October 19, 2008

Bankrupt Celebrities

Filed under: Cash Flow + Credit — admin @ 10:24 am

Hiding behind all the glitz and glamour and what may seem like unusual celebreties are those who get bankrupt fairly frequently, though it’s also the case that they come through it quite often as well.

This could quite well be the reason behind Clarissa Dickson Wright being bankrupt not once but thrice! It was said that the first time was due to the champagne bill at her mother’s funeral!
The list of bankrupt celebreties is extensive and consists of celebreties from all walks of life from senators to TV stars to football players and movie stars. Often the reason for these bankruptcies is that money is aquired quickly and when the checks come in, it doesn’t seem like they will ever stop. It’s like a dream and many celebreties don’t know how to deal with it and accordingly end up in excesses that they can’t afford.

Take for instance Kim Basinger who was said of all things to have bought an entire town! Kim Basinger bought the entire town of Braselton, Georgia for 20 million dollars and after being sued for a breach of contract not only had to sell Braselton but also file for bankruptcy.

While in her case it was one major expense that led to her demise, in cases of most celebreties it is a series of excesses and regular expenses that they can’t afford once their good times end and the checks stop rolling in as they once did.

Mike Tyson was said for instance to need $400,000 a month to maintain his life style but after filing bankruptcy now lives on a modest rented house in Phoenix.

Although it might seem unusual the reason why many celebreties go on this spending spree is that they genuinely assume that it is never going to end. Imagine; you are making money and getting a certain amount of salary and would think that this is an end less stream of money that you will continue to generate through out life. In your case in normal circumstances it will be true because as you gain experience and advance in your career your salary will only increase.

However, think of it from the point of view of a celebrity as they also think along the same lines. They also think that their earnings will be an endless stream which will not end. Although, what they do not realize is that unlike a normal salaried person their golden period will end and what they are making at this time is probably highly skewed and can’t keep on making it for the rest of their life. This is true for actors as well as athletes. They can’t really expect a 10% raise on what they are making till the end of their life. When money comes and comes in fast, it’s difficult for celebreties to think that it will ever stop. To such an extent that they even start ignoring the bad news. For instance an actress might ignore a bad review of her movie when she should probably take stock of it, see if something is wrong and then takes care of it.

The problem of bankrupt celebreties is so acute that it has sprung up an industry of its own with professionals who advise these celebreties to manage their wealth and to basically keep a check on their excesses. These financial tamers watch over the back of their clients and prevent them from buying things which can spin out of control like late comedian Rod Hull who bought an Elizabethan Mansion in 1987 for 387,000 pounds and spent another 500,000 pounds in restoring it. The house was soon repossessed as he faced massive tax arrears and was in a problem that he couldn’t quite control.

While celebreties may even add a little glitz to what is indeed a dark problem, one must keep in mind that there are lessons to be learned from them and like them we also feel the need to indulge in excesses too often. While indulgence is not bad and may even be necessary some times, be sure that you don’t end up in something that becomes disease like and more than that be careful that you don’t spend on something that requires monthly pay checks. What was probably a 20 million dollars town to Kim Basinger could well be a 100,000 dollars sports car for you!

This article has been supplied courtesy of Billy Baxter. Billy often writes and works closely with Bankruptcy. If the link is not active, you can paste this one into your browser - overcoming-bankruptcy.com/ This site is dedicated to supplying the latest news and articles on bankruptcy to assist people suffering from a looming or existing bankruptcy as well as those in the bankruptcy profession. You can also look for more extra information at Bankruptcy Attorney. If the link is not active, you can paste this one into your browser bankruptcy-aid.com/

Bankruptcy Lawyer: When to Hire One

Filed under: Cash Flow + Credit — admin @ 4:20 am

If you are having difficulties with finances and are considering debt consolidation or bankruptcy, you may also be considering hiring a bankruptcy lawyer. Of course for those who are in a financial rut or on the verge of financial ruin, coming up with extra funds to pay a bankruptcy lawyer can be downright impossible. Despite the shortage of money, it is often best to still consider at least consulting with a bankruptcy lawyer before you begin the process.

The main purpose of a bankruptcy lawyer is to help an individual or business go through the legal procedures for filing bankruptcy. Lawyers are meant to help deal with creditors, meet with the court systems to set up payment plans or repayment programs, gather together and liquidate assets, and fill out and file necessary paperwork. Just as a realtor would be the knowledgeable party in the selling or buying of a home, a bankruptcy lawyer will be that knowledgeable source during a bankruptcy proceeding.

In most state and county legal systems, you are not required to have a bankruptcy lawyer for the legal proceedings. This does not always mean it is wise to do without a bankruptcy lawyer, though, as most specialize in just financial law. Unless the court case would be easily cut and dry or you already know a great deal about the legal system in this case, a bankruptcy lawyer can help from becoming overwhelmed with the legalities of the system.

From the start, a good bankruptcy lawyer should help you to determine which chapter of bankruptcy to file and will offer sound reasons why. If you don’t know anything about the different chapters, this is an excellent reason to begin consulting a lawyer. Many lawyers will even offer a free consultation where you can simply claim the advice and move on to take care of the remainder of the case yourself. Often, though, lawyers will charge by visit or by activity, such as appearing at the courthouse or filing paperwork.

Keep in mind that not all bankruptcy lawyers specialize in the same type of cases, so it is important to find a lawyer who can help you with the type of financial difficulties you are having. Some bankruptcy lawyers work specifically with businesses, while others work solely with individuals. Having a good experience with your lawyer will undoubtedly include finding someone knowledgeable in the areas you need expertise.

Another excellent reason to consider hiring a bankruptcy lawyer is simply to have someone knowledgeable who can help guide you through the paperwork process. In bankruptcy cases the paperwork is the most overwhelming aspect and more often than not, bankruptcy lawyers will actually fill out and file all of the paperwork for you. This takes away the burden of dealing with paperwork in the middle of a financially and emotionally straining time.

If you decide that hiring a bankruptcy lawyer is right for you, ask the local court house for names of lawyers in the area. You may also want to consider asking trusted friends or family advice for finding bankruptcy lawyers. If all else fails, take advantage of technology and research cases in your area to see which bankruptcy lawyers most often represent individuals or businesses. This is a great way to determine who the best lawyers are for your financial needs.

Credit: Ian W Anderson of Bankruptcy 411, the bankruptcy information site. For more bankruptcy information and articles like this one visit: Bankruptcy