South Bend Bankruptcy Attorney – Should I file for Bankruptcy?

Should I file for Bankruptcy?  This question is very common and is asked often during the course of a bankruptcy consultation.  The answer, it depends on you.  If you don’t hear this from a bankruptcy attorney before you have had the chance to sit down with him or her, I would strongly suggest you consider looking further.  The answer to this question depends on a number of factors such as, with sort of debts do you possess, how much income you have available, how much total debt you possess, what sort of items do you want to keep, etc.

For example, you may be feeling the pinch from your student loans, but only have about $5,000 to $10,000 in other types of unsecured debt.  For most people student loans simply are not dischargeable in bankruptcy, so in most instances this could be a situation where filing for bankruptcy may not be that helpful.  Of course there are exceptions, but again if you are like most people facing this situation, you would be better off seeking a forbearance or deferment from your lender, and trying to get other bills caught up.

What if you have all medical debt?  Perhaps you didn’t have health insurance and you needed to go to the hospital for an emergency.  More often than not, these types of cases do end up in bankruptcy.  Most clients that I see, tend to have situations where there are not a lot of assets to worry about and the bankruptcy exemptions would allow them to keep most if not all of their property.

There are a number of situations where the question of whether or not to file bankruptcy is not so clear cut.  These are the situations in which consulting with a lawyer can be of great benefit.

if you are considering bankruptcy, talk to a local south bend bankruptcy lawyer today.

The Law Office of Jeffery M. Haupt is located in South Bend, Indiana and helps people handle family law issues such as divorce, child support, paternity, and child custody, criminal defense matters, DUIs, theft charges, and license suspensions; and financial matters such as Bankruptcy and Foreclosure. The information in this blog should only be used for educational purposes and not be construed as legal advice. Nothing in this blog creates an attorney-client relationship between me and any readers of this blog. No attorney-client relationship is created until you have a document from me saying so.  DO NOT POST ABOUT CASE PARTICULARS IN THE COMMENT SECTION.

South Bend Bankruptcy Lawyer Understanding Bankruptcy

When contemplating filing for bankruptcy, many times you may have questions about how bankruptcy works; what options are available for you under the bankruptcy code; and whether or not bankruptcy is right for you.  While this article attempts to give a simplified explanation of some of the differences between a Chapter 7 and a Chapter 13 Bankruptcy, it is best if you consult a Bankruptcy Attorney near you to get an idea of how the law applies to your case.

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Chapter 7 Bankruptcy

The majority of bankruptcy filings in the United States are under Chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code.  Chapter 7 is typically a preferred method of filing bankruptcy for most debtors because it serves to liquidate the majority of your debts.  This allows you the fresh start as most debts will be eliminated.

A bankruptcy filing under Chapter 7 will also allow you to keep a fair amount of personal property and even exempt a certain amount of real estate from being taken by the Bankruptcy Trustee for purposes of being sold to help pay for debts.  These exemptions allow to you get the fresh start without having to lose your car or home.

Chapter 13 Bankruptcy

A Chapter 13 Bankruptcy is a way to eliminate your debts through the use of a payment plan.  Often time a Chapter 13 Bankruptcy will last anywhere from 3 to 5 years.  Typically, a debtor will choose a Chapter 13 plan if they are trying to save their family home or other type of asset.  Another reason a debtor could end up in a Chapter 13 is by making too much money.  If you do not qualify under the “means test” you may be forced into a Chapter 13 filing.

if you are experiencing debt problems, contact my law office today for a free bankruptcy consultation.  We are a debt relief agency, we help people file for bankruptcy under the bankruptcy code.

The Law Office of Jeffery M. Haupt is located in South Bend, Indiana and helps people handle family law issues such as divorce, child support, paternity, and child custody, criminal defense matters, DUIs, theft charges, and license suspensions; and financial matters such as Bankruptcy and Foreclosure. The information in this blog should only be used for educational purposes and not be construed as legal advice. Nothing in this blog creates an attorney-client relationship between me and any readers of this blog. No attorney-client relationship is created until you have a document from me saying so.  DO NOT POST ABOUT CASE PARTICULARS IN THE COMMENT SECTION.