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Consumer Bankruptcy

Personal Bankruptcy is a proceeding in which a court administers the estate (the property and other assets) of a debtor for the benefit of creditors.

A debtor is a person or business who owes money to others. A debtor may choose to file a bankruptcy proceeding, and use a bankruptcy attorney or lawyer to resolve a hopeless financial situation, or to put off the collection of debts for a period of time to allow for financial reorganization.

Consumers or businesses may file for bankruptcy. In some cases, a creditor, a person or business that is owed money, may force the filing of a personal bankruptcy proceeding, although these "involuntary" personal bankruptcy proceedings are very rare. Please read on to find a bankruptcy attorney, bankruptcy lawyer, or to learn more about personal bankruptcy.

Note that personal bankruptcy has lasting effects on your financial history for years after you file. You may be turned down for loans, get loans at higher interest rates and more. Bankruptcy should be a last resort to resolve your financial issues.

Find a Bankruptcy attorney in your area.


Consumer Bankruptcy Articles
State Specific Resources
-  U.S. Bankruptcy Courts-  Public Access to Court Electronic Records
-  Bankruptcy Law In Your State
 
Articles
-  Vehicle Repossession-  Mortgage Foreclosure
-  Selling Your Home For Less Than You Owe-  Fair Credit Reporting Act
-  Fair Debt Collection Practices Act-  Fair Credit Billing Act
-  Servicemembers Civil Relief Act-  Consumer Bankruptcy Filing Fees
-  Means Test and Counseling-  Debtor Examination - Section 341 Meeting
-  Relief from Automatic Bankruptcy Stays-  Security Interests in Bankruptcy
-  Dealing with Debt-  Dischargeable Debts
-  Debts You Cannot Discharge in Bankruptcy-  Fraudulent Transfers
-  Preferential Transfers-  Bankruptcy Law: Voidable Transfers and Liens
-  Grounds for Reopening a Bankruptcy Case-  Bankruptcy and Tax Consequences
-  Property Exemptions in Bankruptcy-  Reaffirmation and Voluntary Repayment of Debts
-  Bankruptcy During Divorce-  Bankruptcy After Divorce
-  What it means to be Judgment Proof-  Bank Account Seizures
-  Bankruptcy Basics-  Duties of the Bankruptcy Trustee
-  Duration of the Automatic Stay-  Contempt and Violations of the Automatic Stay
-  Creditors and Violations of the Automatic Stay-  Domestic Support Obligations and Bankruptcy
-  Student Loans In Bankruptcy-  Renegotiating Student Loans
-  Credit Card Lending-  Debt Counseling Tips
-  Bankruptcy and Credit-  Getting Credit After Bankruptcy
-  Credit Counseling Scams-  Credit Card Debt In Chapter 7 Bankruptcy
-  Credit Repair-  Avoiding Credit Repair Scams
-  Credit Reports - Free Reports-  Correcting Errors on Credit Reports
-  Garnishment-  Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Basics
-  Chapter 13 Wage Earner Bankruptcy Basics-  Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Tax Tool
-  Bankruptcy Law Changes-  To File for Bankruptcy or Not: Factors to Consider
-  Choosing the Type of Bankruptcy: Chapter 7 or 13-  Filing Bankruptcy Individually or Jointly
-  Timing Considerations Prior to Filing Bankruptcy
 
Consumer Bankruptcy FAQs
-  Real Estate: How to Avoid Foreclosure FAQs-  Consumer Law: Fair Debt Collection FAQ
-  Consumer Law: Federal Credit Law FAQ-  Bankruptcy FAQ
 
Consumer Bankruptcy Forms and Videos
Forms
-  Response to Payment Request by State-  Credit - Request Positive Report by State
-  Credit Report Request by State-  Credit Report Challenge by State
-  Request to Cancel Credit Card by State-  Credit - Challenge to a Denial of Credit by State
 
Videos
-  Debt Solvency and Bankruptcy Video-  What's on my credit report?
-  Can I see my credit report?
 
Lawyers.comSM Virtual Community
Legal Forums
-  TX Debt & Bankruptcy-  NY Debt & Bankruptcy
-  FL Debt & Bankruptcy-  CA Debt & Bankruptcy
-  Credit & Collection Problems-  Bankruptcy/Debtor & Creditor
 
Chats
-  Chat Listing
 
Join Michael Siegel on select Tuesdays at 10 PM ET for the Bankrutpcy, Debt & Credit Chat
-  Michael Siegel
 
Hiring a Bankruptcy Lawyer
-  Bankruptcy: Selecting a Good Lawyer-  Meeting with a Bankruptcy Lawyer
-  Preparing to Meet with a Bankruptcy Lawyer
 
Related Topics on Lawyers.comSM
-  Dealing With the IRS-  Bankruptcy
-  Contracts-  U.S. Small Claims Court
-  Consumer Banking
 

Ask a Lawyer - Bankruptcy Law questions answered by leading lawyers
Chapter 13 Payments in the Face of Divorce

My husband and I filed bankruptcy over a year ago and all the Chapter 13 payment comes out of my paycheck. We are now getting a divorce. Will we be able to equally split the bankruptcy payments between the two of us?
Debts Arising After Bankruptcy Filing

After filing a Chapter 13 bankruptcy,is the debtor fully responsible for all future financial obligations?
Bankruptcy Discharge Cuts Off Rights To Collect

I loaned a friend a large sum of money and it was their intention to pay it back. Then they filed bankruptcy and listed me as a creditor. Do I have any legal recourse to get my money back?
Funding a Chapter 13 Plan

Can VA Disability be used as income to make plan payments in Chapter 13?
Funds in the Bank No Bar to Bankruptcy

Can I file for bankruptcy even if I have money in the bank?

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