John Coble has practiced as both a CPA and an attorney. John's legal specialties were tax law and bankruptcy law. Before starting his own firm, John worked for law offices, accounting firms, and one of America's largest banks. John handled almost 1,500 bankruptcy cases in the eight years that he ran his own law office. John has spent the last few years developing software and working on select data science projects. John holds a second law degree (LLM in Taxation) from the University of Alabama School of Law and a Data Science Certificate from Microsoft. John has worked on other graduate-level education in the fields of business and economics.
Articles written by Lawyer John Coble
What Is a Lien and How Does It Affect My Property?
Written by Lawyer John Coble. Legally reviewed by Jonathan Petts
Updated October 29, 2025
A lien is a property right held by a creditor to secure the creditor’s right to payment from the borrower. Once the creditor is paid in full, the lien is released and the borrower owns the property free and clear. This article will provide an overview of the different types of liens, how they arise, and provide some guidance and additional resources on how to deal with liens in a Chapter 7 bankruptcy.
Read More →4 Ways To Get "Currently Not Collectible" Status From the IRS
Written by Lawyer John Coble. Legally reviewed by Jonathan Petts
Updated October 29, 2025
If you're granted IRS "currently not collectible" (CNC) status, the IRS will no longer try to collect taxes from you via bank account levies, wage garnishments, or seizures of your other property. If you can't afford to pay anything toward your IRS tax debt, you'll need to request CNC status. Otherwise, you could see your paycheck garnished or have funds in your bank account taken from you due to a bank account levy.
Read More →How Will Filing Bankruptcy Affect My Children?
Written by Lawyer John Coble. Legally reviewed by Jonathan Petts
Updated October 22, 2025
Filing bankruptcy rarely has a direct negative impact on your children — and for many families, it can lead to more stability and less stress at home. Your child’s belongings, income, and education savings are usually protected, and filing doesn’t stop child support payments from being made or collected. If you owe child support, you’ll still need to stay current on payments, but wiping out other debts may make it easier to keep up. Overall, bankruptcy can be a valuable tool to regain control of your finances and create a better environment for your family.
Read More →Self-Employment Income and Bankruptcy: How To Know What Counts and How To Report It
Written by Lawyer John Coble. Legally reviewed by Ben Jackson
Updated September 17, 2025
If you’re self-employed — whether as an independent contractor, gig worker, sole proprietor, or business owner — it’s important to understand how your income is classified and reported in bankruptcy. Business income must be disclosed in your forms, along with allowable expenses, and the process depends on your business structure. Independent contractors, gig workers, and sole proprietors report business income in personal bankruptcy, while business owners with separate legal entities have additional considerations. This guide explains what counts as business income and how to calculate it for the Chapter 7 means test and Schedule I.
Read More →Judgment Enforcement and Collection in New York State
Written by Lawyer John Coble. Legally reviewed by Jonathan Petts
Updated September 9, 2025
If a creditor gets a court judgment against you, it can’t enforce it until it’s entered by the court clerk. If you don’t pay the judgment voluntarily, the judgment creditor has several debt collection options at its disposal. In addition to options like wage or bank account garnishment, the creditor could contact an enforcement officer for assistance. If a creditor wins a court judgment against you, you’ll have to pay the money judgment amount plus any interest the court orders. Pre-judgment interest accrues on the debt owed before the court’s decision, while post-judgment interest accrues on the money judgment after it’s entered. In New York state, the interest accrual rate for debt collection cases is 2% annually.
Read More →What Are Bankruptcy-Friendly Credit Cards?
Written by Lawyer John Coble. Legally reviewed by Jonathan Petts
Updated August 26, 2025
It’s important to rebuild your credit after a bankruptcy. The good news is that you’ll get plenty of offers for credit after your bankruptcy discharge. The bad news is that some of those offers won’t be great, with high interest rates or hidden fees. If you want to rebuild your credit, you need to find the right card to work for you. Read on to learn about some of your options.
Read More →Rebuilt Title Car Loans Explained
Written by Lawyer John Coble. Legally reviewed by Jonathan Petts
Updated August 19, 2025
When a car's title is classified as a "salvage" title, this means that the vehicle has either been severely damaged or totaled. If the vehicle is repaired, the salvage title classification may shift to a "rebuilt" title. Buyers should be cautious when purchasing a vehicle with a rebuilt title because the car or truck may cost more to insure and the purchase may be harder to finance. Buying a vehicle with a salvage title is a process additionally burdened by the costs of repairing the damaged car.
Read More →How (and Why) To File Back Taxes if You Haven’t Filed in Years
Written by Lawyer John Coble. Legally reviewed by Jonathan Petts
Updated June 30, 2025
If you haven't filed a tax return in years, you may be wondering how to get back on track. The best way to make up for missed filings is to go back and file your old/missed returns with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Late or missing tax return filings can lead to penalties and possible legal trouble. If you have missed any tax filings in previous years, gather your old tax forms and file as soon as possible. You can file old tax returns online, in person at a local IRS office, or by mail.
Read More →8 Fee-Free Bank Accounts You Can Open Even if You Have Bad Credit
Written by Lawyer John Coble. Legally reviewed by Jonathan Petts
Updated January 24, 2025
In the past, if you had bad credit, you could only open subpar second-chance checking accounts. They often had high fees and few benefits or good features. Now, a lot of online banks offer checking accounts with great features even if you have bad credit. This article looks at eight great options.
Read More →Repossession Laws in Washington
Written by Lawyer John Coble. Legally reviewed by Jonathan Petts
Updated October 28, 2025
In Washington, missing just one car payment could lead to repossession, depending on the terms of your loan agreement. Lenders aren't required to give advance notice before taking your vehicle. After repossession, the lender must send you a notice about your right to redeem the car and what they plan to do with it. You might still owe money after the car is sold, especially if it sells for less than what you owe, but Chapter 7 bankruptcy may help wipe out that remaining balance.
Wage Garnishment in Arkansas
Written by Lawyer John Coble. Legally reviewed by Ben Jackson
Updated October 22, 2025
Wage garnishment in Arkansas happens when a creditor takes money directly from your paycheck to collect a debt, usually after getting a court order. Some debts, like taxes or child support, can be garnished without a lawsuit. Federal and state laws limit how much of your paycheck can be taken, and certain types of income, like Social Security, are protected. You may be able to stop a garnishment by paying the debt, negotiating with the creditor, or filing for bankruptcy.
Repossession Laws in Wisconsin
Written by Lawyer John Coble.
Updated October 14, 2025
Repossession is the process of taking back a car after the owner defaults on their auto loan. Each state has different laws and regulations that dictate every step of the repossession process from start to finish. This page will provide an overview of Wisconsin's Repossession Laws and what you should know if you've fallen behind on car payments.
Repossession Laws in Oregon
Written by Lawyer John Coble.
Updated October 14, 2025
Repossession is the process of taking back a car after the owner defaults on their auto loan. Each state has different laws and regulations that dictate every step of the repossession process from start to finish. This page will provide an overview of Oregon's Repossession Laws and what you should know if you've fallen behind on car payments.
Wage Garnishment in Wisconsin
Written by Lawyer John Coble. Legally reviewed by Ben Jackson
Updated September 22, 2025
Wage garnishment happens when money is taken from your paycheck to repay a debt, usually after a creditor sues you and wins a court judgment. In Wisconsin, most garnishments come from consumer debts like credit cards or medical bills, but state law limits how much of your income can be taken. The process includes several steps, but you may be able to stop the garnishment by filing objections, claiming exemptions, or filing for bankruptcy. For people struggling with multiple debts, bankruptcy can stop wage garnishment and may erase the debt entirely.
Wage Garnishment in Florida
Written by Lawyer John Coble. Legally reviewed by Ben Jackson
Updated September 10, 2025
A wage garnishment order allows creditors to take money directly from your paycheck. Most of the time, this is only possible after a court has entered a judgment. Here's how Florida regulates wage garnishments.
Repossession Laws in Tennessee
Written by Lawyer John Coble. Legally reviewed by Ben Jackson
Updated August 27, 2025
Repossession is the process of taking back a car after the owner defaults on their auto loan. Each state has different laws and regulations that dictate every step of the repossession process from start to finish. This page will provide an overview of Tennessee's Repossession Laws and what you should know if you've fallen behind on car payments.
Repossession Laws in South Carolina
Written by Lawyer John Coble. Legally reviewed by Ben Jackson
Updated August 27, 2025
Repossession is the process of taking back a car after the owner defaults on their auto loan. Each state has different laws and regulations that dictate every step of the repossession process from start to finish. This page will provide an overview of South Carolina's Repossession Laws and what you should know if you've fallen behind on car payments.
Repossession Laws in Ohio
Written by Lawyer John Coble. Legally reviewed by Rohan Pavuluri
Updated August 27, 2025
Repossession is the process of taking back a car after the owner defaults on their auto loan. Each state has different laws and regulations that dictate every step of the repossession process from start to finish. This page will provide an overview of Ohio's Repossession Laws and what you should know if you've fallen behind on car payments.
Repossession Laws in Pennsylvania
Written by Lawyer John Coble. Legally reviewed by Jonathan Petts
Updated August 27, 2025
Repossession is the process of taking back a car after the owner defaults on their auto loan. Each state has different laws and regulations that dictate every step of the repossession process from start to finish. This page will provide an overview of Pennsylvania's Repossession Laws and what you should know if you've fallen behind on car payments.
