Unfortunately, you are likely liable for the debt. You could file an affidavit with your credit card company in which you attest that you did not make the charges and that these charges were unauthorized. If you timely file such an affidavit, you may not be liable for those charges. However, this might cause criminal charges to be brought against the individual using your card.

As such, most people similarly situated will do nothing in the hopes their relative or friend will make prompt repayment. Few people ever want to think that their friend or family member would ever betray them. Unfortunately, this is simply not the case.

If this has happened to you, let us help you. The Attorneys of Garmo & Kiste, PLC are experienced Debt Collection Attorneys who now specialize in Debt Collection Defense and Bankruptcy Work. In the past we learned the trade working for Credit Card Companies and Debt Collection Agencies.

Yearly we handle hundreds of collections and collections defense cases. For more information about Debt Collection Defense and Bankruptcy Work or to retain Garmo & Kiste, PLC, call us at (248) 398-7100 for a free consultation. We are licensed Michigan attorneys, with offices in Troy, MI.

Do you have mounting Debt? Have you been sued by a medical provider, a credit card company on a bank loan, or by a former landlord, etc.? Let us help you. The Attorneys of Garmo & Kiste, PLC are experienced Debt Collection Attorneys who now specialize in Debt Collection Defense and Bankruptcy Work. In the past we learned the trade working for Credit Card Companies and Debt Collection Agencies. Yearly we handle hundreds of collections and collections defense cases.

For more information about Debt Collection Defense and Bankruptcy Work or to retain Garmo & Kiste, PLC, call us at (248) 398-7100 for a free consultation.

We are licensed Michigan attorneys, with offices in Troy, MI. We are not a debt relief agency.

Our Familiarity with Collections Industry…

One of the greatest advantages of hiring our firm is the connections we bring to the process. Because of our past employment, typically we know the Plaintiff, their Attorney, the Court, and the Judge. We can quickly assess the facts of your case, in efforts of determining the best course of action and in turn the best possible result for you, our client. We know more loop holes than most attorneys, and we know when it’s time to fight and when it’s time to settle. For this reason, looking for an attorney who practices in the county where you were ticketed is particularly helpful, that said we regularly practice in Oakland, Macomb, Wayne, and Lapeer Counties. What follows is a list of Collections Defense matters our firm has handled recently. Our track record speaks for itself:

Ypsilanti, MI: Major Credit Card Company pursuing a Forty Two Thousand Forty Nine Dollars and 23/100 cents ($42,049.23) judgment against our Client. Eight Thousand Dollar ($8,000.00) Settlement. Case Dismissed.

Redford, MI: Debt Buyer w/ a 2 year old judgment concerning a Mortgage deficiency in the amount of Fifty One Thousand Four Hundred Eighty One Dollars and 99/100 cents ($51,481.99) collecting against our Client. Five Thousand Dollar ($5,000.00) Settlement. Case Dismissed.

Clinton Township, MI: Major Auto Finance Company pursuing Five Thousand Eight Dollar and 39/100 cents ($5,008.39) w/ a 3 year old judgment against our Client. One Thousand Dollar ($1,000.00) Settlement / Satisfaction of Judgment Entered.

Rochester, MI: Major Bank seeking to Enforce Bank Loan Ten Thousand Dollar and 00/100 ($10,000.00) against our Client. Case dismissed.

Allen, MI: Major Bank seeking to Enforce Seventy Five Thousand Dollar and 00/100 ($75,000.00) Personal Guarantee against our Client. Case dismissed.

Eastpointe, MI: Major Bank seeking to Enforce Six Thousand Dollar and 00/100 ($6,000.00) Personal Guarantee against our Client. One Thousand Dollar and 00/100 ($1,000.00) Settlement.

Wayne, MI: Assigned Credit Card Debt Pursuing One Thousand Two Hundred Dollar and 00/100 ($1,200.00) against our Client. Case dismissed.

Clawson, MI: Assigned Auto Law Debt Pursuing Thirteen Thousand Dollar and 00/100 $13,000.00 Judgment against our Client, Three Thousand Dollar and 00/100 ($3,000.00) Settlement.

Rochester, Mi: Assigned Credit Card Debt Pursuing Six Thousand Dollar and 00/100 ($6,000.00) against our Client. Two Thousand Dollar and 00/100 ($2,000.00) Settlement.

St. Clair Shores, MI: Assigned Debt Pursuing Seven Hundred Dollar and 00/100 ($700.00) against our Client. Case dismissed.

Clinton Township, MI: Condo association Pursing Assessments, special Assessments, Late Fees and Fines in the amount of Sixty Five Thousand Dollar and 00/100 ($6,500.00) against our Client. Three Thousand Dollar and 00/100 ($3,500.00) Settlement.

Lowell, Mi: Major Bank seeking to Enforce Seven Thousand Dollar and 00/100 ($7,000.00) Credit Card against our Client. Two Thousand Dollar and 00/100 ($2,000.00) Settlement.

For more information about Debt Collection Defense and Bankruptcy Work or to retain Garmo & Kiste, PLC, call us at (248) 398-7100 for a free consultation.

BANKRUPTCY:

During your free consultation, we will go over your personal situation and explain how bankruptcy may affect each of your debts, property and assets. We will never recommend bankruptcy unless we believe you need it. Unfortunately with the economic recession, mounting obligations, and dramatic home devaluation, debt has become a major anchor around the neck of Americans both in Michigan and nationwide. As a consequence, bankruptcy has become a high volume industry in which many attorneys push unnecessary bankruptcies on consumers to turn quick profits for themselves. At Garmo & Kiste, PLC our aim has always been to provide the very best counsel to our clients and to be as objective as possible about your options, not to turn quick profits.

For more information about Debt Collection Defense and Bankruptcy Work or to retain Garmo & Kiste, PLC, call us at (248) 398-7100 for a free consultation. Payment plans are available, and as always you are under no obligation to retain our services and our advice during the consultation is free.

What is a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy?

Chapter 7 is the most common form of bankruptcy in the United States. Chapter 7 bankruptcy is sometimes called “liquidation” bankruptcy it cancels your debts, but you might have to let the bankruptcy court liquidate sell some of your property for the benefit of your creditors. If you are being crippled by high credit card debt or medical bills, Chapter 7 may be a way for you to discharge those debts, once complete you will receive a Bankruptcy Discharge and your obligation to the discharged debts will be over. The whole Chapter 7 bankruptcy process takes about four to six months, and commonly requires at least one trip to the courthouse.

For more information about Debt Collection Defense and Bankruptcy Work or to retain Garmo & Kiste, PLC, call us at (248) 398-7100 for a free consultation.

What is a Chapter 13 Bankruptcy?

Chapter 13 bankruptcy, often called “reorganization” or “consolidation” bankruptcy is very different from Chapter 7 bankruptcy, which wipes out most of your debts. When your income is determined to be too high for a Chapter 7, but you are facing foreclosure on your home, auto repossessions or tax debts, Chapter 13 can help give you some breathing room. In a Chapter 13 bankruptcy you use your income to pay some or all of what you owe to your creditors over time. 99% of all debtors who file Chapter 13 keep their assets, however not everyone qualifies for Chapter 13, and some debtors would be better off filing for Chapter 7.

For more information about Debt Collection Defense and Bankruptcy Work or to retain Garmo & Kiste, PLC, call us at (248) 398-7100 for a free consultation.

Garnishments and Relief from Garnishments…

A garnishment is a means of collecting on a money judgment against an Individual by ordering a third party (the garnishee) to pay money, otherwise owed to the Individual, directly to the plaintiff. There are three common types of garnishments, Wage Garnishments, Bank Garnishments, and Tax garnishments. Wage garnishments can be a shocking and traumatic event; suddenly 25% of your income disappears. Worse yet this can inconvenience your employer or others with whom you are dealing. Tax income Refund/Credit Garnishments, as with wage garnishments too can be taken to help satisfy a money judgment. Bank garnishments are also likely to be effective against many individual debtors, and as such your bank account can be taken to help satisfy a money judgment.

If you have been served with a writ of garnishment and object to the writ, Once a writ of garnishment has been awarded, it is very hard to undo, but not impossible, we can file an objection with the court however an objection must be based on the one or more of the following:

• the funds or property are exempt from garnishment by law
• garnishment is precluded by the pendency of bankruptcy proceedings
• garnishment is barred by an installment payment order
• garnishment is precluded because the maximum amount permitted by law is being withheld pursuant to a higher priority garnishment or order
• the judgment has been paid
• the garnishment was not properly issued or is otherwise invalid

It should be noted that your wages, paycheck or bank account can only be garnisheed if a judgment is taken against you. If you are garnisheed, it is not necessary too late to protest the original debt or other obligation, if you are unaware of a judgment, or failed to defend a lawsuit in a timely manner, you should consult with an attorney immediately.

To remove a garnishment or for more information about Debt Collection Defense and Bankruptcy Work or to retain Garmo & Kiste, PLC, call us at (248) 398-7100 for a free consultation.

Installment Payment Plans…

Have your wages been garnished? Let us help you get the garnishment removed. If you have a judgment against you and you want to make installment payments to pay off the judgment, and you have limited funds to pay the judgment, we can file with the court a motion for installment payments, and set up a repay plan on your terms, not theirs. This avoids having to inconvenience your employer or others with whom you are dealing. As a last resort, we can look into bankruptcy, this too will stop the garnishments.

You may know deep down inside that you have a debt problem, but it is easier to deny the problem than to address it. Addressing the problem can be painful and requires hard work, but the sooner you realize you have a problem, the sooner you can make positive changes. Delaying changes to your habits will only prolong the problem and make it worse. We are here to help for more information about Debt Collection Defense and Bankruptcy Work or to retain Garmo & Kiste, PLC – bankruptcy attorneys in Troy, Michigan, call us at (248) 398-7100 for a free consultation. Payment plans are available, and as always you are under no obligation to retain our services and our advice during the consultation is free.