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Is Swapping Student Loan Debt For Mortgage Loan A Good Idea?

Keith Gantenbein

Sep 4, 2018

Is Swapping Student Loan Debt For Mortgage Loan A Good Idea?

The Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) is the largest backer of mortgage credit in our nation. Recently, Fannie set new rules and guidelines that would let homeowners refinance their mortgages to pay off student loans. The new guidelines expand a program that was introduced last year with a personal finance company called Social Finance commonly known as SoFi. Fannie Mae said the resulting policy will be easier for borrowers to apply, and may result in a lower

How Did The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Begin?

Keith Gantenbein

Jul 17, 2018

How Did The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Begin?

The first tax levied in the United States was from the Stamp Act in 1765. The Act was passed by the Parliament of Great Britain. Basically any piece of paper was tax such as documents, ship’s papers, licenses, newspapers, publications and even playing cards were taxed. Great Britain enacted the tax to help with the costs of their maintaining a military presence protecting the American Colonies. Great Britain continued to levy more taxes. Common products imported into the Ame

Tax, Business, Probate & Real Estate Attorneys at Gantenbein Law Firm Named Among Best in Colora

Keith Gantenbein

May 10, 2018

Tax, Business, Probate & Real Estate Attorneys at Gantenbein Law Firm Named Among Best in Colora

Congratulations to Gantenbein Law Firm Denver, Colorado attorney Keith Gantenbein Jr. who was again, recognized as Super Lawyers, Rising Stars for 2018. For Keith, this is his fourth consecutive year as a Super Lawyer, Rising Star. Mr. Gantenbein is nationally recognized for his work in Real Estate Law, which also includes Foreclosures Defense and HOA Law. Mr. Gantenbein worked extensively last few years with the Colorado Supreme Court to pass updated Rules of Civil Procedure

Keith Gantenbein

Mar 20, 2018

IRS Warns Tax Payers of Scams

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has issued a warning for a quickly growing scam involving taxpayers. An original alert was issued February 2, however the number of victims jumped from a few hundred to several thousands in just a couple of days. The IRS Criminal Investigation division is investigating just how deep and far-reaching this scheme is. The new scam is actually just a new twist on a scam they’ve used before. These criminals have stolen client data from email phis

It's Tax Season & There Are New Tax Laws- Why Choose An Experienced Tax Attorney?

Keith Gantenbein

Mar 6, 2018

It's Tax Season & There Are New Tax Laws- Why Choose An Experienced Tax Attorney?

Two years ago, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) had 74,608 pages in their Tax Code (laws). More pages have been added since then. Is it no wonder taxes are one of the most complicated and complex legal issues today? Adjustments are made yearly to the income tax brackets which most of us are aware of. However, there are also other adjustments made, making taxes even more confusing. Thirty-three years ago “tax indexing” was added to the tax codes. Tax indexing adjusts variou

Keith Gantenbein

Mar 1, 2018

Inheriting Real Estate in Colorado

If you should inherit real estate property in Colorado, you will also inherit any ‘baggage’ that may be attached to it. Once you have received any inherited property, it’s always a good idea to seek an experienced attorney who will determine the legal disposition of the property, the status of the mortgage, the title and verify if there are any liens or judgments filed against the property. Gantenbein Law Firm’s accomplished real estate, tax and estate attorneys all have the

Keith Gantenbein

Feb 13, 2018

IRS Tax Audit or Investigation

Nothing chills our veins like a letter from the IRS. Especially when you open the letter and find you’re under an IRS Audit or under an IRS Investigation. After you get over the shock - think twice before you even think of calling them. What you say to the IRS and what documents you provide can and most likely will be held against you. Most people think if they cooperate with the IRS, answer all their questions and give the IRS everything they ask, they’ll be treated better.

Why You Need To Evaluate Your Estate Plan

Keith Gantenbein

Jan 31, 2018

Why You Need To Evaluate Your Estate Plan

Your Estate Plan may consist of a Last Will and Testament, Trust, Power of Attorney and other important documents that need a tune-up from time to time. Not just because your life may have changed, but outside events can affect what’s in your estate plan as well. One recent outside event is the new tax reform that Congress passed at the end of December. Did the tax reform, or new estate tax limits affect or alter your estate plan? It’s the beginning of the year and time to th

Mortgage Applications For Real Estate Closings And Re-Finances May Be Delayed Due To IRS Glitch

Keith Gantenbein

Jan 8, 2018

Mortgage Applications For Real Estate Closings And Re-Finances May Be Delayed Due To IRS Glitch

On December 8, 2017, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) made changes to its authentication system. This is the system that verifies tax returns that mortgage applicants provide. The system is known as the Income Verification Express System (IVES) and is in place to make sure tax returns aren’t fraudulent. Within five days of the changes, on December 13, mortgage groups were finding problems with the new system. Other groups said problems with the changes began almost immediat

Keith Gantenbein

Jun 20, 2017

Thinking Of Buying A Home?

If you’re thinking of buying a home you’ve probably noticed the inventory of available houses for sale has been declining and mortgage rates and housing prices are on the rise. After years of having a huge inventory of houses to choose from, thousands of foreclosures and very low mortgage rates, the market is heading the other way. Denver is number three regionally for having the fastest time to sell a house. The average amount of days in Denver to sell a home is now 18 days,

Repeat Foreclosures On The Rise- Should You Hire A Colorado Foreclosure Defense Attorney?

Keith Gantenbein

May 17, 2017

Repeat Foreclosures On The Rise- Should You Hire A Colorado Foreclosure Defense Attorney?

Nationwide, home foreclosures have dropped to their lowest level since November 2005. During April 2017, there were 77,049 filings reported in the U.S. This number includes default notices, scheduled auctions and bank repossessions. The figures reflect the lowest number of foreclosures since the housing crisis began. While the drop is significant, at the same time there was a rise in repeat foreclosures. A repeat foreclosure is noted as any property address with the same owne

Freddie Mac Sells Off $667 Million
In Non-Performing Mortgage Loans

Keith Gantenbein

Mar 31, 2017

Freddie Mac Sells Off $667 Million In Non-Performing Mortgage Loans

The Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, known as Freddie Mac, announced last week that it’s selling off non-performing loans to private investors. Freddie Mac is a public government-sponsored enterprise (GSE) headquartered in Virginia. Freddie Mac was created in 1970 to help expand the mortgage market alongside the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae). Previously, from 1938 to 1968 Fannie Mae was the only institution that bought mortgages leading to and enco

CFPB Gets Another Day In Court To Defend Its Constitutionality

Keith Gantenbein

Feb 25, 2017

CFPB Gets Another Day In Court To Defend Its Constitutionality

Last year, in 2016 the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) levied a multi-million dollar fine against PHH Corporation for allegedly illegally referring consumers to mortgage insurers in exchange for kickbacks. PHH provides mortgage services to some of the world’s largest financial services firms and is located in New Jersey. PHH then sued the CFPB, challenging the CFPB’s Director Richard Cordray ability to be able to increase their original $6 million fine against PHH

Keith Gantenbein

Dec 29, 2016

Home Loan Modifications Ending

The Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP) was introduced in 2009 and established to help homeowners recover from the great housing bubble burst. The HAMP was part of the Making Home Affordable program (MHA) along with the Hardest Hit Fund program (HHF) that was under the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). These programs were part of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 and put into place to help struggling homeowners avoid foreclosure. HAMP and the entire

How To Spot A Fake Tax Call From An 'IRS Agent'

Keith Gantenbein

Sep 28, 2016

How To Spot A Fake Tax Call From An 'IRS Agent'

Hundreds of Americans are getting frightening calls from “IRS Agents” making threats including sending the sheriff over to arrest them if they don’t pay back taxes immediately. The first 8 months of this year there has been a 400% surge in these phony calls and text messages. These calls are alarming due to the fact the so-called “IRS Agent” have personal information including their correct social security number, where the person lives, where they used to live, their maiden

Denver's Hot Summer Real Estate Market- Will It Cool In The Fall?

Keith Gantenbein

Sep 15, 2016

Denver's Hot Summer Real Estate Market- Will It Cool In The Fall?

Colorado’s housing market continues to be ‘hot’. The top ten hottest cities in our nation are: Miami, Phoenix, Chicago, Fort Lauderdale, Houston, Denver, San Antonio, Charlotte, San Diego and Flint. Denver is number 6. In the Denver-area, the average price of a single-family home rose 3%, averaging around $445,000 per home. Condominium prices rose 4.5% to an average of approximately $298,000. Houses and condos are on the market (listed) an average of 24 days before they are s

Co-Owning Real Estate With A Partner Or A Friend

Keith Gantenbein

Jul 26, 2016

Co-Owning Real Estate With A Partner Or A Friend

If you’re thinking of buying (co-owning) a home with a partner, if you’re an unmarried couple or just friends, it’s extremely important to protect yourself if there were a death, a parting or foreclosure. The decision you make in co-owning any property can have disastrous repercussions and consequences. Approximately 25% of primary homebuyers in the US are single. Generally speaking, non-married buyers have very little or no estate-planning protection at either the state or f

International Businesses- At Risk? French Tax Authorities Go After Major Businesses

Keith Gantenbein

Jun 23, 2016

International Businesses- At Risk? French Tax Authorities Go After Major Businesses

Our own IRS isn’t the only entity to fear when it comes to taxes. Europe has their eye on international businesses as well as wanting their ‘fare share’ of the profits. The French have widened their investigations and are cracking down on these international businesses concluding a nearly 3-year investigation and auditing of Priceline’s Booking.com The French tax authorities operate in a big way - with exactly $397.37 million in unpaid taxes slapped against Booking.com. The m

Signs The Real Estate Bubble Is About To Burst- Again

Keith Gantenbein

Jun 13, 2016

Signs The Real Estate Bubble Is About To Burst- Again

The number of luxury homes sitting on the global market and not selling is beginning to pile up. It may also be a forewarning of the beginning of another housing bubble getting ready to burst. The last time there was a rise in luxury homes not selling was in 2007 and 2008 - right before the housing crash. Analysts and brokers are warning of another housing bubble due to the high number of luxury homes not selling that they think is a sure ‘bubble signal’. The housing market

Keith Gantenbein

Jun 6, 2016

Tax Tips For Starting Your Own Business

If you’re starting a new business, the tax obligations aren’t something you should try to handle alone. Meeting with a qualified tax and business attorney can save you thousands of dollars and ensure your business is starting out on the right foot. When it comes to taxes, there’s no room for error. An audit, additional taxes, penalties and fees can become a nightmare if you make one error, or grab the attention of the IRS. The first day your business is up and running, your b