Friday, June 27, 2014

Handy Tips On When You Should File For Bankruptcy

By Steve Lamban


If you are in debt and on the verge of filing for bankruptcy, then do not worry any longer. There are countless resources available online to help you avoid the ruins of going through a bankruptcy. This article can help you take steps to avoid bankruptcy, and how to handle it if you must file.

If you are faced with the choice of filing for bankruptcy or using your emergency fund or retirement accounts to pay creditors, opt to file for bankruptcy. You should always keep money saved for worse times. Though you may have to break into your savings, keep some available for difficult times. You will be glad you did.

Never lie about anything in your bankruptcy petition. You may be tempted to try to hide income and personal assets from discovery, but doing so often leads to major complications, monetary penalties and the possibility that your case will be thrown out of court.

When you feel certain that you must file for personal bankruptcy, refrain from squandering your life savings to pay off unsecured debt. You should never touch your retirement accounts, unless you have absolutely no choice. While you may have to use a part of your savings, never completely wipe it out which would only leave you in worse financial shape in the future.

Be sure to bring anything up repeatedly if you are unsure if your lawyer is focusing on it. Don't just assume they already know and that they have these important details committed to memory or written down. This is your bankruptcy case, so do not be afraid to remind your lawyer of any key facts.

It can be difficult to obtain unsecured credit once you have filed for bankruptcy. If so, apply for a secured credit card. This will allow you to start building a good credit history while minimizing the bank's risk. Eventually, you could be able to obtain unsecured credit.

No good will come of trying to conceal your assets or your liabilities in the bankruptcy process; you want to be scrupulously honest when you declare bankruptcy. Your attorney and trustee should be privy to all information about your finances. Never hide anything, and make sure you come up with a well devised plan for dealing with bankruptcy.

Your most important concern is to protect your home. Filing for bankruptcy does not mean you have to lose your home. If your home has significantly depreciated in value or you've taken a second mortgage, it may be possible to retain possession of your home. Otherwise, there is a homestead exemption you should look into, as it might let you stay in your house.

If you can afford to pay your bills, bankruptcy is not a wise option. Though bankruptcy may appear to be a good way to escape your debts, it does affect your credit negatively for a fairly long time.

If you make more money than what you owe, filing for bankruptcy is not a good option. While bankruptcy may seem like an easy way out of having to pay back all of the debt that you owe, it is a stain that will remain on your credit report for seven to ten years.

File at exactly the right time to maximize the effect of your bankruptcy. Timing is very important when it comes to personal bankruptcy filings. Sometimes you may want to wait to file and in other situations you may find it better to do it as soon as you can. Discuss your specific situation with a bankruptcy lawyer to find out when would be your best time to file.

You will find many people, who have filed for bankruptcy, completely separate themselves from ever using credit again if possible. This is not wise because you need to rebuild a good credit file. If you aren't using any credit, then it will be very difficult to get your credit score high enough to be able to purchase things like a car or home in the future. Start by using just one credit card, and propel your credit in a positive direction.

Planning can make a big difference. It's best to take as much time as possible. That said, this only makes sense if you are making progress in solving your financial problems. Once you have a plan, you'll be ready for whatever happens.




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