Easy Bankrupt

Is Bankruptcy The End Of The Road
When the modifications to U S Bankruptcy Code made it more difficult for people to declare bankruptcy and have debts forgiven, many consumer rights activists cried foul The credit industry worked hard to get this passed, and at first blush, it does appear to work against debtors . .On the other hand, the changes did debtors a favor in some respects By making it harder to seek bankruptcy protection, the new laws made it mandatory that those who might not need to declare bankruptcy go through credit counseling and enter a repayment plan if possible The changes also revealed just how desperate creditors are to keep your debts from being written off completely Armed with that knowledge, there are ways to avoid bankruptcy and right your personal financial ship . . .Pennies on the Dollar . .Everyone has seen or heard ads for law firms or other agencies that will work with creditors and settle your debts for virtually nothing This can happen, but there are some caveats One is that many such agencies are not reliable or trustworthy If they are full-fledged law firms, they will have some oversight from the state supreme court’s disciplinary counsel, as well as the local bar association Even so, be wary and investigate before signing on with anyone . .Further, these agencies collect your money for a time without paying your creditors Your accounts will get further behind while you pay them, knocking your credit score down nearly as much as a bankruptcy would If you are struggling to make ends meet but paying on time or nearly so, this is a fairly unpalatable option . .Finally, to the extent that these agencies do help, you may be able to do the same for yourself While some creditors are more willing than others to settle for lower dollar amounts, any of them would rather take something than nothing Thus, if you are already that far behind, you might try saving yourself some fees that would be charged by the agencies by negotiating for yourself . .Credit Counseling . .An adage that has been unfairly applied to lawyers is true in the area of credit counselors; 99 percent of them give the rest a bad name Class action suits against these groups abound, and internet message boards are full of angry stories A good credit counseling agency can help immensely . .The way such agencies work is to work out a payment plan with you based on what you can afford They then apply it to paying off your creditors based on preset rate reductions They are funded by the credit industry, which is a major turn off for some people However, the credit industry pays them to do something that helps the consumer; they help you pay your accounts off, at a lower interest rate than you might get otherwise . .Again, many of these agencies are unreliable, paying late or not at all Many creditors, upon your telling them you plan to work through a credit counseling agency, will try to talk you out of it for this reason When they do, listen You may be able to work out a better deal for yourself than the agency could The creditors want to be paid to the extent possible; they have no incentive to ruin your credit by forcing you into bankruptcy . .If you do decide to go through a credit counselor, investigate first Is the agency accredited? What complaints against them have been filed with the Better Business Bureau and how have they been resolved? Find a place you can trust . .Conclusion . .There are ways to avoid bankruptcy in most cases If you have lost everything with uninsured hospital bills, that is one thing Being behind on your bills and overextended on credit need not push most people over that edge Creditors want you solvent so they can collect something; you want yourself solvent so you can obtain credit again someday The U S government wants you solvent so you can contribute to the economy Look into your options and you will learn that you can usually find your way out of the bankruptcy hole before you hit bottom .
Source: www.rsstnx.com

The New Bankruptcy Law — How Will It Affect Debt Negotiation?
In April 2005, Congress made sweeping changes in U.S. bankruptcy law that will go into effect on October 17, 2005. It’s called the “Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005,” and it means big trouble for Americans struggling with debt problems. What effect will the new bankruptcy law have on the practice of Debt Settlement (also called Debt Negotiation)? Will creditors still be willing to negotiate with consumers seeking to avoid bankruptcy? Will lump-sum settlements for 30%, 40%, 50% still be possible now that this tough new law has been passed? The short answer is “YES.” It will be “business as usual” in the collection industry. People that choose to file bankruptcy will definitely be affected for the worse, as I’ll outline below, but those who choose to privately negotiate their way out of debt will notice very little difference. Creditors will still negotiate. Deals will still be made. And nothing much will change in the world of collections. In fact, a viable alternative to bankruptcy will be needed more than ever. The credit card banks lobbied with millions of dollars to get this law passed. They’ve been working at it for about a decade. Now they are celebrating. These are the folks who think the bankruptcy system has been abused by wealthy individuals, who have defrauded creditors when they could have repaid their debts. The facts tell a different story: 1. During the period from 1995 to 2004, bankruptcy filings doubled, while in that same period, credit card industry profits TRIPLED. 2. Credit card companies have not been held accountable for their targeting of “easy credit” to individuals who could not afford such loans, which in turn has contributed to the wave of bankruptcies over the past decade. 3. For people 60 or older, 85% of bankruptcies are caused by medical bills or job loss. 4. A divorced woman is 300% more likely to file bankruptcy than a married woman. 5. African-American and Hispanic homeowners are 500% more likely to file bankruptcy than white, non-Hispanic homeowners. 6. Approximately half of all bankruptcies are filed because of medical expenses due to lack of health insurance, or lack of adequate coverage leading to uncovered expenses. 7. The median income of bankruptcy filers is $25,000. (So much for the “rich” abusing the system.) The new law was a GIFT to the credit card banks, pure and simple. Some estimates show that it will add another $5 billion to the industry’s bottom line. In other words, the bill is about profits and not much else. Since my whole approach is about avoiding bankruptcy, I won’t go into a detailed analysis of the provisions of the new law. But just to summarize, the net effect is that many (if not most) people seeking relief under Chapter 7 bankruptcy will be forced to file under the Chapter 13 version instead. In plain English, that means that most filers will be forced to pay back a portion of the debt over a 5-year schedule set by the court. One of the worst aspects of the new bill is the use of IRS “allowable” expense schedules for determining your monthly budget. In other words, your actual living expense are thrown out the window in favor of the IRS standards (and we all know how generous the IRS can be!). So if your actual rent is $1,300 per month, and the IRS says it should be $1,045 for your county and state, that’s TOUGH! The court will only allow the $1,045, period. In short, people attempting to file bankruptcy after October 17, 2005 are in for an extremely rude awakening! Goodbye cell phones, cable TV, high-speed Internet access, movies, meals with the family, and anything else beyond the minimum allowable expenses as determined by the IRS and the courts. So what makes me so certain that the banks will be as eager as ever to settle with consumers for 50 cents on the dollar or less? Simple. Two words: Stealth Bankruptcy. Hundreds of thousands of Americans are going to discover the new reality of this tough law, and they are going to forgo the court system of filing bankruptcy in lieu of what I call “stealth bankruptcy.” A stealth bankruptcy is when you move (with no forwarding address), change your phone number, and drop off the radar screen to live on an all-cash, no-credit basis. Many people already choose this path rather than deal with the invasion of privacy that comes with formal bankruptcy. After the new law goes into effect, more people than ever will take this approach. Besides the problem of stealth bankruptcy, there are other good reasons the banks will settle as they always have. Consider these points: A. The creditor doesn’t know whether or not you’ll still qualify for Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy. They still face the risk that you will qualify for Chapter 7 and end up discharging your debt in full, which means they get NOTHING. B. Even if you file Chapter 13 under the new guidelines, the creditor will still only receive 30-50% of the debt on average (much less in some cases). C. Under Chapter 13, it will still take the creditors 3-5 YEARS to recover that 30-50%. D. A lump-sum of 30-50% TODAY is far better than the same amount collected over 3-5 years. Of course, I certainly expect debt collectors to use the new law to harass and intimidate people who don?t know and understand their rights. You can expect them to say things like, “You can?t file bankruptcy under the new law, so you?d better pay up today!” They will bully and threaten as always, but at the end of the day, they will still accept reasonable settlements. After October 17, 2005, it will still be “business as usual” in the world of debt collections. Charles J. Phelan has been helping consumers become debt-free without bankruptcy since 1997. A former executive in the debt settlement industry, he teaches the do-it-yourself method of debt negotiation. Audio-CD material plus expert personal coaching helps consumers achieve professional results at a fraction of the cost. <a href="http://www.zipdebt.com" target="_blank">http://www.zipdebt.com</a>
Source: www.ArticlePros.com

Why is There Medical Bankruptcy
You often hear lots of bankruptcy stories An individual with piles and piles of debts commonly declare bankruptcy Heck, it’s actually the dreaded word anyone doesn’t want to experience Why do people lead to being bankrupt? For one, getting all sorts of loans and credit cards from financial institutions will surely lead to debt problems when not handled properly The typical causes of bankruptcies are due to the inability of an individual to pay their liabilities If they can’t pay anymore, they have the option under the law to declare bankruptcy However, there is a specific kind of bankruptcy which is increasing in number . .The so-called medical bankruptcy is becoming popular to people who undergone medical treatment As we all know, health care services are becoming expensive The cost will depend on the type of service you availed and some other related charges With all the charges like doctors’ fee, medicines, hospital room fees and others, you will surely see yourself going broke If you met an accident and injured yourself, you are putting your life on jeopardy Not only that, your financial resources as well will suffer It’s OK if you are from an affluent family and can support your bills What if you’re income is just enough to cover your everyday expenses . .Getting a needed medical treatment will surely put your financial situation into a breakdown That’s why some people resort to medical bankruptcy The reason for it is due to lack of financial resources The medical bills seems too expensive and unreasonable to their finances Some health institutions offer installment payments but the terms and conditions are just too disadvantageous Even though you are allowed to pay in installments, the monthly payment is sometimes not affordable Remember, if ever you undergone medical treatment, your physical body is still weak Employment seems too impossible and you’re left with no income at all . .How can you pay the health institution if you don’t have money? Unpaid medical bills to some extent can even lose some of your valuable properties like your home Due to desperation, you will resort to loans which have higher interest rates But if ever you can’t pay, the lender has the right to foreclose your property You have no option but just to declare medical bankruptcy Moreover, being bankrupt connotes negative consequences on your part There are limitations set by the court once you declared bankruptcy You cannot easily borrow from lending institutions for a certain period of time . .To avoid medical bankruptcy, it is helpful to have medical insurance In times of health treatments, the insurance company will take care of your bills That would be very helpful to you You don’t have to worry on where to get the money in paying all your bills You can just relax within the comforts of your home and never get problematic on the matter As much as possible, medical bankruptcy should be your last option Find means on how you can fight being bankrupt Better consult a professional to help with your problem .
Source: www.rsstnx.com