Get Out Of Debt

A bankruptcy filer is a person who is facing financial crisis; it can be credit card debts which get bigger because of an injury, uninsured medical expenses and loss of job; as a result, he incurs various monetary penalties piling up his debt. The U.S. constitution allows bankruptcy under article1, section8 and Clause 4.  You can file your bankruptcy in the USA Bankruptcy courts through a Fresno ca bankruptcy lawyer; the USA federal law governs the legal procedure; while ascertaining property rights, state laws are also applied.

The US Bankruptcy law firm bay area really assists those debtors who need help to start afresh, and want to avoid spending the rest of their life under the unbearable burden of debts. If you have unclear debts, you may not necessarily require bankruptcy law to protect your assets because there are several rules called “Asset Protection” which are a mixture of laws that give you freedom to retain certain property even if you are in the red.

Every state has designed its own laws to specify property you can keep to live a secure and protective life; that’s why you cannot be forced to sell off your bungalow in Texas and Florida, even if your debt amount is bigger than a billion dollar of debt.

In the US law, Chapter 7 and 13 are two types of bankruptcies; Chapter 7 finishes unsecured debts in a few months for all your non exempt properties; people, who generally go for chapter 7 bankruptcy law firm Fresno, do have non-exempt property; at the time of filing up cases, the debtors have their property either protected by exemption laws or pledged as a collateral security for a debt or secured creditor. 

In case of chapter 13 bankruptcies, you do not have to give up your property; you live within a limited amount of money and repay a part of your debts; your monthly budget is strictly monitored by the bankruptcy court trustee; if the fixed monthly payments are not cleared, the chapter 13 bankruptcy fails and the debt amount remains the same unless it is converted to chapter 7 bankruptcy. Chapter 13 Bay area bankruptcy lawyer are mainly for those who have secured debts like mortgages and want to catch up their unpaid debts over a period of time.

A mathematical formula, which is known as “means test” under the new bankruptcy law that took place in October 2005, determines whether you qualify for chapter 7 or chapter 13 bankruptcies. Under the formula, your monthly income, nature of debt and amount and other financial factors are considered. Depending upon the outcome of the formula, you can file for either Chapter 7 or 13 bankruptcies and can seek help from a Law firm Fresno ca to protect your property and restart a new life full of financial freedom.

You see, making a decision about which path to pursue depends on your evaluation of your individual situation.

Bankruptcy:

Pros:

o Chapter 7 Eliminates Debt and allows you to keep any equity in your home. If your problem is primarily consumer debt, this may be the best option for you – if you qualify.

o Chapter 13 restructures debt allowing you to pay off the amount in a way that makes sense for your family.

o Filing for bankruptcy stops the foreclosure action on your home.

o If you lose the home during bankruptcy, you will be able to qualify for a new mortgage in as little as two years as long as you keep your credit clean after discharge.

o Many people find that their credit scores actually rise slightly after bankruptcy because there is new money available for purchases.

Cons:

o Many people who file for Chapter 13 fall out of bankruptcy and lose the court protection provided. This means that they often not only have the bankruptcy on their record, they also face foreclosure proceedings once again.

o If you abuse the system – doing a “face filing” bankruptcy for the sole purpose of delaying the foreclosure, you may face fines from the court.

o Bankruptcy stays on your credit report for ten full years – longer than just about any other negative credit mark.

Foreclosure:

Pros:

o Stays on your record for just 7 years

o Won’t risk falling out of foreclosure and having both a bankruptcy and foreclosure on your record

Cons:

o You lose your home and any equity in it

o Generally cannot get a new mortgage for at least 4 years.

o Possibility of a deficiency judgment against you which will require a bankruptcy filing anyway

California bankruptcy laws allow the use of federal supplemental exemption in conjunction with California exemptions. These laws are derived from federal bankruptcy laws, from Title 11 of the United States Code.

The state of California is divided into four bankruptcy districts, each with a bankruptcy court named after the district. They are California Eastern bankruptcy court, California Northern bankruptcy court, California Southern bankruptcy court, and California Central bankruptcy court. California bankruptcy laws give the option to pay secured loans, allowing the property to be repossessed or purchased at its current fair market value. Exemptions are shown in the California bankruptcy exemptions chart.

California bankruptcy laws allow different sets of exemptions, mainly System 1 and System 2. One has the right to choose a suitable system. In System 1, the exemptions available are homestead (to $50,000 if single and not disabled, to $75,000 for families, and to $125,000 for senior citizens), personal properties (bank deposits to $2,000, building materials to $2,000, burial plots, appliances, furnishings, clothing and food, health aids, jewelry and heirlooms to $5,000, motor vehicles to $1,900, and personal injury and wrongful death claims), insurances of all kind, pensions, benefits (workers’ compensation, health aid, and unemployment benefits), tools of trade (tools, implements, materials, instruments, uniforms, books, furnishings, equipment, vessel and motor vehicle to $5,000), and wages to a minimum of 75%.

System 2 differs from System 1 in the following exemptions: homestead to $17,425 for all categories; jewelry to $1,150; motor vehicle to $2,775; personal benefits to $17,425; tools for work to $1,750; pension benefits only for ERISA-qualified benefits; no wage exemption; and wild card exemption to $925.

The new California bankruptcy law that has taken effect from October 17, 2005, states that if you want to take advantage of California bankruptcy exemptions, you must be a permanent resident of the state of California for the two-year period prior to filing bankruptcy. Otherwise, you must spend most of the 180 days prior to these two years in the state of California.

Filing for bankruptcy can be a very scary thing. There are a lot of things to think about and you should really consider the consequences of what filing for bankruptcy will mean for you before you do it. A bankruptcy lawyer will guide you through the process, but they want to to file because that is how they make money. Here are some things to consider before you file for bankruptcy.

First, how much money do you make each year compared to the size of your debts? If your debts are less than half of what you make in a year, then you should not file for bankruptcy. Sure you might have to cut back on some of the extras and it might take you 3 or 4 years to get completely out of debt, but you will have much better credit and you will not have to suffer the effects of a bankruptcy that will be on your credit for 7 years.

Second, do you own your home and do you have any equity? If you own your home and have some equity, then you have leverage to refinance and pay your debts off. If you file for bankruptcy the court is going to make you use your equity to pay off creditors anyway so you might as well use it for yourself before you are forced to. Plus you can get your mortgage company to settle some of your debts for less than you owe to help you out.

Last, do you own your cars outright? If you own the title to your car or cars, then you can get a title loan or sell them to help out with your debts. The bankruptcy court is going to allow your creditors to take your vehicles or place liens against them anyway so you might as well use this leverage to work in your favor before it works against you.

You should consult a financial advisor before ever considering such a decision like filing for bankruptcy. This is a large and life altering decision and, yes, you should get out of debt, but bankruptcy is not always the answer.

A Chapter 7 bankruptcy petition is a liquidation (sale/disposition) of a debtor’s nonexempt property to generate cash for creditors in exchange for a discharge of all dischargeable debts.

A debtor has a “no asset” estate if the scheduled or recoverable assets, less encumbrances (balance of loan(s), judgment lien(s), etc.) and exemptions, equals no funds for creditors.

Such a debtor will be discharged from dischargeable debts, after filing of a “no asset” report by the trustee and issuance of a discharge order by the Bankruptcy Court. The case is subsequently closed as a matter of ministerial act.

Eligibility for Chapter 7 Petition:

Unlike a Chapter 13 petition which has limits on the amounts of unsecured and secured claims for eligibility, a Chapter 7 petition has no such limitations. But a Chapter 7 individual debtor must have a domicile (residence), a place of business, or property in the United States, under 11 USC § 109(a).

Moreover, U.S. citizenship and financial distress are not required for Chapter 7 eligibility. But a Chapter 7 debtor is not eligible to receive another discharge in a Chapter 7 bankruptcy case during the eight-year period after the filing date of the prior Chapter 7 petition, under 11 USC § 727(a)(8).

An individual debtor is required to receive credit counseling briefing from an approved credit counseling agency during the 180-day period before filing the Chapter 7 petition. The briefing may be delayed for 30-days, (and even up to 45-days, if approved by the Bankruptcy Court), after the Chapter 7 filing date, if there are “exigent circumstances” that merit waiver of the briefing and the debtor was unable to obtain a briefing within 5 days from request.

It has been held that emergency filing to stop foreclosure sale is not “exigent circumstance,” excusing compliance with the credit counseling requirement. After filing a Chapter 7 petition, the debtor is required to attend a financial management course, after the section 341(a) meeting of creditors.

The filing fee for a Chapter 7 petition is $299.00, payable to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court.

Means Test To Determine Abuse:

The Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005 (BAPCPA) instituted the “means testing” for individual Chapter 7 debtors to determine dismissal for abuse, in 11 USC § 707(b)(2). It is also used to determine “disposable income” in Chapter 13 petition for repayment to creditors and the length of the period of the plan.

The basic “means test” formula triggers the presumption of abuse in a Chapter 7 individual debtor whose debts are primarily consumer debts, if the debtor’s current monthly income, reduced by allowable monthly expenses (IRS’ National and Standards: http://www.irs.gov ) and multiplied by 60, is not less than the lesser of: (a) the greater of (1) 25 percent of the debtor’s nonpriority unsecured claims in the case; or (2) $6,000.00; or (b) $10,000.00.

If the means test applies and the presumption of abuse arises, the Bankruptcy Court may dismiss or convert the Chapter 13, unless the debtor can rebut the presumption by establishing special circumstances, such as call to Armed Forces active duty or serious medical conditions, justifying additional expenses or adjustments of current monthly income.

But if the debtor’s and spouse’s current monthly income multiplied by 12 as of the Chapter 7 filing date is equal to or less than the state median family income ($46,814.00 for 1 earner, $61, 742.00 for 2 people, $66,611.00 for 3 people, $76,931 for 4 or more people in California) based on the debtor’s household size, then the means test does not apply. And there is no standing to bring a motion to dismiss/convert, under 11 USC § 707(b)(2).

California Exemption Law:

With the California Legislature opting out of the federal exemptions in 11 USC § 522(d), individual debtors residing in California may choose between the so-called “703-series” or the “704-series” exemptions, the amounts of which are adjusted effective April 1 every three (3) years by the Judicial Council.

Some of the amounts of exemptions under the “703-series” are: real or personal property homestead – $20,725.00, motor vehicle – $3,300.00, clothing/household goods/appliances – $525.00 per item, jewelry – $1,350.00, personal injury recovery – $20,725.00, tools/books of trade – $2,075.00, and unmatured life insurance – $11,075.00.

And some of the amounts of exemptions under the “704-series” are: real or personal property homestead – $50,000.00, if single, $75,000.00 for family, $150,000.00 if 65 or older, motor vehicle – $2,500.00, jewelry – $6,750.00, personal injury recovery – amount needed for support, tools/materials – $6,750.00, and matured life insurance – $10,775.00.

The series most advantageous to the debtor depending on his or her circumstances should be used in the Chapter 7 petition.

Automatic Stay And Relief Therefrom:

The filing of a Chapter 7 petition results in stopping all collection efforts, all harassment, and all repossession and foreclosure actions by creditors against the debtor and the debtor’s property, until: (1) the stay is lifted by a Bankruptcy Court order, (2) the stay terminates or is ineffective, and (3) the case is closed or dismissed.

Creditors may seek relief form automatic stay to: (1) foreclosure or real estate collateral/ security interest, (2) repossess personal property as security for delinquent loan(s), or (3) continue litigation in another case stayed by the filing of the Chapter 7 petition.

Common grounds for relief from automatic stay are: lack of adequate protection of an interest in property, debtor has no equity in the property, or the property is not necessary for an effective reorganization.

Thus, Chapter 7 petition cannot prevent the foreclosure of the principal residence of the debtor, which is the collateral/security interest for a purchase money loan, as stated in the recorded deed of trust.

Discharged And Undischarged Debts:

A Chapter 7 discharge order by the Bankruptcy Court eliminates a debtor’s legal obligation to pay a debt that is discharged.

Some debts are, however, not discharged in a Chapter 7 bankruptcy case, to wit: most taxes, domestic support obligations, most student loans, most fines, penalties, or criminal restitution obligations, debts for personal injuries, death caused by driving under the influence, debts not properly listed in the schedules, debts decided as not discharged by the Bankruptcy Court, debts that are properly reaffirmed, and debts owed to certain pension, profit sharing, other retirement plans.