According to a recent report published by the Associated Press, as many as four out of five adults in the United States struggle with joblessness, near poverty or reliance on government benefits for at least a portion of their lives. The AP reports that economic hardship plagues people across all races, but that hardship is on the rise among whites.

Our Columbia, SC bankruptcy lawyers know that many people are struggling, especially as there has been a decline in good-paying manufacturing jobs and as economic security in the United States has deteriorated.  While some of these struggles may come from a lack of financial education – or the wrong types of financial education – in other cases, unemployment and outside economic factors may create problems for individuals and families.

Is Budgeting the Answer?

For some people who struggle financially, the problem may be a lack of financial education that would make it possible to make the right financial decisions.

According to the Wall Street Cheat Sheet, for example, as many as 57 percent of Americans responding to a survey conducted by the National Foundation for Credit Counseling  misunderstood the purpose of a budget. Most respondents described budgeting as a restriction on the money they could spend, rather than on a way to identify and avoid financial waste.

Unfortunately, a part of the reason why people may have budgeting problems or issues managing money is that they are learning the wrong lessons from their parents.

As The Street pointed out, parents are talking to their kids about money more than ever before, with 73 percent of parents saying they discuss the subject of money often. Unfortunately, however, many of these conversations center around short-term money topics such as going back to school shopping. This can help to turn kids into spenders, encouraging children either to save only for short-term goals or to spend cash immediately. A T-Rowe Price survey in which as 24 percent of kids said they believe the best way to save $1 million is to become famous, also shows that kids are lacking in some basic fundamental facts about how to save and invest.

The absence of good financial education and financial knowledge, therefore, may play a roll in explaining why some are living paycheck to paycheck and struggling with money.

At the same time, however, a budget can only go so far to solve your financial problems when low-wages jobs are all that are available. In fact, Nasdaq.com reported on a recent McDonald’s minimum wage budget that the company created to try to teach fast food employee’s how to manage money. The only problem with the budget was that it required the employee to have a second job and to pay nothing for food, child care or heat.

The McDonald’s budget shows just how hard it can be for families to survive even when they are working. A budget and financial education are not going to resolve struggles for families who simply don’t have good middle class jobs available to them. When these families are in debt – as so many are because of medical expenses or emergencies like car breakdowns- things become even worse. Bankruptcy may become the best and only solution for a family to get out of debt when their finances have reached a point where no amount of careful budgeting can provide a solution.

If you are considering bankruptcy, contact the Columbia, South Carolina attorneys at Matthews & Megna today at 877-253-7705.

Car insurance companies are supposed to provide protection to drivers by ensuring that accident damages are covered. Our South Carolina accident lawyers know that car insurers will evaluate how much of an accident risk a given driver presents before quoting an insurance policy and determining how much someone will pay in premiums. 

Although it has long been known that certain factors – such as a history of accidents – can result in higher premiums, a new study from the Consumer Federation of America sheds light on some of the practices of car insurers. Unfortunately, this new consumer report doesn’t make car insurance companies look very good (or very trustworthy) as it appears the insurers are taking into account education and employment in setting car insurance rates.

Car Insurance Companies Charge Blue Collar Workers More

According to a report released by the Consumer Federation of America:

• Geico charges a factory worker with a high school degree as much as 45 percent more in certain markets as compared with a plant supervisor that has a college degree.
• In some markets, Progressive charges a factory worker with a high school degree as much as 33 percent more than the college-educated factory supervisor.
• Farmers charged non-professionals and non-government workers as much as five percent higher premiums than those who worked for the government or who worked in jobs traditionally considered professional.

The Consumer Federation of America obtained quotes from major insurance companies by providing information that was consistent in all respects except for education and income.

Based on the data collected in the survey, the Executive Director of the CFA, Stephen Broderick, was quoted as saying “Auto insurers charge high premiums for minimal coverage to most working people, even those with perfect driving records, who live in urban areas.” The use of education and income data to set insurance rates is something that the majority of people disagree with; a June 2012 study revealed that 68 percent of more than 1,010 responding adults said it was unfair to use education in setting insurance premiums and 65 percent said it was unfair to use occupation in setting rates.

Unfortunately, as the study points out, the outcome of this is that many lower income workers end up facing a choice of paying either unaffordable prices or taking the chance of breaking the law and driving with no insurance. If this is the choice that is made, it is dangerous for everyone involved because a lower income person who causes a crash would have no insurance and limited assets to pay for damages.

The findings are disturbing as they show that insurance companies may actually be creating a high-risk situation where some drivers are more likely to go without insurance. The findings also highlight a fact that has become abundantly clear: insurance companies care about profit and not customers. This is why it is so important to ensure you have a legal professional dealing with the insurance company on your behalf if you are involved in an accident and need to make a claim.

If you have been injured in a car accident, contact the Columbia, South Carolina attorneys at Matthews & Megna today at 877-253-7705.

According to The Street, talking about credit card debt has become one of the most taboo topics for most Americans, especially those in the age groups classified as “Generation Y.” 

As many as 85 percent of Americans responding to a recent survey conducted by CreditCards.com indicated they would be unwilling to discuss their credit card debt with someone they just met, and a vast majority of respondents also indicated they’d be more reluctant to talk about their debt than about their love life or salary.

Our Columbia, SC bankruptcy lawyers know that the reluctance to discuss debt leaves many people uncertain where to turn if they are struggling and unwilling to ask for the help they need if they are considering filing for bankruptcy. The reality, however, is that while people might not like to talk about it, a lot of people are coping with serious financial struggles. Those who have debts they cannot pay should never be afraid to ask for help.

Why is Debt a Taboo Topic?

The Street indicated that the percentage of Americans who don’t want to talk about their debts has increased in recent years, as in 2008 only 80 percent said they’d be standoffish about the topic. The jump to around 85 percent is a sharp increase, especially considering only 84 percent of respondents surveyed said they wouldn’t want to talk about their salary and only 80 percent indicated they wouldn’t want to talk about their love lives.

More than 1,000 adults were interviewed in the survey about their attitudes towards discussing debt and researchers have a number of possible explanations for why most answered the way they did.

One issue is that debt has very negative connotations. While it has always been frowned on, today those who are in debt may feel as if they are failing if they are forced to depend on credit to buy the things they need.  There are also stereotypes suggesting that individuals who are in debt suffer from a lack of self-control. The negative attitudes about debt can make people reluctant to share information about their financial struggles for fear that the information will be seen as admitting to personal failings.

The reality, however, is that a lot of Americans have debt and a lot of Americans are struggling a great deal with their credit card bills. In fact, the economy and wages haven’t fully recovered from the great recession that began in 2008. Ongoing economic hardship may help to explain why more people don’t want to talk about credit card debt today than in the past: more people may be struggling with larger ongoing debts due to the lingering financial crisis.

Unfortunately, this unwillingness to talk about debt can be dangerous. Those who see their debt troubles as failings and who are unwilling to share may also be reluctant to get the help they need. Filing for bankruptcy could actually be the best solution to get you out of debt so you don’t have to feel concerned about your finances; you should never hesitate to be proactive and take the smart step of asking for help when you are in over your head.

If you are considering bankruptcy, contact the Columbia, South Carolina attorneys at Matthews & Megna today at 877-253-7705.

Car accidents are consistently a top cause of fatalities for young people year-in-and-year out. Kids are more susceptible to accidents for a lot of reasons including the fact that children may not always look both ways or understand how to avoid being hit by a car. Children are also small and more difficult to see by drivers, thus increasing the chances of a pedestrian accident. Finally, kids may not have bones that are as fully developed or bodies that are able to protect them from the force of a car accident impact. All of this can significantly increase the chances of children dying in the wake of a traffic collision.

Unfortunately, kids are not at risk only out on the roads or when passengers on vehicles. Our Columbia accident lawyers know that each year, kids are involved in back-over accidents and/or are run over while at their own homes. Unfortunately, this type of crash recently resulted in the death of one young South Carolina boy.

Car Accident Leads to Fatal Injuries for Toddler

According to WBTW News 13, a two-year-old child was outside of his home on the afternoon of July Fourth. The boy was run over by his father while outside and he sustained serious injuries. The child was transported by helicopter to a nearby hospital after the accident occurred but doctors were unable to save his life. Tragically, he was pronounced dead at Richland Memorial Hospital in Columbia, South Carolina at around 4:18 p.m. on the Fourth of July.

The news reports that law enforcement is looking into the circumstances of the tragic accident and indicates that an investigation has been launched. However, the coroner who responded to the accident scene has reported that it does not appear there were suspicious circumstances and that foul play is not suspected.

Of course, it seems very likely that this crash was an accident and not an intentional act on the part of the driver. Kids are involved in fatal car accidents all the time, sadly, and some of those crashes occur when a young child is backed over or run over by a vehicle in his own her own home. Driveways are dangerous — parking lots are also among the most dangerous locations for these types of collisions.

Even slow moving cars that are entering or exiting a driveway or traveling in a parking lot can cause serious injury to a young toddler and parents may simply not see their kids in the driveway or outside in the path of the car.

Protecting Kids from Car Accidents 

While car accident injuries involving kids are typically accidental, parents and drivers can still take steps to prevent these types of tragic incidents from occurring. First and foremost, it is important to always know where your kids are when either pulling into or backing out of your driveway. Backing out or reversing the car can be the most dangerous time for kids because they may fall within the vehicles blind spot and because young toddlers may be hard to see when the car is in reverse. Some cars have rear view cameras to try to prevent these types of devastating accidents by making it easier for drivers to see when a child is behind them.

In addition to checking your blind spots to try to reduce the chances of a crash, drivers should also travel at slower speeds in driveways and residential areas, avoid driving while tired or distracted or impaired in any way, and should teach their kids as soon as possible about safe behavior when cars are present.

While these safety suggestions will not prevent all tragic car accident deaths involving young kids in their homes, hopefully these safety tips will help to significantly reduce the number of children who lose their lives in car wrecks each year.

If you were hurt in a car accident, contact the Columbia, South Carolina injury attorneys at Matthews & Megna today at 877-253-7705.

According to Forbes, the rate of interest on new Stafford student loans is set to double on July 1^st unless Congress is able to act. Unfortunately, there is little agreement on the part of lawmakers on how to solve the problem of rising rates and efforts to thwart this massive increase in student loan costs have thus far been unsuccessful. 

If leaders are unable to come to an agreement, this increase in the cost of student borrowing is going to come at an inopportune time and is likely to cause serious hardship for the young. Our Columbia bankruptcy lawyers know that student debt is already crippling young people throughout the United States.  An increase in student loan costs is only likely to make this situation much, much worse.

Student Loan Debts are a Major Struggle

Student loan debts are a huge and growing problem in the United States. The cost of college has increased significantly in recent decades and the majority of students graduate thousands of dollars in debt. In fact, according to CNN Money, an estimated 16.2 percent of all Americans have student loans and the average balance on these loans is $24,810. This debt burden is causing those who are lucky enough to be able to pay their loans to delay buying a home, marrying or starting a family because they are so burdened with debt.

Unfortunately, the bad job market is also combining with high debt rates to leave many students unable to even begin tackling their debt burden. According to CNN Money, for example, almost 12 percent of student loans throughout the United States are at least 90 days delinquent.  In South Carolina, the number of delinquent borrowers is even higher than the national average as 13.5 percent of student borrowers are delinquent in the state.

Student debt is the only type of debt that has continued to increase during the Great Recession in the United States, as young people hope that going to college will provide them with a way to make it in a tough economy. Unfortunately, the actual outcome has proven very different as college grads are having a hard time finding jobs in their field and an even harder time finding jobs that will allow them to actually begin to aggressively pay down their debts.

Limited Help for Those Struggling with Student Loans

As if it is not bad enough that young people are trapped by student loan debt, things are even worse when you consider the special features of student loans. Perhaps the most problematic feature of all is that student loans are NOT forgivable in bankruptcy under almost any circumstances.

While you can get rid of most other types of debt including credit card debt and personal loan debt, you cannot eliminate student loan debt by filing for bankruptcy except in very limited circumstances. This means that even if you cannot find a job and cannot pay back your loans, there is no way to make the balance go away. The amount you owe can just keep on growing with interests and penalties and the situation can become even worse.

If you find yourself dealing with student loan issues, a bankruptcy lawyer may be able to assist you by helping to resolve other debts so your loan payments become more manageable. Until the law changes – and not in a way that doubles student loan interest rates – the problems with student debts will continue to cause huge ripples throughout the U.S. economy.

If you are considering bankruptcy, contact the Columbia, South Carolina attorneys at Matthews & Megna today at 877-253-7705.

Many people consider poverty to be a problem that is concentrated in inner cities. The suburbs, on the other hand, are typically viewed as places where families go to raise kids in relative comfort once they’ve gotten a good handle on their finances and saved to buy a house. 

Unfortunately, this is no longer a reality. Our Columbia, SC bankruptcy attorneys know that many suburban families are struggling to pay their bills or driven into foreclosure or bankruptcy. The problems of suburban poverty are not limited to a few people or to a few areas but have become a major issue throughout South Carolina and the United States.

Suburban Poverty Rising in South Carolina

According to a recent NBC News Article, suburban poverty has practically become an epidemic.  In fact, from the years 2000 to 2011, the number of suburban residents living in poverty rose almost 64 percent. Today, there are now an estimated 16.4 million people who are living in suburbs who are classified as living in poverty.

The increase in the number of poor families in suburbia was significantly higher than the rate of increase in cities. In fact, the rate of growth for suburban poverty was more than double the rate of growth for urban poverty in many major cities.  This has resulted in a situation where, for the first time, there are more poor and struggling people living in suburbs in many locations than are living in urban areas.

Poverty is a problem anywhere that it occurs, but those in suburban areas may unfortunately be worse off in some ways than poorer people living in urban areas. Because poverty is stereotypically viewed as an inner-city issue, most of the resources intended to help people in poverty are usually concentrated in metropolitan areas. This may mean that struggling people in suburbia have limited access to lifelines that could help them through such as food banks and public transportation.

Because poverty is not expected in the suburbs, the problem is also a hidden problem. People may be ashamed or afraid of admitting that they are having a hard time paying their bills. They may not have the support of neighbors, friends and family that is often available in traditionally-struggling communities where people may be able to count on each other for help or at least for understanding.

The reality, however, is that high rates of poverty in the suburbs are driven by many factors very few of which are the fault of those living in this bad situation.  Suburban poverty rates have largely increased due to high rates of unemployment, the collapse of the real estate bubble, a slow economic recovery, an increase in student loan debt, an increase in income inequality and the fact that many of the new jobs that are being created are low-wage with limited benefits.

This means that suburban homeowners and individuals who are coping with poverty should never be afraid to ask for help. Whether the solution is seeking government benefits or declaring bankruptcy, there are resources out there to assist those who are having a hard time financially.

If you are considering bankruptcy, contact the Columbia, South Carolina attorneys at Matthews & Megna today at 877-253-7705.

Despite a booming stock market and politicians claiming that we’re in the midst of an economic recovery, many Americans are still struggling through hard times. Our Columbia bankruptcy lawyers know that there are countless families out there living paycheck-to-paycheck or underwater and coping with debts they cannot erase.  Unfortunately, many of these families are considered to be well-above the poverty line and are ineligible for help that could give them some breathing room. 

While these economic problems are nothing new, a recent survey shows just how much more than poverty-level income most people think is required in order to survive in this country.   The survey also showed that a lot of families don’t think they have quite enough income to make ends meet.

How Much American Families Need to Get By

According to Today.com, Gallup recently surveyed more than 1,000 Americans and asked them to name the smallest amount of money that a family would require to get by in the community where they live.

Based on the responses, the poll found that Americans think a family of four people would need to make, on average, no less than $58,000 per year in order to be able to simply get by.  The results from the survey were very similar to the results of a prior survey in 2007 where the same question was asked.

The results also showed that most people estimated the necessary minimum income at a little bit more than they themselves made.  For example, according to Gallup, adults in households earning less than $30,000 think that it takes $43,600 on average in order to get by. In families earning $30,000 to $74,999, estimates of the minimum needed to get by rose to $55,100. Finally, in families earning $75,000 or more, the minimum needed to survive was estimated at $69,400.

These findings show a couple of important things. First, they show just how far the “minimum” estimates are from the poverty level. The Census Bureau estimates that the poverty level for a family of four is $24,000. With the “minimum” amount of money needed to get by estimated at more than double this amount, it is clear that there are probably a lot of struggling families out there that are not defined as living in poverty but who are not able to get their basic needs met.

The fact that most people estimated that they need more money than they have is also important. If families continually feel as if they do not have enough, they may find themselves turning to credit cards or other forms of debt in order to meet their bills and deal with unexpected expenses. This can quickly exacerbate their financial worries as they are then left to cope not just with their regular bills but also with interest and other costs of borrowing.

Unfortunately, when looking at the results of this study, it is easy to see why many families get into debt trouble and why many families end up in bankruptcy to try to get out of a financial mess they were pushed into by bad circumstances and tough economic times.

If you are considering bankruptcy, contact the Columbia, South Carolina attorneys at Matthews & Megna today at 877-253-7705.

This May, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the Department of Justice teamed up to take legal action against two debt relief companies. As The Hill reports, this is the first joint effort of its kind. However, this is not the first time that debt relief firms have been dishonest and made promises they had no intention of keeping. 

Our Columbia, SC bankruptcy attorneys are aware of the unfortunate fact that many unscrupulous companies try to take advantage of those who are struggling with debt. This type of behavior is unconscionable as these companies prey on people who already have many financial problems and who don’t deserve to be victimized by those who promise to help.

Debt Relief Firms Face Complaints of Dishonesty

The CFPB has filed civil complaints against two debt relief firms that made false promises to debtors, while the Department of Justice has simultaneously filed criminal charges against the same companies. The DOJ charges include allegations of both mail fraud and wire fraud. This is the first time that the Justice Department has ever filed charges based on a referral from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

The companies involved in the civil and criminal cases have been charged with defrauding more than 1,200 people out of millions of dollars. From 2009 through 2013, one of the companies — a purported “debt relief” company — claimed an affiliation with the federal government that did not exist. The company promised that it could negotiate with banks and credit cards to reduce debt, but then proceeded to take money from customers and ignore them.

The other company made fraudulent telemarketing sales, also making promises it couldn’t keep to debtors.  The DOJ is now seeking to seize proceeds from the scams, including confiscating properties and more than 40 bank accounts. The CFPB is focused on getting money back for defrauded debtors.

Protecting Yourself When Seeking Debt Relief

These cases are unique since this is the first time the CFPB and the DOJ have brought simultaneous actions, however this is not the first time that a debt relief company has been dishonest or defrauded consumers.

The CFPB is a relatively new government agency created by the Dodd Frank financial reform bill that was passed in response to abusive bank behavior, which was a top cause of the 2008 financial crisis in the United States. Hopefully, their efforts will be able to stop more dishonest debt relief companies in the future.

Debt relief scams are entirely too common because companies know that people who are struggling with debt are often willing to do everything they can to resolve their debt problems. Unfortunately, debt relief companies can abuse this desperation.

Those who are struggling with debt need to know that debt relief companies are not their only way out. There are legal solutions to resolving debt, including filing for bankruptcy, and an experienced bankruptcy attorney can help to provide real solutions.

Unlike a debt relief agency, a bankruptcy attorney must have passed the Bar exam and must be licensed to practice in the state. Bankruptcy attorneys also must abide by a professional code of conduct that includes putting clients first. Placing your trust in a bankruptcy attorney to help with you debt issues is a far better choice if you are coping with debt so you can avoid potential scams or fraud. There is also a common misconception that seeking help through a debt-relief company will not hurt a consumer’s credit report. Both debt-relief and bankruptcy will result in a lower credit score in the short term. However, bankruptcy offers a permanent solution for dealing with an unmanageable debt load.

If you are considering bankruptcy, contact the Columbia, South Carolina attorneys at Matthews & Megna today at 877-253-7705.

The dangers of driving while talking on a cell phone or texting have been well established and 39 states have instituted a ban on texting and driving. Ten other states also have complete bans on any drivers using cell phones unless a hands-free device is used. South Carolina, unfortunately, is not one of those states and has no bans or prohibitions in place. 

Our Columbia  accident attorneys know that drivers are at risk of distracted driving accidents because there are no statewide bans on the use of cell phones behind the wheel. Unfortunately, a new study shows that cell phones may be causing even more crashes than anyone realized.

The Dangers of Cell Phone Use

Recently, the National Safety Council expressed concern that the number of crashes related to cell phone use is greater than is currently being reported. As the Washington Post indicated, many accident reports are leaving out information about drivers using cell phones at the time of the collision.

After a collision, accident reports are generally written by law enforcement professionals who respond to the scene of the crash. Responders may not include cell phone use in their reports for many different reasons including drivers not admitting to using their cell phones and a lack of consistency in crash reporting forms.

To get more specific information on how many crashes might be underreported, researchers reviewed a total of 180 fatal accidents that had occurred over a three-year period. Each of these crashes was chosen for review because there was evidence that a driver was using a cell phone at the time of the accident.

Researchers found that in 2011, only 52 percent of these accidents indicated that cell phones were a factor. This means that almost half of the accidents that likely involved cell phone use made no mention of the fact that a driver may have been on the phone at the time of the collision.

The researchers also indicated that the data on cell phone accidents may be skewed because of wide variations among states as to whether cell phones were listed in accident reports.  Tennessee, for example, reported 93 fatalities related to cell phone use while New York reported only one and Nevada reported none.

How Big is the Cell Phone Problem? 

Based on its research and projections of how prevalent underreporting is, the National Safety Council indicated that as many as one-quarter of all car accidents involve cell phone use. This evidence contradicts existing data, including information provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

NHTSA has far lower numbers for cell-phone related accidents than the NSC is suggesting. The NHTSA data, for example, indicates that only around 10 percent of all accidents are attributed to any kind of distracted driving and that only 1.2 percent of the distracted driving crashes are related to cell phones.

The Governors Highway Safety Association has taken the position that the NHTSA data is more likely accurate and that there is no solid evidence to back up the NSC’s new conclusion that 25 percent of crashes are tied to phone use.

Despite this disagreement, however, it is likely that at least some cell-phone related crashes are not reported as such. Thus, while we may not know exactly how big the problem is, it is probably a bigger issue than has thus far been realized.

If you are hurt in a car accident, contact the Columbia, South Carolina attorneys at Matthews & Megna today at 877-253-7705.

The economy has been unkind to many, but one group that has been hit surprisingly hard in recent years is physicians. According to CNN, an increasing number of doctors have been pushed into bankruptcy over the past several years, sometimes having to close their practices as a result of the bankruptcy filing. 

Our Columbia, SC bankruptcy attorneys know that bankruptcy is something that can happen to anyone. Physicians who are struggling with a practice that is drowning in debt should not be afraid to get the legal help they need to move forward with bankruptcy proceedings and to take advantage of the protections that are available under the law.

More Doctors Driven to Bankruptcy

In the United States, medical practices are generally for-profit businesses, and they often have a high overhead. Doctors need to pay for lab equipment, offices, staff and medical malpractice insurance.

Unfortunately, many of the fixed costs of running a medical practice are increasing. Doctors are coping with higher medical malpractice insurance costs and higher expenses for drugs and other business necessities. Changing regulations are also putting pressure on doctors and are resulting in larger expenditures for running a medical practice.

Unfortunately, as costs are going up, income is going down. Medicare payments to physicians are continually being reduced or threatened with reductions as the government works to curb costs and get the national debt under control. Private insurance companies are also dropping physician reimbursement amounts, led by the cuts in government payments for medical services.

The poor economy, of course, is also having an impact on the ability of patients to pay for medical help. With higher unemployment rates, fewer people have insurance and are able to seek routine medical care or pay for expensive treatments. Higher unemployment and stagnant wages also make it harder for people to pay out-of-pocket costs and co-pays, regardless of whether they have insurance.

With more concerns about money, people are also more reluctant to consider any type of elective medical procedure.

All of these factors are causing doctors and medical practices to face significant financial struggles. CNN indicates that these problems are not isolated to any specific field of medical professionals. Even specialists such as oncologists, OB/GYNS and orthopedic surgeons are having difficulties staying afloat. The larger point illustrated is that no one is immune from economic pressures and realities.

Considering Bankruptcy?

Doctors who are facing debt struggles may have a number of different options for bankruptcy depending upon how their medical practices are organized and depending upon the amount of debt they have.

In some cases, it may be possible to keep the practice running while renegotiating debt through bankruptcy. In other cases, liquidating the practice may be necessary. A bankruptcy attorney can help physicians to understand what their options are for bankruptcy. An attorney can also help physicians to understand what impact, if any, a bankruptcy will have on their personal finances if the practice is going bankrupt.

Resolving these issues is important as soon as the practice starts to struggle with debt. Doctors shouldn’t hesitate to get help, as the trends show they are not alone with their financial struggles.

If you are considering bankruptcy, contact the Columbia, South Carolina law firm of Matthews & Megna today at 877-253-7705.