How to Avoid Bankruptcy
Although bankruptcy offers some people a clean slate, it is by no means an easy solution. Bankruptcy will destroy your credit and may possibly force you to sell your assets. It could also affect your future employment. In addition, 2005 bankruptcy reform laws made it more difficult to file for chapter 7 bankruptcy, and limited other bankruptcy rights. If you want to preserve your credit, you will be much better off if you do whatever you can to avoid bankruptcy. Although it’s not easy, it’s worth the effort. Follow these steps to avoid bankruptcy. Total All Your Debts Only once you have a true picture of your debt can you take the next steps to avoid bankruptcy. Gather every bill, every statement, and every document that has an effect on your financial situation. Total up both your debts and your assets. Include your mortgage as a debt and the value of your home as an asset. Now break down those debts into good and bad categories. Good debts are home loans and student loans. Bad debts are credit card debts, personal loans, high-rate car loans, and medical bills. You should also list the interest rates and minimum payments for all your debts. Reduce Your Expenses Now total up all your expenses — everything you spend. Even the $1 you spend in the vending machine at the office should be included. Divide those two figures into necessities and non-necessities. Necessities are items you need to survive, like groceries and housing. Non-necessities are nice things to have, but which you don’t need, like that vending machine candy bar or designer sneakers. Add up the minimum payments on your debts and the monthly cost for necessities. This is the minimum amount you need to cover your bills for the month. If you don’t earn enough to cover them, then you need to find a way to reduce your minimum debt payments or necessities. Even little steps like switching from name brands to generics and canceling cable can help. If you can cover your monthly bills, but aren’t making enough to pay down debt, then start cutting non-necessities until you free up enough money to reduce your debt. Consolidate Debt If you have multiple small debts, getting rid of any one of them can be a challenge. By consolidating debt, you not only reduce the total number of bills and minimum payments you owe, but you also reduce the interest rate. So you can reduce your debt faster. In addition to consolidating debt, you can get out of debt faster by paying more than the minimum payment every month. Funnel as much money as you can towards your debt every month. Consult a Credit Counselor Contact a reputable credit counselor if you need help totaling your debts, finding ways to reduce expenses, or consolidating debt. In addition to teaching you money management, they can help you qualify for a consolidation loan, whether it’s in the form of a home equity loan or a personal loan. In some cases, they can help you set up a debt management program. Although there are fees, it may be what you need to avoid bankruptcy. Consider Debt Settlement If your debt vastly outweighs your income, then you may need to consider debt settlement. A credit counselor may be able to negotiate with your creditors to reduce the balance owed. Although debt settlement will ding your credit, it’s not as big a hit as bankruptcy. Debt settlement shouldn’t be taken lightly, but it is a way to avoid bankruptcy if you’ve exhausted all other options. No matter how you got into debt, you can get out of it without resorting to bankruptcy. Although there are situations where it’s the only reasonable option, it’s best for your credit and your financial future to avoid it.Justin narin has 5 years experience as a financial adviser; his key areas are loan consolidation, debt relief, mortgages etc. For more free articles and advice visit http://www.bills.com/avoid-bankruptcy/
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Bankruptcy Lawyer: Your Final Solution When Running Out Of Options
Before rushing to a lawyer to assist you in filing for bankruptcy, you have to make sure what is bankruptcy and what is not. Only then will you have to find a bankruptcy lawyer that you can work with in filing your case. Many people rush to file for bankruptcy thinking that it will solve their financial problems. The opposite is often true. Declaring your business to be legally bankrupt, only mean that you have done everything you could and there is no way for recovery. It means being deep in debt that it will already be impossible for you to sustain the business. There are kinds and variations to bankruptcy and the legal process will depend very much on where you are coming from but the purpose is the same. Bankruptcy cases will take years to resolve. The court will determine what debts do not have to be repaid and what will be directly deducted from your income. In the interim, credit lines will be closed to you. Your credit history will be tainted and no credit institution will want to do business with you. Back taxes that you owe will still have to be paid and obligations will still be enforced like alimony and child support. When there is no resolution that is possible, finding a good bankruptcy lawyer will then be the only recourse. A good bankruptcy lawyer should be someone you can be comfortable talking with. Someone you can trust and someone who has displayed competence in handling bankruptcy. This is very important as communication between you and the lawyer must be based on trust. There have been so many instances when the client holds back on information that he thinks is not so significant only to learn later on that the piece of information that was withheld posed additional complication to the case. Withholding information from your bankruptcy lawyer pose problems where non existed before. Bankruptcy lawyers can only help the client to the extent of the knowledge that the lawyer has. It is crucial then that the client works with the lawyer. This is in the first place the client?s future that is at stake. Do not hesitate to interview the lawyer prior to retaining him. Ask the lawyer questions and a good lawyer must answer you in a language that you can understand. If you don?t, do not be afraid to clarify statements that could be ambiguous to you. Find out a bankruptcy lawyer that already has an extensive experience in handling bankruptcy cases. Whenever possible find a bankruptcy lawyer who is a specialist. Avoid the generalist, as they may not be able to help you as much. If you feel uncomfortable talking with a particular bankruptcy lawyer, find another one. You can visit the local bar association to find out their recommendation. When you visit your bankruptcy lawyer, bring a list of all the creditors that you owe, including payments to personal loans that you are not left behind and a list of all your assets and liabilities. The more information you provide the bankruptcy lawyer, the better and more accurate the recommendations he will give you. Remember that lawyers can only work as good as the information that you provide. Cooperate well in giving your lawyer the data regarding your case because you are in the best position to give those to him. You also will be the person that will either suffer or benefit from the outcome. Robert Thatcher is a freelance publisher based in Cupertino, California. He publishes articles and reports in various ezines and provides bankruptcy lawyer resources on <a href="http://www.your-bankruptcy-lawyer.info">www.your-bankruptcy-lawyer.info</a>.
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Basic Information About Bankruptcy
How will Filing for Bankruptcy Affect my Credit? . .Bankruptcy is a life changing event in any person’s life, with long lasting consequence For example, a record of the bankruptcy will appear in the Public Records section of your consumer credit report for the next ten years Having said that, however, consumers can and do seek and obtain credit after going through bankruptcy . .What Information will be on my Credit Reports? . .In addition to the public record of the bankruptcy, each of your creditors that were included in the bankruptcy will update your account to reflect the bankruptcy The exact information reported will vary based upon the history of the account at the time the bankruptcy is filed In general, most accounts should be reported as “Included in Bankruptcy ” Some may refer to the specific type of bankruptcy with remarks such as “Chapter 7″ or “Wage earner repayment plan ” . .After bankruptcy, the balance, current payment, and amount past due should all reflect zero dollars However, if you were late on your bills before your bankruptcy was filed, those notations may or may not appear on your credit reports The last part of this article discusses how to dispute false information on your credit reports after bankruptcy . .Will I be Able to Get Credit after Bankruptcy? . .For the majority of consumers that file for bankruptcy and either obtain a discharge (Chapter 7) or complete their repayment plan (Chapter 13), the answer is “Yes” It is likely that credit will be more costly than prior to bankruptcy, which may be reflected in higher interest rates, security deposits, or lower amounts of credit offered The two most important factors in being able to obtain credit after bankruptcy are 1) paying all of your bills on time after bankruptcy; and 2) the length of time that passes after your bankruptcy Obviously, you have control over the former, but not the latter Consumers can rebuild their credit after bankruptcy by using low limit or secured credit card accounts, and conscientiously paying them off each and every month . .How to Dispute False Credit Reports after Bankruptcy . .As noted above, post-bankruptcy credit reports should show discharged accounts as “Included in Bankruptcy” with a zero balance and zero past due Often these accounts are reported inaccurately, or have not been updated with the correct information Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, consumers have the right to dispute false or incomplete information in their credit reports . .First, get a copy of your credit report Consumers can request their free annual credit report by writing to Annual Credit Report Request Service, P O Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281 The request form is available at the annualcreditreport com website . .Next, send a written dispute letter to the credit reporting agencies Tell them that you filed for bankruptcy, and give them the bankruptcy court case number List the specific accounts and account numbers which were discharged Send your letter via certified mail, with a return receipt requested Keep a copy of your signed, dated letter, along with copies of enclosures . .If you cannot get false information deleted from your credit report, you may want to talk to a consumer protection attorney about your rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act .
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