Article Sphere Logo

What You Must Consider Before Filing Bankruptcy

By Expert Author: Jon Arnold | Article Abstract
Word Count: 560 words | Views: 152 view(s)
Bankruptcy is not something that you do on the spur of the moment, but rather it should be a well thought out plan that you only implement when you have exhausted all other possibilities. While bankruptcy may provide a way out of your current financial situation, you need to consider and be aware that the ramifications of filing bankruptcy are going to haunt you for the next 7 to 10 years. Many people who file bankruptcy are doing so to make things better "now" but they are not looking years down the road, and when they do and wish they had considered other options, it is then too late.

If you are on the very edge of filing bankruptcy and need a way out, there are multiple other options that may be available to you. If you feel like you're hopelessly buried in debt and you have very few assets, filing for bankruptcy may not be the answer to ending your financial problems. Though it sounds like an easy and attractive solution for one's financial problems, bankruptcy should be the last option any individual should resort to.

Throughout the process of filing for bankruptcy, it is a good idea to have a lawyer represent you through all formal bankruptcy proceedings. Unless you yourself are very familiar with bankruptcy law, especially the variations of the law within your state, it is more than just a good idea to have a bankruptcy lawyer represent you; it is almost a necessity so that you don't accidentally get yourself into worse trouble than you are right now. From start to finish, the process of filing for bankruptcy is much different than it has been in decades past, and a good bankruptcy attorney knows those pitfalls and can navigate around them.

Before taking the big step and filing for bankruptcy, you will need to do some reading, especially so that you can explain to your bankruptcy attorney the reason for considering bankruptcy. You may need to consider filing bankruptcy if your expenses are increasing because of divorce, job loss, or medical bills, while your income is decreasing because of the same reason. There are various good reasons for filing bankruptcy, but there are also many BAD reasons for filing bankruptcy, based on the ease with which one could do that in years past, but most of those loopholes have been closed, and it is not nearly as easy today to file a non-painful bankruptcy case.

If you have decided there is no alternative to filing bankruptcy, you may be asking yourself, "how do I find a good bankruptcy lawyer? If you have exhausted all other resources and still feel bankruptcy is your only viable option you can learn more about filing bankruptcy or buy do it yourself bankruptcy forms. If you're unemployed, on public assistance, have little or no money in a bank account, don't own an automobile, or rent or live with others, filing for bankruptcy may do little to improve your financial situation. The bankruptcy judge is going to want to see a plan of how you plan to change your current situation so that you are not back in the same position in another few years, so be sure that you discuss a financial plan with your bankruptcy lawyer.
Jon Arnold

About the Author/Author Bio

Jon is a computer engineer who maintains web sites on a variety of topics based on his knowledge and experience. You can read more about bankruptcy and options at his web site at Bankruptcy Advice

Article Source: http://www.articlesphere.com/Article/What-You-Must-Consider-Before-Filing-Bankruptcy/71924

Article Submitted: 2007-02-12 | This Article has been viewed 152 times.

Rate Article

Related Videos

How to tell if Bankruptcy might solve your IRS tax
What to Do if Bankruptcy is Inevitable
Making the Bankruptcy Decision
Declaring Bankruptcy
How Bankruptcy Helps
 

More "Bankruptcy" Related Articles

 
 

Listed below are more articles related to the above article from the "Bankruptcy" article category.

People interested in the above article "What You Must Consider Before Filing Bankruptcy" are also interested in the related articles listed below:

 
A typical question when someone files for bankruptcy is how does it affect their mortgage? This usually depends on what type of bankruptcy is filed, and whether they choose to include their mortgage in the bankruptcy plan. Many people don't realize that when filing for bankruptcy they can choose to file without including certain debts, such as a mortgage. As long as the mortgage is up to date and they can continue to make payments, it is possible that the bankruptcy plan can be filed without including their mortgage lender in the bankruptcy plan.
The entrepreneurial spirit is one of the touchstones of American culture that has made our country so strong. The willingness of driven individuals to step out and risk their financial stability for the sake of a business they believe in has been a catalyst of our country's growth. However, a recent study by the University of Nevada showed that one in seven bankruptcies are filed by individuals tying to cope with the failure of a small business. While corporations or partnerships cannot file for bankruptcy, Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 are often used by entrepreneurs who are trying to deal with personal and business debt.
Most credit specialists agree that the worst possible credit entry on your credit statement is a bankruptcy! Whether you have filed a Chapter 13 or Chapter 7, it demonstrates a complete failure in managing your credit, regardless of why you filed.
Bankruptcy can be devastating to your personal credit file - and most post-bankruptcy credit scores plummet drastically once your bankruptcy is made a part of your permanent credit record. Do not feel alone in your situation - there are thousands of borrowers who find that they have no alternative other than to file bankruptcy when they get to a point where they have overextended themselves financially.
Filing for bankruptcy is not an easy decision to come to, especially since it leaves such a mark on your credit history. Unlike items that have gone into collections remaining on your credit report for seven years, a bankruptcy discharge remains there for ten years.
If you have been contemplating bankruptcy then it means you have not been able to manage your finances like you wanted to. However, declaring bankruptcy is a big step. It reflects on your account for 7 to 10 years and may influence lenders' decision in future when you apply for another loan. It is always a better idea to clear off your debts instead of filing bankruptcy.
Sometimes finances get past the point of being salvageable; it might be in your best interests to file bankruptcy. But if you can avoid filing bankruptcy, it is worthwhile to make the effort, to save your credit, status and long lasting negative effects of filing bankruptcy.
 
Article Directory Home All Categories Finance Bankruptcy
 

Can't find what you're looking for? Try Google Search!
 
Copyright © 2005 - by Larry Lim, Singapore - Article Search Engine Directory at ArticleSphere.com™
All Rights Reserved Worldwide. All Trademarks and Servicemarks are the property of the respective owners.

Afrikaans Albanian Arabic Belarusian Bulgarian Catalan Chinese (Simplified) Chinese (Traditional) Croatian Czech Danish German English Estonian Filipino Finnish French Galician Greek Hebrew Hindi Hungarian Icelandic Indonesian Irish Italiano Japanese Korean Latvian Lithuanian Macedonian Malay Maltese Dutch Norwegian Persian Polish Portuguese Romanian Russian Serbian Slovak Slovenian Spanish Swahili Swedish Thai Turkish Ukrainian Vietnamese Welsh Yiddish