Regular Post
Written by Canterbury Law Group

Tips When Filing Chapter 7 Bankruptcy

The most common form of bankruptcy in the United States is Chapter 7. At Canterbury Law Group, we constantly work with clients to file Chapter 7, which allows individuals to extinguish all debts which are “dischargeable” under the Bankruptcy Code. In a Chapter 7, all of the debtor’s non-exempt assets on the petition date are liquidated through the priorities set forth in the bankruptcy code. At the time of filing, the bankruptcy code establishes the creation of your “debtor’s estate” which includes all “non-exempt assets.” As a Debtor you have various duties and obligations, including significant duties of co-operation, which are owed to the Bankruptcy Trustee. These obligations are designed to assist the Trustee in the administration of your bankruptcy estate.

The Scottsdale bankruptcy lawyers at Canterbury Law Group will counsel you regarding these duties, which if followed, will make your case run smoothly. Unfortunately, many debtors who are not fully informed of these obligations run the risk of not receiving a full discharge of some or all or their debt. If you’re thinking of filing Chapter 7, here are some recommendations from our lawyers:

1. Complete the Mandatory Credit Counseling – Before you can file chapter 7 bankruptcy, it is essential to complete credit counseling. It is a mandatory step before you can file and often requires paying a fee. Otherwise, your filing will not be allowed to continue.

2. File All Chapter 7 Paperwork – Complete and file all necessary paperwork in court. Make sure all of your paperwork is accurate. Determine any fees associated with your filing.

3. Meet With Your Creditors – Approximately one month after filing the petition, you will need to meet with your creditors, an arrangement made by the court. During this important meeting, your creditors will question you regarding your finances and property. Typically this meeting involves only a few people connected with the credit card companies to whom you owe your debt. Your lawyer can certainly be present to aid you through this process.

4. Attend the Personal Financial Management Instruction Course – In addition to your credit counseling course, a personal financial management course generally costs about $30 and is necessary for completing your filing of chapter 7. If you skip the money management course, you risk dismissal of your case.

Having a trusted legal team on your side is critical during bankruptcy. Call Canterbury Law Group today to schedule your consultation. 480-744-7711.

bankruptcy, bankruptcy attorneys, Chapter 7, Chapter 7 Bankruptcy, Filing Bankruptcy in Scottsdale, personal bankruptcy attorneys, Scottsdale Legal Help
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Regular Post
Written by Canterbury Law Group

Three Tips for After Bankruptcy

The personal bankruptcy attorneys at Canterbury Law Group help clients begin a fresh financial future. Not only can the law team at Canterbury help you successfully navigate through bankruptcy, they can also assist with creating a sound financial afterlife.

Here are three tips for those who are ready to improve their financial status:

Regroup – Once your bankruptcy case has been discharged, reflect on your past financial journey. Ask yourself questions that will help you create a better financial afterlife in the wake of bankruptcy, including:

  • How did I get here?
  • What could I have done differently?
  • And what have I learned from all of this?

Create a Realistic Budget and Pay Bills on Time – After bankruptcy, you must become vigilant about your finances. Even if you haven’t created a budget in the past, now is the time to get serious about doing so. Your budget will act as your spending plan, helping you to manage cash flow and preventing you from creating unnecessary debt. Make it a priority to pay all your current bills in a timely manner. Set up automatic bill payments, and remember to pay your rent on time since rent payments are now being tracked by the credit bureaus.

Pick a Credit Card That Will Help You Rebuild Credit – A key strategy to rebuilding your credit rating after bankruptcy is to obtain a secured credit card. With a secured card, you deposit a given amount of money, such as $500, into a bank account and that $500 becomes your credit limit. By charging small amounts each month and repaying your debts as agreed, you can gradually rebuild your credit.

If you have questions about your finances and / or bankruptcy, call Canterbury Law Group today to schedule a consultation. 480-744-7711.

bankruptcy, bankruptcy attorneys, Filing Bankruptcy in Scottsdale, personal bankruptcy attorneys
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Regular Post
Written by Canterbury Law Group

Get Rid of Debt in the New Year

The personal bankruptcy attorneys at Canterbury Law Group are constantly helping clients permanently rid their lives of debt. As the New Year is swiftly approaching, the law team at Canterbury knows that motivation about personal finances will be on the rise. In fact, many Americans add “getting out of debt” to their resolutions for the New Year.

If you are ready to start fresh financially, we suggest five simple tips to eliminate debt from your life:

  • Stop adding more debt: If you are trying to eliminate debt, it is crucial to avoid adding more debt to your “debt pile.”
  • Eliminate credit cards: One of the biggest down falls that most of us have is the reliance on credit cards. If you cannot control how much you spend when using credit cards, then cut up your cards or leave them at home until you are out of debt.
  • Cut your spending: Can you save some money after all of your bills are paid? Look at all aspects of your spending in hopes to add more to the debt fund. For instance, try to use your utilities wisely to save on water, electricity and gas, and put that savings towards paying off some debt.
  • Embrace a (temporary) frugal lifestyle: Although society tends to believe that we need a lot of things to survive, we can actually get by with very little. The more of the excesses you can trim out the sooner you will be out of debt.
  • Always lookout to improve your current income: The more the money you make, the more you will have left over to throw at your debt.

If you have questions about your finances and / or bankruptcy, call us today to schedule a consultation at 480-744-7711 or [email protected].

bankruptcy, bankruptcy attorneys, personal bankruptcy attorneys
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