Giving from the Heart!

I was reading an article in Massage Envy Magazine by Teresa Caldwell Board and I thought I would share its contents.  It states that more than 30 studies link volunteering to the specific physical and mental health benefits.  It pushes people to share joy.  "Cultivate a spirit of volunteering by looking for simple ways to show compassion and gratitude in your circle of connections.  To get involved you can search by zip code for local volunteer opportunities that fit your interests at allforgood.org"  I am urging my Florida friends to get involved in The Race for the Cure.  A beautiful benefit celebrating the survivors of breast cancer.  I know that everyone will enjoy this event and will feel more joy for volunteering their time. 

COME JOIN OUR TEAM! Please go to the below link and register to do the Race for the Cure on Sunday October 16, 2011. On the right side, client "join an existing team" then enter team name "Team Momma Stone" then click search for team and our team will pop up.
http://centralflorida.info-komen.org/site/TR/RacefortheCure/DAB_CentralFloridaAffiliate?fr_id=2261&pg=entry

Remember, taking care of yourself and your loved ones is most important in life. I care about you and your future! ~ Katie

Married couples do not have to file a bankruptcy together!

Did you know that married couples do not necessarily have to file a bankruptcy together?  If all of the debt is in one spouses name, the other spouse does not need to join the bankruptcy.  Keep in mind that if you have joint debt and only one spouse files a bankruptcy, the other spouse's liability does not go away.  If you are contemplating bankruptcy because your paycheck(s) are not covering your expenses let alone leaving you any money to pay your bills; however, you are worried about both of you filing, please give my office a call at 407-217-5807.  Do not was one more stressful day or sleepless night, schedule a free consultation today so I can go over your concerns and give you some guidance. 

Remember, taking care of yourself and your loved ones is most important in life. I care about you and your future! ~ Katie

Be positive and love your life!

I spent an amazing weekend with my sister and great friends at a music festival at  Suwannee River State Park.  The scenery was amazing, the music was fantastic, the sun was shining and I was in heaven.  In the middle of paradise, I was shocked to find that there were many unhappy people.  It made me wonder, why would people pay to be here to not enjoy the beauty, nature, new friendships, laughter and love that was going on all around them?  I know that every person experiences stress, problems, set backs, depression, disappointment, etc.  I believe that people focus too much of their attention on the bad in their life and do not take ANY time to focus on the good.  My beautiful mother always sings to me a song when I get too rapped up in the negative, "When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed.  When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost. Count your many blessings, name them one by one, and it will surprise you what the Lord hath done."  We all need to take time out of our life every day to count our many blessings.  If we all did this, I believe there would be a welcoming surprise how negativity will start to float away and positivity will enter your soul.  Smile at strangers and stop to smell the roses.  Life is what you make it so make it great!  Please call me at 407-217-5807 if there is anything I can do to help you turn your frown upside down. 

Remember, taking care of yourself and your loved ones is most important in life. I care about you and your future! ~ Katie

Do you have a large 2nd mortgage?

Did you know that if you have 2 mortgages that you could potentially get a 2nd mortgage and lien stripped from your house with a chapter 13 bankruptcy?  If your house is appraised at even one dollar less than what you owe on your first mortgage, a chapter 13 bankruptcy will discharge your legal obligation to pay on a second mortgage and will judicially strip the lien off of your house.  This is a great option for people who have 2nd mortgages and your house has dropped dramatically in value in this tough economy.  Call my office today at 407-217-5807 to schedule a free consultation to see if this option would work for you! 

Remember, taking care of yourself and your loved ones is most important in life. I care about you and your future! ~ Katie

Katie Cares about the community!

My law office is sponsoring a team at the Susan G. Komen's Race for the Cure on Sunday October 16, 2011.  My mother's breast cancer came back in January of this year with a vengeance. She had 12 rounds of chemo in 15 weeks and today is fighting her way back to health. Hopefully all of my Florida family will join me and sign up for the Race.   Please go to the below link and register to do the Race for the Cure on Sunday October 16, 2011. On the right side, client "join an existing team" then enter team name "Team Momma Stone" then click search for team and our team will pop up.  I hope to have as much support from our community as possible.  My mother is an angel and I am honored to be able to do this for her. 

http://centralflorida.info-komen.org/site/TR/RacefortheCure/DAB_CentralFloridaAffiliate?fr_id=2261&pg=entry

Remember, taking care of yourself and your loved ones is most important in life. I care about you and your future! ~ Katie

Prepare for the unexpected.

I went to a convention over the weekend and I was amazed at how many single people with assets, newlyweds and married couples with children do not have a Will in place.  I know that it is hard for  people to grasp the concept that something tragic might happen to them; however, we all need to prepare for the unexpected.  I had a great friend who was in great shape and was competing in a triathlon.  He had 5 children and one on the way.  During the swim, something happened with his body and eventually in the ER, he passed away.  A tragic story that I think of often.  He was such an amazing man, husband, father and friend.  Tragic stories like this surround all of us.  Every time someone tells me a tragic story about someone they know, it makes me realize again the importance of protecting your loved ones in life and in death.  Life insurance is necessary!!  A Will is necessary!  Preparing for the unexpected is NECESSARY!  I hear nightmare stories all of the time of the difficulties families have when a loved one dies intestate (without a Will).  I offer simple Will packages (which includes a simple Will, power of attorney, health care directive and an option for a living Will) for a very affordable rate.  The unexpected is hard on every loved one.  Have these documents in place to help your loved ones with the turmoil and stress the unexpected will cause.  Please call my office at 407-217-5807 so that I can help you plan for the unexpected. 

Remember, taking care of yourself and your loved ones is most important in life. I care about you and your future! ~ Katie

Take time for serving others!

Over the past several months I have helped an 85 year old man modify his mortgage loan so that he is able to keep his home at an affordable payment.  He is such a sweet man with a heart of gold.  Although the process was grueling, long, took up a lot my time and at certain stages made me want to give up, I stuck it out.  Today he has a home, comfort and security that he will be able to make his payments every month on his limited budget.  I don't tell you this story to get a pat on the back, I tell you this story because I think that everyone needs to get involved in service work.  I truly believe that when we are in the service of others is when we are most happy.  When I got the phone call from my sweet friend telling me he can keep his house, the excitement and relieve in his voice made all of the time spent and frustrating hours float away and my heart was overwhelmed with joy for him.  Everyone needs help at some point in time.  I am lucky that I am able to help people in my profession.  I challenge everyone this week to serve someone else in some way.  Push groceries to a car for a mother with her hands full, open a door and smile, ask someone how they are doing and be prepared to listen to their answer, take an hour or so and help someone with their yard work, pay the toll for the car behind you. ask someone if there is anything you can do to help.  Little deeds go a long way.  I promise it will make your day and you will never know the magnitude your good deed had on the person you helped.  Please reply to this post on how your good deed made you feel.  Thank you Archy for your friendship, trust and allowing me to feel so special on a Monday! 

Remember, taking care of yourself and your loved ones is most important in life. I care about you and your future! ~ Katie

Happy Birthday America!

I just wanted to write everyone and say Happy 4th of July!  I hope that everyone had a safe and wonderful holiday.  I hope that we all took a moment to reflect on the true meaning of freedom and the sacrifice many have gone through to protect this precious gift!  With the closure of the Casey Anthony trial and whatever your thoughts may be on the verdict,  I hope that we all take the time to realize that we have an amazing constitution, legal system and process.  I am very proud to be an American and that I am able to make my own decisions because I am blessed with freedom. As an attorney, I took an oath to support the Constitution of the United States and the State of Florida, revere the law, the judicial system, and the legal profession with dignity and esteem of each.  I am proud to be an attorney because I believe that my work allows my client's to understand, enforce and preserve their rights.  I help to protect their freedom. 

Remember, taking care of yourself and your loved ones is most important in life. I care about you and your future! ~ Katie  

Take the time to understand credit..the good, the bad and the ugly.

I came across the following article this morning and thought it would be good to share.  I have a lot of  friends and clients who really do not understand "credit" and how little things they think are helping their credit score, are actually hurting it.  It is important that when you take out a line of credit that you understand all of the responsibilities that come with it.  You need to know things such as: interest rate (the offer rate and lifetime rate), how the interest rate works, the annual fee and all other fees involved on the account,when your payment will be due, what the difference is between paying the minimum fee due and the account balance or another amount, what happens if you can't pay on time or the minimum amount due, what happens if you go over your credit limit, what happens if you lose your job and can't pay it at all, etc.  Credit cards are the worst kind of credit to have.  Be extremely careful when taking out a line of credit with a credit card company.  There are several different types of credit lines you can have.  Some lines of credit qualify to allow you to deduct the interest paid on the account every year from your taxes.  Credit card interest is not one of them.  Beware....credit can cause extreme financial problems and stress. Credit can be deadly.  Always research, be knowledgeable, ask questions and use credit wisely.  Credit is a big responsibility and you need to be sure that you can make it work for you. 

http://money.msn.com/credit-rating/5-ways-young-adults-ruin-their-credit-cardratings.aspx

Remember, taking care of yourself and your loved ones is most important in life. I care about you and your future! ~ Katie

Top 3 FAQ regarding bankruptcy received this week.

1 - What property do I have to include in my bankruptcy?
You have to list everything that you own in your bankruptcy petition.  Even if you own the item with someone who is not filing bankruptcy with you such as your parents, you must list it.  If you are buying items such as a car or a home and you still owe money on it (this is considered secured property), you must list you have it.  This does not mean that you will lose all of your property if you file a bankruptcy, I am just saying you must list it in your petition.  Most of the time, you can keep all of your property in a bankruptcy.  Secured property can be kept as long as you are able to keep making your payments. 

2 - Who will know if I file a bankruptcy?
Bankruptcy filings are public records; however, they are not published in the newspaper.  In theory, everybody could know, but under normal circumstances, nobody will ever find out.  Bankruptcy filings are done electronically and in order to be able to review the bankruptcy information, you must have an log on to the electronic system.  In order to get a log on you must be an attorney or work for one.  Under normal circumstances nobody will know you filed for bankruptcy.  Keep in mind that bankruptcy is visible on your credit report for 10 years

3 - Can I get credit or be able to buy things after bankruptcy and how long does it stay on my credit report. 
You will qualify for credit right away after you receive your bankruptcy discharge, but  BE CAUTIOUS...it will probably be limited and have a high interest rate.  You can take measures to rebuild your credit; however, you must be CAUTIOUS that you are able to repay the amount you borrow, pay on time and not let your debt get too high.  There are specific time requirements on how often you can file a bankruptcy and you do not want to find yourself in a situation where you can't pay your borrowed debt and cannot file another bankruptcy. 

Remember, taking care of yourself and your loved ones is most important in life. I care about you and your future! ~ Katie

Are you behind in your paying your bills?

If you are delinquent on an account, you still have rights against a debt collection agency. The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) is United States statute of the Consumer Credit Protection Act.  Its purpose is to eliminate abusive collection practices by debt collection agencies.  The FDCPA creates guidelines that debt collection agencies must follow.  It also defines the rights of consumers who find themselves behind on their bills and dealing with these agencies.  I can potentially protect you from debt collection agencies: calling and disclosing information to third parties not involved with the debt such as an employer, friend, or family member, threatening garnishment of your wages, threatening legal judgment without going to court, threatening to put a lien on you or your property, the amount of phone calls placed per day including before 8 am and after 9 pm, and abusive/hostile language.  Below is a link to the FDCPA.  If you feel your rights have been violated, please call my office at 407-217-5807 or toll free at 855-582-2737 to set up a free consultation.  Don't let the economy destroy your dignity! 

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre27.pdf

Remember, taking care of yourself and your loved ones is what is most important in life. I care about you and your future! ~ Katie

Do you have a simple Will package?

Due to recent events that have happened in my life, I feel it necessary to advise anyone reading of the importance of a Will.  People often do not have documents in place to guide their loved ones in a time of tragedy making the awful occurrence even more stressful.  A simple Will is a document that allows you to direct to whom your property will go, direct who will be in charge of your estate, and who will be nominated as guardian of your minor or disabled children, if any. A simple Will involves no estate tax provisions, little paperwork, no trusts, and no complicated specific gifting provisions which makes this type of Will not appropriate for everyone.  This Will works best for individuals with all assets well under one million dollars ($1,000,000).  A simple Will does not require a lot of paperwork and is not expensive.  My simple Will package will allow you to designate an executor, a health care agent and a durable power of attorney.  An executor is responsible for gathering your assets and distributing them according to the terms of your will.  A health care agent would be responsible to make medical decisions on your behalf including decisions regarding life support if you were unable to do so yourself.  A durable power of attorney allows someone to act on your behalf  with respect to many duties such as banking, property, insurance, etc.  Most importantly, a simple Will allows you to designate a guardian for your minor or disabled children.  These documents are CRITICAL for anyone who wants to help ease their loved ones stress in a time of extreme difficulty.  Please contact my office at 407-217-5807 to set up a free consultation to for information on our simple Will package. 

Remember, taking care of yourself and your loved ones is most important in life. I care about you and your future! ~ Katie

Happy Memorial Day!

Charleston South Carolina was the first recorded place to observe and remember the fallen Union soldiers of the Civil War.  I was fortunate enough to spend this Memorial Day in Charleston with my family.  I walked through some of the oldest streets in our Country and I couldn't help but reflect on how blessed we are to have numerous soldiers spanning over decades of time who are willing to fight and sacrifice their lives for us to be protected in our rights, liberties and freedom.  I feel fortunate that I am able to utilize my knowledge and love for the laws of our land to help people take steps towards fulfilling their ultimate potential.  I reflected on how lucky I am that I have been able to build many friendships from people who have come to me for help.  I want my client's to know that they have given back to me and helped me in so many different ways in my time of need.  I appreciate all of them for the inspiring stories, letters, pictures and emails that I receive from them.  Memorial Day to me is a time to reflect on those you love, cherish, remember and admire.  Thank you from my humble heart.  If you find yourself in need of help, please call me to set up a free consultation 407-217-5807. 

Remember, taking care of yourself and your loved ones is most important in life. I care about you and your future! ~ Katie

Proud to be an American

In light of the world news that is going on today, I decided that today I would write on how proud I am to be an American and live in a country that was founded on the basis of freedom. When I think of what it is like to be free, a few things come to mind that I am ever so grateful for. I am grateful that we have the freedom to choose what we want to do with our lives. You are the only one who can decide your future. It is important to set goals, reach for something further, try something new, change things you don't like, push yourself a little harder, take time out every day for you and your loved ones, polish and maintain close relationships and always make time for those most important to you. I am grateful that we have the freedom to educate ourselves through school, books, libraries, internet, newspapers, magazines, etc. The out pour of information that is available at our fingertips is astonishing. I am grateful that we have the freedom to choose what we believe in and fight for it. I am grateful that we have the freedom to make our own choices. I am grateful that we have a government made by the people and laws that are created to help us stay safe, succeed, and help in time of need. Bankruptcy is powerful body of law that can help people get a fresh start. It has the power to help relieve financial stress and get people back on track. The economy has had such an effect on everyone! If you find yourself in a position where you need help, be grateful that there are tools and resources out there because we live in a country that is free. Don't ever be too proud or afraid to ask for help. Sometimes, people just need to know their rights and options so that they can plan for a better tomorrow. Please call me at 407-217-5807 or toll free at 855-582-2737 to schedule a free consultation today. I am grateful that I have the freedom to help people in a time of need. God bless America and God bless our troops who sacrifice their blood, sweat and tears so that we can always have our freedom!

Remember, taking care of yourself and your loved ones is most important in life. I care about you and your future! ~ Katie

Consumers beware!

Consumers beware!  This tough economy has had an effect on everyone.  Jobs have been lost, homes are in foreclosure, bills are not being paid on time, families are struggling to make ends meet and the list goes on and on.  One thing that we can do to prevent the economy from taking everything from us is to protect our rights and force agencies to follow the rules.  I strongly believe that information is power.  My goal is to arm as many people as I can with knowledge of our rights so we can all win battles without having to put up much of a fight.  Through this blog, I will arm my readers with information I feel will be useful to them.  If you have questions or comments, I welcome them and will do everything I can to make sure your requests are met. 

Just because you owe a debt to an agency does not mean that they get to harass you if you default on your payments.  There is a whole body of law that that governs third party collection of debts called The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA).  Many debt collectors are using deceptive and unfair debt collection practices in order to collect on an alleged debt.  The purpose of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) is to protect consumers against debt collection abuse. FDCPA also provides consumers with an avenue for obtaining validation of debt information in order to ensure the information is accurate.

The FDPCA prohibits certain conduct from a debt collection agency such as:  calling before 8:00 a.m. or after 9:00 p.m., causing the telephone to ring repeatedly or continuously, contacting a consumer who is known to be represented by an attorney, misrepresent information or deceive the consumer in any way, threaten arrest or legal action, use abusive or profane language, communicating with a third party who has no connection with the debt, publishing the consumer's name on a bad debt list, communicating with consumer while they are at their place of employment after being advised that it is unacceptable, etc. 

The FDCPA also requires collection agencies to do certain things such as: identify themselves, give the name and address of the original creditor, notify the consumer of their right to dispute the debt, provide verification of the debt, etc. 

I can help protect you against things such as: repeated collection calls, abusive language, threats of legal action, contacting and disclosing the debt to third parties who have no connection to your debt such as your employer, coworkers, family and friends, deceptive and illegal methods of debt collection. If the economy has prevented you from being able to pay your bills on time, do not let collection agencies belittle you and stress you out any more than you are.   If any abusive and/or deceptive collection methods have been done to you, please call me at 407-217-5807 or toll free at 855-582-2737 to schedule a free consultation today.    

Remember, taking care of yourself and your loved ones is what is most important in life.  I care about you and your future! ~ Katie

April is National Financial Literacy Month

Congress has designated the month of April as National Financial Literacy Month.  Below is a link that provides a lot of resources for establishing good financial habits.  I know that in today's tough economy, it is difficult for most of us to pay our bills on time, much less save or plan for a rainy day.  Financial problems are extremely stressful and can cause problems in your marriage, personal relationships, work behavior, sleep and eating patterns and overall mental health.  Please give me a call and schedule a free consultation if you are experiencing this stress and need help figuring out which path is right for you, your family and your future. 

 

http://www.flmb.uscourts.gov/announcements/documents/financial_literacy.pdf

 

"Remember, taking care of yourself and your loved ones is what is most important in life.  I care about you and your future! ~ Katie