Category Archives: Uncategorized

It’s (personal property) Tax Time

If you own a car or other type of motor vehicle, you will likely soon be receiving your personal property tax bill (if you have not received it already). For many folks, they will receive one bill from the treasurer of the county in which they live. Some will also receive a personal property tax bill from the town they live in. In many localities, bills are sent to residents in September or October, and the balances are due by early December. Because there is variation as to when bills are sent and the due dates, be sure to pay attention to your mail and read your bill carefully.

Though you may only receive one bill per year, it is important to think about the bill before it comes in the mail. If you have purchased or sold vehicles, make sure you know when those transfers occurred. Since many localities (but not all) assess taxes based on the number of months you own a given vehicle, you will want to make sure you have that information so you can check your bill for accuracy. If any of the information in the bill is wrong, you will want to address that with your locality. If opening the bill you received left you with sticker shock, going forward you’ll want to consider putting money aside each month so that you have the funds on hand to pay for next year’s personal property taxes.

If you are unable to pay your personal property tax bill by the due date, you may find that you are unable to renew your vehicle registration (the DMV link provides information https://www.dmv.virginia.gov/vehicles/#denials.asp) or that your locality has taken other action to collect, such as taking some or part of any Virginia state refund you may file. Remember that your locality may offer payment options, so be sure to check. While past due personal property tax is often not dischargeable in bankruptcy, bankruptcy may be able to provide a way of managing back due personal property tax debt. Further, if other debt is keeping you from being able to pay, contact Giles & Lambert for a free bankruptcy consultation to see if bankruptcy may help you.

Tour of Destruction Update

After an early lead, our bus croaked and dropped out of the race. If debt is making you want to drop out, come see Giles & Lambert for a free bankruptcy consultation and a jump start on better credit!

Bankruptcy can help you clear up credit and buy a car that will NOT croak on the roadside.

Hospital on your heels for your unpaid medical debt? You are not alone.

Medical debts, especially those owed to hospitals, are not uncommon. If you are unable to pay the bills owed to the hospital, you may find yourself at the receiving end of collection letters, phone calls, lawsuits, or even garnishments, just to name a few. At Giles & Lambert, we have helped many clients who were struggling with medical debt they could not pay. To see if Giles & Lambert may be able to help you, give us a call today at (540) 981-9000 for a free bankruptcy consultation. We welcome the opportunity to see if we can help you, too.

https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/10/health/carlsbad-new-mexico-hospital-eprise/index.html?fbclid=IwAR3yb6UGeIY6HTcsYPonI9DA6NAl3e6ANWfk6pHihNIjhh5ThOmowE5g6pA

Heads up! In case you haven’t heard, for those who filed a Virginia tax return in 2018, you may soon be receiving a one-time refund check from the state. For eligible individual filers, the refund amount will be $110, while eligible married couples will receive $220.  Refund checks will be issued beginning around mid-September.

For those who owe Virginia or IRS taxes other state courts or local governments, the amount of the one-time refund will be applied toward the outstanding balance you owe.

If this refund is not enough to put a dent in your debts, know that Giles & Lambert may be able to help.  We offer free bankruptcy consultations and would gladly schedule you to meet with one of our attorneys.  Call (540) 981-9000 to schedule your appointment. 

https://www.roanoke.com/news/politics/virginia-taxpayers-must-file-returns-by-july-to-qualify-for/article_71c92958-2b2f-5082-9180-1ea98db94cc7.html

OUTRUN YOUR DEBT

The Giles & Lambert #21 OUTRUN YOUR DEBT car took home a 5th place finish at the Motor Mile Speedway this past Saturday night after “25 beatin’ and bangin’ laps” (in the words of the #21 driver Wayne Corprew)! Wayne sends thanks to everyone who has helped the team this year.

The #21 car’s last race of the season will be a 50 lap race on Sept 7th at the Motor Mile Speedway. We hope you will bring your friends and family out for what can definitely be a budget-friendly evening!

And of course, if you need helping Outrunning YOUR debt, call Giles & Lambert at (540) 981-9000.

giles

August 25, 2019

Giles & Lambert partner and attorney Malissa Giles has been recognized as the 2020 “Lawyer Of the Year” for Roanoke in the area of Bankruptcy and Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law by US News Best Law Firms/Best Lawyers. Giles & Lambert P.C. has been consistently ranked as Tier 1 Bankruptcy firm since 2008 by US News/Best Lawyers and both Tracy Allen Giles and Malissa Lambert Giles have been recognized in Best Lawyers since that time. Only a single lawyer in each practice area and community is honored with a “Lawyer of the Year” award. This is this second time Malissa has received this recognition.

Professional awards are nice and they can demonstrate a level of competence you should look for in an attorney. But beyond that, if you are considering bankruptcy, look at the local reputations of attorneys and firms. Make sure you are selecting a firm knowledgeable in the law, but also one who will treat you with respect and understanding. It is tough to make the decision to seek financial help and consider bankruptcy. Our team at Giles & Lambert strives to put our legal knowledge to work for you in a compassionate, understanding manner and to make the process as simple as legally possible.

If you are facing financial difficulty, call us today at (540) 981-9000.

Budget Back to School Lunches

With many children returning to school, many parents are trying to figure out how to provide their students with the best lunches possible while staying within their grocery budget.

One of our attorneys says her kids (and she!) love when there are leftovers they can take for lunch the next day.  For leftovers that need to be warm, she sends each child to school with a thermos to keep food heated until lunchtime.  

The article below gives additional money-saving ideas for children’s lunches in this busy, back-to-school season. https://www.prudentpennypincher.com/cheap-healthy-lunch-ideas-kids-week-2/

We would love to hear your ideas – what are your money-saving lunch tricks?