Most people want to know if they may maintain their property while considering Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy. The short response is perhaps. There is a catch to Chapter 7 bankruptcy: if you own too much property, the bankruptcy trustee may sell some of it and distribute the proceeds to your creditors.
What kind of property may you keep, then? Exemptions—state rules that outline what you are permitted to protect in Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy—determine the answer.
Exemptions allow you to protect a specific amount of assets during bankruptcy, including a cheap automobile, business equipment, clothing, and a retirement account. If an asset is exempt, you won’t have to worry about it being taken or sold for the benefit of your creditors by the bankruptcy trustee assigned to your case.
Many exclusions cover particular types of property, such as a car or furniture, up to a certain dollar level. In some cases, an exemption safeguards the entire asset’s worth.
Anything that isn’t protected by bankruptcy law is regarded as non-exempt, and, in Chapter 7, the trustee may sell it to recoup the debt. How much the debtor in a Chapter 13 bankruptcy will have to pay creditors whose debt is not secured by collateral is based on the value of the non-exempt property.
Non-exempt assets can include:
● Secondary residential property such as a vacation house
● A second car
● Investments (not including retirement accounts)
● Recreational vehicles like boats or motorcycles
● Art
● Musical Instruments
● Fur coats
● Extra televisions
● Jewelry
● Coin collections
● Family heirlooms
There are numerous ways for a filer to prevent a non-exempt asset from being liquidated under Chapter 7 bankruptcy regulations. You can try to persuade the trustee to take an item of exempt property in its place if it’s important to you, or you can offer to repurchase the item from the trustee.
The trustee may determine that a piece of non-exempt property is too difficult to sell or isn’t valuable enough to warrant selling it to benefit the creditors. In that situation, the trustee will formally return the item to you by filing a Notice of Abandonment.
Medical bills are a significant source of debt for many American households. In the United States, health care costs are behind more than $88 billion of consumer debt.
Any hospital visit or emergency treatment can quickly become a financial nightmare, but certain medical problems are more costly or require more frequent care than others.
Most medical debt comes from specific diseases and conditions such as heart disease or gastrointestinal problems. Costly treatment is a major reason why so many Americans choose to reduce debt burdens by filing for bankruptcy.
As with specific diseases, chronic pain and injuries usually require ongoing treatment, and medical bills can add up for a long time.
When the unexpected happens, such as a car accident or a broken bone, medical debt is often the result of turning to credit cards without any other options.
Surgery, both emergency and planned, is among the most costly one-time medical expenses. Whether it is the knee, back or another type of surgery, these procedures often cost more than average-income households are ready to take on.
For some individuals, teeth are a top concern leading to high medical debt. Because many people do not have adequate or any dental insurance, they may have to cover dental expenses out of pocket.
According to research by the Kaiser Family Foundation, other top medical conditions that lead to debt include mental health issues, pregnancies and infections such as pneumonia and the flu. Whatever the reason for high medical debt, struggling adults should know that there is help out there.
Medical debt refers to the money owed for such things as a medical procedure or prescription medication. Many Americans, especially the uninsured, have medical debt resulting from an unexpected illness or injury.
Here are some tips for dealing with medical debt in the best possible way.
You can always attempt to negotiate the sticker price of medical bills. If you do not have medical insurance, ask about any discounts your healthcare facility provides. Many hospitals offer payment plans to those having trouble paying. Regardless of your insurance status, you can ask for an itemized bill to see exactly what the facility is charging you for.
There are places that can help you with paying off medical bills. Ask your provider or hospital staff if they know of any organizations in your local area that provide this service. If that does not result in any leads, you can search online for medical financial assistance.
As with any debt, you want to avoid letting medical bills pile up to the point where they become unmanageable. While you do not want to make rash decisions regarding payment, you do want to be aware of any interest that may be accruing on those bills. Attempt to pay off what you can, even if it is only a small amount.
The more you know about medical debt, the better able you are to potentially negotiate a lower payment amount, achieve better terms of payment, and avoid going into bankruptcy.
Long gone are the days when a single-income family could thrive in middle America.
Many people struggle to make ends meet when life is normal, and an event such as a job loss, divorce or medical emergency can derail a family’s financial future. The top three money sinks are also the most essential budget items.
For most Americans, housing is the most significant line item of their budgets. Many people hoping to buy their first or second home are struggling to qualify for mortgage loans as the U.S. housing prices continue to climb. Additionally, renters are having trouble keeping up with their month-to-month payments as rent increases across the country. A few key reasons for the current housing crisis include:
Single-parent households or dual-income families rely on childcare providers to take care of young children during shifts. Reliable child care is expensive, and according to a recent survey, parents spend ten percent or more of their annual income on daycare.
Even with employer-subsidized insurance, a family of four may pay as much as ten percent of their monthly income on health coverage. Additionally, nearly one-fourth of Americans carry medical debt that they are struggling to pay off.
Bankruptcy serves as a lifeline for those circling the drain. The stress that comes with money troubles can destroy a family, but having the courage to hit the reset button provides much-needed relief and the space to start again.
You may view the process of filing bankruptcy in a negative light. Filing for bankruptcy is a serious undertaking.
Bankruptcy also provides many benefits to families not available outside of the bankruptcy process.
If you are behind on your mortgage payments, you know how hard it is to catch up with the arrears. Lenders add late fees and penalties to increase the amount you owe. An aggressive mortgage holder can start foreclosure proceedings against you to take possession of your property. If the lender forecloses on your home, you will lose the property.
By filing for bankruptcy, you can stop any foreclosure proceedings. As part of your bankruptcy, you can negotiate a way to pay back any arrearage and stop the running on penalties and interest.
If you receive regular calls from creditors trying to collect bills you cannot pay, a bankruptcy filing will stop creditors from calling. Bankruptcy also stops any litigation proceedings creditors may have against you. The only recourse creditors will have is through the bankruptcy court.
If you qualify to file a Chapter 7 bankruptcy, you can probably eliminate most of your unsecured debt, including credit cards and medical expenses. If you file Chapter 13, you will likely pay a small percentage of the amounts owed to unsecured creditors through one monthly plan payment.
Bankruptcy can provide significant relief for your family if you have overwhelming debts that you cannot pay. After filing, you can start over and change your financial future.
