Forgetting to list a debt in your bankruptcy is one of the most common worries people have. You are juggling bills, paperwork, and stress. It is easy to overlook one credit card or one old medical bill. Here is the good news. Leaving a creditor off your bankruptcy usually is not a disaster. In most … Read more
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JKDwQe-6oU . Every potential bankruptcy client has a different amount of debt owed. Even the type of debt varies from debtor to debtor – some debtors have almost all credit card debt, while others may have almost all medical bills. A common question that potential bankruptcy clients have is whether their bankruptcy will be denied … Read more
Surprisingly, being a citizen of the United States is not required to file for bankruptcy. The U.S. Bankruptcy Code does not have a citizenship requirement. However, you still need to establish residency in the state where you plan to file bankruptcy.
Yes, once a person has case number after filing either a Chapter 7 bankruptcy or a Chapter 13 bankruptcy, a creditor is prohibited from trying contact the debtor in any attempt to collect a debt.
The short answer is, no. Federal law prohibits an employer to discriminate against you for your declaring bankruptcy. According to 11 U.S.C § 525 (a) and (b), no governmental unit or private employer may “…terminate the employment of, or discriminate with the respect of employment someone who is or has been a debtor under this title…” In other words, you can’t be fired from your job simply because you have filed for bankruptcy.
Generally speaking, yes. It is not mandatory to stop using your credit cards before filing for bankruptcy but you should use them wisely and, ideally, you should stop using them. If charges to your credit cards have been made to purchase luxury items within 180 days prior to you filing the bankruptcy you would need to wait to file.
Whether you are filing a Chapter 7 bankruptcy or a Chapter 13 bankruptcy, you will be required to attend a creditor’s meeting (also known as a 341 Meeting of Creditors). The Court schedules the date and time of your creditors meeting after your bankruptcy has been filed and a bankruptcy Trustee has been assigned to your case.
Generally speaking, no. However, there are always exceptions.
Most retirement plans are ERISA qualified, which stands for Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. This law was enacted to protect your retirement accounts from risky investments by your employer or plan administrator. If the plan is ERISA qualified, then your bankruptcy Trustee cannot seize your retirement money to pay your creditors.
Situations often arise where a potential bankruptcy client is hospitalized, out of town or out of the country, or otherwise unable to sign the necessary paperwork or appear at the necessary court dates for a bankruptcy filing. Often, these potential bankruptcy clients have a valid Power of Attorney document allowing a loved one to sign important papers on their behalf. The question is, can a loved one use a Power of Attorney to file a bankruptcy on behalf of another person?
A trustee is an individual appointed by the federal government in charge of overseeing bankruptcy proceedings. Chapter 7 bankruptcy and Chapter 13 bankruptcy trustees are usually bankruptcy attorneys or accountants.
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