Things You Need to Know When Considering Chapter 7 Bankruptcy You’ve hit a rough patch. Maybe you’ve lost your job or been forced to take a pay cut. Maybe you’ve contracted an illness or suffered an injury that makes it difficult or impossible for you to work and meet your financial obligations. Maybe you’re in the middle of a divorce with all the … [Read more...]
A New Year’s Resolution You Can Keep
Put Your Financial Struggles Behind You With a Personal Bankruptcy Filing Most of us make some resolutions in January, but statistics show they can be difficult to maintain. If you've been facing financial challenges for most or all of 2024, there's a simple step you can take that has the potential to turn your life around. With the assistance of … [Read more...]
Get a Fresh Start in 2025
Use Bankruptcy Law to Get Your Finances Under Control 2024 has been a tough year for many people. If you're one of those who has lost a job, suffered a serious injury, or been a party to a divorce, you may find yourself struggling to make ends meet. That's precisely why the American bankruptcy laws were enacted—to help regular folks get a fresh … [Read more...]
Signs That It Might Be Time to Talk With a Bankruptcy Lawyer
Knowing When to Seek Protection in Bankruptcy Most of us struggle financially at some point in our lives. Maybe we've taken on a big mortgage, only to get caught in cutbacks at work. Maybe we've been hurt or contracted an illness, incurring substantial medical bills or limiting our ability to work and meet our financial obligations. In many … [Read more...]
Common Mistakes People Make When Taking the Means Test
Errors That Can Jeopardize Your Rights to Protection Under the Bankruptcy Laws When you've concluded that the best way to tackle your financial problems is by filing for protection under U.S. bankruptcy law, one of your first decisions involves the type of bankruptcy petition to file. If you seek protection under Chapter 7, you'll be able to … [Read more...]
Strategies for Keeping Assets When Filing for Bankruptcy
What to Do If You Can't Protect All Your Property Using Texas Exemptions Most states don't offer the generous property exemptions available under Texas law, so people filing under Chapter 7 risk the potential loss of substantial assets. In Texas, though, a person may discharge debts and still keep most, if not all, of their property. But what … [Read more...]
The Most Common Reasons People Seek Protection in Bankruptcy
The Factors that Lead to Most Bankruptcy Filings Have you lost your job or taken a cut in pay? Have you suffered an injury or illness that's caused you to incur substantial, unreimbursed medical debt? Did you take out an adjustable rate mortgage on your home and now find that you can't make the monthly payments? You're not alone—the same thing has … [Read more...]
The Potential Impact of a Bankruptcy Filing on Your Credit Score
Why Filing for Bankruptcy Protection Won't Necessarily Ruin Your Credit You may have lost your job or incurred substantial medical bills that are not covered by insurance. You've been reluctant to consider bankruptcy, as you're afraid it will permanently ruin your credit. How does a bankruptcy get reported to a credit agency? What are the short- … [Read more...]
What You Can Expect at a Meeting of Creditors
Preparing for the Section 341 Meeting | What You'll Need to Bring As a part of the bankruptcy process—whether you're seeking to permanently discharge debts through Chapter 7 or restructure your debts in Chapter 13—you will be required to attend what is referred to as a 341(a) meeting of creditors. While your attendance is compulsory, you typically … [Read more...]
What Is a Bankruptcy Trustee?
What Are the Trustee's Responsibilities? Because the personal bankruptcy process can be confusing and intimidating, it's always in your best interests to start the process by hiring an experienced and knowledgeable lawyer. Your attorney will be your liaison with the bankruptcy court and with the bankruptcy trustee. What is the role of the trustee? … [Read more...]