Generally, if you do not have enough money to pay your other debts after you pay the bills for your necessary expenses each month, you may file for bankruptcy.
Most people who file for bankruptcy are either unemployed, have large medical expenses, have seriously over extended credit, or encounter large unexpected expenses.
In order to qualify for bankruptcy protection, there are several primary prerequisites:
· You must either live, have a place of business, or own property in the United States
· You must not have been granted a Chapter 7 bankruptcy discharge within the last eight (8) years, or, if you have received relief under Chapter 13 of the bankruptcy code, you must have completed your Chapter 13 payment plan.
· You cannot have had a bankruptcy petition dismissed for substantive reasons within the last six months.
· It cannot be “fundamentally unfair” for you to receive relief under Chapter 7 of the bankruptcy code.
After you have filed for bankruptcy, your creditors may no longer contact you. The court will notify all of the creditors listed in your bankruptcy filing that you have filed for bankruptcy. Once they receive notice from the court, usually a couple of weeks after filing, they must stop all collection efforts and you should then be free from collection calls or any other type of collection efforts. If, despite notice of your bankruptcy proceeding, your creditors continue to contact you, they may be liable for court sanctions or your attorney’s fees.
If you are drowning in debt and you feel that you are unable to pay your way out on your own, we can help you make a new start by filing for bankruptcy. Read this article to help you decide which type of bankruptcy is appropriate for your situation.
Contact our office for bankruptcy filing information and help.
