I have lived in Colorado almost 6 weeks now. During that period of time there has been no snow and no rain. In fact, the weather has been like spring with sunny days and wonderful temperatures every single day. But on the day of the Chapter 13 Seminar, a freak blizzard came and covered some areas with over 2 feet of snow. The blizzard caused some of the people attending the seminar to have delayed and canceled flights; and all but two people persevered the storm to attend. The only problem we encountered was that the seminar started late. This is because it took me over 3 hours to drive the icy roads from my home in Colorado Springs to Denver. However, by the time the seminar was over, the roads were clear and it only took 45 minutes to drive back.
Although the seminar started late, everyone brought their laptop computers and worked on all three training modules as a group. I had to extend the seminar to ending around 6:45 pm in order to make sure we got through the training modules and to give everyone the level of training they paid for. However, the exercise of working together helped the attendees feel comfortable in reaching out for help when they are working on petitions rather than guessing and causing a great deal of problems.
Bankruptcy Petition Module No 1
This bankruptcy petition was the hardest to complete. It started out as a Chapter 7 but there were many adjustments that had to be made. I developed this module to cover all the basic scenarios that normally occur in average consumer cases. This way, the attendees would be able to recognize these issues when they encountered them in the real world.
We covered the Means Test in detail and the attendees discovered how to tweak the Schedules in order to make sure that the Means Test is balanced and accurately reflected the debtor(s) situation. I also provided a lot of time-saving tips to help the attendees when preparing petitions as well as what things to look for that trigger additional information they need to gather from the debtor. Little details like this are what make the difference between a good VBA and a professionally trained VBA.
Bankruptcy Petition Module No 2
I structured this entire seminar to go from hard to easy. Therefore, Bankruptcy Petition Module No 2 was easier than Module No 1. In this exercise the petition was already a Chapter 13. The training I covered was how to properly balance out Schedule I and J and use the excess to begin the Chapter 13 Plan payment calculation.
Next, we went over the debt classifications and classified the debts properly. Then we covered the variations within a Chapter 13 Plan and how to correct errors and problems. As I explained to the attendees, no Chapter 13 Plan balances out perfectly the first time. If it does, go out and have a celebration because that is a rare occurrence. Instead, we must tweak the Plan, the Schedules and the classifications until they are accurate and correct.
By learning this level of skill, a more accurate Chapter 13 Plan is submitted to the court. This helps in saving the court as well as the Trustee’s office a great deal of time. I wish the bankruptcy court would recommend my training to law firm employees because it would help to increase their efficiency. However, after years of submitting my ideas to them, simply because I do not meet their educational requirements, and because I am not an attorney, they reject my training.
But it does not really matter. You and thousands of others can utilize the training I have developed to increase your skills and become a professional in the debtor bankruptcy field. And perhaps some of you who are attorneys can take this training and present it to the court. My only goal in all of this is to benefit the average consumer and to help the system work to their advantage. In fact, this should be the major goal of all of us working in debtor law.
Bankruptcy Petition Module 3
The final training module was the easiest of all three. The Chapter 13 petition was already developed. Schedule I and J was already balanced. This time, we concentrated on putting the final touches on the Chapter 13 Plan in a no asset, no secure debt case scenario. We discussed a variety of different ways of how to correct errors that appear on the Plan. We discussed Plans that pay back less than 100% to the unsecure creditors and how these are handled within the system. We also discovered how unsecure and secured debts are classified (long term, fixed and prorata) as well as how other assets may not be protected in Plans under 100%.
Disclaimer
Because I am not an attorney, the training I present takes into account unauthorized practice of law and how to prevent it. Instead, I train non-attorneys in legal ethics as well as covering legal ethics for attorneys that are present. At this particular seminar we had four attorneys present and nine virtual bankruptcy assistants. It was an excellent mix because it prompted discussions of the various methods in which situations and cases are handled in various states.
The Second Day of the Seminar
After the seminar ended, Cheri Graham and I took Sherri Homan and Valerie Cole with us back to Colorado Springs. Both Sherri and Valerie spent the entire day with me and discussed a wide variety of material so that both of them could go back home and build their business. Sherri Homan already had her first attorney and was in the process of doing the first petition for him. However, Valerie still wanted to practice and get more knowledge under her belt before she began marketing to attorneys. We covered topics such as improving Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 skills, interviewing clients, electronic filing, researching online for lien information and marketing. I also provided both Sherri and Valerie with two books I had purchased from Nolo on foreclosures to help take their petition skills to the next level.
Added Benefit
One of the added benefits I provide to people who attend my seminars is the ability to contact me directly if they have questions and concerns after they return home. I do this because bankruptcy is not a topic you can cover in 1 day, 5 days or even 60 days. Instead, debtor bankruptcy knowledge is something you get better at as you work in it. Therefore, I can prepare people with the majority of the basic scenarios so they can have basic knowledge of most scenarios; however, when they will go back home, they normally encounter different situations and need some help. Because they attended my seminar, they only need to pick up the phone and call me or send me an email and I will help them get over the hurdles until they have reached a level of learning that meets the demands of their job.
Future Seminars
This seminar was so popular and well received that I have decided to hold two more. The next seminar will be held sometime in May in Denver, Colorado and the next in August, somewhere around Los Angeles, California. Look for an announcement to arrive in your email box so you can sign up to attend. The only reason I cannot announce the exact dates and places right now is because I am waiting to hear back from the hotels with a price for the meeting rooms.
I hope to see you at the next seminar.
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