Many married couples in Minnesota are surprised to learn that bankruptcy does not have to be filed jointly. In fact, filing bankruptcy separately from your spouse can be a smart legal strategy in the right circumstances. Understanding when and why to file alone can help protect assets, reduce stress, and set your family up for a stronger financial future.

This time of year, our office usually spends a lot of time talking about serious topics; deadlines, paperwork, and the stress that often comes with financial uncertainty. However, just like the court system slows down a bit around the holidays, we think it’s important to pause, breathe, and enjoy the season!

If you’ve filed for bankruptcy and suddenly find yourself locked out of your mortgage or car loan online account, you are experiencing something completely normal. Nothing has gone wrong with your case. In fact, lenders routinely shut down online access during a bankruptcy, and their reasons have everything to do with federal law, not your personal situation.

When filing for bankruptcy, one of the first steps is determining your household size. This number matters because help your attorney determine if your case will be a Chapter 7 or a Chapter 13. There are many qualifications that help guide practitioners to file the right case for you! 

When people hear the word bankruptcy, they often think of failure, loss, or financial ruin. In reality, bankruptcy can actually be a powerful and positive step toward a fresh start. It’s not the end of the world, and is a straightforward way to resolve a debt problem. 

It can come as a surprise to some clients that a bankruptcy trustee requests additional bank statements after their case has already been filed. It can feel like something went wrong, but it is actually a very normal part of the process! The trustee’s job is to verify the financial information in your petition and ensure that everything is accurate, complete, and consistent with the Bankruptcy Code. Bank statements are one of the most reliable tools they have to do that. 

When preparing to file for bankruptcy with LifeBack, our team will walk you through the ins & outs of completing your petition. This includes detailed information about your financial history, including any property or money you have given away or transferred in the last few years. These transactions matter because of something called fraudulent transfers – which is a very daunting name for a very common occurrence in bankruptcy! Understanding what they are and why they must be disclosed can help protect your case and make sure that you receive the fresh start that a bankruptcy case can offer you.

Facing a sheriff sale can be overwhelming and emotionally draining. When you’re days or weeks away from losing your home, it may feel like you’re out of options. However, filing for bankruptcy can offer immediate protection and a chance to regain control of your financial situation. Understanding how this process works can help you decide whether it’s the right step for you.

Dealing with wage garnishment can feel overwhelming. When a creditor begins taking money directly from your paycheck, it becomes difficult to keep up with everyday expenses, let alone catch up on past-due bills. Fortunately, bankruptcy offers a powerful tool for stopping garnishment in Minnesota: the automatic stay.

Filing for bankruptcy can feel overwhelming, especially when tax season rolls around. For Minnesotans considering Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy, understanding how tax returns and refunds fit into the process is essential. While every situation is unique, there are some general rules that typically apply in Minnesota.

In Bankruptcy, many people believe they can simply choose whether to file as married or single based on how they feel or how long they’ve been apart. However, the term “separated spouse” has a very specific meaning, and it plays a major role in how your income, household size, and financial disclosures are handled.

Social Security is a crucial lifeline for many retired or disabled people in the United States, but oftentimes is not enough to cover both living expenses and payments towards debt. At LifeBack Law Firm, we have worked with many clients on a fixed income file for bankruptcy to improve their financial situation. A common question we receive is “will filing a bankruptcy impact my Social Security payments?” The short answer is no, but we’ll get into the long answer with this post!

If you are looking into filing a bankruptcy, you’ve probably come across the term bankruptcy trustee during your research. The Bankruptcy Trustee is an important figure in the bankruptcy courts and plays a large role after a case has been filed. But who exactly is this person, and what role do they play in your case?

When people hear the word “bankruptcy,” a lot of myths start swirling around, like some scary campfire stories about what you will lose and how your life will change. One of the biggest fears we hear all the time is: “Are they going to take everything I own? Even Grandma’s cookie jar?”

If you're experiencing a debt problem, filing a bankruptcy can take a lot of stress and anxiety off of your plate. At LifeBack Law Firm, we assist clients all over Minnesota with filing chapter 7 and chapter 13 bankruptcies. Many potential clients we meet with are curious about the difference between the two, so below is some further information on each chapter of personal bankruptcy.

It’s one of the most common questions we hear during the bankruptcy process:
“Why do you need my creditor statements? Can’t you just pull my credit report?” It’s a fair question! After all, a credit report seems like it should tell the full story of who you owe and how much. Unfortunately, it doesn’t always paint the complete picture. Here’s why those statements still matter so much in your bankruptcy case: