Discharged Case Client Info

Info For Clients Whose Bankruptcy Cases Were "Discharged"

John Orcutt here. Greetings and Congratulations on the completion of your case.

I will be sending you a series of emails. These emails are designed to provide you valuable "post-bankruptcy" information on a series of topics.

If you want to get access this information now, as opposed to later on when I send you emails, you can.

Just click on an email topic of interest.

Days
after
discharge:

6.    ORCUTT LAW: You did it.  CONGRATULATIONS!
8.    ORCUTT LAW: Please put your discharge letter with your other bankruptcy papers
10.   ORCUTT LAW: Your bankruptcy. Done. Yeah!
14.   ORCUTT LAW: Alive Again and Living Victory!
16.   ORCUTT LAW: Let your soul be refreshed.
18.   ORCUTT LAW: Is it time to put your "fresh start" into action?
21.   ORCUTT LAW: FREE Credit Re-Building  Book
23.   ORCUTT LAW: Bankruptcy for faster laughter after disaster.
24.   ORCUTT LAW: Watch out for ILLEGAL mortgage claims, fees & charges. (For former Ch 13 clients).
25.   ORCUTT LAW: How to deal with illegal creditor calls & letters after bankruptcy.
29.   ORCUTT LAW: FREE Post-Bankruptcy Credit Report Review Service
30.   ORCUTT LAW: How to buy a home after bankruptcy
33.   ORCUTT LAW: Need to refinance your home?
35.   ORCUTT LAW: FREE "Credit Score" Re-building Program
40.   ORCUTT LAW: Dealing with new feelings:
45.   ORCUTT LAW: It's never too soon to start saving for emergencies and down payments.
50.   ORCUTT LAW: Were you a victim of credit addiction?
55.   ORCUTT LAW: Credit Rebuilding Tip: Get someone to add you as an "authorized signature"
60.   ORCUTT LAW: Need to buy a car or truck after bankruptcy?
70.   ORCUTT LAW: Was your car paid for "inside" your Chapter 13 plan? (For former Ch 13 clients)
90.   ORCUTT LAW: Need help with student loans after bankruptcy?
100.  ORCUTT LAW: Watch out for ILLEGAL mortgage claims, fees & charges. (For former Ch 13 clients)
110.  ORCUTT LAW: Gain From Pain
130.  ORCUTT LAW: Credit building tip: Get a "secured" credit card
140.  ORCUTT LAW: Referrals Are Hugely Appreciated
150.  ORCUTT LAW: Bankruptcy: Like "Stimulus money" on steroids.
160.  ORCUTT LAW: Do like your great grandparents did.
170.  ORCUTT LAW: Life could have been a whole lot worse.
180.  ORCUTT LAW: Do you have a story to tell?
200.  ORCUTT LAW: How to buy a home after bankruptcy
210.  ORCUTT LAW: Less debt means more "honey"?
220.  ORCUTT LAW: You have "lived to talk about it".
230.  ORCUTT LAW: Do something new day!
240.  ORCUTT LAW: Is "no credit" the better option?
280.  ORCUTT LAW: Is it time to stop and smell the roses?
320.  ORCUTT LAW: Contentment Through Hardship
360.  ORCUTT LAW: From hopeless to happy.
400.  ORCUTT LAW: I would love to hear from you?
500.  ORCUTT LAW: Just a reminder to pull your credit report again.


 

ORCUTT LAW: You did it.  CONGRATULATIONS!

Congratulations!  Your bankruptcy case is finished and, hopefully by now, you have already received the all-important "discharge" letter from the court.  

Be excited.  You took control of your life and took positive action..

You are now free from a substantial amount of debt.

Getting your discharge is like a graduation, and there is cause for celebration.

Again…Congratulations!

To your future, joy and success,

John Orcutt

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ORCUTT LAW: Please put your discharge letter with your other bankruptcy papers.

Please put your discharge letter with your other bankruptcy papers for safekeeping and future reference. 

This is very important. 

You will most likely be asked for a copy of your bankruptcy papers when you apply for credit or want to buy a new vehicle.

Just so you know, if need be, we can supply you with another copy, but there would be a charge of $40 to cover the staff time involved.

Please avoid this charge by keeping track of the copies you already have.

To your joy and success,

John Orcutt

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ORCUTT LAW: Your bankruptcy. Done. Yeah!

Elations, celebrations and good vibrations!

Having received your discharge, you have your life back,

…and it's now a time for new:

sensations, concentrations, creations, aspirations,
expectations, preparations, determinations,
manifestations, orientations, motivations,
declarations, explorations, elevations,
situations, calculations, foundations,
transformations, vacations,
and better relations.

From all of us…again

…CONGRATULATIONS!

To your joy and success..ification,

John Orcutt

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ORCUTT LAW:  Alive Again and Living Victory!

Yours is a new reality, free from the crushing burden of too-much-debt.

Once again, after so long, you are:

  • Free to live
  • Free to think
  • Free to dream
  • Free to plan
  • Free to do what you want to do,
  • Free to be what you want to be.
  • Free to be.

Just FREE.

Enjoy! 

You have earned it.

To your freedom,

John Orcutt

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ORCUTT LAW: Let your soul be refreshed.

The mental release is even more important than the financial one.

We all have problems.  Financial problems is just one of them, a big one for sure.

Bankruptcy helped solve this one, and sure, now it's time to focus on financial rehabilitation.

But, it's also time to take stock in the mental release you are no doubt feeling.

Take the time to lose yourself in it.

Let it comfort and surround you like warm, soothing bath water.

And let your soul be refreshed.

You have been waiting so long. You have been through so much.

Don’t miss out on the fullness of the mental release.

Enjoy.

To your success,

John Orcutt

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ORCUTT LAW: Is it time to put your "fresh start" into action?

Is it time to put your "fresh start" into action?

Is it time to re-build, create, look forward, dream and conquer?

If so, then let's get started.

Our work together may be done. But that does not mean there is nothing more to do.

Are you ready?  Are you ready to roll up your sleeves and get to work?

There is a new life to build, your new "life after bankruptcy". 

Fortunately, the first giant step is done.  

You have gotten free from a bunch of debt, debt was holding you back, likely for years. 

And with the debt, hopefully, you have gotten major relief from a ton of stress, worry and sleepless nights. 

You now have your life back and a second chance to start building the life of your dreams.

Now, it’s all new opportunities and time to ask yourself questions like these: “Where do I go from here?” and “How do I get started?”

And we want to help. 

To this end,  we are going to send you a series of short emails that will provide you valuable information on a whole host of topics relevant to this stage in your journey. 

Please keep your eyes open for emails from "ORCUTT LAW". 

IMPORTANT NOTE: Just so you know, you should already have received 3 or 4 of these "ORCUTT LAW" emails. If you don't see them, please check your ALL MAIL, TRASH and SPAM folders

Among other things, these topics will include the following:

  • Things you should do.
  • Things you should NOT do.
  • Credit rebuilding tips.
  • Getting ready to buy a new home.
  • Buying a new car or truck.
  • Protecting against illegal actions by your former creditors.
  • Dealing with a new reality and new feelings.
  • Reflections / Food for thought.
  • Telling your story.

Reminder:  Please put your bankruptcy discharge letter with your other bankruptcy papers for safekeeping and future reference.   You may well be asked for a copy of these papers when you apply for loans and other types of credit.  If need be, we can always provide you with another copy, but that the cost would be $40 to cover the staff time involved.  You can avoid this cost and bother by just keeping track of the copies you already have.

To your joy and success,

John T. Orcutt

P.S.  Please keep us in mind when you run into family, friends and acquaintances who may also need our help.  A word from you could make all the difference.

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ORCUTT LAW: FREE Credit Re-Building  Book

Helping You Re-Build Your Credit Score after bankruptcy

Your credit score is everything.  You know that. 

It controls whether you can get credit or not.  And, even if you can get credit, it controls how much credit you get and the interest rate you will be charged.

To get started, you need to get familiar with how credit scores work and what you need to start paying attention to.

To help you, here is a FREE "online" book written by my son Shawn C. Orcutt, who is both a bankruptcy attorney and a credit expert.

It's entitled: "Credit Score Keys: How To Rebuild Your Credit Score After Bankruptcy"

Not only will it explain all about credit and credit scores, but it will also show you the easy steps you need to take and why these steps are so important. For a FREE "online" copy of his book that you can read or download, click here: 

Download FREE Credit Re-Building Book

Not a reader?  No problem.

We also made arrangements so that, for FREE, you can participate in an "online" credit score re-building program.

It's called "7 Steps to a 720 Credit Score".

Click on this button to check out a short introductory video. 

Like what you see?  If so, you can get "instant access" to the program, at no cost to you. 

FREE Credit Score Re-Building Program

It's 7 easy steps you can take to re-build your credit score to 720, or even higher, in as little as 12 to 24 months.

To your success,

John T. Orcutt

P.S.  In days ahead, we will also be sending you information on how to enroll in a FREE credit report review service. Please keep checking your email.

P.P.S.  Please keep us in mind when you run into family, friends and acquaintances who may also need our help.  A word from you could make all the difference.

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ORCUTT LAW:   Watch out for ILLEGAL mortgage claims, fee & charges

TO FORMER CHAPTER 13 CLIENTS WITH A MORTGAGE:

Please check your mortgage statement EVERY month.

If you have kept up-to-date on your mortgage payments after bankruptcy, it would be ILLEGAL for your mortgage lender to:

(1) Claim you are behind on your payments (when you know you are not)
       OR
(2) Add in extra fees and charges (you don't owe).

Unfortunately, after bankruptcy, this happens all the time.

CAUTION: It is definitely a red flag if your mortgage gets turned over to another company for handling.

If this happens to you, do not be scared or intimidated.

We are here to help.  We handle these types of matters all the time.

In addition, you may have the right to both:

(1) Have this corrected
       and
(2) Collect significant money damages.

If you think you have been done wrong:

(1) Email attorney Erik Martin on my staff at StopBadActs@johnorcutt.com and, in your email:

  • Tell him what you think is wrong,
  • Confirm that you are current in all your mortgage payments,
  • Make sure you include with your email scanned copies of all your mortgage statements received since your bankruptcy case was finished. 
  • If you don't have a scanner, you can take photos of your bankruptcy statements using your cell phone.
  • Make sure you include: (1) your name, (2) your bankruptcy case number and (3) the best phones numbers to contact you.

(2) If we think you might have a good case, we will let you know and explain what all is involved.

Just so you know, if we agree to represent you, we would do so on a "contingency" basis.  "Contingency" means that we only get paid if we collect money from your mortgage lender.  If we don't collect any money, you don't owe us anything.  Bottom line: You have nothing to lose.

To you joy and success,

John Orcutt

P.S.  Please keep us in mind when you run into family, friends and acquaintances who may also need our help.  A word from you could make all the difference.

P.P.S. Disclaimer: At this point, we have completed our representation in terms of your Chapter 13 case.   Nothing herein should be interpreted as a guaranty or promise that we will agree to represent you in making a claim against your mortgage lender or other parties, nor a promise or guaranty of any particular result in the event that we do agree to represent you.   

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ORCUTT LAW: Bankruptcy for faster laughter after disaster.

Bankruptcy for faster laughter after disaster

That’s just fun to say.

But the point this:

Your bankruptcy is done, and you did it.

You have achieved a great thing.

You had a problem. You tackled it. You solved it. You succeeded where, so to speak, others fear to tread.

And, in doing so, you given yourself a "fresh start" and a "second chance" to create the life of your dreams.

And now, your real prize:

You can get back to laughing and loving, getting lost in conversations with all those around you,  once again,  enjoying life and looking forward to the dawning of each brand new day.

Laughter is the most important.

Laughter frees the soul.

So laugh, laugh, and never stop laughing.

You have earned it.

To your success,

John

P.S.  Please keep us in mind when you run into family, friends and acquaintances who may also need our help.  A word from you could make all the difference.

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ORCUTT LAW:  How to deal with illegal creditor calls & letters after bankruptcy.

The creditors you got rid of in your bankruptcy should not be calling you, writing you, or in any way contacting you. 

And, they should not be claiming you still owe them money. 

If this happens to you, do not listen to them, and do NOT send them any money.

Just so you know, in most cases, debts you got rid of would include debts such as:

  • credit cards,
  • medical bills,
  • loans where you did not list any of your property as collateral (other than household goods), and
  • debts where you "surrendered" the collateral (such as car, truck or home debts)

What you can do is tell them you filed bankruptcy and give them your bankruptcy case number.

If that gets rid of them, great. 

But just in case that may not get rid of them, please do the following:

In the case of a call, get

  • the caller's name,
  • the name of the company they represent and
  • their telephone number. 

In the case of a letter, It you don't have a scanner, take a photo of it with your phone.

Either way, if the creditor calls or writes you more than once, then it's time to contact us, in which case, we need for you to email this information to us at: stopbadacts@johnorcutt.com, along with a statement telling us what happened.

We will then check your file to make sure this is a creditor on a debt you got rid of.  If necessary, we will call or email then to demand that they stop contacting you.

In the meantime, keep a record of every call or letter.  Best to keep a notebook available to write in.  Make an entry in your notebook for each call or letter.  Make sure to write down the date and time, who called, the name of the creditor and the creditor's telephone number.  Make notes about what was said.  If they write you, make sure you keep the letter, all just in case they keep contacting you. 

For your information, it is illegal for a creditor you got rid of in your case to contact you.  And, if they keep calling or writing you, we may be able to collect money damages from them on your behalf.  To sue them, we would need a record of their calls and letters and your notebook.  If we need to sue them, we would handle it on a contingency basis, which simply means that we only get paid out of any money we collect. If we collect nothing, you owe us nothing.

Note: Please understand that certain creditors listed in your case are allowed to call or write you.  For example, with respect to debts that were "non-dischargeable", such as student loans, certain taxes, etc., and with respect to debts secured by homes and vehicles you intend to keep and keep paying on.

To your joy and success,

John Orcutt

P.S.  Please keep us in mind when you run into family, friends and acquaintances who may also need our help.  A word from you could make all the difference.

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ORCUTT LAW: * FREE Post-Bankruptcy Credit Report Review Service

Your credit score is everything.  It determines whether you will get credit, and even if you do, how high (or low) an interest rate you will have to pay.

You have completed the important first step: You have gotten rid of a lot of debt by filing bankruptcy.

Hopefully, now you can get back to paying the rest of your bills and debts "on-time".  This is crucial if you expect to quickly increase your credit score.

The next step is to make sure your credit reports don't contain a bunch of errors.

The last thing you need, when you are trying to re-build your credit score, is a credit report full of errors.

And, the time to start looking at your credit reports is NOW.   Why?  Because the quicker you get started, the quicker you will have sufficiently error-free credit reports..

Fortunately, the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) is there to help.  The FCRA forbids creditors from reporting incorrect or misleading information on your credit report.

BRAND NEW FREE CREDIT REPORT "ERROR FIXING" SERVICE:

To make all this a lot easier for you, we have made arrangements with the law firm of Gale, Angelo, Johnson & Patrick (aka GAJP LAW), a law firm that specializes in legal credit repair and, where necessary, litigation, to help you find and fix any serious errors on your credit report.

You may already have received emails from us and them about this service.

If you have not received these emails, and want to take advantage of this important FREE service, you can sign up and get started right now by clicking on this button: 

FREE CREDIT REPORT REVIEW SERVICE

Or, if you prefer, you can call GAJPLAW, during normal business hours, at this phone number: (919) 589-1221.

At no cost to you, they will show you the steps and, if need be, help you to pull your credit reports. They will then examine them for errors. 

It they find any serious errors, they will help you fix these errors.  This part of their service you get for FREE. 

If any serious errors don't get fixed, where appropriate, they will take legal action on your behalf, pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Ace (FCRA), to force the fixing of these errors and to collect money damages.

Not to worry. If legal action is necessary and appropriate, they will work for you on a "contingency" basis, which means they only get paid if you win. If they don't win, you will owe them nothing. 

Keep your eyes open for emails from "ORCUTT LAW" and from "GAJP LAW.COM" about this FREE service. 

IMPORTANT NOTE: If you don't see any of these emails, please, please, check your ALL MAIL, TRASH and SPAM email folders.

One of the first things GAJP LAW will do is have you pull a copy of your credit reports from all 3 of the major credit bureaus.  The 3 major credit bureaus are: Experian, TransUnion and Equifax.

If necessary, GAJP LAW will help you pull these credit reports.

Just so you know, you are entitled to 1 FREE credit report per year from each of these 3 major credit bureaus.  To pull your free credit report, just go to annualcreditreport.com .

After up obtain your credit reports, print them out or save them to your computer and then attach them to an email to GAJP LAW.  GAJP LAW will then examine them for errors.

Here is a list of just some of the errors they will be looking for:

(1) Errors with regard to debts you got rid of:

As you know, your bankruptcy filing got rid of certain debts. Legally, these are called "discharged debts".

In most cases, "discharged debts" would include debts such as:

  • credit cards,
  • medical bills,
  • loans where you did not list any of your property as collateral (other than household goods), and
  • debts where you "surrendered" the collateral (such as car, truck or home)

With regard to these "discharged" debts, your credit report should:

  • Show $0 balances
  • Should NOT show new late payments
  • Should NOT show any new inquiries

NOTE: Legally, there is nothing wrong with the debt still being listed, as long as the balance is listed is $0

(2) Errors to check for with regard to mortgages and auto loans you are still paying for.

 NOTE: These have not been deleted from your credit report.
 

If any of these errors, or others, are found: GAJP LAW will help you write letters to mail out to the offending creditors and credit bureaus, to dispute the errors and demand that they be fixed.

Since we are talking about errors, among others, that may relate to your bankruptcy case, you will want to make sure you these letter(s) always reference at least the following:

  • Your full name, address and social security number
  • That you have filed bankruptcy,
  • Your bankruptcy case number,
  • The date your bankruptcy case was filed,
  • The date you received your bankruptcy discharge, and
  • A description of each and every error you are disputing.
  • Request for them to correct the errors
     

As GAJPLAW will advise you, you will want to send these letters addressed to the offending creditors, as well as all 3 major credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax and Transunion).

It will cost you a little more, but, as GAJP LAW will likely advise you, you these letters should be sent by "certified mail, return receipt requested".  Why?   Because if the offending parties do not respond, GAJP LAW will need to be able to prove your creditors and the credit bureaus received your letters.

After the letters are sent out, you will need to give the creditors and the credit bureaus sufficient time to correct the errors or otherwise respond.  If I remember correctly, this is usually upwards of 90 days.

After 90 days, it's not a bad idea to pull another credit report to check to see if any of the errors have been corrected.

If the errors don't get corrected, where necessary and appropriate, GAJP LAW will take legal action pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) to force the issue and to seek money damages.

In the meantime, keep, and don't throw away or lose track of, copies of your credit report and all correspondence to and from the parties involved.

To your joy and success,

John Orcutt

P.S.  Please keep us in mind when you run into family, friends and acquaintances who may also need our help.  A word from you could make all the difference.

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ORCUTT LAW: How to buy a home after bankruptcy.

Home ownership is still the centerpiece in the American Dream.

But, where do you start?   Answer: There is no substitute for reading everything you can get your hands on out on the internet.  Start by doing a Google search on "How to buy a home after bankruptcy". 

Doing so will lead you to good introductory articles on websites such as credit.com and debt.com.

And then, read, read, read.

A good website to start with is Credit.com .  This does not mean that we agree with everything they say, but they do cover a lot of topics related to credit, including information about re-building your credit after bankruptcy.

Orcutt disclaimer: Please read the credit.com disclaimer at the bottom of their website.  They do make money from some of the creditors mentioned on their website, so a measure of caution is warranted.

Specifically with respect to buying a home (and qualifying for a mortgage), credit.com has posted these informative blog articles you can search for

  • 5 Steps to Buying a Home After Bankruptcy (3/16/21)
  • How Soon Can I Buy a House After Bankruptcy or Foreclosure (10/16/14)
  • How Soon Can I Buy a House After Bankruptcy (10/29/19)

And, debt.com has posted an article called "How to buy a home after bankruptcy".

Please be careful if you speak to companies that provide mortgages "online".  Even if  you qualify for a mortgage, you have to be careful.  The hidden costs can be astronomical, and getting ripped off is not a good way to get started in a new home.

Whatever you do, be careful.  All banks and mortgage companies are in it for the money and because of this, there are always incentives for them to lead you in directions that may not be in your best interest.  For example, there is lots of information put out by companies that make a lot of money putting people, like yourself, into expensive mortgages. 

Best to locate and learn from information put out by people who have no financial interest in doing do.  It's all on the internet.  You just have to dig it out.

The best approach is to read and keep reading on the internet.  No one place has all the answers.  And not all places know what they are talking about.  Don't believe everything you read, good or bad.  Keep reading until you have a working knowledge of what is possible and the steps you need to take.  Keep in mind that some information, even if correct, is out of date.  Read until you become the expert and can't be fooled.

At some point, you will likely want to hire an expert, someone who has real world experience. I am sure there are many out there, but, unfortunately, the only one we know about is Rodney Debro. 

Rodney is a mortgage broker who has built an expertise in helping people who have come out of bankruptcy.  For the record, he has helped a number of our current and former bankruptcy clients.  Here is his contact info:

Rodney Debro
Nexamortgage
Email: rdebro@nexamortgage.com
Cell: 1-919-215-8728

The bad news: It all takes time, but since the purchase of a home is likely going to be the biggest purchase of your life, you want to make sure you know what you are doing OR have hired someone you trust who does.

The good news: Until you filed bankruptcy and got rid of debt, there was no chance you were ever going to buy a house (or buy another house). Your credit was shot.  Your credit score was destroyed.  You did not have enough money to pay the bills you had, much less come up with the down payment you need.  As such, who was ever going to give you a mortgage on a new home? Answer: No one.

Well, that's all different now. You have filed bankruptcy.  You got rid of a bunch of debt.  Hopefully, you can start saving money again for a down payment and you can take the steps necessary to rebuild your credit score.

It's one step at a time.  Take the first step, and hopefully, in not too long, you will be in your own home.

To your joy and success,

John Orcutt

P.S.  NEED TO REFINANCE YOUR MORTGAGE?  Rodney Debro can help with that too.

P.P.S.  Please keep us in mind when you run into family, friends and acquaintances who may also need our help.  A word from you could make all the difference.

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ORCUTT LAW: Need to refinance your home?

Need to refinance your home?

It may be too early after your bankruptcy.  It may not be.

We just don't know, but we do have someone you can talk to.

As mentioned in our last email, we made mention of Rodney Debro.

Rodney is a mortgage broker who has helped a number of our current and former clients. In the process, he has developed an expertise in dealing with folks, like yourselves, who have come out of bankruptcy.

Give him a call.  He will look at your situation and give you some guidance on what's available to you and what you may need to do to put yourself in the best situation to both get refinanced and get the best rate possible.

Please don't be surprised that there may be some steps to take before he (or anyone) can help you .

Here is Rodney's contact info:

Rodney Debro
Nexamortgage
Email: rdebro@nexamortgage.com
Cell: 1-919-215-8728

To your joy and success,

John Orcutt

P.S.  Please keep us in mind when you run into family, friends and acquaintances who may also need our help.  A word from you could make all the difference.

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ORCUTT LAW:  FREE "Credit Score" Re-building Program

First, let me thank you again for having allowed me to represent you.

Second, for a long time, I have felt the need to do something more for my clients than to just get them out of debt.

Finally, I am in a position to do so.

I have made arrangements to give you access, completely for FREE, to a simple, easy, effective "online" credit score re-building program.

I know how daunting it can be to figure out the easiest way to re-build your credit score.

So, I did the research for you.

As a result, I found what I believe to be the best and easiest path back to a high credit score.

It is a program called "7 Steps to a 720 Credit Score" offered by 720CreditScore.com.

Just so you know, over 110,000 people across the country have benefited from this program, and you can do.

Enroll in the program and there is no reason you can't have a credit score as high as 720, or even higher, in as little as 12 to 24 months.

Here are two of the program’s many success stories:

After a financial meltdown that lead to bankruptcy, this happened to Sheri at the car dealership:  https://www.720creditscore.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Sheri-Gee-Houl...
After bankruptcy, this happened to Travis when he bought a home:  https://www.720creditscore.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/BK-Interview-T...

Remember, there is no charge to you for this great program.  As a thank you for having placed your trust in my law firm, we paid for the program so that you can get it for FREE.

Click on this button to watch a short introductory video. Like what you see?  If so, you can get instant access to the program, doing nothing more than providing your full name and email address.

FREE Credit Score Re-Building Program

To your success,

John T. Orcutt

P.S. Please keep us in mind as you run into family, friends, and acquaintances who may also benefit from our services. A word from you can make all the difference.

P.P.S You should already have received emails from us about a FREE post-bankruptcy credit report review service.  If not, please check our All Mail, Trash and Spam folders. 

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ORCUTT LAW: Dealing with new feelings:

You are like a person newly released from prison, in this case “debt prison”.

At first, it will seem odd, sometimes very odd.  You lived with all that pressure of your debts for years.  That was who you became, a person in debt. Being in debt and living with constant pressure of those debts became your “normal”.

It only makes sense that it will seem odd to have all that pressure gone.  It will take time to adjust to a new, no pressure “normal”. 

Here’s a thought: Sit back, kick up your feel and enjoy it.  It is yours.  You earned it.

Granted, it will take time to save money, rebuild your credit, purchase new things and work toward the fulfillment of your dreams, but no wait is necessary to enjoy the joy of finally being freed from debt.

In this regard, put the past where it belongs…in the past and just enjoy the joy. 

Mentally, let the anvil of stress lift from your chest and let your spirit soar.

You have your life back. Get back to noticing and enjoying all the good things in your life that got put aside and stolen by the stress of the bills that are now gone.

Notice, once again or perhaps for the first time, the beauty of the world and all things around you. Get back to fully enjoying life, taking the time with and being able to focus on friends and family.

Enjoy the fact that, with a lot of debt gone, there is money left in your pocket for you and your family.

You have come from a place of tremendous and unrelenting pain. Notice and fully notice the pain that is gone, and use the remembrance of that pain as the trigger to remind you to not take anything in life for granted.

To your joy and success,

John Orcutt

P.S. Please keep us in mind when you run into family, friends and acquaintances who may also need our help.  A word from you could make all the difference.

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ORCUTT LAW: It's never too soon to start saving for emergencies and down payments.

You have now been released from a lot of debt.  You no longer have to pay the debt and you no longer have to pay us (Chapter 7) or into a plan (Chapter 13). 

Hopefully, this should free up some money every month.

Of course, we want you to use this money to make for a better life and to do more for your family and yourself. 

But, at the same time, you have a future to plan for. 

Set aside a certain amount of money each week or month, money that, in your mind, is for emergencies and to use as down payments. 

There will always be emergencies and having some money on hand will give you great comfort. 

Money for down payments will make getting financing on a house or car so much easier.

Sure, you have to rebuild your credit score and doing so will gradually entitle you to more and more credit, and lower and lower interest rates. 

But, you will also need money for down payments and the initial costs involved in almost any kind of financing.

To your joy and success,

John Orcutt

P.S. Please keep us in mind when you run into family, friends and acquaintances who may also need our help.  A word from you could make all the difference.

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ORCUTT LAW: Were you a victim of credit addiction?

This may apply to you.  It may not.

I have read so many biographies of famous people who succumbed to alcohol and drugs. It is always so tragic and so destructive. It seems that, if there is any real chance of lasting recovery, they had to first ruin and destroy everything around them.

It is so different with spending and debt, what I like to call a “credit addiction”?

Credit cards were such a nice thing to have. They fed the desire for instant gratification and the joy of retail therapy. Having them gave us a sense of freedom and control. They allowed us to spend money we had not yet earned.

In effect, we were mortgaging our future, but it didn’t feel like that.

In the beginning, there was not even a thought given to the consequences as we kept digging a deeper and deeper hole of debt.

It was like we were digging our own grave, having no idea that was exactly what we were doing.

Soon enough, the credit ran out and we were trapped in a world of “minimum payments” of mostly interest and that paid off only enough of the underlying debt to give us a small but steady “hit” of additional credit.

Trapped, this enslavement could go on for years, until it was impossible to make all the payments. Then, it all came crashing down, along with the pain of “withdrawal” manifested in stress, constant worry and sleepless nights.

Through it all, as the debt built, as interest claimed more and more of our income, we saw destroyed our ability to provide for ourselves and our families. Everyone suffered and we had to live with the regret, embarrassment, humiliation, shame and guilt.

We tried everything we could to make things better. We tried to find more income, cut back on expenses, borrow money, even from family and friends, and sold, mortgaged or lost anything we had accumulated.

For some of us, it even lead to divorce.

At some point, out of desperation, we considered and finally filed bankruptcy. Bankruptcy = “Rehab” for people addicted to credit and then trapped in debt.

Bankruptcy “rehab” cleaned out our debt and gave us protection from our “debt” dealers.

Having finished our bankruptcy case, we have now, in effect, been released from “rehab”.

Having also been released from debt, we will have more money left in our pocket.

The “debt” dealers know this and they will be coming at us again. Knowing that we fell prey to the “credit addiction” before, they will assume they can get us hooked on credit again.

We are at a crossroad.  We have a choice.

We can start “taking” credit again and risk ending up as bad or worse off than before.

Or, we can, like so many other former addicts, just say “no”, spend only what we have saved, and do everything in our power to avoid temptation and, so to speak, “not walk into any bars”.

To your joy and success,

John Orcutt

P.S.  Please keep us in mind when you run into family, friends and acquaintances who may also need our help.  A word from you could make all the difference.

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ORCUTT LAW: Credit Rebuilding Tip: Get someone to add you as an "authorized signature"

Credit Rebuilding Tip: Get someone to add you as an "authorized signature" on their credit card.

For some reason or another, when someone adds you to their credit card as an "authorized signature", it seems to help increase your credit score.   We think it's because you get a credit for their good payment history, and a good payment history is one of the major factors in computing your "credit score".

For reasons I won't get into here, this probably needs to be someone related to you by blood or marriage, or someone who lives with you..

When you are asking someone to add your name as an "authorized user", you may run into some resistance.  I mean it does sound like sort of a suspicious thing to ask for, especially since being named as an "authorized user" does give you the right to run up charges on the account.

If you do run into resistance, tell the person that you have no intention of actually using the card, and tell them to not give you a copy of the card.  If they don't give you a copy of the card, you can't use it.

Also, you may want to show them this email.  If need

If you continue to run into resistance, stop and ask someone else.

Just so you know, being named as an "authorized user" does NOT make you liable on the person's account.

Caution: Don't pick someone with their own credit problems or someone who doesn't make their own payments on time. Why?  Because that won't help you and may even do more damage to whatever credit you have.

To your joy and success,

John Orcutt

.P.S.  Please keep us in mind when you run into family, friends and acquaintances who may also need our help.  A word from you could make all the difference.

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ORCUTT LAW: Need to buy a car or truck after bankruptcy?

Many of our clients are able to buy new or newer cars and trucks fairly quickly after bankruptcy.  

In our office, Cynthia Hunter is the paralegal most familiar with how to get started, what dealerships to go to, and what you need to bring with you.

Please feel free to call her Monday to Friday between the hours of 6:30 am and 6;00 pm.

If she is not available, please make sure you leave her a voicemail message, including your full name, your best phone number and the reason for your call.

Her telephone number is 919-414-6809.

To your joy and success,

John Orcutt

P.S.  Please keep us in mind when you run into family, friends and acquaintances who may also need our help.  A word from you could make all the difference.

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ORCUTT LAW: Is it time to get serious about re-building your credit?

Your credit score is everything. The higher your credit score, the easier it is to obtain credit and the lower the interest rate you will be charged.

And now, hopefully, by filing bankruptcy, you have gotten rid of enough debt so that you can now get back to paying the rest of your bills, if any, "on-time". 

Why is this important? 

Because paying your bills "on time" comprises about 35% of what the credit bureaus take into account in calculating your credit score. 

The truth is: If you don't get back to paying your bills "on time", you can forget about ever having a high credit score.

Now that hopefully you can get back to paying the rest of your bills "on-time", it's time to start thinking about rebuilding your credit.

Need some encouragement?  We have seen clients who claim that, by doing everything right and taking all the necessary steps, they have increased their credit score to 720 or higher in at little as 12 to 18 months after getting the final discharge in bankruptcy.

First step: Start saving money for emergencies and down payments.  Until you build credit, saving money for emergencies is critical.  And the more money you have for down payments, the less you will need to borrow and the better the terms you will get on money you need to borrow. 

Second step: Start taking the steps necessary to re-build your credit, the same steps necessary to increase your credit score.  "But, where do I start?  I don't know how to do this."

I understand completely. Re-building credit is not a skill any of us are born with. 

The answer: There are 2 approaches to choose from.  (1) do it yourself or (3) hire a company to help you.

(1)  Do it yourself

Doing it yourself is not hard, and to help you, we now offer 3 FREE cedit rebuilding tools to all our former clients:

FREE book entitled: "Credit Score Keys: How To Rebuild Your Credit Score After Bankruptcy" a book written by my son Shawn Orcutt who is both a bankruptcy attorney and a credit expert.  Not only will it provide you with the steps you need to take, but it also explains all about credit and credit scores and why these steps are so important. For a FREE "online" copy of his book that you can read or download, click here: 

Download FREE Credit Re-Building Book

At the very least:(1) take a look at the table of contents and (2) read the introduction.

 

FREE and EASY "online" credit re-building program: I know how daunting it can be to figure out the easiest way to re-build your credit score. 

So, I did the research for you.  As a result, I found what I believe to be the best and easiest path back to a high credit score. 

It is a program called "7 Steps to a 720 Credit Score" offered by 720CreditScore.com

Just so you know, over 110,000 people across the country have benefited from this program, and you can do.  Enroll in the program and there is no reason you can't have a credit score as high as 720, or even higher, in as little as 12 to 24 months. There is no cost to you. Click on this button to watch an introductory video and to enroll:

FREE Credit Score Re-Building Program

(2)  Hiring a company to help you:

If you know you are not going to do-it-yourself, if it all just seems like too much to learn, too big a hill to climb, or you just don't have the time or interest to just started on your own, consider hiring a company to help you.

Orcutt Disclaimer: Let me start by saying that I cannot endorse any particular company.  I just don't have enough experience to do so.

That said, if it were me, I would start by doing a Google search "Best credit repair companies".   As of 6/11/21, doing so will bring up a link to "money.com" and the article entitled "The 6 Best Credit Repair Companies of June 2021".  Take a look at this article. 

It lists 6 specific credit repair companies, but equally important, stroll down in the article to where it reads: "What You Should Know Before You Pay for a Credit Repair Company".  Before you read anything more, read this.   Then, pick out a credit repair company you feel comfortable with, always checking their "online" reviews (and not just the ones they post).  The topics covered include:

  • Credit repair takes time
  • Not everything can be removed
  • You have to do some of the legwork
  • Most companies have setup fees
  • Legitimate credit repair companies should include a copy of the Consult Credit File Rights
  • You have the right to cancel any services without incurring any penalties within 3 business days
  • Credit repair companies cannot charge you "in advance" for their services
  • How Credit Repair Agencies Work

Important note: Theses credit repair companies must provide you a written contract and inform you of your cancellation rights. And, to emphasize the point, it is illegal for them to charge you "in advance" for their services. If they require money "up front", that is illegal and you should stop right there and look for a different company.

You may also want to read about "Credit Repair Services" on Credit.com.  The more you know, the better.

Note: As the years roll forward, there should be updates and there will always be other articles to learn from.

Pros: You don't have to learn everything and do everything  on your own.

Cons: It cost money and you have to chose your credit repair company wisely.

Orcutt Disclaimer: My law firm cannot provide credit repair or rebuilding services. Unfortunately, for law firms, providing credit repair services in any cost effective manner is actually illegal as per a prohibitive law called CROA.

The Most Important Thing: Get started.  Every journey starts with a single step.  Want a credit score as high as 720 or even higher. You have to get started.  The sooner you get started, the quicker your score will increase.

 

To your joy and success,

John Orcutt

P.S.  Please keep us in mind when you run into family, friends and acquaintances who may also need our help.  A word from you could make all the difference.

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ORCUTT LAW: Need help with student loans after bankruptcy?

If you have student loans, then you know that filing bankruptcy didn't eliminate them.   Bankruptcy just puts them under control while your bankruptcy case is pending.

Now that you are out of bankruptcy, the student loan servicers can start coming at you again, sometimes, very aggressively.

This can be very intimidating and if you are not careful, you may well end up paying way more money than you need to on your student loans.

For your information, with respect to "public" (as opposed to private) student loans, there are programs you can apply for where, if you qualify, your future payments will be based upon your income rather than the

amount of your loans.  These programs can save you a ton of money, stress and aggravation..

Think about it.  If you future payments are based on what you can afford, you are going to have considerably less stress.

Fortunately, the vast majority of student loans are "public" student loans.

These programs are collectively called Income Driven Repayment (IDR) plans.

Just so you know, in our experience, you cannot trust your student loan servicer to look out for your best interest.  Quite the contrary. They will generally not even tell you about these programs and, if they do, likely the information will not be compete or accurate. The reason is simple: Your student loan servicer are basically debt collectors, who get paid based upon how much they collect form you.  There is no incentive to spend time telling you about or helping you qualify for a payment that costs less.  Helping you pay less takes money out of their pocket. We think it's best to just think of them as the enemy, and get your help and answers elsewhere.

Bottom line: You can get taken for a ride and not even realize it.

The best approach is to hire a professional to help you, someone who knows how these things work, how to find you the best repayment plan, and how to get things done to put that plan in place.

One department in our law firm specializes in student loans.

If you are interested in our help, please send an email to my partner, attorney Ed Boltz.  His email address is: eboltz@lojto.com  Make sure to include your: (1) Full name, (2) Your cell phone number, (3) Your email address, and (4) The reason you are writing.  In most cases, he will respond within a few hours. 

If it looks like we can help you, Ed (or one of our other staff) will walk you through the process, what needs to be done, and what it will cost.

There is no need to come into our office.  We can handle everything right over the phone and using email.

To your joy and success,

John Orcutt

P.S.  Please keep us in mind when you run into family, friends and acquaintances who may also need our help.  A word from you could make all the difference. 

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ORCUTT LAW:  Watch out for ILLEGAL mortgage claims, fee & charges

TO FORMER CHAPTER 13 CLIENTS WITH A MORTGAGE:

Please check your mortgage statement EVERY month.

If you have kept up-to-date on your mortgage payments after bankruptcy, it would be ILLEGAL for your mortgage lender to:

(1) Claim you are behind on your payments (when you know you are not)
       OR
(2) Add in extra fees and charges (you don't owe).

Unfortunately, after bankruptcy, this happens all the time.

CAUTION: It is definitely a red flag if your mortgage gets turned over to another company for handling.

If this happens to you, do not be scared or intimidated.

We are here to help.  We handle these types of matters all the time.

In addition, you may have the right to both:

(1) Have this corrected
       and
(2) Collect significant money damages.

If you think you have been done wrong:

(1) Email attorney Erik Martin on my staff at StopBadActs@johnorcutt.com and, in your email:

  • Tell him what you think is wrong,
  • Confirm that you are current in all your mortgage payments,
  • Make sure you include with your email scanned copies of all your mortgage statements received since your bankruptcy case was finished. 
  • If you don't have a scanner, you can take photos of your bankruptcy statements using your cell phone.
  • Make sure you include: (1) your name, (2) your bankruptcy case number and (3) the best phones numbers to contact you.

(2) If we think you might have a good case, we will let you know and explain what all is involved.

Just so you know, if we agree to represent you, we would do so on a "contingency" basis.  "Contingency" means that we only get paid if we collect money from your mortgage lender.  If we don't collect any money, you don't owe us anything.  Bottom line: You have nothing to lose.

To you joy and success,

John Orcutt

P.S.  Please keep us in mind when you run into family, friends and acquaintances who may also need our help.  A word from you could make all the difference.

P.P.S. Disclaimer: At this point, we have completed our representation in terms of your Chapter 13 case.   Nothing herein should be interpreted as a guaranty or promise that we will agree to represent you in making a claim against your mortgage lender or other parties, nor a promise or guaranty of any particular result in the event that we do agree to represent you.    

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ORCUTT LAW:  Gain From Pain

None of us enjoys pain.  And certainly, none of us would intentionally bring pain into our lives. 

But, life being life, we all experience pain in our lives.  That's just now life works. 

And who knows why.  We can only hope that it's all part of God's greater plan for the ultimate betterment of our soul, and not merely an unlucky coincidence.

And that pain comes to us in lots of forms: In dealing with difficult people, in living through health problems, from accidents, from the death of a loved one, from changes in employment, from drug and alcohol addiction,  from bad decisions, from what seems like simple bad luck that puts us in the wrong place at the wrong time, etc., etc. 

But, the truth is that from our pain, we learn, we gain. 

Among other things, we learn to not take anything in life, even the smallest things, for granted. 

At least that's my experience.  Every pain in my life lead me to better appreciate and take stock in every good moment in every  day.  As a result of all these times of pain, I have learned to more and more and more live each moment and each day in "gratitude", not taking anything for granted.

And as much as I wish you did not have to live through the pain, stress, worry and sleepless nights that come with having been ensnared by "'too-much-debt", hopefully now, having been released from the crushing burden of that debt, you are better able to appreciate the joy and freedom with which you have once again been bestowed.

We all know the phrase "No pain, no gain".  I like to think of it more positively as "Gain from pain". 

Think about it.  If our lives were all good and no pain, would we appreciate anything?  Unfortunately, as human beings, we need to experience the "bad" to appreciate the "good".

I know.  I know.  All that said, there is still a lot of work to do.  There is credit to rebuild.  There is money to save against emergencies and for down payments and vacations.  There are necessary mental adjustments to make, just like being released from years in prison, or like having an anvil lifted off your chest, or like finally being released from the abuse of another human being. 

But hopefully, your spirit can now at least begin to soar upward, as I believe God intends for you, now that you have been relieved from the worst of the pain caused by debt.

I wish you all the luck and only the best.

John Orcutt

P.S.  Please keep us in mind when you run into family, friends and acquaintances who may also need our help.  A word from you could make all the difference.

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ORCUTT LAW:   Credit building tip: Get a "secured" credit card

One of the best things to do after bankruptcy is to show that you will be responsible with credit.  But to do so, you need to have credit to show you can  handle it.

One of the ways to do that is to obtain what is called a "secured" credit card.  This is where you put some money on deposit, on which you can draw down using a credit card issued by the bank that holds your deposit.

The important thing is to use this card and to pay this down every month.

As important, you need to make sure you only sign up with a company that will report your payments to all 3 of the major credit bureaus: Transunion, Equifax and Experian. 

Why is this important?  Answer: Because doing so will create a record after bankruptcy with the major credit bureaus that you are a person who can handle credit and who will pay "on time". 

In turn, this is important because all your future potential lenders will be looking to one or all of these 3 major credit bureaus for information about you in order to decide if you are a good credit risk.

Besides, these credit bureaus are the organizations that calculate and report your credit score. 

Think about it.  What good is a company that issues you a "secured" credit card, but does not report to the 3 major credit bureaus?

How to you find a secured credit card?

As with almost any question these days, the answer is to scour the internet.  Do a Google search for "secured credit cards".

FYI, one resource is: www.bankrate.com

Disclaimer: I cannot vouch for any of these companies.  You need to do your own research.

Another resource.  There is a company I can vouch for.  It is called TFS.  This company processes Chapter 13 plan payments for a vast majority of the Chapter 13 Trustees across the country.  They offer a couple of services, specifically with regard to helping you rebuild credit. One of them is access to a secured credit card.

NOTE: If you filed a Chapter 13 bankruptcy case, TFS also provides access to an "unsecured loan" almost immediately after you finish your case.   

For more information, please visit their website at: www.tfsbillpay.com

To your joy and success,

John Orcutt

P.S.  Please keep us in mind when you run into family, friends and acquaintances who may also need our help.  A word from you could make all the difference.

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ORCUTT LAW: Referrals Are Hugely Appreciated

No one knows better than you how bankruptcy really works and how much better off you and your family are with a lot less debt. 

And hopefully, in the process, we provided you the level of service, care, courtesy and concern you deserved.

If so, please keep us in mind when you run into family, friends and acquaintances who may also need our help. 

A word from you could make a world of difference in the lives of these people and their families.

Please spread the word.

No need to tell them you filed.   Just steering them in our direction, or a gentle nudge like: "Have you given bankruptcy any thought?" may be all that's necessary to get the ball rolling.

For my part, I want to help every family I can.  I want all of them to get what you got: peace of mind and a second chance at a "fresh start" toward achieving the future of their dreams.

To your joy and success,

John Orcutt

P.S.  Please keep us in mind when you run into family, friends and acquaintances who may also need our help.  A word from you could make all the difference.

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ORCUTT LAW: Bankruptcy: Like "Stimulus money" on steroids.

We all love free stuff? And how fun?

The "stimulus" money during COVID-19 just showed up in our bank account or in our mailbox.   Free money sent to us by the government...free money we could spend on anything we wanted.

By comparison, getting rid of debt by filing bankruptcy was like “stimulus money" on steroids.

You filed bankruptcy and the same government "wiped out" and "forgave you” massive amounts of your debt. 

It's true. Bankruptcy is a federal law administered by that same government that gave you stimulus money.

The debt “forgiven” was, in effect, like “stimulus” money on steroids. 

Add it up. Every situation is different, but likely, you got rid of $10,000, $20,000, $40,000 or more in debt….debt that is now GONE FOREVER, debt that never has to be paid back.

And this does not even take into account the massive amount of interest you would have been charged on that debt. Over time, the interest alone would have forced you to pay multiples more than you owed.

When you came to us, you were dead, financially and mentally. You had become a slave to debt, worry, stress and sleepless night.

And now, by claiming your right to file bankruptcy, your claimed the right to get off the debt wheel on on with your life.

And think about all the things you can now buy or go do with the payments you no longer have to send to the bill collectors.

Talk about "stimulus money" on steroids.

To your success,

John Orcutt

P.S.  Please keep us in mind when you run into family, friends and acquaintances who may also need our help.  A word from you could make all the difference.

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ORCUTT LAW:  Do like your great grandparents did.

After bankruptcy, credit card offers are no different than what walking into a bar is to an alcoholic fresh out of rehab.

Over time, you will be a lot of credit card offers.  Studies have shown that people who file bankruptcy will receive more credit card offers than the average American. 

Why do you think this is?  Could it be that after you jettison a lot of debt by filing bankruptcy, you may be one of the only people not already jammed up to the gills in credit cards, and therefore a prime candidate for a ticket on the “debt train”.  Likely, you are actually getting offers from one or more of the credit card companies you just wiped out.  They are back to take up where they left off.  And why not?  You paid them interest and penalties for years, and they want you back.

And, maybe because the credit card companies know that having addicted you to credit cards once, they can do it to you again.  Let’s find out. Here’s are some important questions:

Does having extra credit available make you want to spend money you don’t really have? 

Is retail therapy not just the best feeling in the world?

Is money easier to spend when all you have to do is whip out a credit card?

If you had to pay for things using rolls of pennies, would you buy as much stuff?

Are you willing to mortgage your future for more of a high today?

If so, beware. You are about to again fall into the bottomless pit of indebtedness, pain and despair.

Stop now…before you get sucked in. Credit cards are like financial crack cocaine.  We just got you cleaned up, in effect, financially rehabbed.

Be strong. Be brave. Protect yourself.

Start living off of what you earn and budgeting accordingly.

Do like your great grandparents did when there were no credit cards, back when people could only spend what they had.

Think back to before you filed bankruptcy, back when the high from retail therapy wore out after only a day, replaced by pain from debt that lasted years, when almost all your money went to pay interest, with no end in sight, back when your days and nights were filled with the stress and worry caused by more-debt-than-you-could-pay.

Remember the pain…every time you get another credit card offer in the mail. 

Better yet, avoid the offers and avoid  exposing yourself to the financial version of a crack cocaine dealer. OPT OUT.  Opt out of receiving credit card offers altogether.

Opting out is easy.  It’s easy, and you can choose to opt out for 5 years or and even permanently.  Most credit card offers come from mailing lists provided by the credit reporting bureaus, and they are required by law to allow you to opt out of receiving them. 

To opt out for 5 years, you can call 1-888-567-8688 or visitwww.optoutprescreen.com and submit the opt-out form online.  Be prepared to give your name, address, social security number, and date of birth.

To opt out permanently, you will need to visitwww.optoutprescreen.com and print their permanent opt-out form.  You will need to complete the form and mail it in.  This is because they must have your signature to make the opt-out permanent. 

You should be aware that even after you opt out, it is possible that you will receive credit card offers from companies that do not use the credit bureau’s mailing list.  For instance, your bank may offer you a credit card without going through the credit reporting bureaus.  However, opting out of this list will significantly reduce the number of credit card offers you receive. 

To Your Success,

John Orcutt

P.S.  Please keep us in mind when you run into family, friends and acquaintances who may also need our help.  A word from you could make all the difference.

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ORCUTT LAW: Life could have been a whole lot worse.

Life could have been a whole lot worse.

What if there had been no federal bankruptcy laws?

Where would you be now?

You know where.

Right back where you were when you came to see us.

In debt, a slave to worry, stress and sleepless night, with no answers and no way out, in debt for the rest of your life.

Thank God we live in a country where the framers of the Constitution saw fit to authorize bankruptcy laws, framers who understood that good, hardworking people, just like you, need and deserve a second chance at a “fresh start”, framers who personally witnessed the ravage caused to debtors and their families by debtor’s prison, framers who understood that leaving citizens in debt served no good purpose.

To your success,

John Orcutt

P.S.  Please keep us in mind when you run into family, friends and acquaintances who may also need our help.  A word from you could make all the difference.

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ORCUTT LAW: Do you have a story to tell?

We would love to hear it.

And in our experience, you will be glad you did.  Maybe not immediately, but when the time is right, in a time to come.

And when you do, it will do you good and it will help others.

And when you do, it will be cathartic. 

From time to time, we ask our former clients to tell us their story. We love to hear their stories.  It is an inspiration to all of us, and it gives real meaning to our work, and that’s great.  But, the really interesting thing is this: More often than not, it makes former client’s, just like you, feel good that they have done so. There is something good for the soul to “just get it out”, something comforting and freeing in doing so, something about it that is very cathartic.

Second, doing so can help others, and especially those going through the same trials and tribulations you went through.

There are so many people around us in financial difficulties.  Your story of hardship and then relief and hopefully now joy will serve as an inspiration to others. Be proud of what you have achieved: You took the bull by the horns and survived to tell about it.

The truth is, we all love a good story. That's why we have movies and Netflix and Amazon Prime. Stories resonate with us.  It's built into our DNA.  It dates back to people sitting around the campfire thousands or tens of thousands of years ago.

We all love good stories, and yours is one of the best.  Like all good stories, your life went from good, to bad and then horrible, and then you did something about it.  You suffered the frustration and pain of being in debt and not knowing what to do. You dealt with the issues of shame and embarrassment and the feelings of failure and isolation and desperation.  You tried everything you could think of.  You cut back on expenses. You tried to earn more money. You cut back on your lifestyle. You took out loans to pay debts, etc.  But, nothing worked. You worried, stressed out and lost sleep.  Then, you fought against the idea of filing bankruptcy, but finally gave in, checked it out and made the big decision to file.  For you, filing bankruptcy was the final admission of defeat. But, it was also one of the first steps in "letting go" and, so to speak, "letting God".  And, look at you now.  Free from at least the crushing burden of debt, and hopefully ready for roll up your sleeves and get back in the game.

There are many others out there, right now, going through everything you went through. When you are ready, share your story.   Doing so will let them know they are not alone.  It will show them that there is a reason for hope. It will open their eyes to the idea and then hopefully the goodness to be gained by filing bankruptcy.  And, hopefully it will lessen the time they need to spend in pain.

The truth is that when we are in pain, the only people we want to listen to are people who have been through the same pain because these are the only people who understand.

You are one of those people. Please…share your story with others.

The good you can do is immeasurable.

To your joy and success,

John Orcutt

P.S.  Please keep us in mind when you run into family, friends and acquaintances who may also need our help.  A word from you could make all the difference.

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ORCUTT LAW: How to buy a home after bankruptcy

Home ownership is still the centerpiece in the American Dream.

But, where do you start?   Answer: There is no substitute for reading everything you can get your hands on out on the internet.  Start by doing a Google search on "How to buy a home after bankruptcy". 

Doing so will lead you to good introductory articles on websites such as credit.com and debt.com.

And then, read, read, read.

A good website to start with is Credit.com .  This does not mean that we agree with everything they say, but they do cover a lot of topics related to credit, including information about re-building your credit after bankruptcy.

Orcutt disclaimer: Please read the credit.com disclaimer at the bottom of their website.  They do make money from some of the creditors mentioned on their website, so a measure of caution is warranted.

Specifically with respect to buying a home (and qualifying for a mortgage), credit.com has posted these informative blog articles you can search for:

  • 5 Steps to Buying a Home After Bankruptcy (3/16/21)
  • How Soon Can I Buy a House After Bankruptcy or Foreclosure (10/16/14)
  • How Soon Can I Buy a House After Bankruptcy (10/29/19)

And, debt.com has posted an article called "How to buy a home after bankruptcy".

Please be careful if you speak to companies that provide mortgages "online".  Even if  you qualify for a mortgage, you have to be careful.  The hidden costs can be astronomical, and getting ripped off is not a good way to get started in a new home.

Whatever you do, be careful.  All banks and mortgage companies are in it for the money and because of this, there are always incentives for them to lead you in directions that may not be in your best interest.  For example, there is lots of information put out by companies that make a lot of money putting people, like yourself, into expensive mortgages. 

Best to locate and learn from information put out by people who have no financial interest in doing do.  It's all on the internet.  You just have to dig it out.

The best approach is to read and keep reading on the internet.  No one place has all the answers.  And not all places know what they are talking about.  Don't believe everything you read, good or bad.  Keep reading until you have a working knowledge of what is possible and the steps you need to take.  Keep in mind that some information, even if correct, is out of date.  Read until you become the expert and can't be fooled.

The more you learn, the less likely you will be taken for a ride.

At some point, you will likely want to hire an expert, someone who has real world experience. I am sure there are many out there, but, unfortunately, the only one we know about is Rodney Debro. 

Rodney is a mortgage broker who has built an expertise in helping people who have come out of bankruptcy.  For the record, he has helped a number of our current and former bankruptcy clients.  Here is his contact info:

Rodney Debro
Nexamortgage
Email: rdebro@nexamortgage.com
Cell: 1-919-215-8728

The bad news: It all takes time, but since the purchase of a home is likely going to be the biggest purchase of your life, you want to make sure you know what you are doing OR have hired someone you trust who does.

The good news: Until you filed bankruptcy and got rid of debt, there was no chance you were ever going to buy a house (or buy another house). Your credit was shot.  Your credit score was destroyed.  You did not have enough money to pay the bills you had, much less come up with the down payment you need.  As such, who was ever going to give you a mortgage on a new home? Answer: No one.

Well, that's all different now. You have filed bankruptcy.  You got rid of a bunch of debt.  Hopefully, you can start saving money again for a down payment and you can take the steps necessary to rebuild your credit score.

It's one step at a time.  Take the first step, and hopefully, in not too long, you will be in your own home.

To your joy and success,

John Orcutt

P.S.  Please keep us in mind when you run into family, friends and acquaintances who may also need our help.  A word from you could make all the difference.

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ORCUTT LAW: Less debt means more "honey"?

When you have more bills than you can pay, you pay the price.

You fight. You argue. And you bicker with your spouse or boyfriend or girlfriend and things get worse.

When things get worse, there's no love. And when there's no love, there's no "honey".

Bankruptcy makes debts "just go away".

Debts that "just go away" don't need to be paid.

Debts that don't need to be paid means less fights.

Less fights means there's more room for love.

More love means more "honey".

Am I wrong?

Just saying.

To your joy, success and to keeping your love tank full,

John Orcutt

P.S.  Please keep us in mind when you run into family, friends and acquaintances who may also need our help.  A word from you could make all the difference.

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ORCUTT LAW: You have "lived to talk about it".

One of the benefits of having lived through something big and bad is that, after that, other day-to-day problems, irritations and concerns can seem small, irrelevant and inconsequential by comparison.

And when this happens, day-to-day life can seem more like the joy-filled experience it was meant to be.

It’s just one of those quirky, but wonderful, lessons in life, and the reason why we hear so many people, ground up by life, tell us: “I don’t sweat the small stuff anymore”.

Well, you are one of those people now. You have been through the wringer. You have lived through one of the biggest and baddest somethings there is.

And…as they say…you have “lived to talk about it”.

Hopefully, you too can pull the good out of the bad.

God knows you deserve some joy-filled days.

To your success,

John Orcutt

P.S.  Please keep us in mind when you run into family, friends and acquaintances who may also need our help.  A word from you could make all the difference.

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ORCUTT LAW: Do something new day!

You finished your bankruptcy and you have been at it now for 230 days.

Here's a thought:

Do something new today.

Set sail in a new direction.

Break out of the mold.

You are free.

You are no longer imprisoned by debt.

Make something of it.

The world is your oyster.

It’s a new day, and it’s yours to do with what you want.

Dwell on a dream and then dream up a plan.

Start here, right here and right now.

Stop, put this down, close your eyes, focus on your dream, turn it into a goal, and, right now….take the first step…no matter how small.

And remember…every journey starts with the first step.

To your success.

John Orcutt

P.S.  Please keep us in mind when you run into family, friends and acquaintances who may also need our help.  A word from you could make all the difference.

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ORCUTT LAW: Is "no credit" the better option?

Everyone who comes out of bankruptcy wants to re-build their credit and increase their credit score.

I understand…completely.

But maybe, just maybe, that’s the worst thing to do.

Here's a wild thought.

Maybe, running away from, rather than toward, credit is a better option.

Think about it.

Is running afoul with credit a lesson that needs to be learned twice?

Maybe, just maybe, the focus should be on spending only what you have, not falling prey to credit and then over-spending, and just enjoying life.

Just saying.

To your joy and success,

John Orcutt

P.S.  Please keep us in mind when you run into family, friends and acquaintances who may also need our help.  A word from you could make all the difference.

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ORCUTT LAW: Is it time to stop and smell the roses?

Getting rid of debt may not have solved all your problems, but it should give you some relief from the total distraction caused by too much stress. 

Use these moments of relief to stop and smell the roses, to look at your life and to think about how much worse things could be. And when you do, take stock in all the big and little things we have to be grateful for, things we inevitably  take for granted. Things such as:

  • The roof over our heads,
  • Good air to breath,
  • Good water to drink,
  • Our health,
  • Enough food to sustain ourselves,
  • A working shower,
  • An indoor toilet,
  • The movies, entertainment and news made available by tv,
  • The internet and all the websites we enjoy,
  • Sunny weather to enjoy,
  • Rain to keep things green and growing,
  • Beauty in the world around us,
  • Car and trucks to drive,
  • One or more people who love us ,
  • The people we love.
  • Not to mention reliable electricity and
  • Peace in our time.

And just being lucky enough to live in America, the greatest country the world have ever known.

Without a doubt, we want to take the relief from debt as a jump off point to a "fresh start" and a "second chance" at achieving the life of our dreams.

But, it only makes sense to stop, notice, give thanks and realize how good we already have it.

To your joy and success,

John Orcutt

P.S.  Please keep us in mind when you run into family, friends and acquaintances who may also need our help.  A word from you could make all the difference.

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ORCUTT LAW: Contentment Through Hardship

Some of the most content people are those who have lived through tremendous pain and hardship.

They are content, in part, because they are no longer in pain, the hardship having ended or been resolved.. 

Mostly, they are content because, almost anything and everything else that happens to them pales in comparison to what they have been through, so much that one of the lessons learned is to stop "sweating the small stuff".

Having been relieved of the pain and the distraction caused by that paid, they can get back to focusing on and enjoying simple pleasures of life, such as a good cup of coffee in the morning and the looking forward, once again, to the dawning of each brand new day.

I have found this to be as true and no less so for people who have lived past the tremendous pain and hardship of under the thumb of too-much-debt.

To your contentment,

John Orcutt

P.S.  Please keep us in mind when you run into family, friends and acquaintances who may also need our help.  A word from you could make all the difference.

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ORCUTT LAW: From hopeless to happy.

I look back at all the problems in my life and, without exception, no matter how bad and hopeless things seemed to be at the time, life always, eventually lead me back to a place where I was happy once again, sometimes deliriously so.

At such times, I think to myself, if I had been able to change anything along the path, likely, I wouldn't be right here, right now, at this particular happy place.  I might be at some other happy place, but I can't be sure.

So, when I look back, as much as I hated having to live through past problems, I wouldn't go back and change a thing, if only for fear that I might risk ending up somewhere else.

Experience has taught me that life unfolds exactly how it is supposed to. Since I believe that everything that happens is part of God's plan for us, I take comfort in that.

And, I don't waste any time trying to figure out the "why".

It has been a full year since you came out of bankruptcy.

How time flies.

Having living through the stress, worry and sleepless nights of too-much-debt, my hope is that you are well on the path to your next happy place.

To your inevitable happiness,

John Orcutt

P.S.  Please keep us in mind when you run into family, friends and acquaintances who may also need our help.  A word from you could make all the difference.

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ORCUTT LAW: I would love to hear from you?

It has been well over a year since your finished your bankruptcy case.

I would love to hear from you.

Hopefully, with less debt, life has been better.

And, hopefully, it's been nothing but good.

If you get a chance, drop me an email. 

My address is: jto9750@gmail.com

To your joy and success,

John Orcutt

P.S.  Please keep us in mind when you run into family, friends and acquaintances who may also need our help.  A word from you could make all the difference

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ORCUTT LAW: Just a reminder to pull your credit report again.

As I mentioned many emails ago, it is a good idea to pull your credit report at least once a year.

Just so you know, you have a right to a FREE credit report, once a year, from each of the 3 major credit bureaus.

Just go to https://www.annualcreditreport.com/

Among other things, check it, if only to look for errors.

Re-building credit is tough enough without having a  credit record that contains errors.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act forbids creditors from reporting misleading information on your credit report.

After up get your credit reports, print them out and look at them for these commons errors:

(1) Errors with regard to debts you got rid of:

As you know, your bankruptcy filing got rid of certain debts. Legally, these are called "discharged debts".

In most cases, "discharged debts" would include debts such as:

  • credit cards,
  • medical bills,
  • loans where you did not list any of your property as collateral (other than household goods), and
  • debts where you "surrendered" the collateral (such as car, truck or home)

With regard to these "discharged" debts, your credit report should:

  • Show $0 balances
  • Should NOT show new late payments
  • Should NOT show any new inquiries

Please Note: Legally, there is nothing wrong with the debt still being listed, as long as the balance is listed is $0.

 

(2) Errors to check for with regard to mortgages and auto loans you are still paying for:

Please check to make sure that these have not been deleted from your credit report.

If you find any of these errors:

You will need to write and mail out letters to the offending creditors and credit bureaus to dispute the errors.

Unfortunately, we cannot do this initial step for you.

However, there are dozens of books on "Credit repair" that you can buy on Amazon.com, many of which will provide you sample letters to send to the offending creditors and the  credit bureaus. The costs of these books are minimal compared to the knowledge, advice, and benefit to be gained.

Since we are talking about errors that relate to your bankruptcy case, you will want to make sure you always include in your letter(s) reference to at least the following:

  • Your full name, address and social security number
  • That you have filed bankruptcy,
  • Your bankruptcy case number,
  • The date your bankruptcy case was filed,
  • The date you received your bankruptcy discharge, and
  • A description of each and every error you are disputing.
  • Request for them to correct the errors

You will want to send a letter addressed to the offending creditors, as well as all 3 major credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax and Transunion).

It will cost you a little more, but you do need to send these letters be by "certified mail, return receipt requested".  Why?   Because if they do not respond, you need to be able to prove they received your letters.

Then, wait 90 days to give the creditors and the credit bureaus sufficient time to correct the errors.

After 90 days, it's not a bad idea to pull another credit report to check to see if any of the errors have been corrected.

If the errors don't get corrected, at that point, we may be able to help you put in a formal dispute against the creditors and/or the credit bureaus. Just send an email to StopBadActs@johnorcutt.com ..

Include in  your email an explanation as to why you are emailing us, and include as attachments a copy of the following documents:

  • The credit report which showed he errors,
  • The letters you sent out to dispute the errors,
  • Any and all responses you received, and
  • Your new credit report (if you pulled one)

Just so you know, if we do agree to represent you, we handle things on a "contingency" basis, which means we get paid a percentage of whatever money damages we collect.  If we don't collect anything, you don't owe anything.

In the meantime, keep, and don't throw away or lose track of, copies of your credit report and all correspondence to and from the parties involved.

Want someone else to do all the work?  Previously, we sent you an email from "ORCUTT LAW" entitled "Is it time to really focus on rebuilding your credit?"  which includes a discussion about "credit repair" companies.

To your joy and success,

John Orcutt

P.S.  Please keep us in mind when you run into family, friends and acquaintances who may also need our help.  A word from you could make all the difference. 

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A final thought:

If it ain't good, God is not done.

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