Bankruptcy Lawyer Spence Stover – Getting Rid of Your Debt:
We
know that financial hardships can happen to anyone. Unplanned
medical expenses, divorce, job loss and other financial hardships can
make it difficult to pay your bills. Bankruptcy may be the best solution
to help resolve those hardships and get a fresh start without the burden
of unaffordable debt.
We’ll walk you through the bankruptcy process every step of the way. We
offer free initial consultations where we would be happy to answer all
of your bankruptcy-related questions and determine what options you have
in your individual situation.
Bankruptcy Attorney – Chapter 7:
Chapter 7 bankruptcy is the most common form of bankruptcy filed. It
is known as a "fresh start" bankruptcy, as it allows you to regain
control of your finances and start fresh with your debt. After
completing a court-approved financial counseling session, you begin the
process by filing a bankruptcy petition. This document
requires information about you, your assets, your debts, and your
current budget.
Bankruptcy Lawyer – Guiding You Through the Process:
Along with the petition, you will need to provide documentation
regarding your wages and other income, bank accounts, retirement
accounts, insurance policies, prior divorce decrees, proof of the value
of your real estate and vehicles, and past tax returns. Because
the purpose of these filings is to provide the bankruptcy trustee with
an accurate picture of your financial condition, it is critical that you
fully reveal all of your assets and all of your debts, even those debts
you wish to keep, such as your house and your vehicles.
You are allowed specific exemptions of real and personal property under
state law. This means you may be able to keep some of your
property. When you hire Spence Stover, he will explain
these exemptions to you. In many cases, after applying the
state exemptions, debtors will own nothing for the trustee to claim,
sell and pay out to your creditors.
Bankruptcy Attorney – Helping You Wipe Out Debt:
A successful Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing is to discharge or wipe out
your qualifying unsecured debt. Unsecured debts are when
the creditor does not hold any security (title), such credit cards,
medical bills and pay day loans. You may also discharge
secured debt, such as a house and vehicle. In
addition, certain debts by law are not dischargeable, such as child
support and alimony obligations, student loans and certain taxes.
Bankruptcy Lawyer – Finalizing Your Bankruptcy:
The next step is the meeting of creditors, also called a 341 hearing. At
the creditor meeting, you will present your driver's license or state
identification and your Social Security card to the bankruptcy trustee
who will verify your identity. The trustee will then ask
you questions about the petition, specifically about your assets, and
tape record your answers. The trustee will then provide an opportunity
for any creditor who come to the meeting to ask you questions. Rarely do
creditors appear.
About two months after the hearing you will obtain a paper in the mail entitled Discharge of Debtor, which indicates that the file has been closed and those debts that can be discharged have been discharged. Once a debt has been discharged, you are no longer obligated to make payments.