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Sunday, 24 April 2016

Before Filing In Terms Of Chapter 7 Monterey Residents Should Explore All Options

By Edward Williams


It is a sad fact that every year there are more people that feel that that they can no longer cope with their financial responsibilities. They are under pressure from creditors and they start to feel that bankruptcy is the only way out of the crisis. There are indeed many circumstances that can cause a family to face financial demands that they simply cannot hope to satisfy. When filing for bankruptcy under Chapter 7 Monterey residents can, in some cases, solve their problems.

It is important to note that bankruptcy is not the easy way out of financial troubles. It is a tortuous road and applicants will lose all their assets and often their good name as well. Courts do not grant bankruptcy applications easily. They apply a means test to make sure that applicants are not able to meet their obligations, even if adjustments must be made to their payment schedules.

Experts all agree that those in dire financial straits should explore all their other options before resorting to bankruptcy. Bankruptcy entails numerous disadvantages and can have serious consequences for the applicant. Instead, it is often possible to approach the courts to order new payment schedules and longer periods for paying back debts. Most creditors will also be open for such negotiations, especially if the applicant act in good faith.

If an applicant does decide to file for bankruptcy he should be ready for an ordeal. His application will have to be detailed. It must contain details about every single creditor, sources of income, assets, possessions and other obligations. Any omissions can be seen as perjury. The application will be scrutinized and the court needs to be satisfied that the applicant is truly in dire straits.

Once the court is satisfied that there are grounds for an application, a trustee is appointed. The trustee has wide decision making powers. If the applicant is a business, the trustee will evaluate the situation and decide whether the business will be sold as an operating concern or whether its assets will be stripped and sold on an open auction. In the case of individual applicant, all assets will be seized and sold in order to reimburse the creditors.

Once the court is satisfied that everything possible has been done to satisfy the demands of the creditors, the applicant is issued a discharge. This means that creditors are no longer allowed to take action against him, to institute new claims or to harass him in any way. There are exceptions, however. Certain obligations, such as back taxes and child support payments remain the responsibility of the applicant.

Financial experts agree that it is best to rather hire the services of an experienced bankruptcy lawyer than trying to deal with the issue personally. The laws are complex and the process is stressful. A lawyer can help his clients to limit the consequences of a bankruptcy order. Applicants should not be under any misconception that the results of a bankruptcy order can be devastating indeed.

Many people fall into debt because they spend in an irresponsible manner and make poor financial decisions. This is not always the case, however. Poor economic conditions, the loss of a job or any number of other factors can suddenly cause a family to experience a financial crisis.




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