New York’s highest court recently announced that account holders do not have a private right of action to sue banks for alleged violations of the Exempt Income Protection Act (“EIPA”). Cruz v. TD Bank, 2013, NY Slip. Op. 07762 (November 21, 2013). EIPA exempts certain Social Security, veterans, disability and unemployment benefits from creditor restraining orders and requires banks to inform affected account holders of their right to obtain exemptions from collection.

News Release Update  

MICHAEL MOSKOWITZ PARTICIPATES IN THE PLAINVIEW-OLD BETHPAGE JFK HIGH SCHOOL’S 26^th ANNUAL MOOT COURT COMPETITION, HELD ON APRIL 3, 2014.

Media Contact:    Michael L. Moskowitz  212.684.7800

E-mail:   mlm@weltmosk.com or rew@weltmosk.com

For Immediate Release

NEW YORK, NY – On April 3, 2014, Michael L. Moskowitz, a founding member of Weltman & Moskowitz, LLP, participated as one of the judges in the Plainview-Old Bethpage John F. Kennedy High School’s 26th Annual Marvin Hazan Moot Court Competition.

On March 24, 2014, the United States Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the matter of Clark v. Rameker (In re Clark). The court appeared to be divided over reconciling the plain language of the Bankruptcy Code with what could be considered a windfall for the debtor. Clark involves the dispute over whether creditors can reach a debtor’s non-spousal inherited individual retirement account (“IRA”) in bankruptcy.

The Bankruptcy Code allows debtors to claim certain property as exempt by utilizing exemptions under state law or those specifically provided in the Bankruptcy Code.[1] Sections 522(b)(3)(C) and (d)(12)[2] allow debtors to exempt retirement funds, even where the state has opted out of the federal exemptions.