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How to Prevent Bankruptcy from Ruining your Holiday Season
Halloween is past, Thanksgiving is upon us, and the gift-giving celebrations are just weeks away. What most people think of as the most joyful and festive time of year can feel like sheer misery when you’re deeply in debt, as every aspect of the holidays seems to have a price tag attached. Whether you’ve just filed for bankruptcy or are about to file your papers, the process creates a shift in the way that you have to think – and in what you’re able to spend. Bankruptcy does represent an adjustment, but it does not have to ruin your holiday …Read More ➡
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Can I Keep a Credit Card If I File for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy?
One of the most frightening aspects of a bankruptcy filing is contemplating the way that it will affect your day-to-day life. Will you be able to keep your house and your car? Will people find out and think less of you? And how are you going to be able to buy things if you no longer have credit and don’t have cash on hand?? The last of these questions is actually a pretty big deal. It’s one of the toughest things for people to get used to as they enter this new phase of their lives. Many even think about …Read More ➡
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Can I Choose Whether to File Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 Bankruptcy?
For most people, bankruptcy is a vague notion – something they’ve heard of but know little about. But if you’re one of the hundreds of thousands of Americans for whom debt has become insurmountable, bankruptcy has become a potential lifeline you’re hurrying to learn more about. One of the very first things you’ll want to understand is the difference between Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcies, and whether you’re able to choose the one you prefer. Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy both exist to relieve debt, but the two have significant differences. Because Chapter 7 entirely liquidates almost all …Read More ➡
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Can I File for Bankruptcy if I Live with My Parents?
If you’re facing insurmountable debt, living with family can eliminate many expenses and provide significant economic relief. But if you’re considering filing for bankruptcy, it can also introduce a level of complexity to your process, and possibly derail your ability to qualify for a Chapter 7 bankruptcy. Here’s what you need to know. There are two types of personal bankruptcy filings that people pursue: Chapter 7 bankruptcy discharges debt, while Chapter 13 redistributes it, creating a payment plan that may reflect reduced interest rates, a more extended payment period, or other favorable terms meant to make the debt more manageable. …Read More ➡
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Will Bankruptcy Affect My Retirement Savings?
Saving for retirement is one of the greatest gifts you can give your future self. The more diligent you are about putting money away, the more easily you’ll be able to enjoy life after you stop working. But while you’re planning for the future, present circumstances can get out of control. Medical emergencies, job losses, rising prices and indiscriminate spending can all lead to insurmountable debt, leaving you with few options. If you’re considering bankruptcy and are concerned that it will deplete the money you’ve worked so hard to save, there’s good news: in most cases, you will be able …Read More ➡
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Should I Sell My Home Before or After Filing for Bankruptcy?
For most people, their home is their biggest purchase and most valuable asset, so it comes as no surprise that it is also the biggest concern when considering filing for bankruptcy. If you are in this position, then you may be considering selling your house, even though you may not want to actually leave it. It’s just that the idea of having it sold out from under you by a bankruptcy trustee feels unacceptable. Though it is possible to sell your home before filing for bankruptcy, it is not recommended, and if you do so you need to make sure …Read More ➡
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How Long After I File Will My Bankruptcy Take Effect?
Many people who’ve filed for bankruptcy say that though reaching the decision was hard, once it had been made, they felt that an incredible burden had been lifted from their shoulders. While the promise of a fresh start represents an enormous psychic shift, the process is not automatic. In most cases, a Chapter 7 bankruptcy will take between four and six months from the point that you file until the discharge of debts finally takes place. Of course, bankruptcy does not begin with the filing itself. Before the filing, there are several steps that you’ll need to take, including: Collecting …Read More ➡
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Is Bankruptcy Really a Fresh Start?
The idea of a “do-over” is incredibly appealing, especially if you’ve been struggling for a long time. If your debt has become a burden that you are simply unable to get out from under, then your best bet for that do-over is probably filing for bankruptcy, particularly a Chapter 7 bankruptcy. Though bankruptcy is considered a taboo subject or black mark by some, hundreds of thousands of individuals and businesses opt to file for bankruptcy each year, providing themselves with the ability to escape from collection calls and creditors and begin with a clean slate. Bankruptcy is not a magic …Read More ➡
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What Can I do to Improve My Credit Score After Bankruptcy?
The pressure of insurmountable debt is enormous and so too is the sense of relief that you feel after moving forward with a bankruptcy filing. It’s perfectly normal. But that feeling of having a great weight lifted off of your shoulders is quickly followed by the realization that you are back to square one — actually below square one — when it comes to your credit rating. Though it can take time, and the bankruptcy filing will remain on your credit history for several years, there are several steps you can take to start rebuilding your financial health and improving …Read More ➡
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How to Adjust to Single Life After a Divorce
No matter how challenging things may have been in your marriage, the first days, weeks, and months after your separation or divorce can be a lonely time. There is something about having another person there that makes a difference in the way that you perceive the world, and once you’re by yourself you will need to take active measures to adjust and reset. Living on your own again strikes each person differently. Some respond with quick acceptance and a return to their single lifestyle, while for others separation means pain. Being alone can lead to invaluable self-reflection, but it takes …Read More ➡
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