The Troubleshooter 4-24-25

Yeah, ripped up, didn't need advice, so you don't have.

Come running. Just as fast as we can.

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Man Dix's The Troubleshooter Show. No Tom Martino, Hello.

Tom Martino, here fighting for you, going on forty five years, same radio show, same person, same action. I got some other people helping me out as usual. They're great people and they're all ready to do it. We love taking retired executives, retired or people who are still active even and putting them to work for us and for you. We also have lawyers and doctors and accountants and experts. That's what we do here today. In addition to everything else,

So this is.

Scams are the most ridiculous things, and yet it is the number one reason people are losing money. It is absolutely, positively the biggest reason people are losing money.

There are so many.

People losing money life savings from scams, scams, and the biggest scam right now, Well, I don't know if it's the biggest. It's biggest for dollar amounts. It may not be biggest for the most people involved, but it's biggest for dollar amounts.

Anybody want to take a guess on it?

Uh, I would guess the biggest and dollar amounts would be the people who file fraudulent titles to your home and then they take out ginormous loans against your equity.

Now it's probably the most prophet title title theft is one of the lowest forms of fraud there is. Oh, how about per event romance scams?

Number one about people calling older people and impersonating you know what.

I didn't have that on my list. I got to do that. That's called the grand parent scam. The grandparent scam is where someone calls up. It's amazing how grandparents. I don't know how they fall for it. So somebody simply calls and says grandma, and they.

Say is this you harry?

And then yes it is, and then they they impersonated a grandson or a granddaughter in trouble. Oh, I've never heard of a granddaughter. I imagine it happens. They impersonate somebody in trouble.

They're in Mexico and jail.

My uncle got tom My uncle got scammed out of thirty thousand dollars from that, yes, six years ago.

It was really bad.

They called and they acted like they knew his nieces, and he said, is.

That my niece Joe Anne?

Yes?

Yes, So they they glombed onto the name and he went to the bank and withdrew practically his life savings and Western Union to some place in Mexico.

Hey, give us a call if you've been scammed. Of course you can call us with any problem, question or complaint. But basically, deputy Doc hit. It the biggest scam. They call it. You know what the nickname is in the scam world for this, butchering pigs.

They call it butchering pigs. And it's a.

Terrible name, but or pig bookscher, bookscher butchering. Now, what what they do is they basically feine interest in you, they call it. And when they feign interest in you, you get interested in them. They start exchanging emails and eventually they ask for money, money to come see you, or money to get married. Unbelievable, but it's one. It's one of the very most common scams. And uh, it's terrible.

Tom treats me about these. I get a lot of these on the AARP line, and what amazes me is that people don't understand reality. You have thirty You have fifteen sixty year old men and women who get involved with people who are thirty years younger than them, who are overseas and never ever talk to them or face time them, and they have no reality testing mechanisms.

They don't understand.

Yeah, but don't let don't let don't let a FaceTime or a zoom be the deciding factor because they know how to fake those two.

No, But what they don't they don't realize is that if you're a fifty five year old man or woman, there's no twenty eight year old model or a special Forces person that's going.

To be interested in you.

If they're rich, they would be, But these aren't rich people.

And I can tell them to look as well.

I'm well, look, there are a lot of people. Think now listen, I got a text here saying that scammers are shameless. They're vicious, heartless, greedy sociopaths.

You know, Mark, do you remember we talked to one on air and he actually told us.

Actually I didn't find him that way. I'll tell you how I found him. I found him like it was a job. He would split I think forty percent, he'd get forty percent of his take. And he would show up at an office and they were I think they were in Jamaica, and he was just like very matter of fact. It's not like I'm just screwing people. It's like a job. It's like selling an undercoatd a car. I mean, do these car dealers screw people when they try to sell you all the flim flam and the mop and glow.

I don't know. No, No, we're talking.

There's a difference between shady business practices and out and out skin.

I agree, or just said.

But in his mind that's what I believe. To him, that was just his job. He didn't personalize the people he was talking to.

Ah, I'm bringing up the studio now, Brooke White's there from Red Rocks Roof and so Brook people. What's the biggest stumbling block to getting solar right now? I think it would be that they don't know they're going to stay in their house. But that's my guess. What is the what would be the biggest stumbling block?

I think it depends on if you're talking residential or commercial.

So let's talk residential. What's the biggest block to residential?

Definitely the equity piece.

I think, like you said, how long are they going to stay in their home and what's the sale value of the solar when they go? Because right, racing systems kind of destroyed that relationship with solar and realtors and it still hasn't recovered.

What do you mean, what do you mean leasing solar?

Yeah, so back in the early two thousands when solar was starting to get more popular, it's because they were doing leases. So if you bought a system, let's say from Tesla, Tesla would own the system. They would just sue it on your roof space for twenty years.

Twenty five years, Yeah, twenty five years.

And then after that they would come back and either take it or you would buy out the system.

And so with that during that twenty five years, are you saying it impeded home sales?

Yes, absolutely, there was a lot.

Of issues with home sales if you leased a system.

I can see that because if a new person didn't want to take it over, you couldn't leave it there. You'd have to take it with you, and that would be cost prohibitive.

You couldn't take it with you because it was tied to that property. So you would have to either pay for it, continue to pay it, or.

You pay it in full.

Yep.

So when you pay it in full early, can you get financing for it?

For lease systems, you either have to pay it all.

Well, wait a minute, that would be silly. You can't.

You can't do that if you're leasing. If you are on a twenty five year lease and you're fifteen years into it or ten years into it and you sell your house, you couldn't take a loan out to pay for that because it's you know, there's nothing to secure it. I mean, you're selling the house with the solar system, So that's stupid.

When I said, do they take.

A loan so they have to take out of their celle proceeds enough money to pay off that lease?

Sometimes they would, but even sometimes it wouldn't go through depending on who you leased it through. They weren't always the most cooperative companies either, from what I've heard.

I mean, even if you wanted to pay them off, even if.

You wanted to pay off the lease.

This is just Hearsaye from what I've heard from realtors, this was a system that was put in place long before I started doing solar, so I'm not exactly sure on the specs. I just know that it did cause issues with sales of homes back in the day.

Okay, yeah, no, I know it did. I know it did, and it was it was they were leases. When the new owner didn't want to take over the lease, the old owner had to pay it off and it came out of their cell proceeds. I mean, they just you know, they had to pay it off.

It was. It was a contingent on them paying it off.

And then what happens is the new owner gets it free and clear, and if you can get more for your house, you can try.

But a lot of people won't pay more for solars.

Some actually avoid solar, so it's really a weird situation. We all recognize solar to be good, but we do not, we truly do not.

Believe that when we go out to buy a house.

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I mean, there are so many of them.

And uh, I'm getting a lot of texts about it. And you can text me at seven four seven nine nine nine fifty two eighty or through iHeart at the short code five seven seven three nine Put Tom in there, get to me. Somebody says, I find paranoia to be very useful with all online interactions. The worst part of it is valid organizations that use the same methods online

Some of these older people let them into their.

Computer and then everything, every dime they've ever had is gone, just gone, because someone went into their bank account. It's it's hard to believe, but it happens all the time. Called screener, let's go to Shelley. Hi, Shelley, you were working with Deputy d and this was an RV issue.

How long ago was this one?

Shelley first called a April third.

April third, Okay, so what was the original problem with Shelle?

Any of you, Shelley or d.

Tom.

Shelley called in because because she lived in an RV which was parked in the street and then Denver came and towed it away, and Shelley does not want the RV back, but she wanted some more time to remove some of her personal belongings from the RV.

So she went to the impound yard.

I remember this.

Yeah, she gained access to the RV, but she felt like she wasn't given enough.

She was given fifteen minutes, and she said, that's not fair. I thought. The sheriff's department said she was there for more than an hour.

Yeah, So I spoke with the sheriff's department. They checked their records. They claimed that she was there for an hour before they finally kicked her out. So I asked the sheriff's office to please get her, give her another chance to come in for a fifteen minute interval and grab her stuff. And the sheriff's department said, yeah, that's fine, she can come back. She'll be supervised by a deputy,

We discussed.

I asked her to come up with a plan, like figure out what she wants to get, how she's going to get it in fifteen minutes and be in and out and and that's it. So now Shelley's calling because I assume show he kind of hit a snag.

In that plan and something.

Well did they let you back, Shelley?

And well, they did, but they only they said one of only one of us to go in My roommings went in and I was sitting in the car and I opened the door and he said, you do not supposed to see her? They said one. They said only one of you can go in. I didn't enter it. They kind of live on in there, not even five minutes. But he also found that a lot of our stuff

Yeah, so I'm not sure of the process. Are they supposed to get personal property back?

Yes, they do have a policy of allowing people in.

I mean, what is the law on it, you know, I don't.

Think there is a law. I wasn't able to find any law.

It is.

It appears to be the Denver Sheriff's office policy. And they do allow one person in and you've got fifteen minutes. And my understanding is they only allow you one event like that and after that you're done.

You either bail out your.

RV or you abandon it with the Sheriff's office. So I'm not surprised to hear Shelley say that they would not allow her and her roommate to enter the RV. And I'm also not surprised to hear that a bunch of stuff had been stolen. So whether it got stolen, you know, before the before the RV got towed, or while it was at the Sheriff's department, I don't doubt that stuff was stolen. I doubt that there is anything that the sheriff's office is going to do about stolen stuff though, I.

Don't think so.

We know what we've been there.

Yeah, but I don't think who are you going to blame? They're going to deny it. I mean, this is this is almost an unwinnable situation when people say this. Now, towing companies in Colorado must release certain essential items without any payment whatsoever. Prescription meds, medical equipment, child restraint systems, credit cards and cash, state or federal issued identifications in your wallet, and cell phones. That's the only, well not the only, but that those are some of the things

Yeah, so that's that, with one hour's note. What's that mark? I mean, that's that.

It's it that twenty four hours has coming gone a long time ago for them to have to release anything.

But yeah, but gentlemen, keep in mind that law does not apply in this case. Why because this vehicle was impounded by the Sheriff's office. Oh yeah, touch company. So it's it's in the Denver impound yard. Oh, and I could find no law that addresses Denver's responsibility with regard to the vehicle owner or occupant. So that's why we looked at Denver Sheriff's department policy, which was explained to me in great detail, and it's a very simple policy and it's exactly what I just told you.

So did you end up so you and a lot of the stuff was stolen? Is that what you're telling us?

Well, and then it wasn't a lot that it was on his power tools my jewelry, right.

And so are you accusing the Sheriff's department of stealing it or who?

Or people at the impound yard?

Who?

Who do you think stole it?

No, because there's a guard at the gates. So the inventory they inventoried it. So it was and they said because things were laid out like on the bed, and they do.

You have a sheet from the Sheriff's department showing that there were power tools and now they're gone.

No, they were in their inventory in but they took somebody took stuff.

Out, so it had when they did the inventory list. Were the power tools listed on the inventory list?

You didn't show us an inventory list because it's not up for They can't even sell it until the thirty days?

Is that?

But we have we have thirty days to reclaim our things. But when they only give us, we were not there.

In an hour by you know, the law doesn't address this is interesting because the law doesn't address how much time they give you.

It doesn't say a word about it. Well, I don't think she can move that thing.

Don't want to move it.

I just want Yeah.

I know that means no one's going to get paid for the toe and stuff. That's my point of saying that.

So, Shelley, are.

You calling because your stuff was stolen? Or are you trying to get into the r V again to get someone?

Because they only gave him five minutes and then they told us we had to leave because I was in the backseat. They said only one person could enter. He was the only one that went inside. I stayed in the car and he said, oh, get here, and I'm like, this is my home now with my car. So if I mean, I think we've suffered enough. They took the right mansfield completely out. I don't know what they did with it. That that's how they got in fite of it because.

We have by the way, by the way, if there they're not allowed to limit your time.

Well, that's the private pound yards.

Or why are you.

Saying that the Sheriff's department doesn't have to follow anything.

Well, they have to follow something. But the law that you just quoted place the private impound yards and in private towing companies. This is this is outside of the scope of that law. This is the sheriff's impound yard.

I don't think how much is the stuff worth it's missing.

I would say it probably about a thousand dollars.

You're going to have a hell of a time trying to get that.

There's zero chance that the government is going to accept responsibility enough that somebody claims was stolen from there.

They're not going to even if they have a video.

Of somebody's stealing it from the umpiled yard. They're not going to do anything. They're the government. They're not they don't.

Want I'm sorry, Shelley, I don't think you're gonna retrieve that. I mean, I'm just being straight with you. I don't think you're going to retrieve that stuff. Three oh three seven one three eight two five five. Don't forget fixed this doing that some pump special for forty nine bucks. They'll go out, pull the sumpump, clean it, adjust it,

What's going on with you?

Yeah, mister Martino, I used to have a rental in Colorado. I lived in Colorado my whole life, and I recently moved to northeast Wyoma. But I had two houses.

And I rented one out.

Well, one of my tenants wanted to buy the house in twenty twenty, so I sold the house tour and I've got the documents to prove it, and that was. Everything was fine for like three years, and then twenty twenty three, she sold the house to a renter, and I guess the render decided they didn't have to pay the electric bill because the electric bill stayed on. So Excel Energy saying that I owe them over seven hundred dollars because there was a landlord.

Were you on the account? You were on the account the whole time this woman owned it.

Well, I wasn't aware that I needed to call Excel Energy and cancel the landlord agreement. So three years went by, and you know, obviously the lady I sold her to always pay her bill.

So you know, I'm that dumb and happy.

I'm a disabled vet, moved to Northeast Wyoming, I'm retired, and now all of a sudden, I'm getting calls from Excel And now today I got a text from Harris and Harris, which I don't know if they don't know how to contact me, but it's a collection agency saying that they're representing Excel Energy. So you know, I don't know what to do here. Am I going to have to pay it and then go after the.

Person the house?

Yes, that's what I'm gonna have to do.

Yes, Yeah, Unfortunately, unfortunately you you go to small claim score and how much is it?

I don't don't know what was seven hundred dollars?

So this will.

Did you try did you try offering Excel proof of sale documents?

Yeah?

In fact, one.

Lady, the first lady I talked to when I called, she goes, just email is proof of the sale and it won't be a problem, it'll be expunged. And then so I sent it. She gave me an email address and I sent the documents stuff in even with the account number and stuff with Xcel and lo and behold, I kept getting notices, so I called them again and the different ladies says, she.

Told you incorrectly.

You know you'd never canceled this landlord agreement, so you're responsible for it. And I'm like, well, what about the person that's been living there for two years and not paying for electricity?

I mean, surely they.

Knew that person. That person is responsible to you. Right listen, I'm going to tell you something. I'll tell you what your biggest enemy is. And I would go to small claim scored against that homeowner, get a judgment and put.

A lien on the house.

I would Your biggest problem is that went on for three years or more. That's your biggest problem. Had you caught this right away, I think they would have done it. But I think they're probably thinking, you know what, he might be responsible.

It's really very It's your worst.

Nightmare is letting time pass on stuff like this. It's not not a good idea. Three all three seven to one three talk, yeah, thank you, three all three seven one three eight two five five.

Bo. Do you have a question for Uh?

Yes, I do.

Hi Brook Brook White with Red Rock Solar, Go ahead.

Brook, I have a question about these tax credits that you get from other customers that.

What do you mean you get from other customers? What are you talking?

Well, if they buy a solar system and they get like a thirty or forty thousand dollars credit, they they might be in a situation where they cannot use the credit because oh, oh any taxes, right, So.

Uh, he's asking if you've had any customers that can't use the credit, and then what do they do?

Do they sell it?

Yes, I'd like to know Brook, how how I kind of know how that works. But let's say I were to buy a tax credit from one of your customers. Can I use that like for years down road, like for twenty twenty six, twenty twenty seven, or do I have to use the tax credit in the same year that I purchase it?

So it depends on how you buy the tax credit. This is a great question.

So if you buy the tax credit as a person, then you can only use it for the year that you bought it moving forward, but you have twenty years to utilize it so you can use it in the future.

What's a smarter way to do it is to buy it?

Wait?

Wait, wait, wait, wait wait, I think you just said you didn't say both.

I mean, didn't you get the impression boat way either he can take it or he can So as an individual, you said he had to take it in the year you bought it, but then you said he had twenty years.

I'm confused.

Yeah, absolutely, So with commercial or if you buy it as a business, you can actually backdate your taxes so you can go backwards to recoup some money you've already paid the government.

If you buy it as a person.

You have to do it in the starting year is the year that the system achieved what's called permission to operate or PTO you. So let's say you buy it this year because the system became active this year, then you could do twenty twenty five and twenty years moving forward. If you buy it as a buss, okay, then you can go from twenty twenty two and use those that as your first year for twenty years isolate.

So as an individual, you get to go for the present year the system became activated for twenty years onward. If you're a business, you can go back retroactively.

Yep, Okay, Well I'm not I'm broke, I'm not a business.

I'd like to buy one and then use it like five years down, use a little bit every year.

Yeah, absolutely, How much are you looking for? I got fous it wouldn't to sell.

Now wait a minute, So to buy a tax credit, how do they assign it to you?

So both parties have to be set up with the IRS in order to do that. It's a pretty simple process that usually takes about two to three weeks for the IRS to review the application, but the application itself takes about five minutes to complete when you submit it.

Once they both have their registration.

Numbers, then you can then Party A just sells it to Party B abnormal contract terms so usually.

And how much of a discount are they going for? Right now?

If I bought one thousand dollars in tax credits, how much would it sell for?

Approximately?

Can I do it the opposite way?

So if somebody is selling one thousand dollars in tax credits, you're going to pay them about seven hundred dollars, so you make about thirty percent.

Yeah, So the person buying gets a discount of thirty percent yep.

And the person selling gets access to funds that they wouldn't have access to because they don't have the tax liability.

Okay, Okay, So if you bought one hundred thousand dollars tax credit, you'd be paying about seventy thousand. Yep, you mentioned a thirty percent discount. Yeah, that's gonna be a lot more like you because that tax credits.

You get to decide what the contract looks like. So if somebody really will never be able to use it and they're willing to take a fifty percent drop, I mean, it's a contract that you set up in party, Yeah, exactly.

I mean it's it's supplying to man man.

If if someone wants to get rid of them and they'll never use them, they might sell them for fifty cents on the dollar, she said. Normally it's about thirty percent discount. All right, We have more coming up on the Troubleshooter Show. Three oh three seven one, three eight two five five. Don't forget Denverregen dot com for stem cell therapy get pain free.

I've done it. They're wonderful people.

Great pricing Denverregen dot com. Go with a sure thing Denver's Best roofer Excel Roofing dot com.

You don't pay a cent until you're content.

Time for an insurance check up free no obligation comparison call Compass Insurance. Pay too much your coverage at dozens of insurance companies find out now three oh three seven seven to one help. You'll think you're his only customer when you choose Frank durand the real estate Man dot com to list your home with Remax Alliance three oh three nine two zero sixteen twenty two. Hi Tom Martino here three O three seven one three talk seven one three eight two five five John, Welcome to the show.

What's going on with you? John?

Hey?

Tom?

How are you today?

Good? What's happening?

Oh?

So, I just wanted to see if you had any tips or ideas on doing a lump sum payment for a credit card.

We do have good information on that.

Tell me what you're talking Are you talking about paying a reduced amount?

Yes, it's just kind of like a artt.

How much do you have on there? How much do you have on there?

Got it matched out at seventeen thousand?

One of them is just one card or more than one?

Just one?

Okay? Are you looking have you?

I'm just curious here? Are you looking at just like negotiating it down or are you looking at what what exactly are you trying to do.

He's trying to negotiate a lower price for a complete settlement.

Then, just out of curiosity, do you have a lot of other assets that come into play. The worst thing for your credit report is going to be that you're better off as far as the credit goes, depending on your circumstance. To consider doing a chapter seven or eleven, depending on what your DBT looks like.

Gotcha, Yeah, here's the deal, bro Eleven is way too complicated. Ninety percent of them fail. But we're gonna come back to you. We're gonna come back to you right, thank you, Mark, it is a thirteen or seven. We're gonna come back to you and explain that to you and try to get our expert on Mike Wink if we can during the break. So hang on, I'm Tom Martine. This is a good topic. Let's talk about seven and thirteen. Go with a sure thing Denver's Best roofer Excel roofing dot com.

Three oh three nine two zero sixteen twenty two.

Yeah, ripped you need that's so you don't have come running. Just as fast as we can.

Shooter's gonna help come.

Man six is the Troubleshooter Show.

No Tom Martino, Hello, Tom Martino, here fighting for you.

Let's talk.

This show is all about solving problems, answering questions, taking complaints, and make your life a little easier.

If you give us a call, we can help you.

Three oh three, seven to one three talk seven one three eight two five five. You can do three oh three Martino twenty four to seven around the clock. We will pick up your message and call you and get you on the show. So whatever's on your mind. Let us know. John has credit card debt and he wants to know about a lum sum settlement. John, you say you owe about seventeen grand Is that right?

Correct?

Do you owe anything else in your life?

Let's take a let's take a look, and Mike Wink from the Wink law firm. He's a bankruptcy attorney and a debt settlement attorney.

He's listening.

So you owe seventeen grand in credit card debt?

What else?

So because of that debt, I also well, today I'm selling my car that I bought two years ago, and I'm dropping off five hundred and fifty dollars for a month's payments on that.

Well, what do you get? What are you doing for transportation?

Well, so I bought a.

Little oh seven Highlander for sixty seven hundred and I'm actually going to make it, hopefully a couple of thousand on.

The sale of this Kiya.

And and in lieu of paying off this credit card, I got a junior loan to decrease the percentage of the payment.

But wait, are you talking about the seventeen thousand dollars balance?

You got a loan on it?

Yeah, I got all the junior loan of the second mortgage basically, and that paid out yesterday. So unprepared to make a lum some payment, I just don't want to. I don't have to pay the seventeen dollars I got it.

So you got a second mortgage on your home and pulled out seventeen grand for this debt, and now you want to try to make it less.

Is that correct?

That's it? Yeah, that's it in a nutshell.

And you also you're also selling your car to reduce that payment by five hundred a month.

Right, Yeah, that's that's going to I went from five point fifty to now I'm paying.

What's your what's your income?

By the way, I'm sitting at it about forty two thousand a year before.

Ye know, Mike wink, if this guy took a second on his home. Now, how much equity do you have in your home? John, I got to ask you that one well after the.

REFI yeah, yeah, after that it ended up being it's still sitting around three sixty.

If you have three point fifteen equity in your home, you just pulled out lump sum of seventeen grand and you're selling your car and you're not going to have that payment. Mike, I think he's a bad candidate for a settlement.

What about you?

Well, it all depends on I mean, first of all, he's well positioned to settle, right, I Mean the main thing is he had cash, and I don't know if he's in default on that credit card, but he would have to go in the default in order to achieve a settlement. And you know, if he comes in the default for at least about four or five months, he's probably gonna be able to save you know, about half of that ballance. So let's say eighty five hundred dollars there.

Saying fifty two on Monday?

Yeah?

And there's nobody in the home disabled or over sixty?

No?

Yeah, So with his home equity, bankruptcy would require him to repay all the debt. So actually, settlement is a good play, and he's well positioned for it because he's.

Got the cash.

Now I think, okay, now, Mi, I am.

A color You're going to sell the car for a profit, so you're not looking at a deficiency. Violence there is that right, right?

Correct?

Okay, yeah, Hey.

Mike, Mike, I have a question. I want to clarify home equity. Home equity is up for grabs beyond exemptions. What are the normal exemptions for a home Starting with just a regular person with no infirmities, not old, just middle aged person, what how much do you get to.

Shelter fifty thousand of home equity? And then it goes to.

Three And if you're a married couple filing do do you get the five hundred if you have a wife.

No, it's the same. So Colorado law basically says there's one homestead attemption for home So if you're married, you still only get too fifty. You're still you get too fifty. It's the same deal.

Okay, that's different with the tax law. But because with the tax well you get to exclude five hundred grand from your taxes from your capital gains.

Sure, yeah, and it's different than most other attemptions in Colorado. So for example, you get fifteen thousand a vehicle equity and you if you're married, you and your spots each get fifteen, but you still don't get one home.

How about just out of curiosity, how about if you were tenants in common.

It's like I said, it's one homestead for property. So there's been a lot of wow.

Okay, so a normal taxpayer who's going a normal taxpayer going bankrupt will have two hundred and fifty thousand dollars protected. Okay, what goes beyond two hundred and fifty thousand?

What do you mean by that?

Which kind of.

A filer of a bankruptcy would have more than two hundred fifty thousand?

Right, So, typically a homeowner would find it unacceptable to lose their home in bankruptcy. And frankly, even if they wanted to get out of the home, they'd be better off selling it and dealing with creditors, probably outside of bankruptcy. So if you are, if you are over the two fifty and bankruptcy still makes sense, it's probably because you're not that far over to fifty and or you have a lot of debt.

Right, So then then we can all right, But Mike, what I'm asking for. What I'm asking for, I'm asking for specific individuals that would be able to exclude more than the standard two fifty.

Are there any other exceptions?

No, it's just if you're if you're sixty or older, if you are a dependent in your home is sixty or older or disabled, then you could protect three hundred and fifty thousand. And that's the only other okay, sort of type of home set exemption that there is.

Okay, it's either two fifty or three fifty. Okay.

So John, by the way, Wink and Wink they do credit card and all debt settlements.

You may want to contact him.

Okay, it's Wink Law Firm dot com.

The Wink Law Firm dot com.

Hey, can I ask John a question?

Yeah?

Hey, John, do you have any feeling of a moral obligation to pay your debts?

Why do you ask that?

Well?

Because he yeah? But why do you ask that? Doc?

Because you don't have to answer that, John, Because John, you don't have to answer that.

I do, but yeah, because he Hell, the rules are set up though, do.

Just the way it is.

Man, I'm just king.

I don't.

I don't get into the morality, Okay. Listen. The only time I would get.

Into the morality of a bankruptcy is if somebody was stashing gold or cash and cheating the system.

But if you're using the.

Rules of the system the way the rules of the system are written, then more power to you if you need to. I'm but but, but so, what was the purpose? I'm just wondering, Doc, I mean, if you were if you were out of out of options, would you not consider it because of the morality of.

It, Whether he purchased something or somebody provided a service that they're entitled to get paid for what they did.

They are entitled to get paid.

So I'm asking you, Doc, if you were in a situation where you could not pay your bills, you would not do a bankruptcy.

You would try to pay everyone I would.

Okay, okay, so there are people, But you know, do you understand that there are situations that are so hopeless. What if you're a half a million dollars in debt with medical bills?

What about that?

Well, I was going to ask if it was medical bills.

No, what I'm asking.

What I'm asking you is don't you think there's ever a time when a bankruptcy is apropos?

Yes, but I think for seven thousand dollars it's not.

That's just okay, well, I no, I understand you didn't clarify it before when you asked about the morality. But so you're saying seventeen grand John, you understand though seventeen grand in your position is a small amount to pay compared to what you have. And again you can still get a lumpsum settlement. Mike Wink said, Listen, you know.

I still have they're ready to I still would like clarification on something. And I don't know if Mike nose or not, but I think I used the wrong term before. But if you and I own a house together, Tom, and it's joint Tennancy, you own fifty percent of the house.

I own fifty percent of it. It's not like a.

Married couple and we somehow both claim bankruptcy at the same time. Is he saying that only two hundred and fifty thousand total, So my exemption as a person not married owning half that house would only get one hundred and twenty five thousand exemption. That that's I mean, I'm sure it's happened, you know what. Hold on, we hear what he says.

If let's say that you guys don't know home you both live in it and one of you files bankruptcy, the home has three hundred and fifty thousand of home equity. You're under sixty. You can only protect the two fifty, so you only get to fifty, and then the amount above that only half of it would be the bankruptcy estate. The other half would be to the person who didn't file bankruptcy. So you'd get one hundred and twenty five and then you get half of the extra hundred or

Yeah, But how about if both of them did bankruptcy at the same time, and let's say there was a five hundred thousand inequity, would they each get two hundred and fifty thousand inequity?

No, there's like I said, there's only one homestead.

Wow, that's that's what I didn't know that, Thank you Mike.

Here.

So the ownership, the ownership of joint tenancy is where they both own equal shares Mark okay, and and the other one has right of survivor they automatically passes.

That's what a joint that's what a married couple does.

The tenants in common would be maybe if you and I bought a house together, because and we live there. You know, tenants in common we each own we each own a share depending on what the partnership agreement is, it could be seventy thirty sixty forty, And in that case then there is no right of survivorship. Your share goes to you and your estate, and the other share goes to their estate. So co owners have the right

The most difficult debt to settle tends to be business, Certain business debts where the creditor has done a good amount of due diligence, so they feel like they know a lot about the business and or the individuals. So the more that the debt is qualified, the more that the creditor knows. And in certain cases, the creditor just feels like, hey, I know this person can pay this debt.

Yeah, because they filed like UCCS on the equipment or inventory, right, Mike, Right.

So it tends to be different than credit card right, because there's a certain only a certain baseline level of qualification that a credit card lender does before granting you the credit. Many cases, they're just soliciting you into debt, whereas the bigger the loan, you know, you get in

Yeah, hey, real quick, Mike.

So if this guy only had two hundred and fifty thousand in equity and he was going to be exempt for them taking the house, let's talk about credit real quick, because you've seen this for people. I would argue that doing a bankruptcy would be a lot better because, Ay, he's getting rid of the debt altogether, the seventeen thousand. He doesn't have a car or anything they can take that's not exempt. I don't know about firearms and jewelry, but the assumption would be he doesn't have any of that.

Right, This is a this is a good case that you know, sort of touches on a everything guys we're talking about because the amount of debt that he has. If I was having a consultation with him, I said, look, he's different than a lot of the people I talk to because he actually could pay his debt if he wants, so he it sounds like he's got the money to do it. He's also getting rid of a car and taking an older car to survive, So you know, I certainly wouldn't blame him for filing, and filing would be

So yeah, a lot of people don't realize it's way worse on a credit report having a bankruptcy on there, because, like Mike said, a year or two years from now. I mean your credit could be up to seven hundred again. Credit card offers cars, whatever you want. But if you're if you're consistently thirty sixty days late on your mortgage, forty you know, four or five months plus on a credit card, Yeah, your your credits toast Man and Mark Mark.

Those many people have gone through debt settlement and they've spent four and five years paying every single time, and then no one will look at him for the next seven years. And they're they're more penalized, as you say, than doing a bankruptcy, more penalized, oh big time.

And then for not paying, and I mean for reasons for not paying.

And one of the reasons with credit cards or unsecured is these companies are going, look, maybe he's he's got a house. It's definitely got some equity in it. Whether it's in the exemption or not doesn't matter. But they can't file bankruptcy again once you file it. That's why your credit comes back so quick, right, Mike, Because if you do get in debt again and you do have equity, they can go snag.

It exactly exactly. And why you guys are many time moneys. If your credit is bad enough, bankruptcy is actually the fastest way to rehabilitated. And that's kind of an odd concept, but it is definitely chewing for certain types of people.

And and Mike, is four to one zero seventeen to twenty still a good number?

Uh?

Yeah, that number works. We also have that five two three zero six two zero seventeen zero five two.

Three And I'm sorry, I'll give that or give that out again in a second, Mike. But one more question just is for everybody listening, are you.

Seeing Mark do me a favor? Mark, do me a favor. We don't have time for the answer. I'm right to give them more time right after the break.

So let's do this. Come right back.

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So Mark, you were going to ask Mike Wink from Wink Law Firm dot Com a question?

God, just just I'm curious. Are we seeing an uptick a down tick? I mean, what's been going on if we go back to when I first met you, Mike, going back to like twoenty ten or maybe a little after that, My god, bankruptcies were like every other person I knew was going through a bankruptcy, generally because of possible foreclosure on their home.

I mean, those were the good old days for you guys.

You know, you were doing so many bankruptcies you had to turn away business.

Where are we at now and what do you see the future being.

We're definitely on the uptick, probably not to where that peak was after the nine financial crisis, but we're seeing a lot more activities sort of steadily ramping over the last i'd say eighteen months twenty four months, and there's a lot of people getting sued by credit card menders. I'm finding small business failures.

If you had if you had to say the number one reason.

Now, is it just mismanagement credit card debt or is it a small business going under? I know it's a hodgepodge of everything, but what what do you what?

What is your gut say?

The main reason is people spending beyond their means like normal, right, I would.

Say that that the tail end of COVID led to people incurring more debt, especially small business owners, to survive. Yeah, And what's happened is they then went into default, and the defaults of now age to the point where you're starting to see legal action and and that's really what pushes people to contact us.

And a lot of people now are going to have to start repaying these student loans forever, which you can't get rid of in debt. So I mean that's going to most likely make them occur debt somewhere else. How about hospitals real quick medical bills. I know they can't like report on your credit report for like a year

Does that look these days? Does the hospital sue you and you still got to pay it? Eventually?

Absolutely? Absolutely, medical creditors will sue you eventually. I think you're right that a smaller, smaller medical bills will report on your credit. You know, that's one of those kind of steady I don't know that's a cyclical. Is like credit card debt and business debt and those defaults. I mean, there's just there's just certain people who don't have the right insurance cover jorin the ability to pay you know, the high out of pocket costs. Yeah, and so you

So there's ways to deal with it.

And we see, you know, we see a lot of that, But like I said, I don't know that that's driving the current.

You know what I got.

I got a friend or I should say an acquaintance or a neighbor, he was telling me the other day. So in three months his furniture from American Furniture comes due or else, all the interest kicks in from day one, which in his case was like one year, eight months ago. So his twenty thousand bucks in furniture is going to be like fifty grand and he hasn't He's made just some minimum payments on it.

But it all comes due.

His tires come due like this month, and then his roof repairs come due in about six months.

And how many people do you think do that they put off?

They put all this interest off for one or two years, and all of a sudden, you owe one hundred thousand bucks or else's interest is kicking in at twenty nine percent.

Yeah, yeah, I mean that sounds like a real like triple adrupo whae. I mean, I'm not sure that that's the most common example, but it's definitely it's indicative of the fact. And again COVID kind of contributed to this where you were able to put certain things off like pseudo loans right and not.

Rank payments to start paying them right right.

And so we do see that, and I think that's what is driving the market, is just like certain things are come and do now and then, and not only that, but people are in default on them.

And I do want to I want to ask you about some place Doc was going to go. I probably have in doc place I mean, join him, but let's let Mike do it, you know, putting guilt on someone. Hey, you got the money, you owe it. Well, let's talk about Trump. I love Trump, but here's the reality. He did a ton a ton of bankruptcies with his businesses. Because that's part of our code. Why wouldn't you use that? Everybody uses it. You'd be insane not to play. Yeah, I'm not saying.

Play outside the rules.

But if you can make all your debt go away and make your credit card situation better in a couple of years, and make your life better for that matter, and that's part of the rules this country's set up. I don't see any problem doing that whatsoever. I would never feel guilt about it because everybody's done it, or

To do it. I think they're the ones that are wrong.

So, as a bankruptcy attorney, i'd like your opinion on that.

Well, it's a good topic. I mean you know, part of what our job is is almost part therapist to help people come to grips with the need for debt relief. And I think that part of the issue is that when they can't pay their debt, they've already achieved, they've already got the problem, but they view bankruptcy as the problem, when bankruptcy is actually the solution. Most people who file.

The vast majority of people who file, are feel terrible about it.

They never wanted to be here, was they there was their fault or not, it doesn't matter. Still, they didn't plan on it right, and so coming to gritsuy is a difficult thing. What I like to point out number one is, like you said, the law is there, right, so why not take advantage of the law.

And then number two, which.

I think is also important to look at, is the borrower is in a personal dilemma. Well, the bank doesn't view that things that way. They enforce their rights legally, and so I try to get people to think in those terms. You're not you know, you're taking this personal, but for the bank, you're just the number, you know, and they're not going to necessarily, you know, feel for you based on your hardship.

They aren't going to necessarily just forgive your debt.

And when it comes to banks for your family and your future.

When it comes to bank side, even go a step further and say, these are the same organizations that I'll just take my lifetime. I remember it to peer of time, where my goodness, if we were three dollars short in our bank account, we'd owe them one hundred. We'd be negative in the hole on a ten dollars check when we were in our teens. I mean, I remember banks putting the screws to me in my late teens in

My god, they're asking for the problem. They are the problem. Mark faked.

Thank you very much, we got We gotta take a break. I'm Tom Martine more on the Troubleshooter Show.

Coming up.

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Hi Tom Martine here three O three seven one three talks seven one three eight two five five. Uh.

John has another question for Mike Wink from the Wink Law Firm Winklawfirm dot Com. Go ahead, John, And then we have Robert who also has a question.

Go ahead John.

Uh Yeah, Mike. So I'm just curious, like, working with you, the likelihood Dad's gonna get cut down, and like, what are the consequences if it doesn't. I go to sure sure.

Very very high likelihood that you're going to achieve the debt relief that we're that we're selling you and the extemp. There's a range of outcomes. I will point that out. The types of debt that you're not going to get out of typically would be like what would be considered like civil theft. You know certain you know, certain kinds of domestic support obligations, certain kinds of taxes. But we're very good at identifying on the front end before you

Do, and you know, pay it on time, of course.

And if you're settling debt, we kind.

Of talked about that too.

While you're settling, your credit kind of suffers. Maybe it doesn't go as low as it goes when you file bankruptcy, but it might sort of suffer for longer. I kind of say bankruptcy is like a surgery on your credit, where settlement is like a homeopathic solution, so you might be a little sick longer, even though you might not be quite as weak as you'd be after surgery. But in both cases, once it debts relieved, your credit will improve.

Gotcha. Okay, Yeah, I'm not too worried about the credit card. I prefer just to go without any credit cards for the time being, obviously. But yeah, so like a love some payment at some point, and I just don't want to go backward like not paying this credit card company. But they can obviously see that I'm getting nowhere with it.

So yeah, I mean that's the thing.

When you're on that financial treadmill of minimum payments, you know that you're you know, you're not getting out of debt, and the cost of the debt then becomes like a multiple of it, like one hundred and fifty two hundred percent when you paid overtime.

Absolutely Okay, Tom, Mike Mark, thank you so much.

All right, see you man, thank you for and uh, we have another question for you or another issue.

Let's talk to uh, let's talk to Robert. Go ahead, Robert.

Yeah, hi, Tom, thank you for taking my call. Uh, mister wink, I understand that it inherited Ira is attachable when filing a bankruptcy.

Is that correct?

That is that is so so Almost all retirement accounts are protected, even ones awarded in a divorce.

But when you inherit, when you lose that protection, there may be ways to roll it over in to an IRA in your name and thereby achieved protection.

So that's something we could look at. But the starting point would be if you inherit an IRA, it's not a protected asset.

Okay, well say, I.

Appreciate your help. The second part of the question would be, I live in Phoenix, will be moving back to Colorado. I understand you have to have residency in the state for three months, is that correct prior to filing bankruptcy in that state?

Correct?

I mean it's it's not quite that formal, but three months does the trick?

Really?

The better part of ninety days, even fifty days is just efficient?

Okay, thank you all, reach out all right the process, Thank you sir, Thank you all right.

Now Parker has a comment on bankruptcy.

Go ahead, Parker, Yeah, Hi, Tom, and miss Rinky.

What mister Rink was saying there ran into that. During the two thousand and nine the ball play, my dad and I had had a building that we had with our business and uh, you know, our company lost like about a million and a half dollars in about a nine month period just due to losing some big customers that we had, you know. And I'll tell you what, you know, we he mister wink is right.

I mean, the banks really do not care, you know, on a personal level. You know, we tried everything to work with them to you know, keep from having to take a bankruptcy, but they you know, we just couldn't work with them. It was just a matter of you know, either pay or you guys, we're gonna go. We're gonna foreclose on your building here, you know, ultimately.

And Mike, why do you think, Mike, why do you think that attitude prevailed?

Then?

What what tell me what you think?

Well, I think it's a it's a good question because there's definitely times when their aggression leads to them getting less than they would have if they would have worked with you, especially if you're a good candidate for bankruptcy.

All right, Mike Wing, thank you very much.

Wink Law Firm dot com eight eight eight Now Wink go with a sure thing Denver's best roofer Excel Roofing dot com.

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Yeah, rip.

New you needed that, so you don't have to run inxious stas as you can.

Shooter's gonna help.

Come.

Six is the Troubleshooter Show.

No, Tom Martine, Hey Tom Martino here, Welcome to the show. Three oh three seven to one three talk three oh three seven one three eight two five five. All right, So bo I understand you have a follow up on a kid you're working on.

Yes, actually, Choppers case we're working on together. Came in Tuesday at eleven forty five. The caller's name is Bonnie She and she.

On March eighth, she bought a twenty thirteen cheap Wrangler one hundred and seven thousand miles from Automation Subaru. After a month, check engine light came on. It was low on oil. She added oil, but it did not clear the code. Some friends checked that out, told her no problems on oil solenoid. Solenoid she finds out failed. She has a ten year unlimited mileage warranty. She paid thirty

Yeah, they were.

Saying that she ran the vehicle out of oil.

Yeah, so apparently she they drove after twenty five hundred miles, it did lose three and a half quarts of oil.

That's a lot, so they were not She took it over to auto I believe is the Chrysler Jeep dealer.

I don't know what was going on there, but the warranty claim and the dealer wouldn't do anything about it.

They were accusing her of running the vehicle out.

Of and they had no evidence of that.

Right.

So apparently someone from the AutoNation dealer was listening to the show Tuesday and we made a few inquiries. That afternoon, the service manager, Matt Klick, called Bonnie and said to bring the vehicle in that they were going to conduct an oil consumption tests on the vehicle and if they could prove this, then they're going to go back. They're going to step up and go back to the warranty company.

Did they do it yet, Bonnie, I'm sorry, she.

Was going to take the vehicle, kay.

So this is a step in the right direction.

Now they're admitting that they need to do something because this warranty was an expense.

But how would an oil consumption test help her?

I think the oil consumption test would prove beyond a doubt that she wasn't She didn't run it out of oil, that is using oil.

I mean, I mean, you're right.

They need they need to start somewhere instead of just right.

Okay, Well, at least now she's getting some action, and that's better than nothing.

Because of the show that they're going to take some sort of action and if they can get this verification of the consumption, then hopefully they warrant you will kick in and do the engine repair.

Now, there are a lot of people up in arms about a summer camp for kids, and I don't know if this is real news or not, but I think it is because I went to Boulder.

Valleyhealth dot org teen.

Clinic sex said it's the sex Ed Summer Camp. And I've gotten a lot of messaging on the show here saying what do I think of it.

I haven't had a.

Lot of time to digest it, but according to this pamphlon, looks like it comes from Boulder Valley Health Center. They do all kinds of services, including abortions and all kinds of other things like STDs and prevention and all that, and they're going to have a sex summer camp, and it says learning ourselves in our world. This justice rooted camp will help guide your young people in navigating their

Some topics will include bodies beyond binary, and then they go on for all the rest, of course.

Join us at one of our caregiver meetings to find out more. So, I I'm not reading anything shocking, I think if you have, I mean, but if you have conversations with your kids at home outside education is going to be an adjunct to that.

It doesn't sound What do you think? Anybody? Mark? What do you think of this class? Our mark?

Orsue's Mark's not there right now? Anyway, I've been I sent so many people have sent me this brochure because they feel it's not appropriate.

I don't think Tom, you know, in my opinion, based on what you just read, that sounds like it's just over the line between sex said and actual grooming.

Grooming whoa.

For aberrational sexual activities with minors. There is absolutely no stranger out there who belongs in this kind of a conversation with somebody else's child.

And that age.

Is way too early to start talking about, not by non binary and transition and sexual afficilities for anybody but parents. So these are adults that are sticking their nose exactly where it doesn't.

Why do you think they're doing it?

Why is there such an emphasis nowadays about getting to our kids? Honest to god, why is there such I don't understand it.

I mean, do you truly think they want to groom them?

I refuse to believe that a bunch of adults got together and said, let's groom these kids so they're more amenable.

This is perverted.

I mean, if somebody really wants to educate young kids of the age that you just described, there are so many more appropriate topics for strangers and teachers to discuss with children.

But to me, talking about.

This is voluntary.

It's not a school sponsored or a state sponsored.

No, it is voluntary.

Voluntary, but I'm talking about perverted adults sticking their nose into strangers children's private business, and that nose does not belong there.

Voluntary.

So well yeah, okay, well what do you think about it?

Doc?

What do you think about it?

I I agree with Dimitri.

Okay, okay, So.

According to you too, you know your your your comments sounded more accusatory than in.

No, no, what he meant was what he meant was that we all have our own voice on this, and he agrees with you. But I mean, so here's what I want to know. Why are people up in arms about this? If it's voluntary, don't send your kid?

I mean, I mean are you saying are you saying that.

Other kids shouldn't have? What if other parents want their kids to see this? So anyway, that was my point. You know what, and here's a thing it's going to be let me just I just finished ahead.

It's going.

It's going to be woke parents who want their children to be woke. And if they didn't go to.

And they have a right to do it, they would they would.

Get it at home.

So it really to a point because the only people that are going to be sending their kids there are people who already believe in this nonsense.

Okay, And one thing I wanted to mention, they're they're seeing from emails that I get from friends and colleagues and people who just send me stuff. There seems to be a fear out there amongst conservatives that somehow the schools and the liberal agenda wants to groom your children to accept brands gendering more than ever before. It's it's a major topic. And and I want to know Mark, No, Mark's not here, sus.

Can you do a poll? Do you know how to do a poll?

Do?

Let's do a poll on YouTube.

Do you believe that the liberal agenda and school system is to do you believe the agenda of the of liberals and the school system is to groom your children to accept and to encourage transgendering.

I'm curious again.

I'm not waving a flag here or trying to tell you what to do. All I'm saying is what do you think? Do you think there is a concerted effort? You know, look at all the stuff going on outside of schools and inside schools even but it almost likes they're trying to indoctrinate our children.

Not almost there's brainwashing going on, but a lot.

Of people would say that's happening with conservatives or the Christian right, you know, the same kind of thing, only the other side.

It's also brainwashing. Again.

I think parents and family see were melting pot in America other than and I don't think anybody liberal or conservative truly believe in discrimination and hate.

I don't.

I think those are weapon words used by each other to make them look bad. I think that if we can agree that we're not coming from a position of hate, then we should be able to groom our own children. Our children should be brought up with our system of values. That's what families are, and different families have different values. One family can't dictate another family. Okay, that's where I stand. I mean, why is there a concerted effort with these

Or is there not?

Maybe I'm exaggerating, you're saying, you're saying there's brainwashing.

I'd like to know, sus.

If you can put up that poll, we'll find out right after this, I'm Tom Martino. More coming up, Go with a sure thing Denver's best roofer Excel Roofing dot com. You don't pay a cent until you're content. Time for an insurance checkup free, no obligation. In comparison, call Compass Insurance paying too much your coverage at dozens of insurance companies find out now three all three seven to seven to one.

Help.

You'll think you're his only customer when you choose Frank durand the real estate Man dot com to list your home with Remax Alliance three three nine two zero sixteen twenty two. Hi, Tom Martine, your troubleshooter. Let's talk to Chris. Hey Chris, what's going on with you?

Yeah? Hey, time, I just want to Chris comment on this.

Yes, do you think our children are being groomed? Do you think our children are being groomed?

Yeah?

It's and that's why this summer camp exists. This stuff is selling like hotcakes right now.

Totally.

Wait, I think, don't you think they're being more rejected than accepted?

Well, well, I guess that that that. We'll have to wait and see if they make any money on this disgusting endeavor.

I'm not sure they're doing it for money. I don't know, you know, I don't get it anyway.

There are so many people now that believe that they have a right to raise our children.

The school system. Do you know there were school.

Systems under the Biden administration, The Department of Education classified parents as domestic terrorists, as possible domestic terrorists because they wanted to they wanted to have a say in their son and daughters.

Activity at school and right.

I don't know if it is like this now, but it was under the Biden administration.

And I read posts from girls, real girls. This happened to.

They're in their locker room and a boy walks in and takes off his clothes, fully a boy, but he calls himself a girl.

And he has never once, never, ever, ever done that in all the previous years. You know.

Now people can say, well, now it's accepted, that's why, and that's a good thing. But I mean, not even the commitment of a sex change operation or hormones. Just a full blooded boy saying I'm a girl and everyone accepts it. Whoever heard of such a thing. That's the part that gets me. Do you know they were getting

Now that's sick.

But I think the big problem, the really the biggest problem is I want people to live and let live. But I believe there's a certain fairness, and it's it's killing female sports. That's the part that bothers me, is that you can live the way you want, But why in God's name would you take a girl's worked her ass off for all of her life and she gets beat out by some rank male who couldn't make it

You know, it's nothing like it used to be. Nothing, nothing.

They've become so woke they have forgotten to protect their own people, and and it has stound The whole thing astounds me. I don't mean to make a speech, but it astounds me. And it should astound you too, one way or another.

You should be.

Either highly in favor or against it. But you can't stay neutral on that three oh three seven one three eight two five five. Go with a sure thing Denver's best roofer Excel Roofing dot com.

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Time for an insurance check up free no obligation comparison call Compass Insurance paying too much your coverage at dozens of insurance companies find out now three oh three seven to seven to one help. You'll think you're his only customer when you choose Frank durand the real estate Man dot com to list your home with Remax Alliance three oh three nine two zero sixteen twenty two. Hi Tom Martine here three O three seven one three talk seven

I want to go over it, and.

I would love for you to expose scams if you were even if someone attempted to scam you, or if you know of a scam better Yet, the best call in the world would be if a scammer, a con artist calls me and says, yeah, I'm one, and here's why. I would absolutely love it. But I'm gonna give I'm going to go over some of them now. The bank access scams, the bank account access access scams, we all have seen them right or heard about them. That's where somehow they want to gain access to your bank account

There are so many excuses they give.

And never ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever.

Will a bank employee ask for access to your account.

Ever.

They will never be on the phone with you to do that. They won't do it by phone. They won't even do it in person. If someone knocked at your door and said, I'm from the bank and we need access to your account.

No one will ever do that. They have access to your.

Account, so bank account access scams. If anyone wants any kind of exposure access numbers to your bank account, just say no. Never ever, ever, there's no reason. The only time you do your your your routing number and account number to someone is if it is a respectable online portal, like let's say you want it to take an ACCH payment out to pay your electric bill or something like that.

It's very, very dangerous.

So bank account access scams, my god, are they dangerous? Because again, do you know you're going to excel the real site to put in your bank information. There are a lot of clone sites out there. There are ways to read URLs to see that you're in the true website, so listen. I've gotten texted before and went on the link and been tricked before on certain things. Never did I get any money stolen because I realized it was a scam because they always come up with clever ways

What were you gonna say.

Doc, Ever, ever.

Allow someone to use a program called any desk. Any desk allows the scammer total access to your computer and all your files, so anytime something.

There are other remote programs as well, though, Doctor, Okay, I say don't let them.

Use any I mean any kind of access to your PC ever ever?

Three oh three seven one three talk seven one three eight two five five.

Now that's just one scam.

Bank account access scams which takes on many forms. Okay, so it's one major category, but takes on many forms more coming right up on the Troubleshooter Show. Listen to this, Okay, Dan McKenzie, will do a will, a trust. He can keep you out of probate. Or if you're facing probate, someone just died, or you found out you have an illness. Maybe you need something in a hurry. Maybe you just need a simple will. Dan McKenzie, McKenzie law. He's a

I I'm Tom Martino. You're a troubleshooter DJ. What's going on with you?

DJ?

How can we help you?

Question? Vise a card?

There you are? Go ahead. Yeah.

So this was a music merchant, so UH paying for music lessons. So we were we were going back to the same place. We agreed to. UH pay on a come as you go basis, like when you have a lesson pay So yeah, I think it would. So it's been squared away. The merchant isn't burtantly. UH kept my credit card information and UH I went to a lesson. They were busy. I didn't pay afterwards, so they they charged it and that's okay. But I didn't like him.

They in it burtontly in it burtantly. They had a recurring charge of two hundred and ten dollars that came on my account that had nothing to do with me, And so I called them and we ironed it out, and since then I've moved forward.

But I'm not doing business with them for some other reasons.

But my question is, how about a credit card?

Tom?

For forty eight years I've had credit cards. I've never had a merchant keep my own. I think they made a mistake, but I've never had a movie.

Well hold on now, DJ hold on.

In almost every credit card transaction I do, there's a little checkbox that says keep for future payment.

Question mark.

Now, sus with us, isn't there a regulation on how you keep credit card information? And if you keep it, and don't you have to get permission to keep it?

Do you deal with that sometimes? Right, Susan?

I mean you have to stay compliant with the merchants that you use. And yes, Tom, you can't just store. You can't willy nilly store credit card information, that's for.

Sure, Right, you have to give specific pormation US permission to store your credit card information.

Yes, and you've never done that.

No, I don't get permission. But most of it's coded like GJDJ.

Might have done it without knowing it, because sometimes when you when you're filling stuff out, it says sometimes to opt out of it. You know, it's tricky, So you could have filled out something that said they had the right to do that.

I never filled out anything, so it was just over the counter with the computer jazz like.

Listen to this. I believe it was I believe it was years ago. It was direct TV. Listen to this one.

A dad helped out his daughter and paid her direct TV bill or it could have been cable for some reason. I'm remembering direct TV, and so she then paid him back. She is an adult daughter. Sometime down the road she got into financial trouble again and there was an amount

You have to really be careful.

You know, there are these services now True Bill and stuff like that on that you can download these apps and they crawl your credit card bills. Now, those alone, I get spooked about because they want to know your user name and pass where, and they get into your credit card. But they apparently say they're going to find prescriptions. You didn't even know you had subscriptions. You didn't you know you had things that you pay on a regular

Now I do, because of sues.

But she doesn't do. She does our business cards, she doesn't do my personal ones. I fear there's so much junk on my personal card. I fear to look at it. I mean so much junk, meaning that I didn't authorize. I get texts once in a while, Did you authorize this?

Did you authorize that?

No?

No, what I mean, is this I charge so much it's hard for me to go.

Through and remember every one of them. And they're not.

All just obvious, like if you buy a cup at the cup store, it might come through as you know, Porcelain Unlimited.

I don't know. I mean the name of the company.

Doesn't always match what you shopped or where you shopped.

It doesn't always do it. Yeah, and it's hard. So I need sus.

I need to hire suits and start going over my private stuff as well, because she's like the bomb when it comes to she's like, Radar, what did you do this charge for? She's found more crap on me. So anyway, that's what we need to do. We need to be more vigilant. For sure. We got more coming up on the Troubleshooter Show. Oh we're all done with brakes. I'm happy about that, Brooke White.

I got a.

Text about solar somebody said specifically they want to know about the REAP grant. They thought it was only rural businesses. Go ahead, elaborate on that. This is for anyone in business who is thinking about a solar system.

They want to know about that. Go ahead.

Yeah.

So unfortunately, the REAP grant was a federal grant and that has been put on hold with.

A couple of the federal grant program.

Oh because wait a minute, because of Elon so.

Rich, which would be weird.

The state has a micro grid grant that anybody can apply to. It's not depending on location, it's dependent on what that solar field will provide power to. It goes up to two and a half million, where it would do fifty percent of the project or twenty five percent of the project, depending on how big the project is.

Oh so this is still a pretty good program.

Yeah, it's it's a great program.

It's actually better than the rep grant program because it's not dependent on can you get.

One hundred percent? Can you get one hundred percent done?

Uh?

So, let's say the project's one hundred thousands. It's the exact same setup as the REAP grant, So the bare minimum you would get back would be one hundred and thirteen percent of the projects So one hundred and thirteen thousand to do it plus the income.

Are there people, Brooke, are you telling me there are really people who get a solar system paid for with a government grant and put cash in their pocket?

Yeah?

Absolutely, one hundred percent.

Liar, liar, pants on fire? Are you kidding me? Really?

Yeah?

Really, it's incredible. Why would the government allow that overpayment? Why do they allow it?

Why were the rules set up that way? I think it's the same way to say, why I were bankruptcy rules set up that way?

I mean, okay, so in another word, I can't dictate you apply it and you.

Don't have to do anything fishy at all.

If I have a business, agriculture or regular business, and I apply for this grant and the system costs me one hundred grand, I can literally put in a I can get one hundred and thirteen and put thirteen in my pocket.

Yep.

Absolutely, as long as you've got the tax liability, the grant will cover fifty percent of the project or twenty five again, depending on the size, and the government benefits will either cover between sixty four percent of the project or ninety four percent of the project.

It just a pot So is part of that a tax credit or is it an actual grant?

The tax credits range from forty percent of the project to seventy percent of the project, and then depreciation is twenty four percent.

Okay, so what you're saying is in order to get that full amount, you have to have a tax obligation that can absorb a seventy seventy percent tax credit exactly.

Yep.

Are you allowed to put it into the future, yep, yep.

You've got twenty years to roll it over and.

Then almost anyone, almost anyone could do that, right or are there people? Are there businesses virtually not hardly paying and they can't do it. So you're saying you have to have you have to be able to use the credits. Can you sell the credits like consumers do.

Yeah, absolutely, you can sell the tax credits.

So what you're saying is if you have a commercial outfit, most likely you don't even pay.

For the system.

Uh.

I want to make it really clear.

Everything in solars as a reimbursement, So you would be paying initially, but you would be receiving that reimbursement within the year that it was installed. So if you started the project now, you would pay me one hundred thousand, but before December of this year, you would have all of that back, right, Brooks, So real clear, it's a real Okay.

I understand brook We Deputy d as a question, go ahead dated Brook.

It sounds like, you know, when you initially started this conversation, you use the term grant to cover both a payment from the state and a tax credit.

But as you know, they're totally different.

To me.

A grant means she knows that she knows, and the tax credit is something you apply to your taxes later.

So this one hundred thousand dollars example that you just used.

Part of it is grand and part of.

Much of the check will I get by the end of the year, and how much of it will be a tax credit?

Yeah, that's a great question, depending on your taxes. So if you're doing this as a business, and let's say in the last for three years of business, you've paid the government thirty grand every year, then as a business, you're able to redo your taxes for three years past. So that would actually be a hard rebate check back. Your tax credits would become a rebate.

Does that make sense.

Yes, So you get a tax rebate from the past three years and you go future twenty years for credits.

Yep, you can as long until you use up the full amount, and then the grant covers, like I said, twenty five or fifty percent, depending on the system size.

So really, so if you get twenty five percent and plus the tax credit, you're going over one hundred percent.

You can. Yeah, it just depends on where you're located.

So again, places like Cripple Creek where it's considered low income, it's an old mining community, there's a.

Couple other things.

Those places actually have ninety four percent of a system covered by tax credits. If you have a system that you're looking at out in Parker, you're looking at having sixty four percent of it covered with tax benefits and then the twenty five percent in the grant.

You might not make it to one hundred. So it's low location.

Based as well for all of the tax credits, but you're minimally getting sixty four percent covered with tax credits wherever you're located.

Any follow ups, I mean, I think it's incredible.

Now, what's the best you can do for a homeowner when it comes to money?

You get thirty percent? Homeowners are still fat thirty Yeah.

Thirty percent of the whole cost.

But yeah, but tax credit tax credit only or do you also get a rebate?

You don't get a rebate credit over do you get rebates as a residence you.

Can get a rebate depending on where you're located. So the folks that are in the city of Boulder get rebates. Sometimes in Denver, depending on if they add like a heat pump or something else, they can get rebates. There's places certain utility.

Companies give rebate programs.

So the utility company that's by Gramby does a solar rebate program, so that one's specific to location as well.

Okay, so in addition to that, there is something else I want to talk about. We may need to do it later or after the break, but maybe we can touch upon it because it blew my mind. With residential systems solar farms. A guy had a big lot and he said, you did it for him, and he's actually making money by selling back to the grid.

He makes a living.

Yep, yep.

You can make money by selling back to the grid. You could. Let's say you have some space.

And you've got some neighbors that want to connect to your grid. Then you become the utility company there. There's a lot of ways you can make money. The best people with the best return on investment are commercial building owners with tenants in their building, where they charge the tenants for the solar system plus some because they're getting the commercial tax credits as well as making retail value income for the power that it's producing.

Your that's your best situation.

Okay, then also that's the best situation. But I also talked to this one guy. Now maybe he was agur, maybe he was commercial, but he said, you did the system. He had a field next to him, he put a he put a farm in, and he said he's getting like twenty grand a year or more or maybe even more than that. Do you remember the call?

I do remember the call, But what I don't know is how much did it cost him to install that equipment?

And do you get a tax credit on the solar farm?

So what was the total cost?

What was the rebate check, and what was the tax credit going forward?

And then he gets income by selling back to the grand.

And twenty thousand sounds like a lot, but I'm wondering if he spent two million dollars on it.

I don't know.

It's good to get the math.

Yeah, we should talk about that. Let's do that. We'll talk about that, like what what it cost to do a solar field that would make me twenty grand? A Yeeric? That Yeah, just like, can.

You look up that guy? Do you know who I'm talking about? I don't have his name right here, but I can try to find it. Hey, I'm Tom Martino. We have more coming up on The Troubleshooter Show three o three seven one three talks seven one three eight two five five. Go with a sure thing Denver's best roofer Excel Roofing dot com. You don't pay a cent until you're content. Time for an insurance check up free,

New so you don't have as ask.

Yeah, the Shooter's gonna help coming Man Dix.

Is the Troubleshooter Show. No Tom Martino, Hey.

Tom Martino here at three oh three seven one three talk seven one three eight two five five. This is the only show of it's kind, the consumer show that helps you with problems questions and complaints. Boy, we've had an eclectic show today, have many many things. We started out talking about scams. We then moved into solar and tax credits. And I'll tell you, I think you'd have to be a moron not to buy tax credits and why would you buy tax reds?

So think about this, people.

If somebody puts the solar system in and they get thirty percent tax credit and they don't pay a lot of taxes, they might want to cash out and.

Even though they can go forward in time.

Tell me why, Tell me why, Brooke, someone would choose as an individual to sell their tax credits.

Uh.

There's a lot of reasons, but the biggest one is usually they just don't pay any federal taxes. So you might be retired where your retirements a roth that you're making income off of things that aren't taxable, especially if you need a bigger system to offset your electric bill.

That happens all the time.

Also, folks that are low income, you know, where they're already getting all their government money back for whatever reasons, tax credits aren't helpful for those guys either.

Okay, do you have tax credits available right now?

Yep? I do.

I definitely have clients that are looking to sell their tax credits about how much, like how many dollars worth in tax credits?

Yeah, if you put them all together, how many dollars worth?

It's a couple million. Because of the solar field projects that we're working.

Oh my god.

But here, here's what I'm saying to you. You mean to tell me, let's just say and I'm not saying this is me.

But let's just say it's me.

Let's say I had a four hundred thousand dollars not to crack or five hundred thousand, I mean, real big money. Right, you got to pay five hundred thousand in taxes and I want to go out and cover that with credits. How much of a discount can I get if I was going to buy five hundred thousand dollars in tax credits?

Yeah, So the industry standard is seventy cents on the dollar. So if you wanted to cover half a million in tax credits, you.

Would pay yeah, somewhere around three or a little less.

Yeah, three and a half if you follow that, or three and a half of the you're writing a contract with folks, so you could get a better or worse deal, just depending on how that contract goes.

And if somebody came to you with a big chunk of tax burden like five hundred thousand, four hundred thousand, three hundred thousand, would you have to put together a number of people, Right? You can't go to one source for that, right, There's not a system big enough.

Right.

No, there's definitely systems that are big enough to handle that tax liability. Like I said, the solar field projects that we're working on, I mean the gross amount is five million. One of these projects is in Cripple Creek, so ninety four percent of it's covered with tax benefits.

So is there any risk to buying?

And let me ask you, is there any risk to buying a tax credit? I'm fascinated by this. I pay taxes every single year, and I'd be a fool not to get take a thirty percent discount. I mean, why wouldn't I want a thirty percent discount?

Yeah?

I mean yeah, absolutely, Are there any risks at all?

Tell me?

Tell me are there any risks at all in buying tax credits from somebody who installed solar?

Yeah?

The only risk is making sure that the system works, that it's turned on that it's accepted by the uh HJ or the people that you permit through and accepted by the utility company.

So if you will, you have to.

Buy the tax credit before that.

Can't you buy the tax credit after it's been activated?

You can buy the tax credit right away, or you could do like a payment plan where you say, hey, I want to buy your tax credit. I'm going to give you half now and then half once PTO is received. Right, that's a normal way that these agreements go.

Brook.

Why couldn't you just enter into a contract with a seller that's contingent on his system being PTO.

Why couldn't you?

Why do you have to make a payment now?

You don't.

You can do it however you want to. It's a contract that you deem the terms with us.

Yeah, that's the safest way. So here here you agree to pay X.

Amount of dollars upon activation of the system and verification of the tax credits.

Yep. Yeah, that's a no brainer.

That's a simple, simple, clean toal.

Yeah, because the tax credits become viable on a solar project when there's a five percent deposit made and assigned contract, So they can be viable years before the system actually gets installed.

But oh, hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on way way wait wait wait wait, they have a tax credit years before they can actually use it.

You're saying, no, no, no, I'm saying that to do a solar field project, like five million dollars in solar, it's going to take me a little bit of time to do engineering and approved and all of that stuff.

Right, But I'm collecting I get it. Yeah.

And then the requirements to make sure that the tax credits remain viable is that the system hits PTO or permission to operate, ten years after you claim them.

So, but that could be okay, hold on, then, Brooke, if I bought a big chunk of tax credits because someone put five percent down and financed it, and then someday five years later it goes, it goes belly up, I need to pay that money back to.

The government exactly.

So that's your risk, I.

Mean, right to a shit.

So I think the risk.

But you're telling me PTO could be ten years.

No, no, no, the government requires PTO happens within ten years. You'll have that conversation in that contract with whoever's installing the project, and who's selling you that because you're going to.

Be involved in the process.

I guess what I'm saying is this, I've seen enough clowns in the solar business, and I'm not talking about you, that I would never buy a tax credit contingent on that system being completed, because that's just my luck. I'm going to buy a tax credit and guess what, there's no tax credit.

I just bought nothing.

I agree.

I mean, I guess you could put money in escrow. Is there any reason why I need to know this straight up? Is there any reason why you must or you can't wait until activation to buy the tax credit when it's locked in?

Or but that question first?

That question first ahead, Just can you buy it when it's locked in?

Absolutely, you can buy a tax credits whenever, one hundred percent you could wait.

Okay, no reason why I wouldn't.

So Tom's so Tom is trying to make this a little risk transaction. So my only question now is are there any tax credits that are ripe to be purchased right now?

Do you have any right now?

That's a great question this year, Do you have any tax credits right this minute that we can purchase and use.

Yeah, absolutely, yeah, absolutely, they have close to one hundred thousand in tax credits viable right now where the project is hit PTO or received it.

Okay, I'm going to buy them. I'm going to buy them. Okay, account I'm going to buy them. Okay, So how many different clients do I have to buy them?

How many contracts are there to sign?

How many clients do I have to buy them from?

They'll be for that.

There's four clients that I have in the top of my head, and we can definitely put the contracts together and I can get that to you, i'd say.

By Monday, yep.

Yeah.

And then then how does the government know those tax credits are now mine?

You have to register with the IRS to say that you're going to be a person that buys tax credits the people that are selling and register with the IRS saying that they're going to sell them to you, and then you fill out a form thirty four sixty eight saying that you claim the tax credits and here's your number saying that you can and then the details of the solar system.

And I can go forward on those credits if I ever need to.

Yeah, you can immediately, and you can if you again buy them with your business, you can backdate it three years.

Okay, wait a minute, let's do Brooke. I don't even want you looking anymore. I will buy every tax credit you generate. I'm not kidding, by the way, I'm not kidding.

Yeah.

Absolutely, I'll get this all set up and then off.

Le's tell you the rules on how to set it up with the irs so you can buy the tax credits.

Yep, not a problem.

Well, I mean, how can how can anybody go wrong?

Now?

Jim, you have a question, Jim, welcome to the show. What is your question?

Yes, we have a cabin in the mountains.

It is on a county road, and off of that county road behind us is a private road that runs about a quarter of a mile and along that private road there are a number of other properties that use that road as their main access. The property owner at the end of the road has sent out a letter to everyone who has access on that road asking for asking them to sign some kind of an agreement to guarantee.

The sport I'm looking for and ease much.

He wants a joint maintenance agreement.

Well, I haven't seen a letter. I just heard this from a neighbor.

I'll guarantee you.

Listen, who maintains the road.

The owners.

It's not maintained by the county.

The owner at the end of the road is the one that owns the road, right.

No, I don't know, that's for sure. That's part of the problem. The road has been there for since nineteen forty.

Two, and people I have had use of it.

Without any kinds of issues. Now somebody who bought property at the very end of the road is asking for an eagemn everybody that.

Oh, I get what you're saying.

So people buy property, do they have a deeded easement on that property or do they just use it casually?

I think it's the use is casual. But it's been for the it's been since nineteen forty two.

I understand that. I understand that.

But no one ever filed an adverse possession, No one's claiming to own it, No one pays taxes on it, do they?

Well, the road actually is on different people's property front.

Okay, I got it. Listen.

I did a subdivision that way where I had a road going across people's lots. Those people had to had to give easements in perpetuity. Now the like, let's just say I'm in that subdivision right now and part of the road goes over my property. I unless it's needed, unless it's an easement, I can take it. I can say you can no longer use this part of the road. Isn't that correct?

Well, I don't know who owns the rude.

That's what it is. Correct.

I'm telling you it's correct because I've developed fourteen subdivisions. Here's what I'm telling you. The guy at the end is worried and he thinks this is a shambles. This is like rinky ding town. We need to get this formalized. And he's probably doing you all a favor because he probably wants a joint maintenance and a joint use agreement in perpetuity, meaning that everyone on that road agrees that you can use the road and will chip in for maintenance.

If that's what he wants.

Before criticizing it, look at what he wants, because I think that's probably what he's doing.

Okay, I have not seen the letter.

Right Well, without seeing that, you know what, get a hopy of that letter and get it to us.

I would love to see it.

I can help you I'm Tom Martinez. Got more coming up on the Troubleshooter Show three oh three seven on three Talks seven one three two five five. Frank rand the real estate Man right now, will give you a market evaluation of your home, what it will sell for and why, the comps, the neighborhood, the supply and demand, the interest rates, all free, complimentary. He wants to be of service to you, and he really means it. Three oh three nine two zero sixteen twenty two. Frank durand

I am Tom Martino.

You're Troubleshooter three o three seven one three Talk seven, three, eight, two five five, Jaba, what's going on?

Hey?

Tom, how's it going? And I just wanted to let you, good man, that that service. I just checked myself in the hospice today and they do have the pill or the concoction that you put together to in your life.

Wow, was telling me, Now, wait a.

Minute, is this in Is this in Colorado?

Yeah, it's right here in Colorado at the Denver Health look up M A I D M A I D.

It was in February.

It was in February when you said you were going in for treatment.

Did you get treatment?

No, I'm not doing chemo.

Because they told me, okay, you.

Lived maybe two more months after chemo.

Oh oh oh what kind of cancer do you have?

Oh?

It's all over the place.

I'm sorry, Jaba.

What did it start? As it does? Suck? What did it start?

As?

It started as something in my sagrenal glands, and then it went up my canal of my liver, put a little tumor on the outside of my liver, and now it's spreading everywhere. I got a little spot on my kidney. You got a little spot on my lung. So it's like, you know, you're trying to hit and miss with chemo, and I said no, and then I have so many people who went through that process and it was just miserable.

So now I'm in hospital, Jaba.

So do you plan on taking this fentanyl breath mint or whatever it is?

Uh?

Yeah?

So what this is? What they do is they they give it to you. You have to have two physicians, two separate physicians tell you that you're not going to live more than six months. And so then you get this package of stuff. I don't know what it is yet, but they nail it to you or get it to you, and if you win, then choose. At the very end, you know, like your liver shuts down, everything shuts down.

Okay, Jaba. My heart goes out to you, bro, thank you. But I don't want to get I don't want to get preachy.

But there are those who believe, including me, that there's way more to life than life.

So I wish you the best.

We were thinking of your java.

Thank you, guys.

I appreciate it.

Really, just really what I.

Wanted to do.

I'll be sure to tell him when I see him.

You picked the day he was he's not here, Well, he was here earlier. Okay, I want to go to Ben. Ben, you're curious about tax credits.

Sorry, Ben are I'm already in line. I'm sorry, just kidding. Go ahead, Ben.

Hey, Thanks Tom, you piqued my interest with your guests talking about selling tax credits. The situation I'm in is I don't make enough money to have a tax liability, so I have wanted tax credits sitting out there. How do you sell what kind.

Of tax cond it?

Do you have him already solar panels? The solar panels already been installed, it was installed.

Do you have the tax credit? Do you have the tax credits sitting there?

As far as I know, I do, yes.

How does he find out exactly? Like, how does he find out?

When you were saying that it got installed? Do you know when it started working?

March of twenty twenty three.

Yeah, So you just need.

To register with the IRS that you want to sell your tax credits and then you just find somebody that wants to buy them from you and they're viable right away. How many how much of the tax credits have you used so far?

None?

How many do you have open?

Tell me? Yeah?

How much do you have in tax credits?

I was told about thirteen thousand at this point.

Now that made me wrong.

Okay, you're I'm really green at this, so I apologize.

It's okay. Do you know how much the whole system costs?

About twenty five thousand?

Oh?

Wait, so it costs you twenty five out of so you pro you if it was twenty five thousand and twenty twenty four, then you have six five hundred in tax credits that are available.

Okay, yeah, unless they get But isn't it possible they gave him the net price when he says twenty five and it was really more?

Yeah?

Absolutely, everything's possible. Do you have a copy of the contract?

I do, yes, I just don't have it with me.

That's okay.

If you're comfortable, you can get a hold of redrocksars dot com and Brooke will help you.

Yeah.

Yeah, just email it.

She's a Yeah. Listen, folks, I was serious. I'm going to buy tax credits. I mean, what fool would not buy a tax credit? I can think of nothing. Why would anyone?

Never? Why would they never.

I mean, if you're going to pay a dollar in tax and that dollar is now seventy cents, who.

Would not do that? Who would not do that? Brooke? I don't know.

You said you had a couple of million. You're sitting on millions and tax thredits. Well, you got a customer for life, and I can get you more customers.

I mean, who would not do it?

No?

I mean the only time you wouldn't do it is if you go ahead.

No, you're right, Yeah, absolutely, as long as it's a done deal like pcos hit, you have no risk.

When you're buying.

These, you have zero risk and you have the government and it's money you don't have to pay.

So Brook's my new best friend. Everyone stay away.

From her sucking.

Yeah, okay, Brooke.

This is Redrosars dot Com and they do you know, the real purpose here is they do solar systems. They do a great job, and you know, I want you to know that.

We got more coming up on that one.

Clarchoys Garage Doors does great garage doors twenty four to seven service. If you have an emergency, can't get it closed, it's late at night, they'll come and do it, or just regular service all their prices on their website. The only people that do this, whether it's an opener or part of the opener, a door a part of the door, go to one Clear Choice Doors dot com. Go with a sure thing Denver's Best roofer Excel Roofing dot com. You don't pay a cent until you're content. Time for

Hi Tom Martino here three O three seven one three talk.

I can't find that call anywhere I'm looking at three twenty five?

Was that last year? Was it this year?

Six of twenty twenty four? Last year? It's on three twenty six twenty and Alexis.

So it was way back then that that she helped us. Brooke helped us with a problem, way back then. I'm going back to see it and meanwhile explain what the original problem was while I looked for my notes.

Yeah, it was a pretty complex case. I've actually never seen a case as bad as this one.

So, oh wait a minute, I have a feeling it wasn't about that scumbag company.

I was so upset about.

One Solar through Valor. Yes, yep, if you search Valor VA l R, you're gonna get the call on your screen. Tom.

Yeah, man, I can't. I can't see it anywhere. And I mean I'm looking at the date and I don't see it.

Over there.

It is Loi and Alexis. I just saw it Loi and Alexis.

So what I have here is they contracted with one Solar through Valor Solar, and Valor's a scumbag as well in October of twenty twenty two to install a solar system fifty four thousand dollars. During the application process, they did not file the proper supplement report.

That's the company.

Therefore, they did not know that Excel will not approve any solar systems in that area until that a new.

Substation is built. Oh my god.

Now the consumers are stuck with the system. They can't use, can't be activated. There are only options were to completely go off grid with a full battery backup system and or have one Solar removed the system and give a refund.

What the heck went on? What did you do with it?

Brooke?

Yeah, so I've been working on this case since then. Sometimes solar cases take a long time to have any.

Sort of resolution.

So I had a conference call with Goodleap, who is the financing company, and One Solar a week ago or so, and One Solar has dried the case completely, so that I know that Lloy and Alexis are still going to have to go after them for the damages to the appliances and their home and they are other things. But Good Leap, which is the financing company, ended the loan and told the consumers that they were going to give

So wait a minute, so they don't so now they don't owe the money anymore, or will First Solar come after them directly?

One Solar can't come after them directly because of all of the issues that One Solar caused in this case, and the PUC filings and the other evidence against them showing that they can't it's against their contract.

Life.

So here's what I want to know. Then, here's what I want to know.

If these people got this system now free, even though it was screwed up, they can take that money to make this right, yes or no?

Yeah?

Absolutely, they can add in the battery system that they need to, or they could sell the solar parts.

And get a roof replacement.

Yep.

So what do you think they should do?

Uh, that's a tough one because it's not my life. Off grid life is hard. I don't think I could do an off grid lifestyle. So that's very unique to each couple and kind of their sanity.

So the finance company, why did they just why did they decide to do this?

Because it was clear what the evidence posed, that the system could never get activated, that One Solar failed to comply with the rules and regulations of installing, that it was against their contract in that if they continued to charge lloy and Alexis for.

This, that they would be under legal.

Action as well, because they've been aware of everything that was going on in the case. So what happened was was Goodly paid one Solar the money, but then when they found out the system wasn't activated, they took all that money back from one Solar. So good Leap's not out anything besides administrative fees to process alone.

No, but that's great. That is great. We are learning so much about the solar industry. So my next question is with Doze in all of this, even though Musk is in the solar business, how long are credits going to be? There must be some chatter in the industry. Are we thinking solar tax credits are here to stay?

Uh?

I think that the administration now is a little bit of a wildcard. I think everybody can agree that. You know, things changed pretty rapidly with this new administration.

Yeah, but last time.

He was in office, he extended the tax credits till twenty thirty two, So his history shows that he did additional work for it. Yes, he did get rid of federal grants for solar, but he got rid of federal grants for a lot of other things, right, So I don't think he's going against what he's done in the past, And I don't think there's any issues to worry about what tax credits. Nothing has been produced or shown to eliminate tax credits at all, not even a hint of it.

All Right, we got more coming up on the Troubleshooter Show three of three seven to one three talk. By the way, we were talking about scams that I didn't even get through half of them.

I'll have to do this again.

Because it's incredible what I've come across when I went through my data bank of records here on all of the tax credit scams. I mean not excuse me, not taxer, I mean scams in general. So I had told you just about a few of them, okay, and I'm going to get let me just mention a few more because these are incredible. We had the bank account access scam, Okay, I went through that. Phishing scams.

Fishing scams are more are anytime they try to get information from you.

And almost every scam is linked to phishing because you got to do the fishing to get the other scam. The other one romance scams. My god, have people been taken by romance scams? And it's usually women. This one is where the women, middle aged to later middle aged women think some hunk as they used to call them, or some handsome You ever.

Hear that, You never heard that expression.

They think some handsome dude is interested in them and want them, and then they talk them into giving them money. And then you have the one that is common to a lot of other scams. You know, they all entertainle the cashiers check scams where you get a cashiers check, they say deposit to send us the rest back. It's a bad cashiers check. Fake landlord scams. You want to rent a place, They meet you, they take a deposit, They give you keys.

There's a set of keys from their junk drawer.

They don't work, You never get to move in, and then the landlord disappears. That's happening a lot. We got more coming up on the Troubleshooter Show. Go with a Sure Thing Denver's Best Ruffer Excelo dot com. You don't pay a cent until you're content. Time for an insurance checkup free, no obligation. In comparison, call Compass Insurance paying too much your coverage at dozens of insurance companies. Find out now three all three seven to seven to one help.

Hey Tom Martine here.

Well, we were talking about a lot of things, and one of them was the scams that people come across. So many people are victims of scams. And there are a lot of solar scams. Now Brickwright as Red Rocks, Roof and Solar. We love having a legit company on but Brooke. Through the years, there were a lot of bad solar companies that would sell at the door and then then you'd never see him again.

Has the industry cleaned up a bit?

Well?

I think even from our conversation you can see how confusing tax credit conversations can.

Be right today.

Yes, So the biggest thing that I hear is, oh, the solar person told me that I was going to get a check back from the government for X amount of dollars. And this is a person that has no tax liability and won't be able to do that. That is still ongoing and I don't think that that will ever get fixed. I would highly recommend anybody I'm so sorry,

By the way, I already looked on the website to sign up for Why do they want me to sign up as a buyer of tax credits?

I'm going to do it, but.

Why do they want me to Why does the IRS require the the process?

Why do they require me the buyer to sign up?

I'm really sorry, I have no idea. I just know that it's part of the process that's been ongoing since tax credits can be sold.

So what it says is, here's what it says is that your personal identification. You got to do it a whole identity thing.

Then you sign up, and then it says obtain a registration number.

The IRS will give you a registration number.

Once approved, you'll receive this number and this number must be included to validate your tax transfer.

Man, do you know how to do all this? Brooker? Do you have an accountan that knows how to do it?

Yeah? Yep.

It's actually a lot easier than what it sounds.

You just put that registration number on that form F three sixty eight, and that's how it gets tied directly to you. For you to use those tax credits.

There's a publication called Publication fifty eight eighty four that has comprehensive and instructions. And I have learned so much.

Say, you know, I know we've talked about this before in the past, but it never really hit me that you'd have to be a moron not to buy tax credits. If you're gonna pay tax, why not pay less? I mean, they're unused tax credits. Everybody's a winner. The people of the tax credits are a.

Winner, and you're a winner. Yeah, I mean it's great.

So yeah, I'm your steady I'm going to be your steady customer from now on. Okay, So we talked about bank account assets scams, access scams, phishing scams, romance scams, cashier check scams, fake landlord scam. Then this one is quite complicated, the freight forwarding scam. That's where they ask you to simply receive items, repackage them and send them out for payment, and they do pay you, and you

Events a criminal.

Of course, it's unintentional, and many times that the FBI can.

Verify that, they'll let you off the hook. But for the most part, you're a criminal.

And Tom, don't forget. That really hurts.

I forgot.

I forgot about the puppy scam.

I'm down.

Puppy scams.

Yeah, it is where they tell you this puppies for sale, they take your money, never ship the puppy.

No freight forwarding scams go ahead.

And then they have oh, the puppies at the airport, but he needs a special crate.

Then he's got to.

Know I get it.

Yeah, I am, And it's all the same.

Then you have unexpected package delivery scams. That's where something shows up at your house and and they call you and say, oh, forward that to such and such. Again, that's another freight for forwarding scam, but this one you don't sign.

Up to do and get paid.

It's just like it was accidentally sent to you by mistake.

Another one.

Fake jobs, Oh my god, They're all over the place. Fake jobs. You pay for getting a job, or to do a job at home, or some registration fee and it turns out to be fake. We already talked about the grandparents scam, where they pretend the caller pretends he's your grandson or granddaughter or niece or nephew, and it's amazing how they do it.

Hey, grandma, is this you Timmy anyway?

And then also the PC tech scams where they go online and say we're a tech from Microsoft and we're.

Going to help you.

And then what they do is they get into your computer and they put either something in your computer that feeds back to them or they simply view and download the information. Celebrity impersonation scams where they pretend to be a celebrity interested in following you and then eventually get money from you. And then puppy scams. As Deputy Doc represented,