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Thursday, February 19, 2026

Latest:

Chapter 13 Bankruptcy, Tax Refunds, and Funding the Plan
Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Timing: Is Your Tax Refund Safe in 2026?
Strategic Dismissal: Plan B When Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Conversion Fails
The Chapter 13 Conversion: Motions, Objections, and the Liquidation Test
A Chapter 13 Cure and Conversion Strategy for Homeowners

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Infographic for Chapter 13 bankruptcy illustrating how to use a tax refund strategically for plan funding. The image shows a U.S. Treasury tax refund check being placed into a Chapter 13 plan folder, demonstrating plan feasibility and the catch-up of arrears. Insights by Prof. Hernandez at bankruptcy.blog.

Chapter 13 Bankruptcy, Tax Refunds, and Funding the Plan

Alexander Hernandez 4 min read

A professional legal setting demonstrating how to protect 2026 tax refunds through Chapter 7 bankruptcy exemptions, featured on bankruptcy.blog.

Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Timing: Is Your Tax Refund Safe in 2026?

Alexander Hernandez 5 min read

A hand strategically lifting a chess piece labeled Bankruptcy over a chessboard, illustrating the concept of strategic dismissal and Chapter 13 settlement as discussed by Prof. Hernandez on Bankruptcy.blog

Strategic Dismissal: Plan B When Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Conversion Fails

Alexander Hernandez 5 min read

The conversion from Chapter 13 to Chapter 7 isn't automatic. Prof. Hernandez explores the Motion to Convert, common Trustee objections, and how to pass the mandatory liquidation test. ai generated image

The Chapter 13 Conversion: Motions, Objections, and the Liquidation Test

Alexander Hernandez 4 min read

Discover the Chapter 13 cure and conversion strategy with Prof. Hernandez. A tactical pivot for homeowners to protect assets, via Bankruptcy.blog.

A Chapter 13 Cure and Conversion Strategy for Homeowners

Alexander Hernandez 5 min read

AI-generated image for bankruptcy.blog illustrating the 2026 consumer bankruptcy layoffs surge. The visual features a large red arrow rising between data blocks showing Jan 2026 layoffs and 549,577 consumer filings, symbolizing the path to solvency amidst economic pressure.

Insights & Analysis

The 2026 Consumer Bankruptcy Surge: Navigating the Financial Reset

Alexander Hernandez 7 min read

An alarm clock showing a dollar sign with a hand checking 'Yes' on a Reaffirmation Agreement form, representing 11th-hour timing tactics in consumer bankruptcy. Published on bankruptcy.blog.

Dealing with the “Reaffirmation Ambush”: Creditor Tactics and the 11th-Hour Timing

Alexander Hernandez 6 min read

AI-generated image for Bankruptcy.blog illustrating unreported mortgage and car payments after bankruptcy; a magnifying glass reveals "No Data Found" on a credit report next to house and car keys in a law office setting.

Why Your Mortgage and Car Payments Are “Invisible” After Bankruptcy

Alexander Hernandez 5 min read

Lawyer refusal to sign Part C of a reaffirmation agreement document showing undue hardship rules for Bankruptcy.blog.

Why Your Lawyer Won’t Sign Your Reaffirmation Agreement: The Part C Liability Trap

Alexander Hernandez 5 min read

A house of cards stabilized by a glowing wildcard on a law library table. 2026 Federal Homestead and Wildcard Exemption guide for Bankruptcy.blog.

Understanding the Federal Homestead Wildcard Exemption in 2026

Alexander Hernandez 5 min read

Infographic comparing the 2026 federal bankruptcy homestead cap of $214,000 for recent movers versus the $31,575 federal homestead exemption floor. Provided by Bankruptcy.blog.

The 1,215 Day Rule versus the Federal Exemptions. Which Law Protects Your Home in 2026?

Alexander Hernandez 3 min read

Illustration of a shielded home representing the 2026 federal bankruptcy homestead exemption limits and protections. Provided by bankruptcy.blog.Visual aid created with Copilot AI for educational purposes by bankruptcy.blog.

Understanding the Federal Bankruptcy Homestead Exemption Limits

Alexander Hernandez 4 min read

Diagram explaining the 1,215-day bankruptcy rule with a $214,000 cap compared to the $31,575 federal exemption.- Bankruptcy.blog.Visual aid created with AI for educational purposes

Understanding the Bankruptcy Homestead Exemption and the 1,215-Day Rule

Alexander Hernandez 3 min read

Stack of legal documents labeled "LAWSUIT" with a pen and leather folder, illustrating creditor lawsuit defense and bankruptcy strategy for bankruptcy.blog.

Beyond the Means Test: A 2026 Strategy for Bankruptcy & Creditor Lawsuits

Alexander Hernandez 4 min read

Insights & AnalysisView All

3D infographic by Prof. Hernandez for Bankruptcy.blog showing the structural anatomy of the 2026 financial reset, featuring red pillars for Chapter 7, Chapter 11, and Chapter 13 with technical blueprint lines on a dark background.

Insights & Analysis

Understanding the Chapters 7, 11, and 13 Bankruptcy Surge in 2026

Alexander Hernandez 6 min read

Prof. Hernandez breaks down the surge in Chapter 7, 11, and 13 bankruptcy filings. See the 2025 year-end data and what it means for the 2026 economy.

A jagged red arrow trending upward on a dark financial grid, illustrating the 76% spike in corporate bankruptcy filings for Prof. Hernandez on Bankruptcy.blog.

Insights & Analysis

The 76% Spike in Business Bankruptcy Filings

Alexander Hernandez 4 min read

Law books and a gavel with text overlay: Statute of Limitations vs. Judgment Renewal by Professor Hernandez on Bankruptcy.blog.

Insights & Analysis

The “Zombie Debt” Trap: The Statute of Limitations vs. Judgment Renewal

Alexander Hernandez 7 min read

A credit card sitting on medical billing paperwork next to a stethoscope, illustrating predatory hospital collection tactics and the risk of medical bankruptcy—originally published on Bankruptcy.blog.

Insights & Analysis

Predatory Hospital Collection Tactics: A Silent Threat to Your Finances

Alexander Hernandez 4 min read

Three white eggs representing retirement funds sit in a nest next to a 2026 tax form, illustrating how to use 2026 401k and IRA limits for asset protection — Bankruptcy.blog

Insights & Analysis

The 2026 Retirement Limits: A Strategic Guide to Asset Protection and the Means Test

Alexander Hernandez 6 min read

BankruptcyView All

A pair of headphones and a vintage microphone on a red background symbolizing a podcast on the discussion about the 341 meeting of creditors, the role of the bankruptcy trustee, and the responsibilities of the bankruptcy judge.

Podcast-Understanding the 341 Meeting of Creditors

Alexander Hernandez 5 min read

The blog discusses 341 meetings of creditors in bankruptcy, clarifying misconceptions about their proceedings.

A professional woman participating in a remote Chapter 7 341 meeting via Zoom; she has her hand raised to be sworn in by the bankruptcy trustee, with a Social Security card and the Routledge textbook 'Consumer Bankruptcy Law' visible on her desk as seen on Bankruptcy.blog.

What to Expect at Your 341 Meeting: A Law Professor’s Guide

Alexander Hernandez 4 min read

Pen pointing at 'Yes' or 'No' on a form asking 'Should you sign a Reaffirmation Agreement?'

Bankruptcy & Car Loans: Reaffirmation and Co-Signer Risk

Alexander Hernandez 6 min read

A pair of glasses resting on a document titled ‘BANKRUPTCY CHAPTER 7’ with the URL ‘Bankruptcy.Blog’ at the bottom, all placed on a dark surface with blurred stacks of papers in the background. The document references the bankruptcy code and is likely being reviewed by a bankruptcy trustee.

Understanding Bankruptcy: Effect of Joint Car Ownership in Chapter 7 and Chapter 13

Alexander Hernandez 7 min read

A view of Denali, Alaska, with the American flag flying in the foreground. This image is relevant to those considering bankruptcy in Alaska and want to learn about Alaska bankruptcy exemptions. The blog ‘bankruptcy.blog’ is visible at the bottom.

Understanding Alaska Bankruptcy Exemptions: Your Guide to Protecting Assets

Alexander Hernandez 8 min read

Debts & Dollars

Prof. Hernandez’s 2026 Economic Survival Checklist on Bankruptcy.blog for liberal preppers, featuring financial hardening and debt reduction strategies for the Trump chaos economy.

Insights & Analysis

Liberal Preppers: Preparing for Financial Uncertainty

A wooden legal gavel and a house-shaped keychain with a key, representing the legal intersections of homeownership, mortgage liens, and bankruptcy law on Bankruptcy.blog.

The Confusion with Mortgage Liens and Bankruptcy

Financial crisis warning sign over a red background with downward arrows and stock charts, symbolizing the bankruptcy surge and record U.S. household debt.

Insights & Analysis

Starbucks Layoffs, Local Coffee Bankruptcies: A Professor’s Take on the Bankruptcy Crisis

An image showing strong winds and large waves hitting a coastal area, likely during hurricane season. The text "TIME TO SAY GOODBYE" is prominently displayed on a torn piece of paper. This scene evokes the destructive power of a natural disaster, underscoring the importance of agencies like FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) in disaster response and recovery, an area that was also a focus during President Trump's administration. Read more on Bankruptcy.blog.

Insights & Analysis

See You Later FEMA. Thanks for the Help

Trump tariffs. That’s all we see on social media and hear on the news, but it’s an issue financially that can’t be ignored. So you need to be prepared for the future. So, let’s start with the latest comment by President-Elect Trump regarding the tariffs. In an interview with Time Magazine for its “Person of the Year,” President-Elect Trump said, "It's hard to bring things down once they're up. It's very hard." Of course, before he had said at a press conference: "When I win, I will immediately bring prices down. Starting on day one, we will drill, baby, drill," referring to increasing domestic oil production to bring down prices of everything. Here's the issue: nobody credible has said that the Trump tariffs will bring down prices for you, whether for groceries or anything else. You can read that blog post below. Link trump tariff But it doesn’t end there. The monthly payments on student loans are also likely to go up. If monthly payments on student loans increase, and the Trump tariffs increase your costs by 25% or more, what does that mean for you financially? It means you have to come up with more money to break even. You have to increase your income or decrease your expenses. Both are difficult to do and if you don't, you will end up in more debt. LINK COLLEGE COST We have now witnessed President-Elect Trump confirming that he can't guarantee prices will go down. People like to rationalize and ignore facts, but I'm just going based on the facts. So politics are irrelevant. Trump surrogates argue, "Don't believe what he says." Okay, so don’t believe him when he says prices will go down or when he says it's hard to get them to go down? Sorry, but it can’t be both. This rationalization of trying to approve and decipher what Trump says is just pure gibberish. Either we believe him or we can’t. That's why I keep saying cut through all the noise, smoke, and mirrors. The reality is that the consumer will pay a tax if tariffs are issued. It's always been that way and always will be. No one will ship a product, pay more for it, and then say, "Don't worry about it; we'll cover the cost." It doesn't work that way. In one particular instance, for example, if the product was defective, but en masse, with thousands of products coming in, it's not going to happen. Of course, President-Elect Trump told a story about groceries, such as a woman going to buy three apples, finding out the price, and returning one apple. How expensive were these apples? Not to mention, as part of the story, Trump said that she returned the apple to the refrigerator. I've never been to a grocery store with apples in a refrigerator, but that's just me. But that’s the point. We shouldn’t believe this story either? Of course, another economic issue is mass deportation. This is why I keep saying we must be careful, cut through the political noise and the gibberish, and stop rationalizing. Set your politics aside and use common sense. Here's a fun fact that might scare everybody: most illegal immigration takes place through airports on visa overstays, not the U.S.–Mexico border. But you can't shut down the airports because tourists aren’t the scary boogeymen, plus they spend money. So it's a hard sell. It's easier to focus on those coming through the border, even though more people enter through airports. Besides, you can’t put barbwire at the airport gates, but you surely can do such a barbaric thing in the Rio Grande. Just ask Governor Gregg Abbott from Texas. By the way, those figures on visa overstays are from the government. Now, if there are fewer people available to do migrant jobs such as farming, you're going to have a supply shortage. With demand remaining the same and supplies short, the law of supply and demand means prices go up. Now add all this together. If you’re getting hit with tariffs, increased student loan payments, and now farming products and food becoming more expensive due to shortages, you're getting hit from multiple angles. And none of those angles will save you money, but it will cost you. Whether you’re a Trump supporter or an honorary member of MAGA, what I'm talking about is simple math. Consumers are taxed with tariffs, and if fewer apples are available, the prices go up. Some consumers are making large purchases now before tariffs come in. That's fine, but we need to look at the long term. Your monthly expenses will increase if you get hit with student loans, tariffs, and a supply chain shortage. You need to analyze your personal situation and decide if getting into more debt now is the right thing to do if your expenses increase. So whether it’s the Trump tariffs, the College Cost Reduction Act, or the likely disappearance of student loan forgiveness, make sure you budget for any increases. Be careful with any financial decisions moving forward. So, while saving on the higher costs of a new car sounds like a good idea, keep in mind that car payments will still be around for five years or more. A graphic of a cargo ship loaded with containers symbolizes global trade. The image is used to discuss the impact of President Trump tariffs on international commerce and economic policies. The website “bankruptcy.blog” is listed at the bottom.

Insights & Analysis

No Guarantees that the Trump Tariffs Will Lower Prices

Latest Posts

Chapter 13 Bankruptcy, Tax Refunds, and Funding the Plan
Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Timing: Is Your Tax Refund Safe in 2026?
Strategic Dismissal: Plan B When Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Conversion Fails
The Chapter 13 Conversion: Motions, Objections, and the Liquidation Test
A Chapter 13 Cure and Conversion Strategy for Homeowners
The 2026 Consumer Bankruptcy Surge: Navigating the Financial Reset
Understanding the Chapters 7, 11, and 13 Bankruptcy Surge in 2026
The 76% Spike in Business Bankruptcy Filings
Dealing with the “Reaffirmation Ambush”: Creditor Tactics and the 11th-Hour Timing
Why Your Mortgage and Car Payments Are “Invisible” After Bankruptcy

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