Whether you’re struggling to make mortgage payments or seriously behind, foreclosure is a scary proposition. Not only would this be devastating to your lifestyle, but you may be concerned about its impact on your credit. But isn’t every major financial problem going to damage your credit? When it comes to your FICO score, is it...Read More

It may seem a bit opportunistic, perhaps even heartless, but there are plenty of companies that look for people who are struggling with debt and try to exploit them for profit. While this is not true of all credit counseling companies, it is very important to do your research before signing up for one of...Read More

It should come as no surprise to learn that singles are less affluent compared to other family structures. According to recent research by the MetLife Mature Market Institute, singles reported the lowest income levels (averaging $32,000), the lowest asset levels ($110,000) and the lowest rates of homeownership (43 percent). A surprisingly low 17 percent said...Read More

We’ve all heard the statistics about job loss and credit card spending, and many believe these are the main roads to bankruptcy. During the recession, many families faced extended unemployment, which led to foreclosure and enormous debt loads. Perhaps this explains why unemployment is often touted as an obvious bankruptcy culprit. Many people are surprised...Read More

Filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy can be stressful enough, but then your Colorado bankruptcy lawyer informs you that you must attend something called a “Meeting of Creditors” before your debts can be discharged? That might be enough to make you wonder what you got yourself into. Good news! There is no reason to fear this...Read More

Getting married? If you’re looking for financial advice, just ask anyone who’s divorced. Chances are they will tell you exactly what NOT to do when you plan your new financial life. Of course, a divorced person might also be somewhat jaded, and in the spirit of trust you may be looking for more positive advice....Read More

Our Colorado Springs bankruptcy attorneysknow that one of the main culprits for out-of-control debt is the overgrown mountains of student loans. Colorado Springs bankruptcies are on the rise as students are graduating with enormous loans and little opportunity for jobs that will help them pay it off. It begins a vicious cycle of debt. So...Read More

Experiencing a damaging credit event like a foreclosure, short sale or bankruptcy doesn’t mean you will never be eligible for a mortgage again.  As you prepare to buy your next home, take a look at this useful chart to see typical waiting periods before you can be approved for a mortgage.  If you experienced extenuating...Read More

Because reports of skyrocketing medical costs span both statewide and national news, Denver debt-relief attorneys were not surprised when a recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention national health survey revealed that one-in-three American families are feeling the financial pinch of outstanding medical bills. Of that same group, the CDC reports that one-in-five families are struggling to pay down their...Read More

Approximately 1 in every 5 Americans older than 65 years old have been victimized by some sort of financial fraud, according to a 2010 report issued by the non-profit Investor Protection Trust (IPT). This translated to about $2.9 billion lost by the elderly in 2010, which had increased from the previous year by about 7...Read More

A nationwide drought that has prompted authorities to declare a natural disaster in 1,000 counties in 26 states (including Colorado) has left many farmers abandoning acreage, filing insurance claims and, in some cases, contemplating bankruptcy. Our Colorado Springs Chapter 7 bankruptcy lawyers know that while this drought is currently affecting farmers and those in the...Read More

Colorado bankruptcy attorneys know that with wedding season coming up, many brides have visions of destination vows, mile-high wedding cakes and princess gowns. But all of that can quickly lead to a Colorado Springs bankruptcy, if you’re not careful.  Of course, parents want to give their children a memorable and special occasion. They reason that...Read More

Close-up of female protester holding a placard with need work inscription after losing her job due to coronavirus pandemic. Colorado has been sitting around 8 or 9 percent unemployment for most of the last few years, a far cry from the 3.5 percent unemployment our citizens experienced in spring 2007, according to the U.S. Bureau...Read More

Colorado Springs foreclosure lawyers understand that while rising home prices have helped to pull some homeowners from the debts of this housing crisis, younger homeowners are still facing an uphill battle. According to real estate database Zillow, the percentage of homeowners who were underwater, or owed more on their homes than they were worth, dropped to...Read More

As a Colorado bankruptcy attorney, I am often asked if bankruptcy rates are going up or down, and if the demographic makeup of bankruptcy filers has changed. Over the past few years, as the U.S. has gradually emerged from the recession, the number of people filing for bankruptcy has decreased, but there are a few...Read More

handsome young man alone on a terrace downtown for coffee We’ve heard a lot in the course of our country’s economic recession about how families have been affected: lost homes, lowered wages, unemployment, etc.  Colorado Springs Chapter 7 bankruptcy lawyers understand that any one of these things can cause a great deal of financial strain,...Read More

If you’ve watched any late night television lately, chances are you’ve seen former U.S. Presidential candidate Fred Thompson out there pitching reverse mortgages. Many seniors are enticed by these very noteworthy spokespeople as they explain the process of cashing out their home equity. While it’s not necessarily a bad decision to do this, it is...Read More

Denver bankruptcy attorneys were not surprised to read that a 2011 national consumer complaint survey found that out of 1.8 million consumer complaints, debt collection trailed only identity theft for lead complaint category. In this two-part series on dealing with personal debt, Colorado debt-relief attorneys break down the numbers for common consumer complaints and offer tips...Read More

Foreclosure For Sale Real Estate Sign in Front of House. Statistics can be deceiving. While recently-released figures seem to indicate that home prices are actually up, the reality is that we may soon see a glut of foreclosures in Denver, Colorado Springs and across the country. Our Colorado Springs foreclosure lawyers know that it has...Read More

Young family calculating taxes and monthly loan payments for house. Concept of financial difficulties, poverty, bankruptcy, taxes and rent payment Imagine a credit card that charged a 36 percent APR, slapped you with a fee when your credit limit increased and cost you $400 a year just to own — yet, the company tells you...Read More

partial view of couple at table with divorce documents What may come to mind for many people considering divorce in Colorado is what will happen with the kids, who will get the home and how will I make ends meet after the divorce? But what they should also consider is whether a Colorado Springs bankruptcy...Read More

Colorado Springs foreclosure lawyers know that many people fell victim to the housing market implosion, whereby home values were grossly inflated, as were the homebuyers’ suitability for the loans to obtain them. However, it appears the negligence might not have ended there, as evidenced by a class action lawsuit filed on behalf of homeowners throughout...Read More

Top view image of a woman holding and showing credit cards The U.S. Federal Reserve has reported that consumer credit overall has bounced back in August, following a sharp decline a month earlier. Southern Colorado bankruptcy attorneys know this means more people are feeling comfortable with taking on more credit card debt. This can be...Read More

Toni Braxton has won six Grammy Awards – and filed for two bankruptcies. Our Colorado Springs Chapter 7 Bankruptcy attorneys understand that she intends to talk about her financial journey in an upcoming music television show. While some may view multiple filings as a sign of irresponsibility, the fact is that there are some situations in which...Read More

Despite reports that the U.S. economy is inching toward improvement, we now know that household incomes in the U.S. fell to levels we haven’t seen since 1989. In fact, Colorado Springs Chapter 7 bankruptcy lawyers understand that a recent report from the U.S. Census Bureau indicates that median incomes fell by nearly 2 percent last...Read More

Stressed woman with husband holding document with foreclosure and final notice lettering on floor in A report released recently by the federal Government Accountability Office indicates that more than 300 members of the military had their homes illegally foreclosed upon in the last few years. Our Colorado Springs foreclosure lawyers know that there are special...Read More

A new report from one of Denver’s largest human resources firms indicates that salaried employees in Denver are set to receive some of the largest pay raises in the country. Our Colorado Springs Chapter 7 bankruptcy lawyers know this is great news – but it’s important to note that it’s only going to affect a small number...Read More

Firefighter putting with the hose out the fire of the house and car at night accident As Colorado Springs residents continue to grapple with a massive, fast-moving wildfire that has already killed at least two people, destroyed more than 350 homes and damaged dozens more, many may have just been pushed over the edge to...Read More

Stethoscope and calculator placed on health insurance documents, Individual medical health insurance. Concept life planning Increasingly, cash-strapped companies are passing that pain onto their employees – with the end result being reduced or frozen wages and waning benefits. Colorado Springs bankruptcy lawyers know that in this market, those are often things so many of us can’t...Read More

Young frustrated man in formalwear looking at piece of cardboard with notice of needing job while sitting on staircase against architecture Those who have been unemployed for any stretch no the longer it lasts, the harder it is to land a new job.  Denver Chapter 7 bankruptcy attorneys have assisted numerous clients who were overwhelmed...Read More

Gavel and Small Model House on Wooden Table. Statistics can be deceiving. While recently-released figures seem to indicate that home prices are actually up, the reality is that we may soon see a glut of foreclosures in Denver, Colorado Springs and across the country. Our Colorado Springs foreclosure lawyers know that it has a lot...Read More

Rear View Of Loving Couple Looking At House Foreclosure numbers in Colorado fell in 2011. But most experts believe this has less to do with the real estate market recovering and more to do with a delay in filings by the country’s biggest banks. Some people believe they can fight back against banks by attempting...Read More

For Colorado Springs debt-relief lawyers, a pair of competing headlines about statewide gas prices serve as a perfect illustration of just how complex, uncertain and stressful the economic recovery remains for many struggling families who are overwhelmed by debt and thinking about filing for Colorado personal bankruptcy. On March 18, the Denver Post reported that Metro Denver recorded the...Read More

Recent news reports suggest that Colorado’s unemployment rate dropped to 7.9 percent, continuing a steady drop, which is certainly good news. But even at 7.9 percent unemployment, which is better than the national average, that still leaves many people without work and steady income. Whether employed or not, months spent looking for work can lead...Read More

USA Today is reporting that consumers increased their debt in November by more than $20 billion, the largest monthly increase in a decade. What this shows our Colorado Springs bankruptcy lawyers is not that the economy is in a better position than it has been in years, but more likely that consumers used their credit...Read More

A bag with the word Bankruptcy and an up arrow in the hands of a businessman. The high level of bankruptcy in the country. The inability of the debtor to make payments on its debt obligations. As our nation’s economy continues to struggle to recover, it’s obvious that bankruptcy in Colorado is helping people with...Read More

We are grateful to be able to serve our clients, especially during these trying times.  We are also grateful that The Law Office of Stephen H. Swift, P.C. was recently selected as a Top Consumer 
Bankruptcy Attorney in Colorado Springs by Colorado Springs STYLE Magazine, for the fourth year in a row.  (We were also a...Read More

There is an old saying that it’s hard to see the forest through the trees. Colorado Springs Chapter 7 bankruptcy lawyers know this is one way of saying it’s difficult to gauge the entirety of the situation when you’re in the middle of it. This is exactly the case with debt. It starts with a...Read More