Kevin M Ryan

I have practiced in the area of consumer and business bankruptcy law for more than 20 years. I meet directly with every client and provide a free office consultation. I believe that this is the best way to learn your situation and to determine the best course of action with respect to every client's unique set of circumstances.

• Bankruptcy
• Collections
• Foreclosure Defense
• Personal Injury
• Real Estate Law
• Consumer Law

• Free Consultation
  We accept debit cards. Credit cards are accepted in limited circumstances, as long as payor is verified as not being a party who is filing bankruptcy. A client cannot pay initial bankruptcy fees using a credit card.
• Credit Cards Accepted
  I am not able to accept client credit card payments for bankruptcy fees unless a person who is not a party to your case uses their own credit card to pay legal fees.
• Contingent Fees
  applies to personal injury, wrongful death and collection matters
• Rates, Retainers and Additional Information
  We guarantee all of our fees. We do not operate on open, running fee agreements in bankruptcy matters unless pre-arranged with client for special matters or complex cases involving litigation. In come cases, creditors can be ordered to pay legal fees for violating certain consumer and bankruptcy laws.

Alabama

Since 2015

Ohio

1998-2015

6th Circuit

1998-2015

licensed real estate sales associate

Jason Will Real Estate

2015 - Current

Kevin Ryan is a real estate sales agent licensed in the State of Alabama and is a principal member of Ryan Realty Group, LLC

President

Ryan Legal Services, Inc.

1998 - Current

Legal practice focused entirely on consumer bankruptcy matters; Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 cases.

President

West Shore Property Management Inc.

1999 - 2008

residential property investment and management company

Cleveland State University

J.D. | Law

1994 - 1997

College of Wooster

B.A. | History

1990 - 1994

Activities: Football, Phi Sigma Alpha

Div. III NCAC All Conference Team ( Defense : Outside Linebacker) 1993; Captain; Most Inspirational Senior Award

College of Wooster Football

1993

American Bankruptcy Institute

Attorney Member

2017 - Current

Mobile Bar Association

Attorney Member

2015 - Current

National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys (NACBA)

Member

2005 - Current

member

American Bankruptcy Institute

Q. How do I find out when I filed bankruptcy last?

4 June 2018

A: This can be checked on the US Court’s PACER Electronic Filing system with your social security number. Feel free to contact my office and we’ll check for you.

Q. Can declaring bankruptcy do away with back child support? It is over $50,000.

24 May 2018

A: Child support is a claim that cannot be discharged in Ch 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy, the most common "consumer " bankruptcy cases. In Chapter 13, the claim must be paid in full as a priority debt if the support is owed directly to the other parent or guardian Obligee under the child support order. There is some flexibility in paying child support in a Ch 13 plan when owed to the child support agency itself (such as for reimbursement of medicaid or welfare payments to the other parent). If the child support agency agrees in that instance, part of the amount can be deferred or paid after discharge, or reduced by agreement or settlement. If there is a child support judgment claim, the interest can be deferred by agreement to be due and owing after the Ch 13 case is concluded. In summary, for the most part, child support claims are not dischargeable in bankruptcy, and in Chapter 13 you have to figure out a way to pay the arrears within the confines of a 60 month Plan, or it is not feasible.

Q. Reverse mortgage left on home that we were left in grandfather's will. They trying to auction property off. Please help

6 May 2018

A: The reverse mortgage lender has a security interest, or “lien,” on the real estate. You may be able to file a Ch 13 Bankruptcy case if you have an expectancy legal interest in the property as a legal heir. You would not be personally liable for the reverse mortgage if you simply surrendered any claim to the property and let the foreclosure sale occur ( unless you signed a personal guaranty or co-signed on the reverse mortgage)

Q. What are my foreclosure rights re: owner financed home as owner. Can I reclaim and evict in Alabama

6 May 2018

A: To answer the question you would need to disclose if this is an Alabama Contract for Deed or a Vendor Lien Deed, both of which would ( if drafted properly) set out your legal remedies in the event of “default,” which should also be defined in the document.

Q. What are the legal options in order to force a freelance client to pay me the money that they agree they owe?

6 May 2018

A: The fact summary sets out a “quantum meruit” claim, or “unjust enrichment.” A written agreement and evidence of breach has a higher chance of success, but her email admission of the claim can be presented in small claims court, where you should file this case. Request all of your losses and costs as damages.

Q. I filed Chapter 13 and my home was not included. I make direct payment to the company. Should these payments be put i

2 May 2018

A: The lender will typically put your post-bankruptcy loan payments into a suspense account if they have filed Chapter 13 just prior to your making a late mortgage payment for the moth of filing. You or your attorney will need to contact the lender's attorney to decide whether the payment for that month will be part of the lender's arrearage claim ( meaning it would be paid in the Ch 13 Plan), or applied to current payments. The lender must have direction from you or your ch 13 attorney as to how the payment should be applied, or you will stay in this limbo ( and incur late fees, etc) going forward. Usually this is a simple fix with one phone call or email to the lender's attorney. Lenders usually have legal counsel appear in the case early on and you or your attorney can determine who that person is by going online at the Court's PACER system.

Q. I had my chapter 13 dismissed and consider chapter 7. I want to keep my home but I am $8000. behind what are my options

16 February 2018

A: The only way you can force the lender to accept current payments on your home loan while at the same time pay the arrears over time is via Chapter 13. You may be able to get the $8,000.00 arrears put onto the back end of the loan via a Loan Modification, but you would need to start the application process asap. Go to www.makinghomeaffordable.gov and call HUD to talk to a housing loan counselor about your options. If your home loan is owned by Fannie Mae, FHA, Freddie Mac, the VA etc, then you should be able to move forward at the HUD website with your application. They may direct you to call the servicing company for the loan to request the application for loan modification. When you send in any info for a loan modification, send it USPS , UPS or FED EX with a Tracking ID #. Make a copy of your docs and cover letter, and keep that with the Mailing or Shipping Receipt, so that you can have verification of everything you send, and proof of the date mailed. Finally, be persistent.

Q. I filed for Ch. 7 in the middle of a month. At the beginning of that month, I got a $2000/year raise, but filed

7 February 2018

A: Once you have filed a case with retained legal counsel, it really is not appropriate for another attorney to "second guess" your lawyer since the lawyer should be the person who has spent the most time analyzing your information and becoming familiar with your situation, etc. That being said, in the Southern District of Alabama it is customary in a situation such as the one you describe for the Debtor through counsel to file all the necessary schedule amendments that may arise just after the 341 meeting. The Alabama bankruptcy courts are not part of the U.S. Trustee system used in 48 other states. We have a Bankruptcy Administrator employed by the U.S. District Court to oversee the bankruptcy process in the District. The Bankruptcy Administrator provides legal counsel at the 341 meeting to oversee each case, and to run the meeting of creditors. This, in my opinion, is a superior system to that of the U.S. Trustee System because the Bankruptcy Administrator Attorney acts as a neutral party between the Debtor attorney and the Chapter 7 Trustee. This alleviates all kinds of problems, usually petty issues that arise between two lawyers that are constantly dealing with one another on contested cases. Scheduling of the Meeting of Creditors is determined by the Bankruptcy Administrator's office, as well as followup for schedule amendments. This means that in the Alabama Bankruptcy Courts the Debtors are not pushed around by the Ch 7 trustee with threats of multiple court appearances ( such as Rule 2004 exams, which are sort of like mini depositions at the Trustee's law office). You should feel like you trust your attorney, and feel confident that he or she is providing you with the best advice. Signs of a good bankruptcy lawyer include having competent staff, good followup with you by phone, email or text when you have questions, and responsiveness to the Bankruptcy Court and Ch 7 Trustee, so that your case moves to a conclusion. If your lawyer is not returning your phone calls or answering your emails, has not shown up for court or is extremely late, or just generally not prepared ever, you may need to consider hiring another attorney.

Q. I live in Alabama and I was wondering if you can file on a car only and not other things.

7 February 2018

A: Chapter 13 may ( stress, "may") enable you to "cram down" the vehicle loan, which is in simple terms a process whereby you pay the creditor only the current fair market value of the vehicle, with interest which is usually Prime Rate plus 1 or 2 points, over a time period of between 36 up to 60 months. At the end of a cram down Ch 13 Plan you get the title to the vehicle. The loan must be more than 2.5 years ( or 910 days) old to be eligible for cramdown. If you cannot cram down the vehicle you can still re-amortize the loan over a period of up to 60 months and lower the interest rate the same as a cram down.