For many, taxes are one of the single biggest financial obligations that we face on a weekly, monthly and yearly basis.  Deductions for taxes are withheld from our paychecks, and every spring we are required to file returns to determine what our total obligation is for the year.  Even with this process of withholding, many people still find themselves owing in additional funds when spring rolls around and the yearly return is filed.  If you find yourself in this situation, you may be wondering: “What Happens Next”?

Home utilities play a very prominent role in day to day life.  They provide us with the power to heat and cool our homes, cook and refrigerate our food, and power the devices that we used to stay connected with both our loved ones and the world at large.  In short, utilities are fundamental to providing for our families and protecting our homes.  Unfortunately, utilities can also sometimes be a heavy burden on our budgets, something which has become increasingly true in light of rising energy prices.  This can in turn cause us to sometimes fall behind on utility bills, as we seek to balance their cost alongside other daily bills and the necessary expenses of living.  

When faced with the prospect of unmanageable debt, many consider the options available to help them address the situation and the benefits that these options may entail. When they do this, bankruptcy is often one of the first things that comes to mind.  

One of the things that I am most frequently asked by people when they are contemplating bankruptcy is, “How can I protect my assets when I file a bankruptcy?”  It’s a great question that is extremely important to everyone considering the bankruptcy process.  While the discharge afforded by bankruptcy is a massive benefit towards resolving your debt, many people contemplating bankruptcy are often concerned that it will come at the cost of their personal possessions and assets.  The good news is that bankruptcy provides you with extensive safeguards that can protect many of the most significant things you own both during and after the bankruptcy process.

When considering bankruptcy, it is very common to wonder where the path of pursuing a bankruptcy filing ultimately leads and how you will navigate the process of arriving there.  For many, bankruptcy is a new concept that lies outside of prior life experience and represents a brand new avenue through which we can address the challenges of overwhelming debt.  However, you will not walk this path alone.  Our firm has one mission, one single purpose, and that is to be there with you every step of the way as you walk through the journey of bankruptcy and leave the burdens of overwhelming debt behind you permanently.      

When filing for bankruptcy, regardless of whether you are pursuing a Chapter 7 or a Chapter 13 filing, one of the first things your attorney will assist you with is creating a budget that will be filed with the court.  This budget serves several purposes related to the bankruptcy, including determining the size of the payments that would be made in a Chapter 13 filing and helping to demonstrate eligibility for a Chapter 7 filing when viewed in conjunction with projected income.