News and Updates
Bankruptcy Filings Continue to Fall
May 2022
Bankruptcy filings continue to fall, following the pattern of the previous two years. The decline in bankruptcy filings coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic. More information can be read here.
Change in office procedures
March 2022
Our office is now back open to the public regardless of vaccination status. However, we still require masks to be worn by all clients and staff who interact. We continue to offer phone meetings as an option.
Beware of Social Security Scams
Discharging Student Loans in Bankruptcy
August 10, 2021
Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL) and Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) have introduced legislation ("Fresh Start Through Bankruptcy Act") that would enable people to discharge their student loan debts in bankruptcy. If passed, the bill would require debtors to have been paying on their student loan debt for ten years to be eligible.
How to Avoid Scams
August 2, 2021
Resources for helping you avoid scams from Consumer Finance. It is important to know the signs of fraud and scams to avoid being taken advantage of, especially during these difficult times.
Common scams currently going around involve funerals, COVID vaccines, COVID 'charities', and social security.
New Office Meeting Procedures
May 2021:
April 2021
April 2021: Attorney Hannah Tippett has become a name partner of Mostoller, Stulberg, Whitfield & Allen. Our new firm name is now Mostoller, Stulberg, Whitfield, Allen & Tippett to reflect her new status.
Hannah, a graduate of the University of Tennessee School of Law, has been with our firm since 2009. As a certified bankruptcy specialist, Hannah leads our bankruptcy legal work; her practice extends to social security disability and conservatorship.
Full Court Press published
2018
In the fall of 1979, 15-year-old Victoria Cape of Oak Ridge wanted to play full-court basketball, but the TSSAA did not allow it. She turned to Ann Mostoller and Dorothy Stulberg to challenge the status quo.
Bill Haltom and Amanda Swanson's book Full Court Press chronicles how Mostoller and Stulberg teamed up with Cape and legendary coach Pat Summitt to change the game of women's basketball forever.
Click here to access more information regarding the book from the Knoxville News Sentinel.
Hannah Tippett Becomes Name Partner
As of May 10, 2021, we will be meeting with fully vaccinated clients in our lobby. The attorney and clients will be required to wear masks during the meeting, and the lobby area will be thoroughly cleaned after each meeting. Clients may only bring one other fully vaccinated person with them to the meeting.
For those who are not vaccinated against COVID-19, appointments are available by telephone or at our outside table.
All employees at Mostoller, Stulberg, Whitfield, Allen & Tippett have been fully vaccinated.
November 2021
As we near the holidays, scam calls are becoming more prevalent. One particular scam to be aware of comes from those pretending to be from the Social Security Administration.
Scammers are calling pretending to be from the Social Security Administration & telling people that their social security number has been compromised.
You should never give your social security number to these people or pay them anything.
Social Security will NOT call you if there is a problem. They will send you a letter if your number had been compromised.
People who are more vulnerable to these scams include:
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The elderly
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People without access to the internet or social media
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Those with disabilities
For more information, please check out the links below:
https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/features/scam-alerts
https://www.pcmag.com/news/americans-have-already-lost-30-billion-to-scam-calls-in-2021
