I wrote a post a few weeks ago about financial help for parents of autistic children. I’m striking out. Tried going to our mortgage lender (Countrywide) and they were not helpful. You have to be behind in your payments to get any help at all. And even then it sounds like you’d only get a payment plan. Yeah, thanks. I guess we’ll call you when we’re ready to go into foreclosure. I had hoped maybe they’d give us a loan with a lower interest rate, but I guess that was pretty naive on my part.
Why should a big corporation help us out when our own government won’t even step up to help? I shouldn’t complain too much because as stressful as my life is, I know other families have it much harder than we do. We will make it. But it’s just another example of how much pressure is put on families in this culture. When you have a special needs child, that pressure is incredibly intense.
I’m too frustrated to write anything eloquent right now, but here’s a quote from patientcenters.com that really resonates with me:
“The US stands alone in the civilized world as the only country that would rather pay strangers or an institution to care for a child than provide support for parents to do so themselves. While all Western European nations (and many others) provide family support allowances to encourage one parent to stay home with all young children, the US government has cut support even to single parents, and provides extraordinarily low allowances when they are available.“
That site provides a country-by-country summary of government support programs for people with Autism and other developmental disorders. Check it out here:
http://www.oreilly.com/medical/autism/news/financial.html
2 responses so far ↓
Friend in need // March 3, 2008 at 12:17 am
Help this woman save her home.
I am writing this ad on behalf of a woman who is being threatened with eviction from her home of 10 years. It is a long and painful saga which you will read below. When you hear and are moved to action, please do two things for her. First, send her one dollar and second forward this, to as many people as you know. If this works, and we can reach 183,000 people by the end of the month, collectively we will be responsible for saving her home. First where to mail you dollar
Save Patti’s House
852 Waterloo Drive
Henderson, NV 89002
Her story is in her own words.
My name is Patti; I live in Henderson, Nevada
I need help immediately and this sounds like a God send for me.
Just to tell you about my home - 4 bedroom, 2 baths, formal living room, dining, family room, eat in kitchen, office, laundry room, patio, pool, 2 car garage.. All in a nice, quaint neighborhood and on a dead-end street.
I have lived in my home since February 1998.
About 4 years ago, the following things started to happened and continued.
01. Divorce from husband whom was with mental condition (bi-polar etc) this caused me abuse and I needed to get out for my own safety, health and safety and was encouraged by police, doctors and friends.
02. Double pneumonia, and in hospital a month.
03. While in hospital, large amount of funds stolen from me.
04. Major Brain surgery and in hospital/ rehab for approximately one year.
05 While in hospital, right after major brain surgery, on total life support and considered dead by a doctor, thank God a couple other doctors gave me more time, so I have faith and believe that God had and has many reasons for me to live.
07. Broken neck, 2 places at c-1….Was in hospital and rehab approximately 8 months.
I was told that statistics showed I should have immediately died and or been totally paralyzed.
Now when all this started about 4 years ago, and after my money was taken, my brother-n-law told me not to worry about anything, that he knew I loved my home and due to all the things going on, he wanted to help me by stepping in and buy the house from courts/divorce for $183,000. This is what he did and as I was in belief that I would have place to live in my own home for the rest of my life, but also approached brother-n-law with my goals of also getting healthier/stronger and walking again/etc, was also to buy my home back and get it back into my name, and he agreed that when I could do this, I could get it for the $183,000.
I have diligently been going forward, with a very loving, positive, attitude about life and myself, etc. I had made improvements at my home, such as landscaping, added on office (as my goal to have nice pleasant in-home business, perhaps via computer) I kept up repairs, paid utilities, etc. And working quite a few hours on myself, health, body, for a change..(Which usually I have always just given to other until it hurt and very draining)
Well now, I receive an attorney letter stating I had to be out of my home by 2/29/08..Letter was written 2-13-08 and received 2-14-08, otherwise I would be evicted….So now I am fighting for my home…I need to immediately come up with the $183,000 to give to my brother-n-law…
Sincerely,
Patti
rentersforpatti@yahoo.com
Cousin Peter James // May 17, 2008 at 2:02 am
I used to work for a law firm that dealt with foreclosures and learned the following important things.
1) Banks do NOT want to foreclose on your home. It is expensive and they do not want to get stuck with a property that is of unknown condition that is hard to sell.
2) Judges in foreclosure court tend to be pro-homeowner and anti-foreclosure. The banks know this and instruct their attorneys to try to work with you.
3) If you get calls from the bank or their attorneys, talk to them, send them whatever you can. Send it by registered mail if they start to refuse payments, that way you can show a judge in foreclosure court that you tried to make partial payments and were refused. This may not save you, but once an attorney who should get a copy of these registered letters knows that these are being sent, he knows he will face a harder time in court and being chastised by the judge for not working harder with you.
4) Offer to make what payments you can, and make those payments on time. Let all other debts fall to the wayside. Hide your car, let your furniture be repossessed, but make those house payments.
5) Interest rates have fallen. In a registered letter ask the bank to refinance your loan at lower rates that are in place so that you can make your payments. Ask them to ignore their normal policies given that you have an autistic child that came after you made the loan, creating an unexpected debt burden, which is the source of your home payment problem and that lower interest rates and payments would make a great deal of difference. Ask them also about a 40 year loan. You can always pre-pay this if things get better financially. Be sure to make all of these queries as registered letters. Keep any and all denials so that there is a record of your good faith efforts to make the loan good.
6) If you have trouble getting the bank to take a loan payment by mail, also try sneaky ways to make a payment in person and online. Try paying at different branches. Look for a new clerk and say that you have had trouble making a payment because you don’t have x,y,z. Once they take one full payment and you get a receipt that may reset the whole foreclosure clock. The bank is responsible for the actions of their employees.
7) If you are facing foreclosure and do not have an attorney, get one now! You may be able to get one pro-bono (free) if you think you cannot afford one. The court probably keeps the fees for foreclosure defenses pretty low though, but find out. If ever there was a time you needed a lawyer, this is the time.
Can you get the house into a trust? Maybe too late.
9) This is exactly the kind of situation that bankruptcy laws are designed for. To protect you from creditors so that you do not lose everything, if hospital and medical bills and credit card bills are killing you this may stop all legal action and let you set up a plan for payment that will let you keep your house. If nothing else you may be able to stop paying everything else until you get your house current.
10) It is not over if you lose the house in a court judgement. You can still negotiate with the bank until the house is sold at the sherriff’s sale and can sometimes convince the judge to stop it. Also, if you can get help or financing to pay off the sale amount at the sale itself, you will be able to go into the auction with a certified check for the judgement amount and get your home back. You will still owe the bank the remainder of your note (I think) but they will have to go through the whole process again to take your house. Something they will not want to do
11) Oh, one other idea. If you are not too far behind and you have family you can stay with for a short time, consider renting your house until you can get caught up. If you can rent your house for enough more than the payment, sometimes you can, you can even get ahead.
Hopes this helps.
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