The “Black Box” of the Means Test
What happens if you make too much money so that your are over “median income,” but still want to file a Chapter 7 case? You get to go through the “black box” that is the expenses side of the means test.
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The Rigid “Means Test” Makes the Timing of Your Bankruptcy Filing Critical
Waiting just one day to file your Chapter 7 bankruptcy case can make qualifying for it much easier–or much harder!
Stepping Over the “Means Test” Hurdle Without Breaking Your Stride
Are you among the large majority of people whose income easily qualifies them for Chapter 7 “straight bankruptcy”? You can find out right here and now.
In a Chapter 7 Case, “The Only Thing We Have to Fear is Fear Itself”
There’s a lot you can do to help make your “straight bankruptcy” Chapter 7 case a straightforward one, but one thing you can’t control is your creditors’ reactions to it. You know that creditors can sometimes try to prevent you from discharging (legally writing off) your debts, so naturally you worry about this. Here’s why you shouldn’t worry.
When Chapter 7s Are Not So Simple
The goal of most Chapter 7 cases is to get in and get out–file the petition, to to a simple 10-minute hearing with your attorney a month later, and two months later get your debts written off. Mission accomplished, end of story. And usually that’s how it goes. So when it doesn’t go that way, why not?
Why Chapter 13 is So Nifty
Chapter 7 is short and sweet and to the point. It often gets what you need–a discharge (a legal write-off) of all or almost all of your debts. But in SO many situations, Chapter 13 gives you so much more.
A Simple Chapter 13 Case
If you have debts that can’t be written off (“discharged”) in a Chapter 7″straight bankruptcy,” such as back child support or recent income taxes, Chapter 13 can be a much better alternative.
THE Goal of Bankruptcy: Discharge of Your Debts
Most–but not all–debts are written off, or “discharged,” in a bankruptcy case. Is there a simple way to know what will and what will not be discharged?
“Automatic” Protection from Your Creditors
Many bankruptcy attorney ads say: “Stop garnishments.” “Stop foreclosures.” “Stop repossessions.” So bankruptcy stops all those bad things. But is it as good as it sounds? How does it really work?
Getting a Fresh Start for the New Year
You’ve fallen behind with your creditors or are just about to. You’re anxious, trying to avoid thinking about it, angry that life is so tough, and trying to build up the courage to face up to the realities. You wonder whether you really have any decent options, how to figure out the best one and make it happen.