Beware of Friends and Family

Co-Signing and Joint Ownership

After being a bankruptcy attorney for over 25 years, there is one thing I know for sure---sooner or later one of your friends or family will ask you to co-sign a loan for them or ask you buy something with them. It may be a car, boat, timeshare, vacation cabin, investment property or building. All you have to do is keep breathing and this will happen to you.

Co-signing or buying anything with a friend or family will have consequences. Here is just the tip of the iceberg.

1. Co-signing on a loan to something will affect your credit. It increases your debt to income ratios and it will reduce your ability to get other loans. Your credit will take an immediate hit.

2. When you co-sign on a loan or purchase agreement, you are jointly and severally liable on the whole obligation i.e. if the other person doesn’t pay, you are on the hook for the whole amount. The fact that you own only a portion of the boat, trailer, house etc per your agreement with the other owners is irrelevant to the lender. If the other co-signers stop paying, you responsible for the full balance still due and owing. Your credit score will fall if there is a default. It doesn’t matter if only 1 spouse signed. California is a community property state. One spouse can bind the other.

3. There is a HUGE difference between co-signing on a personal loan and real estate loan. If you default on a personal loan even if it is secured by a boat, trailer or car, the worst thing that is going to happen is the lender will repossess the collateral and get a judgment against you for the deficiency balance on the loan. However, if you co-sign a real estate loan, that loan will be characterized as recourse loan unless it is non-recourse debt which in California means it was a loan used to purchase a 1-4 unit property and YOU live in the property. If the loan is not a non-recourse debt and there is a default, there may be personal liability and tax liability.

4. Never underestimate the IRS and California State Franchise Board. When a lender determines that a debt is uncollectable either because it is time barred or a deficiency is prohibited by state law or the parties agree to a settlement for less than the balance due and owing, the lender is REQUIRED to issue a Cancellation of Debtor Statement known as 1099c if the lender is forgiving $600 or more. You NEED to know your tax liability BEFORE you get the 1099c. There are ways to minimize the tax liability. 

Do not jeopardize your future. If your friends or family ask you to co-sign on a loan or buy something with them, JUST SAY NO. If you have the resources to GIVE them money, that is a better option. If you have already co-signed a loan and you think there is going to be a default on the loan, seek legal counsel immediately. This is a complicated area of the law, but a real estate or bankruptcy attorney should be able to make to an analysis of your particular situation fairly quickly which will allow you to determine your personal liability and tax liability in the event of a default.

WE ARE A DEBT RELIEF AGENCY. WE HELP PEOPLE FILE BANKRUPTCY RELIEF UNDER THE BANKRUPTCY CODE. THIS INFORMATION IS NOT PROVIDED AS LEGAL ADVICE AND SHOULD NOT BE RELIED UPON IN MAKING ANY DECISION REGARDING A VOLUNTARY DEFAULT, SHORT SALE, FORECLOSURE OR BANKRUPTCY. THIS INFORMATION IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR OBTAINING TAX & LEGAL ADVICE REGARDING AN INDIVIDUAL SITUATION. GRIMESBK.AW.COM

© 2011 Joan Grimes

Advice From People Who Filed Bankruptcy

 I have been asking people who come into my office if they have any advice/regrets about their actions prior to filing bankruptcy.  Here is their advice:

1. Seek Legal Counsel.  Don’t wait to find out your options.  Almost every person said they wish they had come in sooner.  Many have said they would have done things differently had they known the law and available options.

2. Don’t borrow or take money from your 401k, IRA, Savings Account, Children’s Saving Account, Deferred Compensation to cure to the default.  So many people regret borrowing or taking a distribution from their retirement plan.  Unfortunately, many people don’t know that this money, if borrowed, must be repaid in full or it will be considered income and taxed accordingly.  In addition, this tax cannot be discharge in bankruptcy.  It is heart breaking to see people take money out of their retirement to stay current on the mortgage, to only lose the house at the later time, but are still responsible for tax liability of the distribution.  

3. Don’t borrow money from family or friends to stay current on mortgage or other bills.    Family and friends want/expect to be repaid irrespective of whether you file bankruptcy.   In the eyes of the bankruptcy code, your family and friends are just another lender and will not receive preferential treatment.  

4. Don’t juggle credit cards to pay mortgage.  Cash advances and balance transfers may cause problems in a bankruptcy.  In addition, depending on the type of real estate debt you have, a short sale or foreclosure may be possible without a bankruptcy.  However, if you run up your credit cards trying to keep the house, a bankruptcy may be evitable.

5.  Don’t leave house until property forecloses or short sale is complete.  Almost every person that has left their home prior to the foreclosure or short sale being completed regrets the decision.  Once you stop paying on the mortgage, your rent is “free” with the exception of paying the Homeowners Dues and keeping insurance on the property.  Further, since you are still responsible for the maintenance  of the property until the foreclosure or short sale, you might as well enjoy it and save some money.  No reason to pay rent any soon than necessary.

6.  Don’t let your cultural pride stand in the way of you making sound financial decisions.  There is nothing to be ashamed of.  You did not make this economic meltdown.  You are not responsible for the economic collapse facing the Bay Area.  The economy of your parents’ generation is not the same as today.   

7.  Don’t co-sign for anyone.  No one can promise the future.  So many clients regret co-signing for a friend or relative. Co-signing for cars, furniture, Time-Shares and homes seemed like a good idea, but times change and suddenly there is a default.  Worst of all, don’t co-sign on Student Loans.  The default  rate by students who have had a friend or family member co-sign is much higher and YOU CANNOT DISCHARGE CO-SIGNED STUDENT LOANS IN BANKRUPTCY!

If you do not have sufficient income to pay your bills as they come due and owing, you should seek legal counsel before withdrawing any monies from a retirement account, savings account or taking a loan against your home or car.  These are difficult times, but do not miss the help and protection provided by the Bankruptcy Code and California law by waiting too long.  Just because this ship is underwater does not mean that you should give up your life vests that you will need to keep you afloat!

Want to learn more, listen to Joan Grimes recent interview on the Bay Area Real Estate show on FOX NEWSRADIO 910 AM with Krista Mashore.  Joan reveals some of the regrets she hears from clients filing bankruptcy. 

WE ARE A DEBT RELIEF AGENCY.  WE HELP PEOPLE FILE BANKRUPTCY.  THIS INFORMATION IS NOT PROVIDED AS LEGAL ADVICE AND SHOULD NOT BE RELIED UPON IN MAKING ANY DECISION REGARDING A VOLUNTARY DEFAULT, SHORT SALE, FORECLOSURE OR BANKRUPTCY.  THIS INFORMATION IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR OBTAINING TAX & LEGAL ADVICE REGARDING AN INDIVIDUAL SITUATION.              

© 2011 Joan Grimes