Bankruptcy is a serious legal tool that shouldn't be entered into lightly. Fortunately, it can – in specific situations – help you move forward toward greater financial freedom. Chapter 7 bankruptcy is a specific chapter in the federal bankruptcy laws that represents what is known as straight or liquidation bankruptcy and that can wipe your financial slate clean (regarding a variety of unsecured debts). If your bills have become insurmountable and keeping up with the costs of daily living is no longer possible, a Chapter 7 bankruptcy can work as a financial do-over that allows you to move beyond the financial rubble you find yourself in. It's important to note that Chapter 7 bankruptcy is not without serious consequences that can include relinquishing possessions and taking a serious hit on your credit score.

If you’re currently facing financial issues, it can color everything you do and can make your financial future seem bleak at best. If your financial situation seems insurmountable, help may be available in the form of a Chapter 13 bankruptcy. While bankruptcy is obviously not the answer for everyone in every financially dire situation and is a fairly drastic move, it can – in certain situations – give you the kind of financial reboot you need to move forward with renewed confidence and purpose.

Bankruptcy is a legal process that offers individuals and companies facing overwhelming debt with the opportunity of a fresh start. The bankruptcy process can eliminate debt and halt the efforts of your creditors. In the long run, it can also improve you credit score and ability to obtain a loan.

Filing for bankruptcy in Minnesota could be the first step on your path to a financial fresh start. However, the exact steps along that path will depend on a few factors including the type of bankruptcy proceeding you have selected.

When you receive your bankruptcy discharge, your liability on the debt is discharged, but your co-signors isn’t. What will happen to them after you file and whether their credit will be impacted by your filing are common questions.

In most chapter 7 cases, the debtor does not have to give up any property because all the property they have is exempt, and therefore, protected, under law. However, in certain cases, some debtors may have property that is not protected.

A lot of Americans want to know, how does a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy really work? This article dissects a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy from the moment it becomes a thought in your head to when you actually get your life back after bankruptcy.

Unfortunately, we have seen clients inherit money from the passing of a relative after filing bankruptcy in Minnesota. The impacts of the inheritance on your bankruptcy depend on which chapter of bankruptcy you are in and how much you inherit.

Wage Garnishment is one of the most pressing concerns for a great deal of our potential clients. They want to know if creditors can garnish their wages, and if so, when it can happen and how much can they take.

Unfortunately, the answer to the first question is yes, under Minnesota state law, the creditors have the right to levy on any available non-exempt property, and that includes a portion of your wages.

Credit Unions operate differently than banks in many aspects, and there are a few big differences in how credit unions operate within the bankruptcy world.

When you find yourself on the brink of filing bankruptcy, you can do some bankruptcy planning, and you should. When filing a chapter 7 bankruptcy, it is important to remember this is a liquidation bankruptcy, so non-exempt assets and funds will be liquidated to pay your creditors. There are times when bankruptcy filers find themselves with more non-exempt assets than originally expected, and rather than have the assets liquidated in the bankruptcy, they decide to spend, sell or use the asset.

You may have heard the words disposable income come up when you have researched bankruptcy. Disposable income is what is left after you take your income and minus all reasonable and necessary expenses. In terms of bankruptcy, what does it actually mean and can it impact you?

The prospect of having to file for bankruptcy can be daunting and intimidating, especially for someone who has never filed for bankruptcy, or maybe, has never even been in court before. Most bankruptcy cases are very routine and are relatively simplistic in terms of the process. Those filing standard bankruptcy will not have to go to court in the traditional sense or like a criminal prosecution with a jury. Instead, those filing attend a creditor's meeting at a courthouse, or during COVID-19, remotely.

For most people, considering “when” you should file bankruptcy can be as important as the decision of “if” you should file for bankruptcy.

I posted recently about the composition of a chapter 13 payment. A number of factors – not simply a budget calculation – go into determining the final payment amount. And that recent post only covered some of the considerations. Here are some more things to keep in mind in determining what a monthly chapter 13 payment will be.

In some cases, the amount that has to be paid over the lifetime of a plan – attorney fees, trustee fees, auto loan payments, mortgage arrears, tax arrears, etc. – works out to a higher monthly payment that a debtor can afford right now. Does that mean that a chapter 13 simply won’t work in this situation? Not necessarily.