Personal Bankruptcy: The Facts

Declaring chapter 13 or chapter 7 bankruptcy brings relief to those who have been in a situation where they are unable to meet payments and have creditors on their back all the time. For some people, it truly is the only possible way out of a dire financial situation. But it does have drawbacks as well and these should be considered before you decide you are definitely declaring personal bankruptcy.

First of all, declaring personal bankruptcy will leave you with a tarnished credit record. Your bankruptcy will show on file for ten years and you may find it almost impossible to obtain credit. And even in situations where you are able to get credit, you will find that the interest rate you are offered, as someone deemed a high risk borrower, is very high. While you can indeed build positive credit back up, you should bear in mind that the first couple of years following your bankruptcy in particular could be incredibly difficult for you.

You should also consider the fact that bankruptcy, even chapter 7 bankruptcy, does not eradicate all types of debt. In particular, you will find that almost invariably, student loans, alimony, outstanding taxes, child support and criminal fines will remain outstanding even after bankruptcy. If this type of debt makes up the bulk of what you owe, then there is a real possibility that bankruptcy would have very limited benefit for you.

You should also bear in mind that your possessions and assets may be at risk. Of course, most people who reach the stage of declaring personal bankruptcy have very little in the way of high value possessions and assets, but you should be aware that they could be seized in contribution to repaying what you owe. Bear in mind too that you are not guaranteed that your home is safe. It's most probably exempt from being seized but check with a lawyer. This will depend on the homestead exemption in your particular state and on the value of your home.

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Originally posted 2010-01-27 05:42:07. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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