Credit card debt is a major reason why people file for bankruptcy in Minnesota. Credit card debt can get out of control for many different reasons, some of which are beyond your control. If a household member loses a job or suffers a serious illness, you need to rely on credit cards to pay your bills and cover basic expenses. Meanwhile, you may only be able to afford the minimum monthly payment, which can result in excessively inflated balances due to high interest rates. Before you know it, you may see no possible way that you will be able to pay off your credit cards.

Many people make New Year’s resolutions to exercise more, eat healthier, or be kinder to others. But what about resolving to address your financial situation? A lot of people facing financial stress and debt tend to sweep it under the rug. It may feel so overwhelming that they think there is nothing that can be done about it. This is not the case, however, as our experienced bankruptcy attorneys have helped many people overcome even the most serious financial situations. The following are only some debt-related resolutions that can make for a happier 2019.

The holidays are a time for parties and gift-giving, as well as travel or hosting out-of-town family and friends. It feels good to find the perfect gift for each loved one or to put out a gorgeous spread for a holiday party, however, increasing credit card balances can be in the back of your head, causing you constant stress during the season that should be joyful. The good news is that the holidays don’t have to be stressful if you follow some simple tips for holiday spending.

The bills are piling up, and creditors are knocking at your door, so you’ve decided to file for bankruptcy. Because you’re already in a financially difficult situation, you don’t want to take on more debt, and you’ve heard that attorneys are expensive. As a result, you’ve decided to file your bankruptcy petition on your own, which is referred to as proceeding “pro se.” You’ve started filling out the forms and assembling the documents, and the process seems pretty straightforward. While it’s true that you don’t have to have an attorney handle your bankruptcy case, very few pro se bankruptcies are successfully completed. In this post, we’d like to discuss how an experienced bankruptcy attorney can be a tremendous help.

No one likes to think about losing their home to foreclosure. It’s a scary time - not only are you looking at the possibility of losing your home and having your family displaced, but foreclosure can also be financially disastrous. Aside from the damage to your credit, it also wipes out any value you have paid into the house such as your down payment and monthly mortgage payments. If you’re facing foreclosure, filing for Chapter 13 bankruptcy can help you avoid foreclosure and maybe even keep your home.

It’s that time of the year! The holidays are upon us, which of course includes holiday shopping. It’s no secret that Americans like to shop, and we do the bulk of our shopping in the days leading up to Christmas. The National Retail Federation reports that we will each spend an average of $1,007.24 this year, a significant amount of money. Most of this will be on gifts for others, but let’s be honest - some of it will be spent on gifts for ourselves. And let’s not forget the money spent on gas, parking, and dining out while shopping. If you host parties, travel out of town for the holidays, or have college kids that need airfare, all of it adds up to a pretty hefty expense that can hit you like a pile of bricks in the very near future.

It’s widely known that overwhelming medical debt pushes many Americans into bankruptcy, even if the specific percentage of bankruptcy cases is hotly debated. If you’re recovering from a major illness, the overall numbers don’t matter - the important fact is that you’re drowning in medical debt. Maybe you’ve lost income, or maybe you’re now partially or totally disabled as a result of your medical condition. Whatever your situation, you’re probably extremely anxious about your future and understandably so.

The ultimate goal of a consumer bankruptcy case is the discharge of debts. While a discharge can greatly improve your financial situation, it is not a magic eraser that wipes out all types of debts. The following are some frequently asked questions about the debt discharge at the end of a bankruptcy case.

In an earlier post, I wrote about the decision-making process that our clients go through in determining whether to file a bankruptcy case.  The last post dealt in large part with the advisability of thinking through the financial problems carefully, and involving friends and relatives to get a sense of whether these supporters think the bankruptcy option is a good one.  At the end of the post I wrote that seeing an attorney is essential to good decision-making regarding the wisdom of filing a bankruptcy case.

Instead of liquidating assets, Chapter 13 bankruptcy requires you to make monthly payments for three to five years before you can receive a discharge. The court will want to make sure you have enough regular income to make reasonable payments toward your debts. If you don’t have enough income, you may have to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy instead of Chapter 13. The following is some additional information about how repayment plans work in a Chapter 13 case.

In an earlier post, I started writing about a common issue in chapter 13 bankruptcy cases: a change in income experienced by the debtor while the chapter 13 plan is open.  The last post looked at why this is an issue - namely, the 2005 revision of the bankruptcy law that required chapter 13 bankruptcy debtors to annually send the chapter 13 trustee copies of filed state and federal income tax returns.  It’s from that tax information that a chapter 13 trustee can ask individuals already in confirmed chapter 13 plans to adjust their income and expense schedules to more accurately reflect the debtor’s month-to-month financial situation.

The goal in consumer bankruptcy cases is the discharge of debts. Both a successful Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy will end with the court discharging a debtor’s qualified debts, which releases their obligation to pay those debts. It is important to understand what happens when you file bankruptcy,when a discharge occurs and how it works to improve your financial situation.

Chapter 13 bankruptcy is commonly known as the “reorganization” bankruptcy. Under this chapter of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code, the bankruptcy trustee will reorganize your debts based on priority, and then will require a debtor to make monthly payments, which the trustee will then distribute to creditors. Your repayment plan can last for three to five years, depending on your financial situation. Some debts must be fully repaid during the repayment plan, and the court may discharge any qualified debts that remain upon completion of the plan.

A chapter 13 bankruptcy is a very helpful tool for many people who are encountering overwhelming financial problems.  For individuals dealing with a potential mortgage foreclosure, chapter 13 offers a structured, affordable way to keep families in their homes.  For a person who has a car payment that has unexpectedly become too expensive, chapter 13 offers a way to restructure the car loan to make the payment more affordable.  For the person who is dealing with child support arrears, or back income taxes, chapter 13 provides a structure to pay these important obligations. 

You’ve filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy and have heard this type of case referred to as “liquidation bankruptcy.” This is because the bankruptcy trustee has the authority to seize a filer’s property and assets to liquidate and distribute the proceeds to your creditors. You look around your home, at the things you have, and the thought of selling everything to pay off creditors is understandably concerning.