Wednesday, July 24, 2019
Letter of Good Standing and Certificate of Existence
This video contains helpful information for those going into business within the state of North Carolina including:
Business law attorney Jason McGrath discusses Letters of Good Standing and Certificates of Existence for North Carolina businesses in this informational video.
Click here to view on YouTube - https://youtu.be/EFhxSwkVy2E
If you are in need of legal assistance for your business in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida or Ohio, please fill out our confidential client intake form.
- Certificate of Existence from the N.C. Secretary of State
- Letter of Good Standing from the N.C. of Revenue
Business law attorney Jason McGrath discusses Letters of Good Standing and Certificates of Existence for North Carolina businesses in this informational video.
Click here to view on YouTube - https://youtu.be/EFhxSwkVy2E
If you are in need of legal assistance for your business in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida or Ohio, please fill out our confidential client intake form.
Wednesday, June 5, 2019
North Carolina Mortgage Servicers & the Duty to Disclose Fees
As an experienced real estate, mortgage servicing, and foreclosure attorney, the issue of mortgage loan servicers’ failure to assess fees and notify borrowers in North Carolina is a problem area that I have encountered a significant number of times. North Carolina General Statute § 45-91 is set up to help borrowers understand fees that are assessed to their loans and to get timely notice of them.
Every mortgage loan servicer must comply with this statute on every loan it services in North Carolina. The law does not limit this notice to loans that are in default or borrowers that have filed a bankruptcy. Pursuant to the law, the mortgage loan servicer must:
Any failure by the mortgage servicer to comply with this law is deemed a waiver of the right to collect the fee from the borrower. This law is applicable to all fees assessed to a mortgage loan, including things like foreclosure fees, attorney’s fees, property inspections, property preservation fees, and any other fees permitted under the terms of the Promissory Note and Deed of Trust.
Oftentimes, mortgage loan servicers include fees on the monthly statement mailed to borrowers. It is important that you view these statements to make sure you understand the fees and that everything assessed to your loan was done within the required timeframes. When borrowers have a loan go into default or file bankruptcy, mortgage loan servicers often stop sending periodic statements or notices to borrowers. Under North Carolina law, the mortgage servicer must still comply with this law or it waives the right to collect the fees. Please note that the waiver is only for fees that were not properly assessed and communicated, you will still be responsible for the principal, interest, and any escrow amounts due under the loan.
A mortgage servicer’s failure to comply with this law can reduce amounts it claims you owe when trying to pay off a loan, or reinstate a loan that got behind on payments, or when you file bankruptcy. If you are struggling to pay your mortgage or are already behind, please feel free to contact our office for assistance.
(1) Any fee that is incurred by a servicer shall be both:
a. Assessed within 45 days of the date on which the fee was incurred. Provided, however, that attorney or trustee fees and costs incurred as a result of a foreclosure action shall be assessed within 45 days of the date they are charged by either the attorney or trustee to the servicer.
b. Explained clearly and conspicuously in a statement mailed to the borrower at the borrower's last known address within 30 days after assessing the fee, provided the servicer shall not be required to take any action in violation of the provisions of the federal bankruptcy code. The servicer shall not be required to send such a statement for a fee that either:
1. Is otherwise included in a periodic statement sent to the borrower that meets the requirements of paragraphs (b), (c), and (d) of 12 C.F.R. § 1026.41.
2. Results from a service that is affirmatively requested by the borrower, is paid for by the borrower at the time the service is provided, and is not charged to the borrower's loan account.
(3) Failure to charge the fee or provide the information within the allowable time and in the manner required under subdivision (1) of subsection (a) of this section constitutes a waiver of such fee.
Every mortgage loan servicer must comply with this statute on every loan it services in North Carolina. The law does not limit this notice to loans that are in default or borrowers that have filed a bankruptcy. Pursuant to the law, the mortgage loan servicer must:
- Assess any fee on the account within forty-five (45) days of it being incurred; and
- Send a clear and concise written statement to the borrower, at their last known mailing address, within thirty (30) days of assessing the fee
Any failure by the mortgage servicer to comply with this law is deemed a waiver of the right to collect the fee from the borrower. This law is applicable to all fees assessed to a mortgage loan, including things like foreclosure fees, attorney’s fees, property inspections, property preservation fees, and any other fees permitted under the terms of the Promissory Note and Deed of Trust.
Oftentimes, mortgage loan servicers include fees on the monthly statement mailed to borrowers. It is important that you view these statements to make sure you understand the fees and that everything assessed to your loan was done within the required timeframes. When borrowers have a loan go into default or file bankruptcy, mortgage loan servicers often stop sending periodic statements or notices to borrowers. Under North Carolina law, the mortgage servicer must still comply with this law or it waives the right to collect the fees. Please note that the waiver is only for fees that were not properly assessed and communicated, you will still be responsible for the principal, interest, and any escrow amounts due under the loan.
A mortgage servicer’s failure to comply with this law can reduce amounts it claims you owe when trying to pay off a loan, or reinstate a loan that got behind on payments, or when you file bankruptcy. If you are struggling to pay your mortgage or are already behind, please feel free to contact our office for assistance.
Key Excerpts from the statute are below.
N.C.G.S. § 45-91. Assessment of fees; processing of payments; publication of statements. A servicer must comply as to every home loan, regardless of whether the loan is considered in default or the borrower is in bankruptcy or the borrower has been in bankruptcy, with the following requirements:(1) Any fee that is incurred by a servicer shall be both:
a. Assessed within 45 days of the date on which the fee was incurred. Provided, however, that attorney or trustee fees and costs incurred as a result of a foreclosure action shall be assessed within 45 days of the date they are charged by either the attorney or trustee to the servicer.
b. Explained clearly and conspicuously in a statement mailed to the borrower at the borrower's last known address within 30 days after assessing the fee, provided the servicer shall not be required to take any action in violation of the provisions of the federal bankruptcy code. The servicer shall not be required to send such a statement for a fee that either:
1. Is otherwise included in a periodic statement sent to the borrower that meets the requirements of paragraphs (b), (c), and (d) of 12 C.F.R. § 1026.41.
2. Results from a service that is affirmatively requested by the borrower, is paid for by the borrower at the time the service is provided, and is not charged to the borrower's loan account.
(3) Failure to charge the fee or provide the information within the allowable time and in the manner required under subdivision (1) of subsection (a) of this section constitutes a waiver of such fee.
Monday, May 27, 2019
Where Does an Arbitration Physically Take Place?
Attorney Jason McGrath shares some information about where you can expect an arbitration proceeding to physically take place in this short video and summarized in this blog post.
Understand the practical logistics of an arbitration that may arise from a dispute about your business contract.
Here are some of the key points contained in this informational video:
Occasionally a court will enter an order as to the logistical specifics of arbitration, such as the hearing location.
You should get advice from a contract attorney to assist in handling litigation issues like arbitration.
If you need legal services in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Ohio or Tennessee, we invite you to fill out our confidential client form for possible legal assistance.
Understand the practical logistics of an arbitration that may arise from a dispute about your business contract.
Here are some of the key points contained in this informational video:
Where will the arbitration physically take place? What city or county? An attorney’s office? The courthouse? City hall?
- As far as city or county, arbitration often takes place where a related lawsuit would be (or is) taking place.
- Some arbitration agreements will dictate what city or county the arbitration must occur in.
- Arbitration can usually occur anywhere that the parties agree.
- The arbitration hearing could take place at a private law office or the arbitrator’s office.
- Arbitration doesn't usually occur in the courthouse.
Occasionally a court will enter an order as to the logistical specifics of arbitration, such as the hearing location.
You should get advice from a contract attorney to assist in handling litigation issues like arbitration.
If you need legal services in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Ohio or Tennessee, we invite you to fill out our confidential client form for possible legal assistance.
Monday, April 29, 2019
How To Dissolve a Corporation in North Carolina?
As an attorney who routinely handles business law related questions this situation is not unusual. Most businesses have a life cycle and it's good to know how to legally dissolve a corporation which has decided to end its operations.
North Carolina has laws specific to this question. In its most basic form, the corporation needs to vote to dissolve and then file the proper documents with the North Carolina Secretary of State's office. The process is slightly different if you have issued shares or have not issued shares, and if you have a board of directors or not. There are a number of other things a corporation has to do as well. Keep in mind, also, that there are other ways and methods by which a corporation can become dissolved, such as by court order.
A partial excerpt of the relevant section of the North Carolina General Statutes, Chapter 55 Article 14, Part 1, is pasted further below; while not exciting, it's a must-read for anyone considering corporate dissolution or already in the process of dissolving a corporation.
The Small Business Administration has issued a guide that will also assist you in dissolving a corporation. It is not specific to a particular state, but is generally helpful. It is recommended that you procure the services of an attorney in order to assist you with this process.
If you have a need for business law advice or services in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Georgia, or Tennessee, please feel free to contact our office for assistance.
(1) The name of the corporation;
(1a) The names and addresses of its officers, if any;
(1b) The names and addresses of its directors, if any, or if none, the names and addresses of its incorporators;
(2) The date of its incorporation;
(3) That none of the corporation's shares has been issued;
(4) That no debt of the corporation remains unpaid;
(5) Reserved for future codification purposes; and
(6) That a majority of the incorporators or the board of directors authorized the dissolution.
(b) A corporation is dissolved upon the effective date of its articles of dissolution. (1955, c. 1371, s. 1; 1959, c. 1316, s. 261/2; 1989, c. 265, s. 1; 1989 (Reg. Sess., 1990), c. 1024, s. 12.19.)
(b) The following requirements shall be met for a proposal to dissolve to be adopted:
(1) The board of directors shall recommend to the shareholders that the proposal to dissolve be approved unless one of the following circumstances exist, in which event the board of directors shall communicate the basis for not recommending approval of the proposal to dissolve to the shareholders at the time it submits the proposal to dissolve to the shareholders:
a. The board of directors determines that, because of conflict of interest or other special circumstances, it should not make a recommendation that the shareholders approve the proposal to dissolve.
b. G.S. 55‑8‑26 applies.
(2) The shareholders entitled to vote must approve the proposal to dissolve as provided in subsection (e).
(c) The board of directors may condition its submission of the proposal for dissolution on any basis.
(d) The corporation shall notify each shareholder, whether or not entitled to vote, of the proposed shareholders' meeting in accordance with G.S. 55‑7‑05. The notice must also state that the purpose, or one of the purposes, of the meeting is to consider dissolving the corporation.
(e) Unless the articles of incorporation, a bylaw adopted by the shareholders, or the board of directors (acting pursuant to subsection (c)) require a greater vote or a vote by voting groups, the proposal to dissolve to be adopted must be approved by a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast on that proposal. (1901, c. 2, s. 34; Rev., s. 1195; C.S., s. 1182; 1941, c. 195; G.S., s. 55‑121; 1951, c. 1005, s. 4; 1955, c. 1371, s. 1; 1989, c. 265, s. 1; 2013‑153, s. 14.)
(1) The name of the corporation;
(1a) The names and addresses of its officers;
(1b) The names and addresses of its directors;
(2) The date dissolution was authorized;
(3) A statement that shareholder approval was obtained as required by this Chapter.
(4) Repealed by Session Laws 1991, c. 645, s. 10(c).
(b) A corporation is dissolved upon the effective date of its articles of dissolution.
(c) For purposes of this Chapter, a dissolved corporation is a corporation whose articles of dissolution have become effective and includes a successor entity to which the remaining assets of the corporation are transferred subject to its liabilities for purposes of a liquidation. (1901, c. 2, s. 34; Rev., s. 1195; C.S., s. 1182; 1941, c. 195; G.S., s. 55‑121; 1951, c. 1005, s. 4; 1955, c. 1371, s. 1; 1989, c. 265, s. 1; 1991, c. 645, s. 10(c); 2005‑268, s. 31.)
North Carolina has laws specific to this question. In its most basic form, the corporation needs to vote to dissolve and then file the proper documents with the North Carolina Secretary of State's office. The process is slightly different if you have issued shares or have not issued shares, and if you have a board of directors or not. There are a number of other things a corporation has to do as well. Keep in mind, also, that there are other ways and methods by which a corporation can become dissolved, such as by court order.
A partial excerpt of the relevant section of the North Carolina General Statutes, Chapter 55 Article 14, Part 1, is pasted further below; while not exciting, it's a must-read for anyone considering corporate dissolution or already in the process of dissolving a corporation.
The Small Business Administration has issued a guide that will also assist you in dissolving a corporation. It is not specific to a particular state, but is generally helpful. It is recommended that you procure the services of an attorney in order to assist you with this process.
If you have a need for business law advice or services in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Georgia, or Tennessee, please feel free to contact our office for assistance.
Article 14.
Dissolution.
Part 1. Voluntary Dissolution.
Dissolution.
Part 1. Voluntary Dissolution.
§ 55‑14‑01. Dissolution by incorporators or directors.
(a) The board of directors or, if the corporation has no directors, a majority of the incorporators of a corporation that has not issued shares may dissolve the corporation by delivering to the Secretary of State for filing articles of dissolution that set forth:(1) The name of the corporation;
(1a) The names and addresses of its officers, if any;
(1b) The names and addresses of its directors, if any, or if none, the names and addresses of its incorporators;
(2) The date of its incorporation;
(3) That none of the corporation's shares has been issued;
(4) That no debt of the corporation remains unpaid;
(5) Reserved for future codification purposes; and
(6) That a majority of the incorporators or the board of directors authorized the dissolution.
(b) A corporation is dissolved upon the effective date of its articles of dissolution. (1955, c. 1371, s. 1; 1959, c. 1316, s. 261/2; 1989, c. 265, s. 1; 1989 (Reg. Sess., 1990), c. 1024, s. 12.19.)
§ 55‑14‑02. Dissolution by board of directors and shareholders.
(a) A corporation's board of directors may propose dissolution for submission to the shareholders.(b) The following requirements shall be met for a proposal to dissolve to be adopted:
(1) The board of directors shall recommend to the shareholders that the proposal to dissolve be approved unless one of the following circumstances exist, in which event the board of directors shall communicate the basis for not recommending approval of the proposal to dissolve to the shareholders at the time it submits the proposal to dissolve to the shareholders:
a. The board of directors determines that, because of conflict of interest or other special circumstances, it should not make a recommendation that the shareholders approve the proposal to dissolve.
b. G.S. 55‑8‑26 applies.
(2) The shareholders entitled to vote must approve the proposal to dissolve as provided in subsection (e).
(c) The board of directors may condition its submission of the proposal for dissolution on any basis.
(d) The corporation shall notify each shareholder, whether or not entitled to vote, of the proposed shareholders' meeting in accordance with G.S. 55‑7‑05. The notice must also state that the purpose, or one of the purposes, of the meeting is to consider dissolving the corporation.
(e) Unless the articles of incorporation, a bylaw adopted by the shareholders, or the board of directors (acting pursuant to subsection (c)) require a greater vote or a vote by voting groups, the proposal to dissolve to be adopted must be approved by a majority of all the votes entitled to be cast on that proposal. (1901, c. 2, s. 34; Rev., s. 1195; C.S., s. 1182; 1941, c. 195; G.S., s. 55‑121; 1951, c. 1005, s. 4; 1955, c. 1371, s. 1; 1989, c. 265, s. 1; 2013‑153, s. 14.)
§ 55‑14‑03. Articles of dissolution.
(a) At any time after dissolution is authorized pursuant to G.S. 55‑14‑02, the corporation may dissolve by delivering to the Secretary of State for filing articles of dissolution setting forth:(1) The name of the corporation;
(1a) The names and addresses of its officers;
(1b) The names and addresses of its directors;
(2) The date dissolution was authorized;
(3) A statement that shareholder approval was obtained as required by this Chapter.
(4) Repealed by Session Laws 1991, c. 645, s. 10(c).
(b) A corporation is dissolved upon the effective date of its articles of dissolution.
(c) For purposes of this Chapter, a dissolved corporation is a corporation whose articles of dissolution have become effective and includes a successor entity to which the remaining assets of the corporation are transferred subject to its liabilities for purposes of a liquidation. (1901, c. 2, s. 34; Rev., s. 1195; C.S., s. 1182; 1941, c. 195; G.S., s. 55‑121; 1951, c. 1005, s. 4; 1955, c. 1371, s. 1; 1989, c. 265, s. 1; 1991, c. 645, s. 10(c); 2005‑268, s. 31.)
■
Wednesday, March 27, 2019
Reverse Mortgages and the Foreclosure Process in North Carolina
Article written by Attorney Mike Spicer.
Reverse mortgages have grown in popularity in recent years and some retirees are using them as part of a retirement plan. This post explains some of the unique issues that arise when lenders try to proceed with a reverse mortgage foreclosure in North Carolina.
In a traditional residential foreclosure, the lender typically proceeds based upon a default in payments. In other words, the borrower is behind in the monthly payments and has not brought the loan current after a request to do so. In a reverse mortgage, the borrower does not make monthly payments, so the reason for default is different. Under North Carolina General Statute 53-267, there are six different ways that a lender can establish a default in the reverse mortgage. Those six triggering events are as follows:
McGrath & Spielberger PLLC have found that a fair number of reverse mortgage foreclosures are filed because of simple oversight. For example, reverse mortgage lenders send out a notice once a year asking the borrower to certify that the property is still being used as a primary residence. If this form is not completed and sent back to the lender, a default notice may be mailed for failure to occupy the property as the primary residence. The borrower may be living in the home and still get a notice that the loan is in default. Other common issues arise regarding property taxes and payment of insurance premiums. In many cases, these payments have been made but the lender is not aware. Good record keeping can help the borrower in many of these situations.
Even though there are more ways for a reverse mortgage to be declared in default, North Carolina does offer the borrower some protection not offered in a typical residential foreclosure. One such example of this is found in North Carolina General Statute 53-268. This statute requires a lender to provide at least ninety (90) days’ notice to a borrower before initiating a foreclosure. The traditional mortgage foreclosure brought under Chapter 45 of the North Carolina general statutes permits half that time. In addition to any requirements under state law, a large percentage of reverse mortgages are backed, owned, or controlled by investors that require additional steps to be taken by a lender before foreclosing on a reverse mortgage.
If you are a senior and find yourself in the unfortunate situation of defending against a foreclosure of a reverse mortgage, it is important to seek the advice of an attorney that understands these issues to make sure your rights are protected. The highly skilled and experienced team of attorneys at McGrath & Spielberger, PLLC are here to help when you need legal assistance. If you are facing a reverse mortgage foreclosure or have been sent a notice of default for a reverse mortgage, please complete our confidential client intake form today.
Reverse mortgages have grown in popularity in recent years and some retirees are using them as part of a retirement plan. This post explains some of the unique issues that arise when lenders try to proceed with a reverse mortgage foreclosure in North Carolina.
In a traditional residential foreclosure, the lender typically proceeds based upon a default in payments. In other words, the borrower is behind in the monthly payments and has not brought the loan current after a request to do so. In a reverse mortgage, the borrower does not make monthly payments, so the reason for default is different. Under North Carolina General Statute 53-267, there are six different ways that a lender can establish a default in the reverse mortgage. Those six triggering events are as follows:
- Borrower fails to maintain the property; or
- Borrower sells the property or conveys title to a third party; or
- Death of the borrower and no surviving spouse uses the property as a primary residence; or
- Borrower fails to reside in the property as the primary residence for a period of twelve (12) consecutive months due to a physical or mental illness; or
- For reasons other than physical or mental illness, borrower fails to use the property as the primary residence for a period of 180 consecutive days, and the property is not used as the primary residence of at least one other borrower, and the lender has not given written permission to abandon the property as the primary residence; or
- Borrower fails to maintain property taxes, property insurance, and/or property assessments.
McGrath & Spielberger PLLC have found that a fair number of reverse mortgage foreclosures are filed because of simple oversight. For example, reverse mortgage lenders send out a notice once a year asking the borrower to certify that the property is still being used as a primary residence. If this form is not completed and sent back to the lender, a default notice may be mailed for failure to occupy the property as the primary residence. The borrower may be living in the home and still get a notice that the loan is in default. Other common issues arise regarding property taxes and payment of insurance premiums. In many cases, these payments have been made but the lender is not aware. Good record keeping can help the borrower in many of these situations.
Even though there are more ways for a reverse mortgage to be declared in default, North Carolina does offer the borrower some protection not offered in a typical residential foreclosure. One such example of this is found in North Carolina General Statute 53-268. This statute requires a lender to provide at least ninety (90) days’ notice to a borrower before initiating a foreclosure. The traditional mortgage foreclosure brought under Chapter 45 of the North Carolina general statutes permits half that time. In addition to any requirements under state law, a large percentage of reverse mortgages are backed, owned, or controlled by investors that require additional steps to be taken by a lender before foreclosing on a reverse mortgage.
If you are a senior and find yourself in the unfortunate situation of defending against a foreclosure of a reverse mortgage, it is important to seek the advice of an attorney that understands these issues to make sure your rights are protected. The highly skilled and experienced team of attorneys at McGrath & Spielberger, PLLC are here to help when you need legal assistance. If you are facing a reverse mortgage foreclosure or have been sent a notice of default for a reverse mortgage, please complete our confidential client intake form today.
Monday, February 25, 2019
Arbitration versus Mediation
Follow this link to watch the video on YouTube, https://youtu.be/psEknpr5jXM
We hope you have enjoyed this informative video from McGrath & Spielberger PLLC. Our highly skilled and experienced business and contract lawyers are here to help when you need legal assistance. If you are facing a lawsuit, please fill out our confidential client intake form for legal assistance.
Monday, February 4, 2019
Follow the Contract's Arbitration Clause or File a Lawsuit?
Attorney Jason McGrath explains some things to consider when considering whether to follow a contract's arbitration clause or file a lawsuit in this short video.
Click here to watch on YouTube or watch the video below.
Here are some of the key points contained in the video:
You should have your attorney take a look at the contract and then make a careful decision on how to proceed based on a through legal analysis of your case and the contract.
If you need legal services in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Ohio, or Tennessee we invite you to fill out our confidential client form for possible legal assistance.
Click here to watch on YouTube or watch the video below.
Here are some of the key points contained in the video:
- How do you end up in arbitration vs. in court?
- Typically, someone has to decide - do we follow the arbitration clause or just file a lawsuit?
- Parties usually just file a formal lawsuit as if there is no arbitration clause.
- There can be some negatives to ignoring the arbitration clause.
You should have your attorney take a look at the contract and then make a careful decision on how to proceed based on a through legal analysis of your case and the contract.
If you need legal services in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Ohio, or Tennessee we invite you to fill out our confidential client form for possible legal assistance.
Thursday, January 24, 2019
North Carolina Mortgage Foreclosure Process - Lost Loan Notes
It is important to note that foreclosures can vary greatly depending on the smallest detail. An experienced real estate contract lawyer in Charlotte NC should be able to access your particular situation and guide you toward the best possible resolution.
If you are facing a foreclosure situation in North Carolina, please fill out our confidential client intake form for legal assistance. We have staff available to assist with real estate and mortgage matters in Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and even Ohio.
Wednesday, December 19, 2018
Choosing a Business Lawyer for NC Corporations and Other Small Business
In this video, business attorney Jason McGrath of McGrath & Spielberger PLLC discusses key points that should be considered when hiring a business lawyer for NC Corporations and other small business.
Business Law Attorney Jason A. McGrath provides the following three tips to selecting the best business law attorney in Charlotte NC.
McGrath & Spielberger, PLLC Business Law Attorney focuses on General Business Law matters such as starting a business, expanding a business, analyzing contracts, resolving disputes, NC Corporations and much, much more! We encourage you to visit our website to learn more about our practice and lawyers serving Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Ohio.
Business Law Attorney Jason A. McGrath provides the following three tips to selecting the best business law attorney in Charlotte NC.
Tip #1
Do they have a great reputation with their clients and their peers?Tip #2
Are they willing to provide the level of service you want and need?Tip #3
Is the attorney personable? Do you feel comfortable? Your comfort is important!
Wednesday, November 21, 2018
Recently engaged? 5 reasons why you should consider a prenup
Here are my top 5 reasons for signing a prenup.
- A prenup promotes communication between future spouses so they are fully aware of the other’s financial situation and other issues prior to marriage. In North Carolina and South Carolina, each party must voluntarily provide a full and fair financial disclosure about his or her property and financial obligations (unless waived in writing).
- A prenup can establish how property matters will be handled in the future. If you are a person who has substantial individual or family assets, a prenuptial agreement may be a great way to specify how debt and other financial issues will be handled during the marriage.
- A prenup can determine the rights and obligations of each party with regard to the right to buy, sell, use, transfer, exchange, abandon, lease, or otherwise dispose of, control, or manage certain property. In North Carolina and South Carolina, property obtained during the marriage is generally treated as marital or joint property, but a prenup can change the general rule for property acquired during the marriage.
- A prenup can protect a person that has a professional practice or other service business. For all the entrepreneurs out there, this is a great way to protect your hard work, while still being able to provide for your new family.
- A prenup can be viewed as a proactive dispute resolution system, as it can simplify the divorce process. A prenup may reduce the chance of litigation upon divorce and, in addition, reduce those litigation costs. This may be beneficial for a party that is entering into a second marriage or those who have children from previous relationships.
Contact us today to get started on your prenuptial agreement.
Tuesday, October 9, 2018
Congrats, You’ve Inherited a Mess
By Jason McGrath
You’ve just inherited the family home, where you’ve not lived for many years, after the unfortunate but inevitable passing of your last living parent. You know there is a mortgage loan for the property. You have many questions, which may generally be summarized “What are my options, how does this work, and what happens now?” The primary focus of this article is to explore the legal and practical factors which play key roles when heirs attempt to deal with the mortgage loan and the mortgage loan servicer.
Daughter finds a mortgage loan statement from Questionable Loan Servicing, LLC. It appears that Mom had not paid the mortgage for the last few months before her death; the loan statement lists the account as delinquent to the tune of $5,000.00, with an overall unpaid balance of $225,000.00. A week later, Daughter calls Questionable Loan Servicing, LLC, who won’t speak to her without Mom’s authorization. The fact that Mom isn’t alive to give that permission doesn’t seem to have the impact it should with Questionable’s customer service representative. However, good news! Since Daughter says she inherited the house, she must be the Executor; if the Executor provides certain formal documents, Questionable will speak to the Executor about the mortgage loan status, options, and any other relevant issues. “No, I’m not Executor, but I’ve been told by the attorney that I own the property and should be able to deal with the mortgage loan.”
Questionable’s earnest and well-intentioned customer service representative promises to look into the situation and send written information which will clarify if and how Daughter may be able to deal with the mortgage loan and get access to the loan account. Daughter confirms her own mailing address and says she’ll wait for the documents. Three weeks later, Daughter finds five different letters from Questionable, all sent to the family home; they are:
1. a letter to Mom which says that $232,500.00 is now due and that the matter has been referred to an attorney to initiate foreclosure proceedings;
2. a letter to Mom which says that Questionable may be able to assist with foreclosure-avoidance options;
3. a letter to Daughter which says Questionable cannot talk to her until she provides proper legal authorization;
4. a letter to the Executor which says that the Executor should provide Questionable with Mom’s death certificate, a copy of the trust (but there was no trust!), and the property deed which shows who the new owner is (but there is no such deed!); and
5. a letter to Mom’s Estate which reminds everyone that the loan has a “due upon conveyance” clause, and that if ownership of the home is transferred without the mortgage loan note-holder’s permission, the loan could be accelerated and be called due in full.
Daughter, now completely discouraged, begins to slowly knock her head against the nearest wall and contemplates opening another bottle of Mom’s scotch. What can she do? What should she do? Will they ever talk to her? Can they foreclose? Does she need to refinance? Does she really own the home? Can they sue her over the unpaid mortgage? What a mess.
(a) Reasonable policies and procedures. A servicer shall maintain policies and procedures that are reasonably designed to achieve the objectives set forth in paragraph (b) of this section.
(b) Objectives. (1) Accessing and providing timely and accurate information. The policies and procedures required by paragraph (a) of this section shall be reasonably designed to ensure that the servicer can:
(vi) Upon notification of the death of a borrower, promptly identify and facilitate communication with the successor in interest of the deceased borrower with respect to the property secured by the deceased borrower’s mortgage loan.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (the “CFPB”) has defined “successor in interest” in this context to mean “the spouse, child, or heir of a deceased borrower or other party with an interest in the property.” The CFPB requires loan servicers to follow the requirements as explained in the above-referenced CFR, and has formally observed that the existence of and compliance with such policies and procedures in scenarios involving transfer of ownership due to death is important to “reduce the number of unnecessary defaults and foreclosures….”
Congrats
The same CFPB bulletin provides practical examples of actions the loan servicer should take to be in compliance, thus also providing successors in interest like Daughter insight into what can be done from the other side of the equation. In summary, Daughter should at a minimum provide a copy of the death certificate, any and all documents which evidence her as the heir / new owner (no, in North Carolina this would not include a deed in her name, which shouldn’t exist), and even copies of the CFR and CFPB items cited herein.
Daughter needs to be persistent, be patient (to a certain extent), to maintain good documentation, and to try to make sure the loan servicer’s various departments are appropriately communicating with each other and with external parties (such as any substitute trustee and/or law firm retained to handle a foreclosure of the family home). If the loan servicer fails to effectively cooperate, Daughter should consider filing a complaint with the CFPB and perhaps the North Carolina Commissioner of Banks. The bureaucratic roadblocks are often formidably Byzantine, and I can personally vouch for some of the horror stories which arise from dealing with loan servicers.
Independent of any due on conveyance clause, the heir’s ownership of the property does not in any way need to be approved by the mortgage loan creditor or anyone else in relation to the loan or the deed of trust. The rights to own real property and to pass it down to subsequent generations are very strongly protected ones.
So the bad news is that the loan does need to be paid if Daughter wants to keep the property. However, unless Daughter has formally agreed to become personally liable for the loan, the creditor cannot pursue her personally for money or any other damages if the loan is not paid as agreed.
One somewhat miscellaneous factor to consider is that a foreclosure case may contain the Daughter as a respondent, and if a foreclosure occurred it is at least possible that her credit report (arguably incorrectly / illegally) would reflect a “foreclosure.”
In our scenario, the mortgage loan is delinquent and a foreclosure case appears to be in the works. Daughter’s right to refinance the family home is not restricted due to the mortgage loan being delinquent, and even the existence of a foreclosure case would not restrict said rights. She, as owner of the property, is free to refinance the property by seeking a new loan which would pay off the pre-existing loan and result in the pre-existing deed of trust being canceled. This new loan would presumably have Daughter as the borrower and the fact that she inherited the property would be of little to no relevance.
With regard to modifying the loan Mom had on the property, yes, Daughter can try to negotiate a modification of the same. In almost every instance in which Daughter seeks a modification of the loan, the creditor will require her to personally become an obligor on the loan in exchange for offering modification terms. We might normally say the creditor would require her to “assume” the loan, but word choice matters in this context, as explained in a following section.
Daughter can sell the property whether the loan is current or not, but the loan will need to be paid off as part of the sale (barring some other agreement). Daughter also has the power to enter into other types of transactions, such as a discounted payoff (“DPO”) of the loan which allows her to own the property free and clear, or a deedin-lieu (“DIL”) of foreclosure which transfers ownership of the property to the mortgage loan creditor. In some instances, Daughter may not bother negotiating a DIL, as the primary advantage of that resolution compared to a foreclosure is usually the waiver of the creditor’s right to seek damages from the borrower, something Daughter would not need to worry about as long as she had not formally agreed to become personally obligated on the loan.
Of course, any real property-related transaction an heir considers entering into must take into account whether there is a risk of the real property being pulled into the estate to be liquidated to obtain cash to pay creditors besides the mortgage loan creditor. In our example scenario, Mom has no other creditors and thus Daughter is not concerned with this issue.
If Daughter needs to modify the loan and the creditor will allow that without requiring her to become personally obligated on the loan, great -- but there is almost no chance of that happening. The creditor will almost certainly require her to become personally obligated in exchange for that modification.
I have been involved in cases in which the creditor would not commit to a loan modification before the heir agreed to become personally obligated. In other words, the loan servicer said “If Daughter formally agrees to become personally obligated on the loan, we will then *consider* a modification.” My response included indignant laughter and (with client’s approval) a professional commentary similar in theme to “When pigs fly.” Under almost no circumstances would I advise a client to become personally obligated on a loan unless that came along with a guaranteed outcome which suited the client’s wants and needs.
If Daughter wanted to modify the loan, and Questionable Loan Servicing, LLC (acting on behalf of the loan note-holder) wanted her to become obligated as a borrower on the loan in exchange for modified loan terms and the loan being considered back in good standing, the ATR rule need not be considered and need not serve as an obstacle. Daughter would not be “assuming” the loan for purposes of the ATR rule, although what she would be doing very much looks, sounds, and smells like an assumption and would be considered one in almost any other context.
Jason McGrath of Charlotte is licensed in three states, and his law firm McGrath and Spielberger, PLLC focuses on real property and business law matters in the Carolinas.
Published by the Real Property Section of the North Carolina Bar Association • May 2018 • www.ncbar.org
You’ve just inherited the family home, where you’ve not lived for many years, after the unfortunate but inevitable passing of your last living parent. You know there is a mortgage loan for the property. You have many questions, which may generally be summarized “What are my options, how does this work, and what happens now?” The primary focus of this article is to explore the legal and practical factors which play key roles when heirs attempt to deal with the mortgage loan and the mortgage loan servicer.
A Commonplace Scenario
Dad passed years ago, and Mom inherited his interests in the family home. Mom just passed away, and Daughter has inherited all interests in the family home, although she has not lived there for 20 years. Mom was debt free except for the mortgage loan on the family home. Daughter knows of the existence of the mortgage loan, with an associated lien on the family home, but she doesn’t know much more and doesn’t have any specialized knowledge or experience with mortgage loans, deeds of trust, or similar issues. Daughter never wanted to be the executor, so Cousin Sally is performing that role.Daughter finds a mortgage loan statement from Questionable Loan Servicing, LLC. It appears that Mom had not paid the mortgage for the last few months before her death; the loan statement lists the account as delinquent to the tune of $5,000.00, with an overall unpaid balance of $225,000.00. A week later, Daughter calls Questionable Loan Servicing, LLC, who won’t speak to her without Mom’s authorization. The fact that Mom isn’t alive to give that permission doesn’t seem to have the impact it should with Questionable’s customer service representative. However, good news! Since Daughter says she inherited the house, she must be the Executor; if the Executor provides certain formal documents, Questionable will speak to the Executor about the mortgage loan status, options, and any other relevant issues. “No, I’m not Executor, but I’ve been told by the attorney that I own the property and should be able to deal with the mortgage loan.”
Questionable’s earnest and well-intentioned customer service representative promises to look into the situation and send written information which will clarify if and how Daughter may be able to deal with the mortgage loan and get access to the loan account. Daughter confirms her own mailing address and says she’ll wait for the documents. Three weeks later, Daughter finds five different letters from Questionable, all sent to the family home; they are:
1. a letter to Mom which says that $232,500.00 is now due and that the matter has been referred to an attorney to initiate foreclosure proceedings;
2. a letter to Mom which says that Questionable may be able to assist with foreclosure-avoidance options;
3. a letter to Daughter which says Questionable cannot talk to her until she provides proper legal authorization;
4. a letter to the Executor which says that the Executor should provide Questionable with Mom’s death certificate, a copy of the trust (but there was no trust!), and the property deed which shows who the new owner is (but there is no such deed!); and
5. a letter to Mom’s Estate which reminds everyone that the loan has a “due upon conveyance” clause, and that if ownership of the home is transferred without the mortgage loan note-holder’s permission, the loan could be accelerated and be called due in full.
Daughter, now completely discouraged, begins to slowly knock her head against the nearest wall and contemplates opening another bottle of Mom’s scotch. What can she do? What should she do? Will they ever talk to her? Can they foreclose? Does she need to refinance? Does she really own the home? Can they sue her over the unpaid mortgage? What a mess.
Heirs Interacting with the Mortgage Loan Servicer
It’s almost impossible to figure any of this out if the mortgage loan servicer won’t provide information and recognize you as the owner, or at least as an individual authorized to have access to the loan account, so getting that access almost always needs to be the first step. Here is the most relevant part of the Code of Federal Regulations on the issue of a mortgage loan servicer’s duties in such scenarios:(a) Reasonable policies and procedures. A servicer shall maintain policies and procedures that are reasonably designed to achieve the objectives set forth in paragraph (b) of this section.
(b) Objectives. (1) Accessing and providing timely and accurate information. The policies and procedures required by paragraph (a) of this section shall be reasonably designed to ensure that the servicer can:
(vi) Upon notification of the death of a borrower, promptly identify and facilitate communication with the successor in interest of the deceased borrower with respect to the property secured by the deceased borrower’s mortgage loan.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (the “CFPB”) has defined “successor in interest” in this context to mean “the spouse, child, or heir of a deceased borrower or other party with an interest in the property.” The CFPB requires loan servicers to follow the requirements as explained in the above-referenced CFR, and has formally observed that the existence of and compliance with such policies and procedures in scenarios involving transfer of ownership due to death is important to “reduce the number of unnecessary defaults and foreclosures….”
Congrats
The same CFPB bulletin provides practical examples of actions the loan servicer should take to be in compliance, thus also providing successors in interest like Daughter insight into what can be done from the other side of the equation. In summary, Daughter should at a minimum provide a copy of the death certificate, any and all documents which evidence her as the heir / new owner (no, in North Carolina this would not include a deed in her name, which shouldn’t exist), and even copies of the CFR and CFPB items cited herein.
Daughter needs to be persistent, be patient (to a certain extent), to maintain good documentation, and to try to make sure the loan servicer’s various departments are appropriately communicating with each other and with external parties (such as any substitute trustee and/or law firm retained to handle a foreclosure of the family home). If the loan servicer fails to effectively cooperate, Daughter should consider filing a complaint with the CFPB and perhaps the North Carolina Commissioner of Banks. The bureaucratic roadblocks are often formidably Byzantine, and I can personally vouch for some of the horror stories which arise from dealing with loan servicers.
Does the Heir, as new Owner, Need to be “Approved” by the Creditor in Order to Avoid Foreclosure?
Most people don’t realize that mortgage loan agreements and/or deeds of trust often have a “due upon conveyance” clause (often called a “due on sale” clause, with such description being an incomplete one). These contractual clauses, in essence, allow the creditor to call the mortgage loan due if ownership of the associated real property is conveyed to someone else without creditor’s permission. There are good and understandable reasons for such clauses. However, for your typical residential property, these clauses are not enforceable when the conveyance occurred due to death of the previous owner and the resulting conveyance was to a relative. In our scenario, the creditor cannot call the loan due and/or foreclose merely because Daughter is now the owner, with the creditor not having approved her ownership.Independent of any due on conveyance clause, the heir’s ownership of the property does not in any way need to be approved by the mortgage loan creditor or anyone else in relation to the loan or the deed of trust. The rights to own real property and to pass it down to subsequent generations are very strongly protected ones.
Must the Heir Pay the Mortgage Loan?
In our scenario, Daughter may wonder if, merely by becoming the owner, she has now somehow become obligated to pay the mortgage loan. The answer is no, but barring some other agreement, if the loan isn’t paid in accordance with the contractual loan terms, the creditor can accelerate the loan and foreclose via the deed of trust just as if Mom was still alive and still the owner. Unfortunately, mortgage loan agreements typically don’t contain any type of “grace period” which allows for missed payments during times of confusion and transition such as the death of the borrower.So the bad news is that the loan does need to be paid if Daughter wants to keep the property. However, unless Daughter has formally agreed to become personally liable for the loan, the creditor cannot pursue her personally for money or any other damages if the loan is not paid as agreed.
One somewhat miscellaneous factor to consider is that a foreclosure case may contain the Daughter as a respondent, and if a foreclosure occurred it is at least possible that her credit report (arguably incorrectly / illegally) would reflect a “foreclosure.”
Can the Heir Refinance or Modify the Loan? Can the Heir Sell the Property or Otherwise Dispose of it?
Although most people seem to think of refinancing as just restructuring the loan, of course a refinance is an entirely new loan, even if it’s with the same lender. By contrast, a modification is an amendment of the current loan terms. Refinances are treated very differently as compared to modifications in the context of inherited properties.In our scenario, the mortgage loan is delinquent and a foreclosure case appears to be in the works. Daughter’s right to refinance the family home is not restricted due to the mortgage loan being delinquent, and even the existence of a foreclosure case would not restrict said rights. She, as owner of the property, is free to refinance the property by seeking a new loan which would pay off the pre-existing loan and result in the pre-existing deed of trust being canceled. This new loan would presumably have Daughter as the borrower and the fact that she inherited the property would be of little to no relevance.
With regard to modifying the loan Mom had on the property, yes, Daughter can try to negotiate a modification of the same. In almost every instance in which Daughter seeks a modification of the loan, the creditor will require her to personally become an obligor on the loan in exchange for offering modification terms. We might normally say the creditor would require her to “assume” the loan, but word choice matters in this context, as explained in a following section.
Daughter can sell the property whether the loan is current or not, but the loan will need to be paid off as part of the sale (barring some other agreement). Daughter also has the power to enter into other types of transactions, such as a discounted payoff (“DPO”) of the loan which allows her to own the property free and clear, or a deedin-lieu (“DIL”) of foreclosure which transfers ownership of the property to the mortgage loan creditor. In some instances, Daughter may not bother negotiating a DIL, as the primary advantage of that resolution compared to a foreclosure is usually the waiver of the creditor’s right to seek damages from the borrower, something Daughter would not need to worry about as long as she had not formally agreed to become personally obligated on the loan.
Of course, any real property-related transaction an heir considers entering into must take into account whether there is a risk of the real property being pulled into the estate to be liquidated to obtain cash to pay creditors besides the mortgage loan creditor. In our example scenario, Mom has no other creditors and thus Daughter is not concerned with this issue.
Should the Heir Agree to Become Personally Obligated on the Mortgage Loan?
Obviously, what someone in Daughter’s situation “should” do depends on many factors. Let’s assume Daughter wants to maintain ownership of the family home. If she can reinstate the loan directly, typically by paying the entire amount the servicer quotes for reinstatement, she will then avoid having to consider a modification and the personal liability on the loan which would likely be required. She would then have the benefits of ownership without some of the potential negatives of having a mortgage loan.If Daughter needs to modify the loan and the creditor will allow that without requiring her to become personally obligated on the loan, great -- but there is almost no chance of that happening. The creditor will almost certainly require her to become personally obligated in exchange for that modification.
I have been involved in cases in which the creditor would not commit to a loan modification before the heir agreed to become personally obligated. In other words, the loan servicer said “If Daughter formally agrees to become personally obligated on the loan, we will then *consider* a modification.” My response included indignant laughter and (with client’s approval) a professional commentary similar in theme to “When pigs fly.” Under almost no circumstances would I advise a client to become personally obligated on a loan unless that came along with a guaranteed outcome which suited the client’s wants and needs.
Does the Creditor have to Evaluate the Heir’s Ability to Repay the Loan?>
In general, mortgage lenders are required to evaluate someone’s ability to repay (“ATR”) the loan in determining whether to allow that person to assume the mortgage loan, similar to the evaluation a loan applicant would be put through when seeking a loan to purchase real property. However, because many new owner heirs have traditionally failed such evaluations, and at least certain aspects of the federal government wanted to change that, the CFPB has formally distinguished an heir becoming obligated on the mortgage loan versus an assumption of the loan by someone in a different scenario. Heirs who come to own real property due to death of the previous owner and then seek to modify a loan are not subject to the ATR rule.If Daughter wanted to modify the loan, and Questionable Loan Servicing, LLC (acting on behalf of the loan note-holder) wanted her to become obligated as a borrower on the loan in exchange for modified loan terms and the loan being considered back in good standing, the ATR rule need not be considered and need not serve as an obstacle. Daughter would not be “assuming” the loan for purposes of the ATR rule, although what she would be doing very much looks, sounds, and smells like an assumption and would be considered one in almost any other context.
Best Practices for Heirs (and their Representatives)
Heirs should act assertively and persistently when dealing with mortgage loan servicers and other creditor-side entities instead of passively waiting for the servicer to guide the heir forward. The more information the heir can obtain about the status of the mortgage loan and related options, and the more quickly the heir can obtain this information, the better-positioned the heir is to make decisions. If the overall circumstances indicate that the heir can’t afford the loan (perhaps even as potentially modified or refinanced) and/or if the heir doesn’t want to keep the property, it may be best to sell it “now” – before making payments toward the loan or at least before a delinquency eats further away at any equity.Jason McGrath of Charlotte is licensed in three states, and his law firm McGrath and Spielberger, PLLC focuses on real property and business law matters in the Carolinas.
Published by the Real Property Section of the North Carolina Bar Association • May 2018 • www.ncbar.org
Wednesday, September 26, 2018
Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) – What is the Borrower Really Paying for?
As contract attorneys who provide a variety of real estate and mortgage related legal services, including real estate closings and handling real estate disputes, we know that many (most?) borrowers really don’t understand private mortgage insurance. Known as PMI, private mortgage insurance is to benefit the lender, not the borrower – even though the borrower is paying for it.
We’ve advised borrowers about this in various contexts, including when a mortgage insurance company sues the borrower to recover monies the insurance company paid out pursuant to the policy. For more about mortgage insurance companies suing borrowers, including in post-foreclosure situations, click here.
PMI is typically required if the circumstances include a private mortgage loan in which less than 20% of the sales price / appraised value is put down up front. From the lender standpoint, PMI is a very good thing – the borrower has to pay for an insurance policy which names the lender as the beneficiary, with the lender (or whomever ends up owning the loan) potentially being able to make a claim on the policy if the borrower defaults on the loan, and that default results in the lender not being paid back in full.
In most situations, the premium payments the borrower has to make for private mortgage insurance are rolled into the borrower’s monthly “mortgage payment”. The details regarding the original PMI agreement, including the payment amount, are known in advance of the real estate closing. Borrowers / buyers should be asking questions about PMI before closing as compared to after (although better to ask afterwards and know than to not ask at all).
It’s also extremely important to know when you might be able to cancel your PMI – and the related payments, thus decreasing your monthly payment by hundreds of dollars. This sentence will link to our blog on canceling PMI once that is published in the near future; you should subscribe to our blog (see the upper right side of this page to do so) if you’d like to receive that update.
We encourage all of our real estate Charlotte clients to be or become informed ones, and we assist in that process. After all, knowledge is power.
We’ve advised borrowers about this in various contexts, including when a mortgage insurance company sues the borrower to recover monies the insurance company paid out pursuant to the policy. For more about mortgage insurance companies suing borrowers, including in post-foreclosure situations, click here.
In most situations, the premium payments the borrower has to make for private mortgage insurance are rolled into the borrower’s monthly “mortgage payment”. The details regarding the original PMI agreement, including the payment amount, are known in advance of the real estate closing. Borrowers / buyers should be asking questions about PMI before closing as compared to after (although better to ask afterwards and know than to not ask at all).
We encourage all of our real estate Charlotte clients to be or become informed ones, and we assist in that process. After all, knowledge is power.
Wednesday, August 29, 2018
Legal Judgments - Can They Be Negotiated
In this video attorney Jason McGrath discusses some options when negotiating legal judgments between opposing parties in a lawsuit.
https://youtu.be/JruiKGTNbts
If you are in need of legal assistance with a Legal Judgment in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia or Florida please fill out our confidential client intake form.
Friday, July 20, 2018
Mediation
Click the link to view this video on YoutTube:
https://youtu.be/TiNYEiqgB4Y
https://youtu.be/TiNYEiqgB4Y
If you are facing a lawsuit in North Carolina please fill out our confidential client intake form for legal assistance.
Thursday, June 21, 2018
Negotiating with a Bank: Why do I have to Provide My Financials?
ME: In order to consider a settlement offer, the bank is requiring you to fill out this financial worksheet return it and to provide records such as your most recent 2 months of bank statements – complete, every single page, even the very last page of the bank statement which essentially says nothing.
CLIENT: Well, I don’t want to do that.
ME: I don’t blame you, I wouldn’t want to do it either.
CLIENT: So I don’t have to do it?
ME: Well, you don’t have to do anything – at least not unless there’s a court order or similar that says you have to do it. There’s no court order here which says you have to provide your financials.
CLIENT: Well that’s good.
ME: I agree.
CLIENT: Why does the bank want this stuff?
ME: Mostly so it can make an informed decision as to whether it makes sense to settle – and at what amount – versus pursuing you through the legal system for the full amount. Also, these creditors want to know if you can pay but don’t want to, or truly cannot pay, at least not right now. Of course, they can come after you for years, sometimes even decades. Also, if no settlement is reached, they want a head start on knowing what there might be for them to collect and where it is.
CLIENT: So if I provide my financials, they might use that information against me.
ME: This is true. I hope it doesn’t come to that, and we’re going to work hard to avoid that.
CLIENT: So what happens if I don’t provide my financials?
ME: If you don’t provide them, the bank is not going to consider any settlement offer and/or will assume that you have plenty of money and can pay the entire amount claimed.
CLIENT: Yes but how can the bank make me provide the financials?
ME: Again, at this stage they can’t “make” you – it’s up to you, you can decide what to provide and what not to provide. This is a voluntary negotiation, and each side can more or less choose to do – or not do – what it wants. That means you can decide not to provide your financials, but the bank can then decide not to negotiate with you.
CLIENT: I need to settle this case.
ME: Unfortunately, then, you probably need to provide your financials.
CLIENT: <sigh> Ok.
ME: Don’t worry, we’ll take a look at everything first, analyze how it may impact the settlement negotiations, and bring you up to speed on that before anything gets sent out – for now it’s confidential and privileged between you and us until and unless you direct us to share it with the bank or anyone else.
Also, we’ll make sure that what we are send to the other side is done so as part of confidential, privileged, and non-admissible settlement negotiations. That will make it harder for the bank to use it against you later, or limit the ways the bank can use it, if a settlement can’t be reached.
CLIENT: This kind of sucks, but I guess I feel a little bit better about it than I did a few minutes ago.
ME: I wish you weren’t in this situation, but we’ll do what we can do. We can never guarantee how a case will go or what the end result will be – nobody can, and we’re not allowed to do that anyhow – but it’s pretty rare that we can’t get something worked out on behalf of a client.
CLIENT: Ok, I’ll get this financial data back to you later this week.
ME: Great, thanks. We’ll look it over and get back to you with further advice within a few days of you providing that to us. Hang in there.
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McGrath & Spielberger, PLLC provides legal services in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, and Tennessee, as well as in some Federal courts. The Firm offers full scale representation, as well as limited scope services, as appropriate for the situation. Please be advised that the content on this website is not legal advice, but rather informational, and no attorney-client relationship is formed without the express agreement of this law firm. Thank you.
To learn more about McGrath & Spielberger PLLC Attorneys At Law, please visit our website McGrathSpielberger.com
To learn more about McGrath & Spielberger PLLC Attorneys At Law, please visit our website McGrathSpielberger.com
Monday, May 28, 2018
Being Sued by a Mortgage Insurance Company for an Insurance Policy you Paid for?
As attorneys who provide a variety of real estate and mortgage related services, including foreclosures and post-foreclosure disputes, we know that many (most?) borrowers really don’t understand private mortgage insurance. Known as PMI, private mortgage insurance is to benefit the lender, not the borrower – even though the borrower is paying for it.
What makes it worse from the borrower’s perspective is that, in addition to being foreclosed on, a borrower can end up being sued by the mortgage insurance company in relation to the very same policy the borrower paid for. The highly technical terms we use to describe this include:
We’ve advised and defended borrowers in these cases. The most common fact scenario is this one:
We’ve seen cases in which the mortgage insurance company may not actually have paid out the money it was seeking to recover, in which the mortgage insurance company was unable to even produce the insurance policy at issue, and in which the borrower has been assured by the persons involved in the deal (before our involvement) that the borrower was going to be “free and clear” after a foreclosure, short sale, or deed-in-lieu. However, we’ve also seen cases in which the borrower did appear to legally owe the monies being sought by the insurance company.
These cases usually – in our experience and based on our assistance – go away without the borrower having to pay what the mortgage insurance company is seeking. However, each case and each client is different, and no guarantees or predictions can be made. The bottom line is that anyone wanting to reach a settlement with the lender / note holder before the property is disposed of and anyone who has been notified of a claim against them related to PMI should be educated and informed and perhaps seek professional assistance.
What makes it worse from the borrower’s perspective is that, in addition to being foreclosed on, a borrower can end up being sued by the mortgage insurance company in relation to the very same policy the borrower paid for. The highly technical terms we use to describe this include:
We’ve advised and defended borrowers in these cases. The most common fact scenario is this one:
- a foreclosure takes place (or sometimes even a short sale or a deed-in-lieu of foreclosure);
- the loan is not paid off in full;
- the creditor (lender / loan note holder) makes a claim against the private mortgage insurance policy;
- the mortgage insurance company pays the creditor to reimburse it for its losses on the loan;
- the mortgage insurance company sues the borrower / former homeowner, under the theory of “We only had to pay out on this policy because you didn’t pay the loan off in full, so you owe us”; and
- the borrower is shocked, comes to us for help.
We’ve seen cases in which the mortgage insurance company may not actually have paid out the money it was seeking to recover, in which the mortgage insurance company was unable to even produce the insurance policy at issue, and in which the borrower has been assured by the persons involved in the deal (before our involvement) that the borrower was going to be “free and clear” after a foreclosure, short sale, or deed-in-lieu. However, we’ve also seen cases in which the borrower did appear to legally owe the monies being sought by the insurance company.
These cases usually – in our experience and based on our assistance – go away without the borrower having to pay what the mortgage insurance company is seeking. However, each case and each client is different, and no guarantees or predictions can be made. The bottom line is that anyone wanting to reach a settlement with the lender / note holder before the property is disposed of and anyone who has been notified of a claim against them related to PMI should be educated and informed and perhaps seek professional assistance.
McGrath & Spielberger, PLLC provides legal services in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, and Tennessee, as well as in some Federal courts. The Firm offers full scale representation, as well as limited scope services, as appropriate for the situation. Please be advised that the content on this website is not legal advice, but rather informational, and no attorney-client relationship is formed without the express agreement of this law firm. Thank you.
Thursday, April 19, 2018
Comparison of Subchapter K v. Subchapter S
Subchapter S places very strict restrictions on the ownership and capital structure for S corporations. S corporations are limited to 100 shareholders (although members of a "family," broadly defined, are counted as one shareholder), and they may not have more than one class of stock. Additionally, all shareholders much be individual U.S. citizens or residents and other corporations or partnerships cannot be shareholders of the company. Anyone can be a member or partner of an entity taxed under Subchapter K.
Partnerships and LLCs taxed under Subchapter K may make special allocations of income and deduction items, while shareholders of an S corporation must include corporate income and loss on a pro rata share basis. Thus, partners/members may agree to share certain income or deductions disproportionately, and the agreement will be respected for tax purposes if it reflects their economic business deal. Additionally, in most cases, partnerships and LLCs taxed under Subchapter K, can distribute appreciated property in kind without immediate recognition of taxable gain.
In a business with only a few owners, an S corporation may be the entity of choice because the flexibility of Subchapter K is not needed. S corporations are often used by owners that prefer to conduct their business as a state law corporation instead of a partnership or limited liability company because they are more comfortable with the corporate governance structure. S corporations are also often used by service providers to minimize their exposure to employment taxes. S corporations are not viable options in many situations - a business with foreign investors would not be able to make the S corporation election because foreign investors are not permissible S corporation shareholders. Additionally, many institutional investors (e.g., tax-exempt pension funds and charitable organizations) are discouraged by the tax system from investing in any type of active business that is operated as a pass-through entity. Venture capital funds, which provide a large source of capital for start-up companies, appear to be more comfortable using the familiar C corporation capitalized with several classes of stock, a structure not available in an S corporation.
McGrath and Spielberger, PLLC assists clients with all sorts of tax matters, both federal and state (including but not limited to North Carolina and South Carolina). Click here to contact an attorney about your tax matter.
Wednesday, March 7, 2018
What Factors Should You Consider When Starting a Business?
When you decide to start a business venture, there are a myriad of things to consider. You have possibly already chosen the purpose of your venture and what it is you are going to make, do, or sell. You have probably also played around with what to name your business. Now what? Where do you go from here?
We regularly assist small business owners, especially start-up businesses, walking them through the steps that need to be taken in order to make the business official and legal. There are many ways a business can be organized and there are non-tax factors, tax factors, and state statutory requirements that need to be taken into consideration when embarking on this exciting journey of starting a business.
This article focuses on a few of the non-tax factors that need to be considered. A follow-up article will discuss the tax factors of organizing your business. Much of the information in this article relates to the laws in a majority of jurisdictions along with examples of specific instances where North Carolina law is different from the majority of jurisdictions. The statutory requirements of starting a business are state specific, therefore it is important to seek the assistance of a professional who knows the law in your jurisdiction. There are also state and local licensing as well as registration requirements that will need to be met depending on the jurisdiction your business will be located in.
In the tables below the entities are listed from the broadest/most flexible to the most restrictive.
Limited liability is probably the most sought after attribute of business owners forming a new business venture. New business owners wish to protect their personal assets from the claims of business creditors. This can usually be achieved by organizing the venture under a state law that limits the owners' liability to the amount of capital the owner has invested in the entity. Be very careful when capitalizing the business and applying for loans. Some lenders may require that the owner(s) of the business provide a personal guarantee for the business obligations, thereby making the owner liable to those creditors of the business and defeating the purpose of the limitation of liability.
The business lawyers McGrath & Spielberger, PLLC assists clients with all sorts of tax, business, and estate planning matters in North Carolina. Click here to contact us about your tax, business, or estate planning matter today.
We regularly assist small business owners, especially start-up businesses, walking them through the steps that need to be taken in order to make the business official and legal. There are many ways a business can be organized and there are non-tax factors, tax factors, and state statutory requirements that need to be taken into consideration when embarking on this exciting journey of starting a business.
This article focuses on a few of the non-tax factors that need to be considered. A follow-up article will discuss the tax factors of organizing your business. Much of the information in this article relates to the laws in a majority of jurisdictions along with examples of specific instances where North Carolina law is different from the majority of jurisdictions. The statutory requirements of starting a business are state specific, therefore it is important to seek the assistance of a professional who knows the law in your jurisdiction. There are also state and local licensing as well as registration requirements that will need to be met depending on the jurisdiction your business will be located in.
In the tables below the entities are listed from the broadest/most flexible to the most restrictive.
Limited liability is probably the most sought after attribute of business owners forming a new business venture. New business owners wish to protect their personal assets from the claims of business creditors. This can usually be achieved by organizing the venture under a state law that limits the owners' liability to the amount of capital the owner has invested in the entity. Be very careful when capitalizing the business and applying for loans. Some lenders may require that the owner(s) of the business provide a personal guarantee for the business obligations, thereby making the owner liable to those creditors of the business and defeating the purpose of the limitation of liability.
The business lawyers McGrath & Spielberger, PLLC assists clients with all sorts of tax, business, and estate planning matters in North Carolina. Click here to contact us about your tax, business, or estate planning matter today.
Friday, February 16, 2018
Arbitration: How Do You Choose The Arbitrator?
Attorney Jason McGrath explains some things to consider when choosing the arbitrator during a lawsuit in this short video.
If you need legal services in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Ohio, or Tennessee we invite you to fill out our confidential client form for possible legal assistance.
Here are some of the key points contained in the video:
- If using a panel of 3 arbitrators: each party picks an arbitrator and then those two arbitrators pick the third one.
- If using only 1 arbitrator: one side presents a list of possible arbitrators to the other side and the other side picks from the list.
- You go back and forth and negotiate between the parties until a decision is made.
- You may wish to avoid attempting private conversations with potential arbitrators in order to avoid the appearance of impropriety.
- Consider all the information available to you to make an informed decision about your arbitrator.
- Arbitrators may also be appointed by the court.
If you need legal services in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Ohio, or Tennessee we invite you to fill out our confidential client form for possible legal assistance.
Wednesday, January 10, 2018
S-Corp Tax Election for LLC
S-Corp Tax Election: Is it Right for Your LLC?
As an attorney who happens to have an MBA and some specific tax law knowledge, and one who advises businesses on both day to day issues and tax matters, I know that if you’ve chosen (or will choose) an LLC as your business structure, it’s likely due to some combination of the liability protection an LLC offers, the operations and internal organization flexibility it allows, and the tax advantages which can accompany it. One of those tax advantages of an LLC can be the election to be taxed as an “S-corp.”
Keep in mind that, as we’ve previously discussed, one does not really “form an S-corp.” – this a tax classification, not a type of business organization. Once a corporation is formed, the shareholders can unanimously elect to “become” an S-corporation by filing Form 2253 with the IRS. The resulting S-corp. is a corporation that’s status is governed by Subchapter S of the Internal Revenue Code. If no election is made, then the corporation defaults to a “C-corporation” for tax purposes and is governed by Subchapter C of the Internal Revenue Code.
The traditional C-corporation’s net income is subject to a double tax at the entity level and individual level, while partnerships, LLC’s, sole proprietorships and S-corporations enjoy a pass-through status for income earned by the business. However, partnerships and sole proprietorships typically do not provide the limited liability protection desired by most small business owners. Based on these combined factors, the LLC with an S-corp. tax election is often a wise choice for business owners.
The IRS automatically treats any LLC with two or more members as a partnership and any sole member LLC as an entity disregarded as separate from its owner for federal income tax purposes. Either default treatment will provide pass through benefits to the owners of the LLC, while providing the limited liability protection. However, an LLC is allowed to make an election to be treated as an S-corporation for federal income tax purposes.
Why would an LLC want to choose to be taxed as an S-corp. rather than a partnership? There are numerous reasons for an LLC to choose to be taxed as an S-corp., including being able to pay wages and salaries to owners (which are taxed similar to wages paid to non-owner employees) but also allowing owners to be paid distributions / profits and the LLC not being federally taxed on those monies. Most experts state that the election to be taxed as an S-corp. allows the avoidance of “double taxation” as to the distributions / profit distributions. While the greatest tax benefits are typically by being an S-corp. which pays a higher proportion of monies to owners as distributions, owners who do work for the company are supposed to be paid a “reasonable salary” so that at least some payroll taxes are being paid for that individual and his/her work.
In addition to the impact that a parent – subsidiary LLC relationship can have on the possibility of selecting S-corp. tax status (see further down), an S-corp. election does allow less flexibility as far as distributions paid to owners. Typically, distributions paid to an owner must be proportional with that person’s ownership share; in other words, if Sally owns 60% of the LLC and John owns 40%, Sally should be receiving 60% of the distributions (but their salaries need not match up that same way).
If you are an existing LLC which is considering changing its tax classification, please keep in mind that, according to the IRS, an entity usually can only make such a change once every five (5) years. Be aware that some states do not recognize the S-corp. status / election and business income could be subject to double taxation at the state level.
If an LLC elects to be treated as an S-corp. for tax purposes, the LLC must comply with the same rigid ownership requirements applicable to qualifying for S-corporation tax status. This becomes an issue for the parent-subsidiary LLC relationship, as a subsidiary LLC that is wholly owned by the parent LLC cannot make the S-corp. election. One must be careful to avoid committing this error in electing tax treatment for any subsidiary LLC’s.
This is merely a starting point for a discussion of these issues, and the devil is certainly in the details as far as both the law and taxes. If you need advice regarding a tax situation, a distressed mortgage loan, or something similar, please don’t hesitate to request a consultation with a lawyer. The tax consequences of forming a business and electing tax treatment can be complicated and it is always best to contact a tax professional to address your specific situation.
Wednesday, December 20, 2017
Top 5 Reasons to Change Your Will
Below we list the top five reasons to update your legal will, or at least consider changes. If you are unsure about will or estate planning process, you can consult with one of our law firm's experienced attorneys to help.
- You don’t have a will. (So having one would be a change!)
- Your marital status has changed. (Do you really still want your ex getting all your stuff?)
- You have moved to a new state. (It’s possible that not every part of your New York will would be enforceable once you get old & cranky, move to Florida, start playing golf 5 times a week and eat dinner at 4:30 p.m.)
- Your family has grown. (I’m mainly referring to having a child, not the 25 pounds you may have packed on.)
- You don’t like your family any longer. (Unfortunately, ill will – pun intended - within families is one of the primary motivators for will changes.)
McGrath & Spielberger, PLLC provides will services in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee and Ohio: McGrathSpielberger.com.
Wednesday, November 8, 2017
Foreclosure Hearing - Mecklenburg County NC - Wells Fargo
The following is a summary of a foreclosure hearing that McGrath & Spielberger assisted a borrower with, and is provided for informational purposes only. Each case, each client, each situation is different, and each matter may have a different outcome.
Mortgage Loan Servicer / Foreclosing Bank: Wells Fargo; Wells Fargo Bank NA
Prosecuting Trustee / Law Firm: Shapiro & Ingle, LLP
Property Location: Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina
Property Type: Primary Residence
Borrower’s Attorney: Jason McGrath, Esq.
Hearing Date: 11/2017
Actions Taken by McGrath & Spielberger on Behalf of Client in Relation to the Foreclosure Hearing: Mr. McGrath attended the foreclosure hearing with the client and negotiated a Motion to Continue to the court in order to help client avoid foreclosure.
Foreclosure Hearing Outcome: Mr. McGrath successfully moved to continue the hearing; foreclosure avoided.
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If you are facing home foreclosure Charlotte NC or Mt Pleasant SC, seek assistance from McGrath & Spielberger today. Many homeowners do not know that foreclosures can often be avoided. Our attorneys are here to be your advocate through these tough times and will work to get you the best possible outcome.
Find related helpful resources on our website at
McGrathSpielberger.com/online-resources/helpful-resources/mortgage-loan-and-real-estate-related-resources/
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