During difficult economic times, many people find themselves struggling to keep their heads above water. Too often, faced with mounting debt and unpaid bills, people make the choice to file for personal bankruptcy. While this can often prove to be the right choice, anyone who is thinking of doing so, should read the tips in this article first.
If you are being faced with home foreclosure, wage garnishments or other situations that make it necessary to file for bankruptcy quickly, you may want to explore an emergency filing. Regular bankruptcy filings entail approximately 50 pages of paperwork and one to two weeks for an attorney to pull everything together. In an emergency filing, your attorney can file just the first 2 necessary pages and keep creditors from continuing foreclosure or garnishment proceedings. The rest of the work will be completed afterward.
Don’t be afraid to apply for credit for purchases such as a new home or car just because you have a recently discharged bankruptcy. Many lenders will take your new financial situation into account. They may be more likely to loan money to someone who has no debt due to a bankruptcy than to the person with, say, 75,000 dollars in credit card debt. The fact that you have no monthly credit card payments can make you look like a better risk.
You may still have trouble receiving any unsecured credit after a bankruptcy. Since it is important that you work to rebuild your credit, you should instead think about applying for a secured card. When you do this, it shows your determination to fix your credit history. Eventually, you could be able to obtain unsecured credit.
Be extra vigilant about your spending habits until your hearing. Judges take a look at your entire financial picture. They even look at the things you are doing right now, to see if you are trying to take advantage of the system. Show that you are now on the right track financially.
Find out as much as you can about the individual laws in your state. There is a lot of information about there, but every state has its particular laws that people are subject to. You may have a lawyer, but it is important that you know about this as well so you can make better decisions.
Make a detailed list. Every creditor and debt should be listed on your application. Even if your credit cards do not carry a balance at all, it should still be included. Loans for cars or recreational vehicles should also be included on your application. Full disclosure is imperative during this part of the bankruptcy process.
Locate an online support forum for those who have filed for bankruptcy. This way, you can ask other people questions and find out things that you may not know. There are a lot of forums on the internet, but there are also, some offline groups you can join, if you prefer being offline. Because these people know what you’re going through, they can make you feel better about the situation.
Do what you can to keep your home. Losing your home is thought of as common in bankruptcy cases, but it is by no means inevitable. It is entirely possible that you will be able to keep your home. This is dependent upon the your home’s value and whether or not you have taken a second mortgage. You should also examine the possibility of taking a homestead exemption. This could apply if your income falls below the financial threshold.
Personal bankruptcy can be an effective way to get back on your feet financially, but the process can have many pitfalls and dangers for the unwary. Before you think about filing, make sure you have thoroughly absorbed the information in this article. Doing so will help you to successfully navigate your way to financial security once again.