Pittsburgh Bankruptcy Law Blog

Families in Pittsburgh know how hard it can be to cover the unexpected costs of a sudden medical issue. Many have been forced into bankruptcy due to the incredible debt that can be racked up in a matter of days, especially without health insurance coverage. Even with insurance, out-of-pocket costs can cause serious financial strife. Unfortunately for some families, declaring bankruptcy is the only option to help them shed bad debts.

One 6-year-old boy took matters into his own hands and opened a lemonade stand in his neighborhood to help with the massive amount of medical bills that his father's illness was creating. According to the family, the man has seminoma -- a rare form of cancer. He is currently going through chemotherapy. Though his family has medical insurance, the family is still accumulating thousands in out-of-pocket costs.

Many Americans use credit cards. According to reports, 80 million of those consumers receive rewards for using their credit cards. While credit card rewards may sound good to those who use them, experts are worried that this sort of system could be causing some people to accumulate debt faster than it can be paid off.

In most cases, rewards cards carry a higher interest rate than normal cards. This, combined with the likelihood that the card has an annual fee, can cause some serious trouble for those who are trying to get out of debt. While an annual fee can vary, interest rates tend to stay the same, unless otherwise noted by the terms of the credit card.

When the word "bankruptcy" comes to mind, many think of the possible ways that a person could find him or herself in such a financial state. Some might think that a person has amassed too much credit card debt or that a job has been lost. Perhaps a divorce has left them with little money left, but there is another form of debt that many in Pittsburgh forget about.

It comes in the form of medical bills, which can cost a patient a large amount of money and financial freedom if they are not properly addressed. It can also lead to intimidating calls from collections agencies.

Some homeowners in Pennsylvania have been worried about losing their houses to foreclosure for several years now, some since the recession began. But an interesting turn of events may cause recent buyers of homes facing foreclosure to lose the sales that they have already completed.

According to an advocacy group known as Action United, the sale of foreclosed properties should be temporarily ceased, because state courts are currently considering a case that could see some previous sales overturned. Members of this housing advocacy group were recently at a sheriff's sale in Allegheny County, distributing pamphlets and informing potential buyers that they could lose a home they purchased.