New Jersey Bankruptcy and Social Security Disability Claims Attorneys

Purrazzella & Purrazzella

3 Franklin Avenue
Toms River, New Jersey 08754
USA

(732) 691-4589 or (888) 825-9980

(732) 341-0548

www.purrlaw.com

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Law Firm Overview Free Consultation

Purrazzella & Purrazzella, P.A., with more than 30 years of continuous operation, advises and represents people in Ocean County, Monmouth County and other parts of New Jersey about consumer bankruptcy, mortgage foreclosure defense, debtor-creditor workouts and the full range of disability benefits programs administered by the Social Security Administration.

We take pride in our commitment to individualized, accessible and prompt client service. No matter what your legal problem involves, you'll be working directly with a knowledgeable and experienced lawyer. We don't depend on paralegals and contract associates to do our work or act as middlemen between clients and attorneys. You'll work directly with Joseph Purrazzella or Sally Cann Purrazzella from the first phone call to the final resolution of your legal matter.

There are many reasons why we stress direct and personal client service in our practice. First, we know that our clients expect to develop a relationship with the lawyers they're depending on. If we're going to meet you at court for a hearing, you won't have the additional stress of wondering who's going to show up or what they look like. You'll know us very well by the time the case gets to that point.

Our decades of experience help us get to those buried details quickly and efficiently, which in turn helps us identify the solutions that will work best for you, not the last person we saw with a similar problem. We then take the time to help you think through your choices, select the best option and execute the strategy as effectively as possible.

Practice Areas

Practice Areas Description

- Bankruptcy

The experienced bankruptcy attorneys at Purrazzella & Purrazzella, P.A., understand how difficult the decision to seek bankruptcy protection can be. On the one hand, you have the pressure of mortgage foreclosure, medical bills or garnishment for unpaid credit card debts. On the other hand, you have the uncertainty of what a bankruptcy might mean to your future credit rating and access to mortgage financing or car loans. Many people are concerned as well about the stigma of bankruptcy.

- Chapter 7 Bankruptcy

If you file for bankruptcy protection under Chapter 7, you'll be working toward the quickest and most complete bankruptcy relief available under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. If there are no complications or objections in your case, you can expect to receive your Chapter 7 discharge within four to six months of filing your petition. Any debts you discharge in bankruptcy will never need to be paid back. In order to qualify for the full benefit of Chapter 7, you need to satisfy several eligibility criteria. First, you won't be able to get a Chapter 7 discharge if you received one at any time within the preceding eight years. Next, your income as adjusted under bankruptcy guidelines can't exceed the New Jersey state median household income.

- Chapter 13 Bankruptcy

Although most people would rather file for bankruptcy under Chapter 7 if given the choice, Chapter 13 bankruptcy provides essentially the same protection for people who need protection against debt collection and mortgage foreclosure. The Chapter 13 discharge is also just as complete as the Chapter 7 discharge, even if it takes longer to achieve. The most obvious difference between Chapter 13 and Chapter 7 is the need to pay off part of the unsecured indebtedness. In Chapter 13, you file your petition and schedules of assets, debts, income and expenses, and develop a plan for the repayment of debts that shows how your creditors will receive more than they would in a Chapter 7 liquidation case.

- Asset Protection

In our experience, people under intense debt pressure typically have little idea of their right to exemptions. As a result, people often make serious mistakes in the attempt to keep creditors at bay and stay out of bankruptcy, only to find that they later need bankruptcy relief anyway. Some of the more common mistakes include cashing out a 401(k) or IRA to pay down credit card bills, or borrowing from home equity to pay medical bills. In both examples, people are using exempt assets to reduce dischargeable debts. Whether or not bankruptcy is right for you anytime soon, our New Jersey asset protection attorneys can show you the difference between exempt and nonexempt assets, and dischargeable and nondischargeable debts. You'll come to understand that an exempt asset is one that you can keep in bankruptcy, and that a dischargeable debt is one that you can get rid of in Chapter 7 or Chapter 13.

- Credit Card Debt Relief

Advertisements on television for companies that consolidate your credit card debt seem too good to be true - and they are. You will pay a huge fee for their services and end up with a higher interest that doesn't allow you to actually pay your principle. All too often, homeowners will refinance their homes to pay credit card debt. We strongly advise you to call us before you borrow on your home: Dealing with credit card debt through Chapter 7 or 13 bankruptcy is much easier than trying to deal with a home foreclosure issue if you are unable to pay your refinanced mortgage. Bankruptcy may seem like an unlikely way to get rid of credit card debt, especially considering that rumors about the new bankruptcy laws say you will be automatically disqualified. Even though new laws make it more difficult to qualify because of a tougher financial test, you still may be able to file for relief.

- Mortgage / Foreclosure Defense

At Purrazzella & Purrazzella, our lawyers take a personalized approach to mortgage foreclosure defense for people in Ocean County and Monmouth County. We'll review your situation and advise you about all of your options. Then we'll help you choose the right solution for your situation. Our analysis begins with a thorough look at your financial situation. If you don't have any equity in your house, we'll help you consider whether it makes sense to keep your mortgage in place. You might qualify for a mortgage modification program that can reduce your payments or even reduce your principal. In some cases, it might make sense to take advantage of New Jersey's foreclosure mediation program, which can give you a chance to avoid foreclosure at any point up to the sheriff's sale.

- Undischargeable Debts

Some debts are presumed to be nondischargeable, subject to the debtor's ability to show a right to discharge, usually under hardship circumstances. Other debts can be listed as eligible for discharge, subject to the creditor's ability to show why it should be excepted for a particular reason, such as fraud. Nondischargeability in other cases might be categorical and beyond dispute, or dependent on such circumstances as the age of the debt or the reason why it was incurred. Examples of nondischargeable debt include: tax debts less than three years old, or for which returns were never filed; student loans; child or spousal support; certain credit card debts incurred shortly before bankruptcy; debts reflecting fraud on the part of the debtor; personal injury damages related to DUI or DWI.

- Social Security Disability

If you've been turned down for Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits in New Jersey, don't fight the government alone. Get some help from the Toms River law firm of Purrazzella & Purrazzella. For 30 years, lawyer Joseph Purrazzella has concentrated his practice on this highly specialized area of law. Mr. Purrazzella has helped thousands of New Jersey residents overcome the complexities of filing claims and obtain disability benefits after they were initially turned down by the Social Security Administration.

- Denied SSD Claim Appeals

Not too many initial applications for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits are granted. Applicants at the second stage, reconsideration, are often unsuccessful as well. It's only at the third step of the SSDI claims process, the administrative appeal, that you get a chance to present testimony in support of your claim. At the first two stages, the decision to grant or deny your benefits claim is made on the basis of your written application and perhaps an office interview. At Purrazzella & Purrazzella, P.A., we advise New Jersey Social Security disability claimants about the best ways to present their case for benefits from the initial application to the conclusion.

- Supplemental Security Income

Lawyer Joseph Purrazzella has more than 30 years of experience handling the complexities of SSI. Mr. Purrazzella has helped hundreds of New Jersey residents obtain disability benefits after they were initially turned down by the Social Security Administration. Mr. Purrazzella has helped people with all kinds of disabilities, including: spinal cord injuries; carpal tunnel syndrome; arthritis; heart conditions; cancer; emphysema; mental illness; fibromyalgia (chronic fatigue syndrome); post traumatic stress syndrome; Gulf war veterans' syndrome; depression; hepatitis; lupus; and head / neck injuries. Lawyer Joseph Purrazzella will collect appropriate medical records to document your disability and prepare you for your SSI hearing before an administrative law judge. Mr. Purrazzella will also represent you at the hearing and help you fill out all of the necessary SSI forms.

- Child Disability Benefits

Children of any age can qualify for SSI benefits. The eligibility requirements involve medical proof of a "marked and severe functional limitation" that has lasted or will last for at least 12 months before the child turns 18. The child's family must also qualify under an income-based means test. Examples of the kinds of impairments that will usually meet the SSI eligibility standards include Down syndrome, blindness, certain congenital conditions, severe and continuing learning or behavioral disabilities, and developmental disabilities. Under the SSDI program, childhood disability benefits are based on physical or mental impairments that are supported by medical evidence, and that often begin at an age long before the applicant is actually eligible to collect them. SSDI child benefits are paid to people who are at least 18 and whose disability began before age 22. Eligibility is also based on the payroll record of a disabled, retired or deceased parent.