Some Common Bankruptcy Questions

Bankruptcy is a financial state that creates a lot of fear in many people. Being in a position where you are unable to pay your creditors is quite frustrating especially when one is sued or is forced to file an insolvency case. So many questions run through the mind and it is therefore advisable to seek professional assistance as you try to tackle some of these questions.

The first and the most basic question is ‘under which chapter of the law should I file for insolvency?’ Well, as a matter of fact, you should file for insolvency under chapters 7, 9, 11, 12 and 13 of the bankruptcy law. You need to consider all the other available alternatives before you can settle for this.

If you have a problem with the chapters that deal with bankruptcy, it is good to consult with an attorney who will give you direction on the best way forward. You may also need to know if and how your spouse will be affected by your insolvency. He or she can only get affected if they signed up a contract or an agreement on your behalf as far as your debts are concerned.

You may also be asking yourself how your credibility will be affected by the state of insolvency. It is true that bankruptcy paints a negative image about you because in the first place, your name or the name of our company that is affected will be printed in your local dailies. Furthermore, you will not be able to hold a position as a company director as long as your name is not cleared from the insolvency records.

For more information please visit: http://www.floridalawattorney.com

Comments (0) Mar 31 2009

Government Foreclosure Properties

If you have been looking into the possibility of buying a new home then you may want to consider the possibility of government foreclosure properties. These are properties which have been seized or repossessed from the homeowners. This is usually done either because they stopped making mortgage payments, or they were not paying their property taxes. The laws vary by state on when a property is seized. The property will be repossessed by a government entity and then put back up for sale at a significantly reduced cost. Because of the fact that these properties are sold well below market value, they are often sought after by a lot of people.

You can find these properties by checking your local newspaper or real estate magazine. You can often find advertisements for these properties in the local newspaper along with the price. You may also want to search online through a site like governmentauctions.org in order to find out how to buy these properties, and where they are located.

Avoid purchasing a property because it is such a good deal, without looking at the property first. Hire somebody who can inspect the property for any structural problems so you can find out if anything will go wrong.

Government foreclosure properties can save you a lot of money when you are buying a home. You might be able to save hundreds of thousands of dollars by purchasing one of these homes. They are sold at such cheap prices so that they can get a quick sale from them. The competition for some of these homes is quite high though, so avoid waiting too long if you are sure that you want the home. When you pay less for your home, you will know that you will not spend as much time paying it off, and that is a good feeling.

For more information please visit: http://www.floridalawattorney.com

Comments (0) Mar 31 2009

Is Bankruptcy a Debt Solution?

Bankruptcy seems rather an unusual listing in the catalogue of debt solutions. In truth many are of the belief that bankruptcy should not even be considered, unless all options have been meticulously well thought-out. Well, this may well be true, because bankruptcy is a double edged sword with its own share of harmful features to match, however there are situations when no other options could meet your requirements as a possible debt solution.

The Legal Interpretation of Bankruptcy

“Bankruptcy, as per UK legal regulations, relates to a situation, wherein the debtor is declared wholly unable to repay the amount owed and thus freed from any associated obligations to clear the outstanding amount. Post declaration of bankruptcy, the lender’s right to demand un-cleared funds ceases to exist. It is a completely law governed procedure; bankruptcy provides a debt solution by way of making a borrower’s financial crisis or rather economic failure public. Public declaration of the bankruptcy status is recorded on the bankrupt individual’s credit file for a period for years (see enterprise act for updates) and thereafter also, is removed only post an official request of the same. The stated records imply a bad credit rating in times to come and thus the obvious worsened credit terms. But despite the stated, with bankruptcy, the seemingly impossible debt solutions are figured out”.

Types of Bankruptcy

There is not just one standard credit policy for all borrowers and there cannot be one standard bankruptcy status for all insolvents. Bankruptcy law in the UK classifies bankrupt applicants into different categories, depending on their individual situation, past record, expected sources of income for example. These categories could be one where the debtor gives property over a particular limit, as decided during the legal procedure, to be sold or there could be cases where the court dictates that a stipulated sum is to be paid monthly as an attachment of earnings i.e. directly from a salary package.

Bankruptcy Has a Cost

While researching for solutions to debt by bankruptcy, you may be required to spend extra funds. There are administrative costs such as court fees, deposit fees, etc., which need to be submitted in order to begin the procedure for the filling of bankruptcy.

Few things to be considered:

 

  • Bankruptcy is undoubtedly not an easy debt solution. This could be viable when no other options such as debt consolidation or management, second mortgage loans or short term credit plans, seem to work. The undesired stress in such other options might drive a conclusion to this direction.
  • Before deciding and moving on with the legalities involved, just remember that even with bankruptcy, the borrower may not be allowed to retain the collateral owed to a creditor. Moreover, other debt issues such as payments towards child support, etc., might continue.

For more information please visit: http://www.floridalawattorney.com

Comments (0) Mar 31 2009

Making Bankruptcy a Wise Financial Decision

Ever thought of how large corporations can file bankruptcy and still hold on to their assets? Faced with bankruptcy, you will see major layoffs happening and prices of their goods skyrocketing, while the company continues to operate and thrive in a matter of few years. One wonders how everything can happen. They are supposed to lose their shirts after declaring bankruptcy, yet they seemed to have lost nothing. It can happen with the help of Houston Texas bankruptcy lawyer. In truth, more and more corporations have taken this route and managed to put a stay on the foreclosure of properties and continue to operate as if business is normal.

New studies have opened new opportunities to this kind of thinking. Actually, this is an old practice that has suddenly resurfaced in the midst of the present economic slowdown. Instead of totally giving up on your assets to foreclosures, through the intervention of a Houston Texas bankruptcy attorney, one can file for chapter 13 bankruptcy. This legal action automatically stops any foreclosure proceeding but does not save you from paying up the back mortgage payments. One thing good about this setup is that you pay these back mortgage payments under your own terms. Although, all your proposals will have to go through the same process of approval by the mortgage lender, chapter 13 automatically imposes a deferral of action of your bankruptcy case. You can maintain this status quo for as long as you keep up on your part of the agreement and your mortgage lender can never repossess your properties. Your Houston Texas bankruptcy lawyer should be able to guide you safely through the entire procedure. This means that your properties are safe from foreclosure for as long as you are paying mortgage and the foreclosure is effectively put on hold.

Once you take this route of using chapter 13 bankruptcy to save your property from foreclosure, your Houston Texas bankruptcy attorney should be able to warn you of the implication of such an action. If you fail to pay up on your monthly mortgage payments, it would mean that you will not qualify under this option for a long time. Chapter 13 is ideal for those individuals and companies who have had momentary financial debacle due to some fortuitous events but expect to return on track in due time. This approach basically buys you time in order for you to straighten up your finances and wiggle out of this financial bind you are in right now. This will also help you firm up a repayment plan of your back mortgage payments under your own terms, which is the best option considering your situation.

Your Houston Texas bankruptcy lawyer should be able to give you some sound advice on how you can go about the whole procedure in order to put you in a better position in making a financial rebound. If you are successful with the procedure, you can even eke out some form of settlement with regards to a portion of the penalty levied on your mortgage loan. However, you may have to meet some financial obligations before finally getting your proposal approved by your mortgage lender.

For more information please visit: http://www.floridalawattorney.com

Comments (0) Mar 30 2009

Obama Mortgage Assistance – Will Obama’s Mortgage Stimulus Save Your Property From Foreclosure?

President Obama has declared the 2009 Stimulus Package in order to stop the foreclosures and bankruptcies in US. This program aims at the welfare of the home owners by saving their homes from foreclosures. The keyword of this Program is ‘affordability’ and ‘loan modification’.

Following are some tips on Obama Mortgage Assistance in order to save your property from being foreclosed

· Your mortgage deed must be insured or owned by Freddie Mac and Freddie Mae so as to make you eligible for the mortgage modification or the refinance.

· If your mortgage value exceeds the current market value of the house over 105%, you can apply for the loan modification.

· You can seek for professional help & guidance from the counselors appointed by the US Federal Housing & Urban Development Department (HUD). They would help you free of cost. They would act as your representative in the negotiations with the bank or the mortgage company. They would present your case in the best possible manner. Also they would guide you on managing your finances in future.

· The rates of interest have now been reduced from 6.5% to 5.16%.

· The mortgage monthly payment now can not be higher than 31% of the borrower’s gross monthly income. Also the total of all credit payments taken together can not exceed 55% of the pre tax income.

· The banks and mortgage companies are now willing to hear on the plea of the home owners and help them save their homes. The Federal Government has announced cash incentive of $ 1000 per loan modification & refinance.

· It is now not advisable to approach the private counselors for your dealings with the banks. The third party involvement should be avoided as much as possible.

· You can apply for the loan or refinance through FHA as well.

· You might also apply for the grants & personal loans from the Federal Government to meet your debts and save the home.

For more information please visit: http://www.floridalawattorney.com

Comments (0) Mar 30 2009

Rebuilding Credit After Bankruptcy Proceedings

Being declared bankrupt spells doom for most people because it taints the image of the debtor. Furthermore, one is bound to miss out on many other opportunities like leadership in any given company. This is why many people are looking for ways of rebuilding their credit after bankruptcy.

It begins by keeping it positive and believing that life will always give you a second chance. It is said that trust is easier lost than gained, but keep believing that it is possible to rebuild credit after bankruptcy. All you need to know is how to regain the trust of potential creditors and lenders who might have to learn about your bankruptcy through the local dailies.

There are so many things you can do about your situation but you can begin by training yourself to live on a cash basis although as time passes by, you will notice that this might not really be the solution and may only be for the faint heart who cannot handle debts anymore. For this reason, if you have to get anything on credit, be sure to pay it on time.

Another thing is to avoid going for property on credit, while you can just pay cash for it. In other words, avoid finance companies because they do nothing but add on to your debts. Remember that finance companies such as mortgage companies are never cleared from your list of creditors even after you have filed for bankruptcy. The one thing you need is to have confidence that you can do without unnecessary creditors.

For more information please visit: http://www.floridalawattorney.com

Comments (0) Mar 30 2009

Bankruptcy – The Six Different Chapters That Exist

Given the current tough economic times, the concept of bankruptcy has unfortunately been garnering a lot of attention. Most people know of the concept, but not much else. In this article, we take a look at the 6 different chapters of bankruptcy that exist.

What is a chapter of bankruptcy? The term refers to the sections of bankruptcy law that govern the process. Most articles incorrectly note there are two or maybe three chapters for filings. Almost everyone knows about Chapter 7 and Chapter 11. A few also know about Chapter 13 filings. As the numbers would seem to suggest, there are also Chapter 9, 12 and 15 filings that can occur. Let’s take a closer look.

Chapter 7 is the best known form of bankruptcy. When you file a Chapter 7 petition, you are asking the court to wipe the slate clean. You’ll give up all your non-exempt assets to get rid of all your debts. The court will take over your assets, sell them off to produce cash and then distribute the cast to the creditors. In exchange, the creditors give up their rights to make any other claims on you.

There is one caveat to this discussion – the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005. President Bush and a Republican Congress passed a bill into law that creates a “means test” to determine whether debtors can get full relief under Chapter 7. If the debtor makes in excess of certain amounts, he or she cannot get the slate wiped clean and must agree to a plan to repay the creditors.

Chapter 13 works just as Chapter 7 does, but with one big difference. Let’s say an individual runs into financial problems, but has a sizeable asset that can’t be turned into money. This is common these days where a person might be living in a house with lots of equity, but is otherwise cash poor. Since they can’t sell the home, they have no way of raising money. Chapter 7 allows the person to file for an “adjustment of debt”. Essentially, a plan for repayment of outstanding debts over three to five years is created and the debtor gets to keep the valuable asset.

Chapter 11 is similar to Chapter 13, but is intended for business organizations. When people talk about General Motors filing bankruptcy, they are talking about Chapter 11. In Chapter 11, a debtor will try to come up with a reorganization plan. The trustee, court and debtor always try to slash the debts owed to creditors. The creditors try to fight back. If a plan cannot be agreed upon, the court may order the liquidation of the debtor with parts of the company being sold off. This may be the fate of GM if it goes into bankruptcy.

Chapter 9 is just like Chapter 11, but is restricted to certain debtors – municipalities. This essentially means when cities or towns go belly up. This is occurring as we speak because municipalities are losing tax revenue as more and more homes go into foreclosure.

Chapter 12 is more like Chapter 13. Once again, the primary difference has to do with the parties that can file for it. Chapter 12 is restricted to family farmers and fishermen. Why? Because they have strong lobbiest!

Chapter 15 is our final area of code a party can seek bankruptcy through. It covers cross-border cases. If GM goes bankrupt, it might be able to seek out a Chapter 15 filing because much of the actual building of cars takes place outside of the country in Mexico, Canada and other locations. Chapter 15 is essentially the same as Chapter 11, but with the cross-border issues thrown in to make things really confusing!

While it is true that most individuals will file for Chapter 7 or Chapter 11 relief, it is vital to know there are other options available. If you are a family farmer who likes to fish across the border, there are a lot of them.

For more information please visit: http://www.floridalawattorney.com

Comments (0) Mar 29 2009

Basic Facts About Bankruptcy

We all need to know basic facts about bankruptcy so that when we are faced by the situation, we are are able to handle it. Bankruptcy is a strategy that helps you get relief from the constant harassment that follows when you are no longer able to pay your creditors.

There are two ways to go about declaring insolvency; one is through personal filing and the other one is by being sued by your creditors. Personal filing is best considered as the last option after all else has failed. This is to say that there is always room to negotiate with your creditors before you finally give up and admit that you are insolvent.

Insolvency can be filed under a number of chapters and it is for your own good for you to learn the chapters so that you will know which best suits your case. Small businesses can also file for insolvency, just like big companies and individuals do. Some of the loans that you may never be exempted from are student loans, taxes and other debts incurred through fraud deals.

Filing for bankruptcy requires that you hire the services of an attorney. This calls for additional expenses, but at the end of the day, its all for your own good. This is because; an attorney will be your adviser and your representative. He will handle all communication with your creditors and the pain of harassment will be off your neck. You will part with anything ranging from $1,000-$2,000.

For more information please visit: http://www.floridalawattorney.com

Comments (0) Mar 29 2009

Stop Foreclosure Today – What You Really Can Do Immediately

Homeowners that are facing such troubles should be more active and have more communication with their mortgage company then they have ever had before. Instead of getting angry due to fear and thinking that the mortgage company just wants your home, you need to realize that they would rather just have your money.

Mortgage companies are in the business of collecting interest payments every month. They are not in the real estate business. They will foreclosure though if they do not see that you are making your payments or making any attempts to resolve the situation. The best thing to do is to speak to your mortgage company to see what options they have available for you.

Believe it or not, most companies have special departments set up just to try to offer you programs to pull you out of the foreclosure process. Many people do not even know this though because they are avoiding the phone calls and the mail from the mortgage company thinking it is nothing but bad news.

There are repayment plans, forbearance, and loan modifications that can stop your foreclosure right away. You have to take action though. The company cannot set you up on such offers unless you are in communication with them. You will want to make sure though that you are keeping your cool during your phone conversations with the mortgage company. Remember that these options are bonuses that the company gives rather then an obligation they have to fulfill.

For more information please visit: http://www.floridalawattorney.com

Comments (0) Mar 29 2009

Three Top Options to Avoid Foreclosure

More and more people are now getting distressed with their homes being repossessed by the lenders. Some have finally come to an end – foreclosure, while others are nearly going to it.

Home is one of the most important things in our lives. This is something that has to be taken cared of. Therefore, each one of us would definitely not want foreclosure. Even the lenders do not like it because it is tedious and expensive.

Being able to know the foreclosure process and laws and mortgage rights is a great help to avoid foreclosure.

You, yourself, must deal with it. You can also ask somebody’s help and even the help of the lender itself.

There are three most advisable options that you can practice so as to avoid foreclosure.

Here they are:

1. Deed in Lieu of Foreclosure

This means that you can give back the home to the lender. Upon agreeing with the Deed in Lieu of Foreclosure, the lender now assumes the title to the property. It is immediate and less expensive for the lender because he doesn’t need to pay for the court costs and attorneys’ fees. The homeowner may not have saved the home but he/she will be able to maintain a good credit history.

2. Different Loan Modifications

There are many different kinds of loan modifications being offered by the lenders. Some of these are refinancing, extending the terms of loan and lowering the interest rate. You should be able to discuss with your lender your current situation so that he may know how to deal with your defaults and avoid foreclosure in the end. It is of great advantage if you can show your lender that you have a stable source of income and you have paid most of the balances in your mortgage. This way, your application for loan modification may easily be granted. The banks do not want a foreclosure either, that is why they offer these modifications.

Here are some benefits of loan modification:

·         You can request for the lower rates of monthly payment.

·         The banks can offer you extended terms of payment.

·         They can also provide personal loan to pay the mortgage.

·         They may adjust the delinquent payments toward the end of the loan.

·         And you can talk about loan mitigation if you are truly in serious difficulty.

3. Short Sales

It is a good advice to have short sale if you owe more on the property than it is currently worth. The banks accept an amount less than the homeowner actually owed from them. This way, you are not obliged to pay the remaining part of the loan since you already have sold your house to them.

You can also sell the house to different investors or people who want to buy it. But you should sell it at a lower rate.

This option must be least prioritized because in here, you may never save your home, though you avoided foreclosure.

For more information please visit: http://www.floridalawattorney.com

Comments (0) Mar 27 2009