Despite our best efforts at living responsible lives, paying our bills on time and saving for the future, bad things happen to good people. Instead of being saddled with debts you cannot pay and bill collectors hounding you, consider wiping the slate clear of misfortune and getting the fresh start you need with a Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy. These laws exist to level the playing field and help people out in the face of economic disaster. Most people who are fearful of bankruptcy report that after they filed for bankruptcy, the process was easy, painless, and led to a speedier economic recovery.
The following is a list of realistic situations that lead many people to seek bankruptcy protection:
- Your company went out of business.
In the news, we watch reports of manufacturing facilities and companies closing their doors for a variety of reasons. Many people who may have worked for these businesses, some for most their working life, have difficulties finding a new job with similar pay and benefits. Too often people take one or two jobs to make up lost income. In the meantime, bills can go unpaid or underpaid, and when it is your mortgage that falls behind to the point of foreclosure, bankruptcy may be the only way to save your shirt, and your home.
- You lost your ability to do work.
Injuries happen and may be nobody’s fault. A slip and fall at home shoveling a snowy and icy driveway can be enough to put you out of work. Ideally you can seek proper medical care and find a way to keep your job. When the inability to work cripples your finances and you risk losing it all, you can save yourself with bankruptcy protection. If injured at work you may be pursuing a worker’s compensation claim or a disability claim with Social Security regardless of where you were injured. These cases can take time and you may not be able to wait it out as the bill collectors become more aggressive and the bank or landlord is threatening foreclosure or eviction.
- An uninsured driver hit you and caused injuries.
Despite having your own insurance policy to protect against uninsured or under-insured motorists, there can be problems when insurance companies fail to pay or do not pay enough money to sustain your financial needs if you are injured, unable to work or have significant unexpected expenses. Being admitted to the hospital can be very expensive. It can also be expensive trying to pay a high deductible for health insurance if you are forced to seek recovery for injuries on your health insurance when drivers’ insurance fails to cover expenses. Suing the person who hit you without sufficient insurance can be a zero-sum game if the person has no assets. Bankruptcy may be your only way out from behind the financial eight ball.
- A divorce makes it impossible to pay old debts.
When things move from I do to I want out, the financial landscape changes very quickly. If you and your spouse were already barely making ends meet, the extra money for divorce lawyers and the additional expenses of supporting a spouse with temporary alimony, as well as court ordered child support can cripple an individual’s ability to keep up with debts and expenses. Divorce may trigger a good reason to use bankruptcy to wipe out credit card debts and old bills in collections. Please understand however, you may not use bankruptcy to eliminate your duty to pay child support or alimony.
- An investment or business deal failed.
Television shows about greedy swindlers and crooks show us how easily some people can lose their life savings in failed investment deals and scams. Whether the loss is a result of a swindler or simply an investment that failed to produce returns, your banks and creditors want their money and are not likely interested in your excuse of a failed business or investment deal that prevents you from keeping up with your bills. Bankruptcy may be the best option for you to eliminate debts you cannot repay after a financial loss.
- Missed and late payments affected payment arrangements.
In many payment arrangements, there is an acceleration clause stating that if you miss a certain number of payments during a period, you may be responsible for paying the full amount due. Collection companies may file suit against you to obtain a money judgment and try to seize your assets or garnish your wages. Depending on your finances and the amount you owe, a bankruptcy can stop this type of collection activity when you qualify for a Chapter 7 or 13 bankruptcy.
- You are sued and found liable for a wrong you cannot afford to right.
In a similar situation to a failed payment arrangement, a lawsuit and money judgment entered against you can also involve attempts to collect the amount of the judgment using asset and income seizures. When people are sued, the role of the court is to decide whether the plaintiff is owed money and how much. If you are the defendant and are sued and lose, all the plaintiff has over you is a court judgement. While that judgment would allow them to collect on the judgment, you have every right to get rid of it using bankruptcy. The court knows you have a right to use the bankruptcy laws and there is nothing a civil court judge can do if you chose to seek relief through bankruptcy laws.
When you for bankruptcy protection, the Automatic Stay provision kicks in and the collectors must cease and desist the phone calls and collection activity. You have an initial court appearance at the Notice of Creditors meeting and after that, most wait for further instructions, if any, from their bankruptcy attorney. The process can be accomplished in only a few short months in many cases, making bankruptcy one of the more efficient legal processes.
To learn more, call us at Joseph Wrobel, Ltd. to learn how we can help you. (312) 781-0996.
About us: Joseph Wrobel, Ltd., works with clients to find out if they qualify for Chapter 7 or 13 bankruptcy, and their options and rights under the law. The firm will also advise and assist clients with questions and concerns about the collectors and their rights to pursue you.
Joseph Wrobel, Ltd. helps people get control of their finances and a fresh start at financial freedom. The firm’s website contains informative videos about financial issues as well as bankruptcy protection for families who want a fresh start.
Don’t forget to keep up with us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Avvo, where you can read client and peer reviews!
