AboutLeon D. Bayer, Esq. Expertise Personal and small business bankruptcy. Mr. Bayer has successfully handled thousands of bankruptcy cases. You can view his personal web site at:
Experience Experience in the area A practicing attorney since 1979, Mr. Bayer is a founding partner in the law firm of Bayer, Wishman & Leotta (1989) and is a Certified Specialist, Consumer & Small Business Bankruptcy Law, by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization.
He has served as President, 1995-1996 of the Los Angeles Bankruptcy Forum; Member - Los Angeles County Bar Association Committee on Commercial Law & Bankruptcy, 1988; Member, Law Advisory Commission-Personal & Small Business Bankruptcy Law of the State Bar of California, 1996-2000.
His publications include ?The Essentials Of Chapter 13,? Daily Journal Report, December 18, 1987; Contributing Editor, Basic Bankruptcy, California Practice Handbook, Matthew Bender 1992, 1993, and as Reviewer and Contributor for a CEB ?Bankruptcy Practice (2003).
Mr. Bayer has been a frequent law lecturer for numerous programs, including the semi-annual Bridging the Gap program for the Los Angles Lawyer's Club and the Daily Journal Corporation, 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2004, State Bar of California Annual Meetings, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989; California Bankruptcy Forum, and programs presented by the United States Trustee.
Media appearances include TV: KCAL9-Various interviews as Bankruptcy expert for 2 part series with Reporter Alan Mendelson, How to Survive the Recession, 3/02; also Unmasking a Debt Negotiation Scam, 5/02; 11/03, EXTRA - various interviews as legal expert regarding celebrity bankruptcy cases including Burt Reynolds, Anna Nicole Smith; RADIO: Frequent guest-bankruptcy expert on the Benjamin Dover Show, KFI; Sunday Edition, public affairs program-1/03, 97.1 FM, and Your Legal Rights (2/04) on KALW-FM (91.7), San Francisco, California, KGIL AM.
Publications Author, ?The Essentials Of Chapter 13,? Daily Journal Report, December 18, 1987.
Contributing Editor, Basic Bankruptcy, California Practice Handbook, Matthew Bender 1992, 1993.
CEB Consultant, CEB-Personal and Small Business Bankruptcy Practice in California, 2003.
Awards and Honors President, 1995-1996-Los Angeles Bankruptcy Forum; Member - Los Angeles County Bar Association Committee on Commercial Law & Bankruptcy, 1988. Law Advisory
Commission-Personal & Small Business Bankruptcy Law of the State Bar of California, 1996-2000
MR. BAYER SAYS: The big banks and credit card companys have been working overtime for many years to undermine the Consitutional right of the American people to be able to claim bankruptcy protection. In 2005 the banking lobby successfully convinced Congress and the President to make the laws and proceedures more complicated, hopeing that it will stymie legitimate people from filing bankruptcy. They succeeded in gaining these complex new legal proceedures by greasing the legislative system with hundreds of millions of dollars in "campaign contributions." The good news for the American people is that while the new laws have made the proceedures needlessly complex to the point where inexperienced people can't help but trip over the maze of new rules and regulations, the process is still doable, especially with a lawyer who is well trained and experienced in this specialty.
Expert: Leon D. Bayer, Esq. Date: 7/2/2008 Subject: Additional Clothing\Food expense
Question On line 39 you are allowed to claim an additonal clothing\food expense of up to $60. If you are able to show bank statements that you spend above and beyond the standards, how much resistance can one expect from the UST if trying to claim this expense? Is it common for people to claim this expense, given the recent rise in food prices?
Answer Very uncommon. I would expect a lot of resistance. Even if you can prove that you spend the extra money, you still have to prove that the expense is necessary and not frivolous. Are you that close on the means test that you flunk without claiming it? If you don't need it, I would not claim it.
