Personal Bankruptcy: Do I Have Any Choices?

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.

Get a plan in place for after your bankruptcy is over. Your debt will be forgiven, but you have to find a way to make sure that your financial picture will recover. Set definite goals so that you are always working toward a financial future that will never get you in this position again.

Once you have filed for bankruptcy, you need to go over your finances and do your best to come up with a manageable budget. You want to do this so that you will not end up so deep in debt again that you will have to file for bankruptcy, again.

Do your research before choosing a bankruptcy lawyer. Take advantage of free consultations, and meet with several different lawyers before picking one to work with. Make sure that you choose an experienced attorney who is knowledgeable about the local laws, the preferences of trustees, and has a good working relationship with local judges.

If you have late payments on credit accounts or accounts that have been sent to collections, you are probably already aware of how insistent creditors can be. After you have filed for bankruptcy, you no longer need to endure the threatening and continuous phone calls from creditors and collection agencies. All you must do is refer them to your attorney who will confirm the bankruptcy for them. After this, it is illegal for creditors to harass you in any way.

Make sure you have a solid understanding of which debts can be eliminated by bankruptcy, and which ones cannot. Debts like student loans, child support or alimony payments, and taxes, are generally not discharged through bankruptcy. Bankruptcy can help if your wages are being garnished or if you have large unsecured debts, like, credit cards and utility bills.

Before meeting with a lawyer, start compiling all of the documentation and paperwork you will need to provide an accurate picture of your finances. Gather six months worth of pay stubs, bank statements, bills and credit card statements. Create a list of property and assets that you own. Having this entire information ready from the beginning can save you trouble when its time to file.

Exercise

A useful tip for those thinking about using personal bankruptcy as a way out of their financial difficulties is to exercise great care when choosing an attorney. By selecting a practitioner who specializes in bankruptcy and who has handled a large number of such cases, it is possible to ensure the very best outcome and the greatest likelihood of forging a positive financial future.

Exercise extreme caution with your credit cards, if you are headed into bankruptcy. The regulations governing bankruptcy can prevent you from discharging credit card debt in many situations. Cash advances and non-essential charges are particularly vulnerable. Your creditors can and will challenge these items and prevent you from getting rid of that portion of your debt.

After bankruptcy, is it important to manage any new debt taken on very carefully. Many lenders will offer loans and credit cards, that are supposedly geared towards people who are making a fresh start after bankruptcy. Mostly these offers will only put you back into debt because of the high interest rates. It can continue a vicious cycle of debt that only sound financial thinking can prevent.

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.