The word bankruptcy often gives people an uneasy feeling. And yes, most people filing for bankruptcy are not looking forward to it. Believe me, I was one of them. I filed for bankruptcy in 2008. But I can tell you, my life is better today because of it.
Will people know that I filed for bankruptcy? That is good question. I get that question a lot. The answer is a resounding no. Yes, the Bankruptcy Code is public record so technically the information is available but in order to get the bankruptcy information you would have to go down to the fifth floor of the bankruptcy court Federal building and obtain the information if you’re not an attorney. Also, there are no newspapers that currently publish personal bankruptcy filings in Central Florida. Only Bankruptcy Business filings.
If you file for bankruptcy, the bankruptcy court, your attorney, and your creditors will be the only ones to know. Your family, friends and employer do not have to find out.
Remember: Filing for bankruptcy is not a failure. It is a unique financial planning tool that can change your life. But too often, pride is what keeps many hardworking people from filing for bankruptcy.
Instead, they enter into a program with a debt settlement company or a credit counseling program before filing bankruptcy. The problem is most times these companies get you into a worse situation than before. Or maybe you have been withdrawing money from your 401K to keep paying on your bills and have come to the realization that you just can’t do it anymore.
A number of consumer bankruptcy filings occur months, sometimes years after people have been hounded by collection calls and are now being sued by creditors. At this point, a person has no other alternative but to ask the bankruptcy court for relief.
Not being able to pay one’s bills, combined with the anxiety of creditors calling and impending lawsuits, can cause an overwhelming amount of stress on a person.
If you are already behind on credit card payments, mortgage payments or are being threatened with lawsuits and wage garnishment, bankruptcy can only help improve your situation by eliminating debts you can no longer afford to pay, eliminating creditor calls and collection activity, and getting you back to paying your bills on time and in full.
Most of our bankruptcy clients receive credit card offers within 6 months of filing. And if you want to buy a house you may do so after a year or two. What we do hear our clients say is that they wish they had filed bankruptcy sooner.
Filing for bankruptcy is no longer a stigma. The age-old stigma that bankruptcy is a bad thing and only for the financial irresponsible is no longer. If you have questions on this topic or are struggling with debt, call our law firm today to schedule a free consultation. Having debt makes you stay up at night. It stresses you out. It ruins relationships. I went through it. I found the courage to call a bankruptcy attorney and I pressed the restart button in 2008. I never forgot what it did for me and how it helped me start over.
To date, The Benenati Law Firm has eliminated nearly a billion dollars of debt for its bankruptcy clients. Our firm is the largest filer of consumer bankruptcy cases in the nation. Go to https://www.407bankrupt.com/ or call 407-777-7777 to set up a free private consultation. Because Life Has a Restart Button.