Los Angeles and Orange County
Bankruptcy Attorney
Nicholas Gebelt
As an experienced Los Angeles and Orange County Bankruptcy Attorney, I focus on representing debtors to help them succeed in an area fraught with traps for the uninitiated. In particular, since debtors are frequently taken advantage of by large creditors, I seek to even the score. I find it enormously gratifying to give my clients relief from their creditors to enable them to live without fear of the telephone or bills in the mail.
- Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 for individuals and married couples
- Chapter 7 for small businesses
- Foreclosures
- Wage garnishments
- Debt relief
My firm emphasizes extremely personalized service. I understand that there are many reasons why you might need to file for bankruptcy, and I sympathize with you. I am compassionate and caring, and at the same time professional and efficient. I will provide you with fast, accurate bankruptcy information, and a thorough analysis of all your options. As a former math professor, I can clearly explain complex ideas to those without a technical background. Working as an educator with my students, I developed a great deal of patience, so I'm willing to take the time necessary to insure that my clients understand the relevant bankruptcy law and what I am doing for them.
I will not judge you, but will help you resolve your difficulties and get a fresh financial start. I will analyze your personal situation (I don’t use a cookie cutter approach) and explain how bankruptcy may affect your debts and property. I will not recommend bankruptcy unless you need it; and then only the right type for you. I will provide you with the very best counsel, and will be compassionate in explaining your options to you. If bankruptcy is your best option, I will be with you every step of the way.
I will work hard to protect your rights and assets, and get you the relief you are entitled to. I will work with you to prepare a thorough and detailed bankruptcy petition, and thus avoid potential problems at the Trustee hearing. I will file the petition for you with the court and represent you at your required hearing(s). You are not going through this alone!
As with any area of law, bankruptcy occasionally involves litigation. I am a skilled litigator who will fight for you every step of the way. My math background makes me uniquely qualified to make powerful, clear, and logical arguments on your behalf.
My firm will quote you a very reasonable fee to handle your case. Payment plans are available. You are under no obligation whatsoever, and whatever you decide, the initial phone consultation is free.
Say, “Goodbye to debt,” and call now for your free phone consultation; or use the contact form provided on this site to begin your fresh financial start today. Appointments are available weekdays, evenings, and Saturdays too.
My office is conveniently located at the border of Los Angeles and Orange Counties. I serve clients with cases in the following bankruptcy courts: Los Angeles, Santa Ana, Riverside, and Woodland Hills. I serve clients in cities throughout Los Angeles, Orange, and Riverside Counties including – but not limited to – the following cities:
LA County: Alhambra, Artesia, Bellflower, Cerritos, City of Industry, Claremont, Covina, Downey, El Monte, Gardena, Glendora, Hacienda Heights, Hawaiian Gardens, Hollywood, La Palma, La Puente, La Mirada, Lakewood, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Monrovia, Montebello, Monterey Park, North Hollywood, Norwalk, Paramount, Pico Rivera, Rosemead, San Dimas, San Gabriel, Santa Fe Springs, Temple City, West Covina, Whittier, Wilmington, and Woodland Hills.
Orange County: Anaheim, Brea, Buena Park, Cypress, Fountain Valley, Fullerton, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, Irvine, La Habra, Los Alamitos, Orange, Placentia, Santa Ana, Stanton, and Yorba Linda. Riverside County: Chino, Corona, Fontana, Ontario, Rancho Cucamonga, Riverside, and Upland.
I am a member of the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys, the Central District Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys Association, the Orange County Bankruptcy Forum, and the Inland Empire Bankruptcy Forum. To stay current with new developments in bankruptcy law, I regularly attend the monthly meetings of these groups and the annual national conferences. In addition, I take many hours of continuing legal education courses each year. I am a published author on the subjects of suing the United States Government, transportation law, and the mathematical area of Function Theory of Several Complex Variables.
Case Studies:
As a skilled Southern California Bankruptcy Attorney, I have never had a dismissal. Every single bankruptcy case that I have filed—and there have been many hundreds—has been a success. Two years ago I had a bankruptcy client for whom I got rid of $2 million worth of tax liabilities to the Franchise Tax Board and the IRS. I had Chapter 13 clients who had fallen behind on their post-Chapter 13 plan confirmation mortgage payments and were facing the loss of their house. The creditor in question had asked the bankruptcy judge to allow a foreclosure sale. I succeeded in stopping the foreclosure sale and arranged financing for my clients, and now they have the house and are debt-free except for the current mortgage.
If you or someone you know in Southern California needs the assistance of an experienced Bankruptcy Attorney, call Nicholas Gebelt today at 866-682-1359; or complete the contact form provided on this site to schedule your free phone consultation.
Practice Areas and Legal Definition
Every year, more than 1,000,000 Americans file for protection under federal bankruptcy laws. Many hardworking individuals and businesses can succumb to financial difficulty, and face irreparable economic crisis. Bankruptcy is designed as a legal option to help resolve such a crisis, and act as a financial life preserver for those drowning in debt. To discuss your bankruptcy options, or other areas of recourse that might be available to you, contact a qualified bankruptcy attorney who can advise you of your legal rights.
Bankruptcy Law:
Bankruptcy is a federal process designed to help individuals and businesses eliminate their debts or repay them under the protection of the bankruptcy court. Bankruptcies can generally be described as either liquidation or reorganization. Under a liquidation bankruptcy (Chapter 7), a claimant files to eliminate debt. Under a reorganization bankruptcy (Chapter 13), a claimant files a plan that proposes a full or partial debt repayment over a three to five year period.
On October 17, 2005, the requirements under which a debtor may file bankruptcy changed with the enactment of the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act. Debtors are now required to obtain budget and credit counseling. Financial testing is required to determine the debtors capacity for debt repayment. An important factor in Chapter 7 eligibility is whether the household income is greater than the median household income, for the appropriate household size, for the State of California.
Chapter 7:
Chapter 7 cases are commonly referred to as straight bankruptcy or liquidation cases, and may be filed by an individual or legally married couple, a corporation, or a partnership. A Chapter 7 bankruptcy case does not involve the filing of a plan of repayment as in Chapter 13. The Bankruptcy Code will allow the debtor to keep certain "exempt" property. Most Chapter 7 filers are allowed to keep everything they own.
Chapter 13:
A Chapter 13 bankruptcy is also called a wage earner's plan, though the self-employed are also eligible for this relief. It enables individuals with substantial, regular income to develop a plan to repay all or part of their debts. Under this chapter, debtors propose a repayment plan to make payments over a three to five year period. Chapter 13 permits individuals to keep their property by repaying creditors out of their future income. After completion of payments under the plan, Chapter 13 debtors receive a discharge.
Foreclosure:
Foreclosure is the legal process through which a bank or other secured creditor repossesses and sells real property due to the owner's failure to comply with the agreement between the lender and borrower called a "mortgage" or "deed of trust." Commonly, the violation of the mortgage is a default in payment of a promissory note, secured by a lien on the property. When the process is complete, it is typically said that "the lender has foreclosed its mortgage or lien".
A foreclosure typically ends in the auction of your home. The only two ways to stop a foreclosure: (1) full payment of the arrearage, or (2) the filing of a Chapter 13 bankruptcy. In the full payment option, you can stop the foreclosure of a standard residential mortgage if you tender the full amount of your arrearage, including fees and costs. Unfortunately, most people lack the money to make full payment, meaning that their only option is Chapter 13 bankruptcy. Chapter 13 stops the foreclosure and allows you to repay your arrearage over a three to five year period. The arrearage is paid through your Chapter 13 monthly plan payments. You send the plan payments to a court-appointed Chapter 13 Trustee, who then distributes the payments to your creditors according to the terms of the court-confirmed plan. A Chapter 13 can be filed at any time prior to the sale date, and it is often the only way to save your home.
Debt Consolidation:
Contrary to popular belief, debt consolidation is not a loan. Debt consolidation is a process in which debt is restructured into one monthly payment. It occasionally enables a consumer to reduce the amount owed and may possibly eliminate interest. However, be very careful! Many people enter debt consolidation programs that last for years without any changes in their debt balances. Indeed, some consolidation outfits are pure scams. And many have faced legal penalties around the country.
Very often a consumer can detect warning signs of being in too much debt long before any collection notices are received. If more than two of the following signs apply to you, you are probably in too much debt:
- You have begun charging to your credit card essential expenses like food and daily expenditures
- You are making only the minimum payments on your credit cards each month
- You are near or over the limit of your credit cards
- You have too many credit cards
- You are unsure how much money you owe creditors
If you or someone you know in Southern California needs the assistance of an experienced Bankruptcy Attorney, call Nicholas Gebelt today at 866-682-1359, or complete the contact form provided on this site to schedule your free phone consultation.
If you or someone you know in Southern California needs the assistance of an experienced Bankruptcy Attorney, call Nicholas Gebelt today at 866-682-1359, or complete the contact form provided on this site to schedule your free phone consultation.
ADDRESS OF THE FIRM:
Law Offices of Nicholas Gebelt
15150 Hornell Street
Whittier, CA 90604
Telephone: 866-682-1359
Fax: 562-946-1365
MEMBERS OF THE FIRM:
Nicholas Gebelt
EDUCATION:
- J.D., University of Virginia School of Law, Charlottesville, VA, 2001
- Ph.D., Mathematics, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 1992
- M.A., Mathematics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 1986
- B.S., Mathematics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 1983
- B.S., Pulp and Paper Technology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 1983
- United States District Court for the Central District of California
- United States Court of Federal Claims
- United States Supreme Court
- United States Patent & Trademark Office
- California Supreme Court
- State Bar of California
- Federal Bar Association
- National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys
- Central District Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys Association
- Orange County Bankruptcy Forum
- Inland Empire Bankruptcy Forum
- United States Patent Bar
- Whittier Bar Association
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