Ryan P. DeArman, Esq.
Ryan P. DeArman has been practicing law as a sole practitioner in Moore, Oklahoma for nearly a year, after spending the first decade of his career practicing in a small metro-area law firm.
Firm Overview
A native of Colorado, Mr. DeArman has lived throughout the United States and spent much of his childhood overseas in developing nations. After returning from Africa during high school he attended Phillips University in Enid. He graduated cum laude with an undergraduate degree in political science and business. Following his undergraduate studies he attended the University of Oklahoma College of Law. He earned his Juris Doctorate Degree in 2000. During his tenure at the University of Oklahoma he advanced his knowledge of law by studying at Queens College, Oxford University in Oxford, England.
Mr. DeArman has a broad understanding of the practice of law and its place in modern society. He is uniquely qualified to address the needs and desires of his clientele. Ryan is a lifelong member of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and in his free time he enjoys traveling, sports and family activities.
Mr. DeArman is committed to providing the best legal representation that can be found anywhere. He does not have legal secretaries or paralegals do the work on legal cases. He painstakingly prepares each individual case himself. He remains intricately involved in each case from the beginning to the end. He understands that his cases are the most important events happening in the lives of his clients, and spends significant time developing a personal relationship with each of them.
Your first consultation is free and Mr. DeArman also offers attractive payment plans.
WE ARE A DEBT RELIEF AGENCY. WE HELP PEOPLE FILE FOR BANKRUPTCY RELIEF UNDER THE BANKRUPTCY CODE.
Ryan P. DeArman, PLLC
2434 N. Janeway, Suite A
Moore
OK
73160
- (405) 501-7640
- 405-445-3023
Fees
Absolutely
Bankruptcies always come with a fixed fee, regardless of the time or difficulty of the case. Most of the time, the cost turns out to be less than what it would be if I charged by the hour.
$150.00
Office Information
8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday thru Friday. Other times available by appointment only.
None
No
English
Chapter 7 bankruptcy is what people commonly refer to as straight bankruptcy. In this type of bankruptcy the trustee will take your non-exempt assets and sell them at auction. Any money made from these sales will then be distributed to your creditors on a percentage basis. The good news, however, is that there are many things exempt from this process, such as the equity in your vehicle (up to $7,500.00), the equity in your home, most household goods and furnishings, most retirement plans, and a wide variety of other assets. When you come out of this bankruptcy you will be allowed to keep your cars and your home, even if there are liens against them, as long as your payments are current, while erasing all of your unsecured debts (there are always exceptions to every rule, however). Furthermore, there is a complicated means test that was established in the most recent bankruptcy amendments, which limits the income individuals can earn while still being allowed to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. If you file for Chapter 7, you must pass the means test. You need an attorney who is knowledgeable of the changes in the law and experienced in the use of the means test in order to determine your eligibility.
Chapter 13 bankruptcy is commonly referred to, or understood, as reorganization bankruptcy. In this type of bankruptcy the debtor must make payments to the bankruptcy trustee based on his or her disposable income. This type of bankruptcy is required for those who exceed the median income and fail to pass the means test, as well as for others who, for reasons beyond their control, have fallen behind on their car or mortgage payments, or owe a tax debt. This type of bankruptcy gives debtors a three to five year period to catch up on delinquent payments. The trustee will distribute your disposable income first to the secured creditors or tax agencies, and if anything remains, the rest will be paid to unsecured creditors. At the end of this bankruptcy period you will be caught up on all of your secured debts and relieved of any remaining unsecured debt. Preparing Chapter 13 bankruptcy can be very complicated, and there are many roadblocks along the way. It is important for you to choose an attorney who cares about your future, and is intricately familiar with bankruptcy law.
Also, anyone considering filing bankruptcy should know that prior to filing for bankruptcy, he or she will be required to take a credit counseling class. Then, before a discharge is received, he or she will take a financial management class. These classes are relatively inexpensive, but are required by the latest bankruptcy laws. There are several credit counseling bankruptcy services in Oklahoma, including those online, from whom you can take these classes. Although Mr. DeArman offices in Moore and caters to those who wish to file bankruptcy in Moore or Norman, he has a very broad client base and welcomes clients from throughout the city.
Everyone is familiar with a will. One reason a will is important is that upon your death, if you have assets and you do not have a will, these assets will be distributed by a judge. The judge will normally distribute your assets equally to your heirs in accordance with the statutes of the State of Oklahoma. Perhaps you don't want them distributed equally. Maybe you may prefer that part of your assets be distributed to a charitable organization or religious institution. If you have any preferences for the distribution of your assets, it is important that you execute a will. Once you have a will, upon your death, a judge will distribute your assets according to the decisions that you have made.
You may also want to consider writing a living, or revocable trust. Mr. DeArman has years of experience in the area of estate planning and is a strong proponent of living trusts. A revocable trust allows you to transfer all of your property into the trust during your lifetime. While living, you will act as your own trustee. Basically, during your lifetime all of your property is in a trust, over which you have control. Upon your death, the successor trustee simply takes over the trust and distributes the assets according to your wishes as spelled out in the trust agreement. There is never a reason to go to court, a judge never has to get involved. Not only does this make it easier to transfer property out of your name, it avoids the expensive costs of probate. It is also good to know that you can always destroy a trust and remove any property that may be in it at any time. It is important to understand that even if you have a will and you don't have a trust when you die, your estate will have to be probated. The will assists the judge in distributing your assets. It also makes it easier to transfer your property upon your death. For example, the title to your home must be transferred upon your death. Since you can't transfer title after your death, only a judge has the authority to do so, unless you have a trust.
Mr. DeArman is also experienced in preparing irrevocable trusts. There are many reasons why an irrevocable trust might be the right option for you. Generally, those who someday might need public assistance will need to have as little property in their name as they can in order to qualify for such aid. Creating an irrevocable trust solves this problem. The issue here, however, is that once you transfer something into an irrevocable trust, you can never retrieve it. Mr. DeArman would be happy to discuss with you the pros and the cons of this type of trust, as well as any other estate planning document or tool. If you have been considering drafting an estate plan, come visit Mr. DeArman in Moore and have one drawn up today.
How did your firm decide on the primary area of practice(s)?
My primary fields of practice kind of found me I suppose. Prior to going to law school I was always a math person. Also, having grown up in the third world, the plight of those less well off, strictly due to the bad luck of being born in the wrong country, stuck with me. These two areas nicely fit together to interest me in bankruptcy. There's a lot of math involved, and most of my clients develop their financial issues strictly due to bad luck. Since I can't help the millions of people starving in Africa, I try to give back a little by helping those who need a fresh start in life, and bankruptcy allows me to do that.
Of course estate planning and probate also deal with math. I suppose that's what drew me into those areas as well.
What experience or education distinguishes your lawyers from others
As mentioned above, I grew up traveling the world, spending time in Africa and Haiti. I saw the worst that the world has to offer. Then I came back to America in high school and saw the best the world has to offer, but this country isn't perfect and there are still those struggling to make it through. Having witnessed what I did in the third world environment, I made it a goal of mine at a young age to help people. I hope that I am able to do that and I hope that people come away feeling as though I have.
What distinguishes your law firm from others?
I handle every single case entirely on my own. I don't have legal assistants typing up my documents. I don't use a paralegal to prepare my bankruptcies or trusts. I do it all myself while sitting at my desk. I believe in being hands on and I believe that each case I handle is the most important thing happening in each client's life. I try to treat each case that way. I don't have an answering service and I don't have a phone line where people leave me messages, never to hear back from me. I have one phone, and it's my cell phone. When you call my office you will get me. I will be the one who answers the phone (when available), so you don't have to worry about being unable to get in touch with your attorney when you need him the most.
What is your firm's point of view regarding clients educating themselves on legal issues?
I believe that before any client or potential client makes a life altering decision, or believes they may soon need an attorney, they should get one. Sometimes trying to educate one's self can be misleading and lead to dire consequences. There are areas of the law where even lawyers don't agree. There are millions of opinions on the internet. If someone is going to educate themselves, they should do it in a law library or on an actual legal site with attorneys, where they know that what they read has some validity to it. Perhaps the worst mistake a client can make is to talk about their legal issues with non lawyers and get poor advice, thus leading to worse problems.
Ryan DeArman
- Bar Number: 18691
Oklahoma , 2000
- University of Oklahoma College of Law
Juris Doctorate , 2000
- Phillips University
Political Science and Business Administration , 1997
- Oxford University
Summer School Courses , 1998
Queens College
Ryan DeArman
- Bar Number: 18691
Oklahoma , 2000
- Phillips University
Political Science , 1997
My parents met at Phillips university in Enid, Oklahoma in the '60s. My mother's father, aunts, and uncles attended Phillips, and generations of my family have attended since. Phillips was and always will be near and dear to my heart. - University of Oklahoma
Juris Doctorate , 2000
What can I say? It was law school. Those aren't the best years of one's life!!!
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Articles Written
Can I Keep My Property If I File for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy in Oklahoma?
Created On: 09/17/2012
Whether you can keep your stuff in Chapter 7 bankruptcy in Oklahoma depends on Oklahoma’s bankruptcy exemptions.
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