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Are you considering filing bankruptcy?   

When considering bankruptcy, it is important to examine all of your financial options. Most personal bankruptcy cases fall under Chapter 7 bankruptcy or Chapter 13 bankruptcy. Also known as liquidation bankruptcy, Chapter 7 bankruptcy involves selling most of your assets to pay off debts.

If you’re an Auburn or Opelika resident wondering if Chapter 7 is right for you, here are a couple of essential questions you need to ask yourself.

Can I avoid bankruptcy?

Simply put, bankruptcy is when someone cannot pay their outstanding debts with the resources they currently possess. You may find yourself in this situation due to unemployment, incurring a significant amount of medical debt, or many other reasons. Just because you are in one of these situations does not always mean bankruptcy is your only option. It is best to speak with a bankruptcy lawyer to ensure that filing for bankruptcy is the best solution for you. Read more here.

When you are uncertain about what next step to take, there are experienced and knowledgeable bankruptcy attorneys like David S. Clark in the Auburn and Opelika area that can help you sort through all of your options and determine your best next step.

What kind of debt is discharged in Chapter 7 Bankruptcy?

Not all forms of debt are created equal, and not all debts can be discharged through Chapter 7 bankruptcy. Before deciding if Chapter 7 bankruptcy is right for you, consider what kind of debt you are looking to discharge.

Some common forms of debt that are dischargeable through Chapter 7 bankruptcy include: 

• Credit card balances (including overdue and late fees)
• Medical bills
• Personal and payday loans 
• Mortgage or automobile loans for which you are unable to pay
• Utility bills
• Social Security overpayments
• Veterans’ assistance loans and overpayments

Some common forms of debt that are non-dischargeable include:

• Child support
• Alimony
• Student loans
• HOA fees
• Secured debts

What could I be giving up?

Giving up physical assets to help balance debt is required in most cases. Items that can be taken by the state to help balance your debt are known as nonexempt assets. Exempted assets are those that cannot be taken by the state to balance your debt. Learn more here.

Bankruptcy laws generally exempt assets that are deemed as necessities to life, such as:

• Your car (depending value)
• Your home (depending on its value)
• Clothing 

Some typically nonexempt items may include:

• Property that is not your primary home
• A newer model vehicle with equity
• Investments
• Valuable artworks
• Jewelry

What does the Chapter 7 Bankruptcy timeline look like?

After being filed, a Chapter 7 bankruptcy case in the Auburn and Opelika area can typically be resolved in about 4 months when conducted by an experienced personal bankruptcy attorney such as David S. Clark. Filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy can give you a financial reset, telling creditors to take a step back and giving you some breathing room to figure out your next steps without the added stress of having to deal with them.

Once you have successfully discharged your debts, you can begin to rebuild your credit through financially responsible practices such as paying bills on time, keeping a low credit card balance, and limiting applications for new credit. 

Who can help me navigate Chapter 7 Bankruptcy?

Although the process of filing for bankruptcy and the process to financial recovery can be stressful and difficult, there are personal bankruptcy attorneys like David S. Clark who are more than willing to walk with you through this process. You do not have to go into this battle alone. Having an attorney present during the process of filing for bankruptcy takes some of the load off your shoulders and guarantees you are taking all of the correct steps. 

If you’re an Opelika or Auburn, Alabama resident struggling with the weight of overwhelming debt and seeking the financial advice, wisdom, and encouragement of an experienced bankruptcy attorney, contact David S. Clark! You can get started by requesting a free consultation today. 

Filing bankruptcy can help car owners keep their vehicle.

If you have missed several car payments, then you may be worried that the loan company is going to repossess your vehicle.

When faced with this threat, many attempt to hide their cars, avoid calls from loan companies, and keep their vehicles locked in a garage somewhere until they can come up with the money needed.

However, many loan companies have the capability to track vehicles through GPS trackers that are installed on cars that have an outstanding payment connected to them. Some also have the capability to prevent you from starting your car through employing devices called starter interrupters.

These technologies can make avoiding a repossession seem like a losing battle for many.

Instead of living in a state of fear that the loan companies will repossess and impound your car at any moment, many debtors can file for bankruptcy and receive legal protection from loan companies so that your vehicle, and other property, cannot be repossessed, at least until the case is settled.

Bankruptcy Issues a Stay Order on Repossessions

Often debtors complain about loan companies and the repossessors acting on their behalf for being mean, overly-aggressive, and demanding in their attempts to repossess a vehicle.

Though there is no excuse for the immoral behaviors that some repossession and loan companies use in attempts to repossess a vehicle, the unfortunate reality is that because these loan companies have a legal claim to the vehicle when loan payments are not made, they are permitted to make these attempts at possessing the vehicle.

As soon as an individual opens a bankruptcy case, however, an automatic stay is ordered on the vehicle. This means that creditors and their partners, legally cannot touch your vehicle at least until the bankruptcy case is settled.

Stay Orders and Repossessions

As soon as the court issues a stay order, the creditor has no rights to demand you hand over the keys to your car.

No matter how much they hounded you to have the car before you filed for bankruptcy, once the case is open the law is on your side.

Simply put, stay orders protect car owners from repossession.

Bankruptcy Temporarily Protects From Repossession

Though stay orders issued from bankruptcy case filings will keep a creditor from taking your car for a time, this is not necessarily a permanent fixture. These stay orders are put in place so that debtors can have time to work through restructuring their debt through bankruptcy without having to constantly fight off repo agents.

Because the purpose of stay orders is not to permanently keep creditors from repossessing your car, there is still a chance that at the end of your bankruptcy case, you may be required to give up your car in order to meet the requirements of the bankruptcy settlement.

Bankruptcy, though, gives you a chance to keep your car and legally protects you from any potential bullying or intimidation from loan companies.

David S. Clark, An Auburn & Opelika Bankruptcy Attorney

David S. Clark and his team have been helping Auburn and Opelika, AL residents avoid repossession through bankruptcy for years and have the experience necessary to advocate your case before a bankruptcy court and in the face of intimidating loan companies.

If you are facing repossession in Auburn or Opelika and are considering filing for Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy, contact David S. Clark today.