SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              WASHINGTON, DC 20549

                                   FORM 12b-25

                                               Commission File Number 000-08909


                           NOTIFICATION OF LATE FILING


(Check One):   [X] Form 10-K    [_] Form 11-K    [_] Form 20-F    [_] Form 10-Q
               [_] Form N-SAR

          For Period Ended:   December 31, 2002

     [_]  Transition Report on Form 10-K

     [_]  Transition Report on Form 20-F

     [_]  Transition Report on Form 11-K

     [_]  Transition Report on Form 10-Q

     [_]  Transition Report on Form N-SAR

          For the Transition Period Ended:______________________________________

     Read attached  instruction  sheet before  preparing  form.  Please print or
type.

     Nothing in this form shall be  construed to imply that the  Commission  has
verified any information contained herein.

     If the  notification  relates  to a portion of the  filing  checked  above,
identify the item(s) to which the notification relates: ________________________



                                     PART I
                             REGISTRANT INFORMATION


Full name of registrant:   HomeGold Financial, Inc.

Former name if applicable

________________________________________________________________________________

Address of principal executive office (Street and number):

                         1021 Briargate Circle, Suite B

City, state and zip code:  Columbia, SC  29210



                                    PART II
                             RULE 12b-25(b) AND (c)

     If the subject  report could not be filed  without  unreasonable  effort or
expense  and  the  registrant  seeks  relief  pursuant  to Rule  12b-25(b),  the
following should be completed. (Check box if appropriate.)

     |    (a)  The reasons  described in  reasonable  detail in Part III of this
     |         form  could  not be  eliminated  without  unreasonable  effort or
     |         expense;
     |
     |    (b)  The subject annual report,  semi-annual report, transition report
     |         on Form 10-K,  20-F,  11-K or Form N-SAR, or portion thereof will
[X]  |         be filed  on or  before  the  15th  calendar  day  following  the
     |         prescribed  due  date;  or  the  subject   quarterly   report  or
     |         transition  report on Form 10-Q, or portion thereof will be filed
     |         on or before the fifth  calendar day following the prescribed due
     |         date; and
     |
     |    (c)  The  accountant's  statement  or other  exhibit  required by Rule
     |         12b-25(c) has been attached if applicable.



                                    PART III
                                   NARRATIVE

     State below in reasonable  detail why the Form 10-K, 11-K, 20-F 10-Q, N-SAR
or the  transition  report  portion  thereof  could  not  be  filed  within  the
prescribed time period. (Attach extra sheets if needed.)

     Today, the Company filed a petition under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy
Code with the U.S.  Bankruptcy  Court for the  District of South  Carolina.  The
Company's  financial  situation and preparation of the bankruptcy  petition have
required significant  management attention that precluded management from timely
completing  the Company's  2002 Annual Report on Form 10-K without  unreasonable
effort and expense.

                                    PART IV
                               OTHER INFORMATION

(1)  Name  and  telephone  number  of  person  to  contact  in  regard  to  this
     notification

          Karen Miller                                (803) 365-2220
     ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
            (Name)                              (Area Code) (Telephone Number)

(2)  Have all other periodic  reports  required under Section 13 or 15(d) of the
     Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or Section 30 of the Investment Company Act
     of 1940 during the preceding 12 months or for such shorter  period that the
     registrant was required to file such report(s) been filed? If the answer is
     no, identify report(s).
                                                                 [X] Yes  [_] No

(3)  Is it anticipated that any significant change in results of operations from
     the corresponding  period for the last fiscal year will be reflected by the
     earnings  statements  to be  included  in the  subject  report  or  portion
     thereof?
                                                                 [X] Yes  [_] No

     If so: attach an explanation of the anticipated  change,  both  narratively
and  quantitatively,  and, if  appropriate,  state the reasons why a  reasonable
estimate of the results cannot be made.

     The Company  cannot  currently  estimate its results of operations for 2002
because it no longer expects to prepare its 2002 financial  statements  based on
the  assumption  that the Company will continue as a going  concern  without the
protection   afforded  by  the  U.S.  Bankruptcy  Code.  In  2001,  the  Company
experienced  a net  loss of  approximately  $73.6  million,  which  included  an
operating  loss of  approximately  $53.1  million  and a 100%  write down of the
Company's deferred tax asset of approximately  $22.5 million partially offset by
an extraordinary  gain on extinguishment of debt of approximately  $2.0 million.
Had the Company  prepared its 2002 financial  statements based on the assumption
that it would continue as a going concern, the Company believes its net loss and
in 2002 would have been  composed  primarily of operating  losses and would have
been comparable in magnitude to its operating loss in 2001.


                            HomeGold Financial, Inc.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                  (Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

Has  caused  this  notification  to be signed on its  behalf by the  undersigned
thereunto duly authorized.


Date  March 31, 2003             By  /s/ Karen A. Miller
    -------------------            ---------------------------------------------
                                    Karen A. Miller, Chief Financial Officer

          INSTRUCTION:  The form may be signed by an  executive  officer  of the
     registrant  or by any other duly  authorized  representative.  The name and
     title of the person signing the form shall be typed or printed  beneath the
     signature.  If the  statement is signed on behalf of the  registrant  by an
     authorized  representative  (other than an executive officer),  evidence of
     the representative's authority to sign on behalf of the registrant shall be
     filed with the form.

                                    ATTENTION

     Intentional  misstatements or omissions of fact constitute Federal Criminal
Violations (see 18 U.S.C. 1001).


                              GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS

     1.  This  form  is  required  by  Rule  12b-25  of the  General  Rules  and
Regulations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

     2.  One  signed  original  and  four  conformed  copies  of this  form  and
amendments  thereto must be completed and filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission,  Washington,  DC 20549,  in accordance  with Rule 0-3 of the General
Rules and Regulations under the Act. The information  contained in or filed with
the form will be made a matter of public record in the Commission files.

     3. A manually signed copy of the form and amendments thereto shall be filed
with each national  securities  exchange on which any class of securities of the
registrant is registered.

     4.  Amendments to the  notifications  must also be filed on Form 12b-25 but
need not restate information that has been correctly  furnished.  The form shall
be clearly identified as an amended notification.

     5.  Electronic  Filers.  This form shall not be used by  electronic  filers
unable to timely file a report  solely due to  electronic  difficulties.  Filers
unable to submit a report within the time period  prescribed due to difficulties
in  electronic  filing  should  comply  with  either  Rule  201 or  Rule  202 of
Regulation  S-T or apply for an adjustment in filing date pursuant to Rule 13(b)
of Regulation S-T.