooring, etc) don't open it. If you have it, pay it off and close it. If you are doing a major purchase and are getting it interest free, make sure you pay it off before the promotion rate ends. Many stores will allow you to extend that time, if you call at the beginning of the purchase. Once it is done and paid off (while saving the interest), close it out. How many is too many? While there’s no set number of how many credit cards is too many, it’s less about the number of cards you have and more about how you manage them. Be frugal, and pay on time, and if possible, pay the entire balance. This will increase your score, and save you interest. At the Law Office of Stuart M. Nachbar we want to help you get out of the financial hole, and help you get the fresh start that you need. For all your bankruptcy needs, call  973-834-8058  . We serve clients throughout the following counties: Essex, Warren, Sussex, Morris, Passaic, Union, Somerset, Hunterdon. Bergen, Hudson and Middlesex. We are close by to Livingston, West Orange, Newark, Belleville, Clifton, Irvington, East Orange, Paterson, Passaic, and Verona and more.