Bankruptcy Can Be Used As An Opportunity To Start Over And Reset Your Financial Goals

By: Jon Hansen
Submitted: 2007-01-17 16:17:34
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Bankruptcy is the last resort that neither the borrower nor the creditor wishes to meet. The impact of this to both sides is negative and long-lasting. Once you are bankrupt, it will remain on your credit report for many years, making it difficult to get any loan, insurance, or a job.

Bankruptcy is not a curse! It will give you adequate time and fresh ideas about how to cope with your finances. It gives you a chance to begin again. When you find yourself in this type of position, you may choose to see this as an opportunity to reflect on the decisions that you have made which have contributed to your current situation. This is definitely not the time to be critical of yourself, it is rather a time to evaluate your finances very carefully, and create a plan for future action which will enable you to move forward in life, and perhaps learn from the mistakes that you made to create this situation for yourself and/or your family.

In many situations bankruptcy is not simply the result of making bad financial decisions, it may be the result of negligence, an accident, a lawsuit, divorce, or a myriad of unforeseen circumstances in which an individual is held responsible for a situation that may or may not have been beyond their control.

There are many laws that empower and safeguard the right of a bankrupt individual to have a fresh start while overcoming their debts. Many laws provide for the development of a plan to assist the debtor in resolving his or her debts through the division assets among the creditors. Most of the bankruptcy laws allow the debtor to stay in business so that the revenue generated may be used to resolve his or her debts. Some laws allow the debtor to be discharged from his or her debts after his or her assets are divided among the creditors even though his or her debts are not paid completely.

Bankruptcy can be divided into two types: straight bankruptcy and reorganization.

Straight bankruptcy involves liquidating all the debtor’s assets among the creditors. Exempt property such as work-related tools and basic household materials are excluded from liquidation.

Reorganization allows the debtor to keep his or her property instead of surrendering it and pay the debt during a specific period of time. It should be remembered that personal bankruptcy usually does not dissolve obligations that may include alimony, child support payments, student loan, and taxes.

To avoid stress over potential bankruptcy, plan properly when buying a home, and give yourself adequate financial leeway so that your house payment will not be too large.

When purchasing a home, or even just planning your budget, closely evaluate all of the associated fixed monthly costs, and also be sure to put aside savings, or purchase insurance for emergencies.

These fixed monthly costs could be simple things such as monthly electricity, gas, water, and other utility bills. Depending upon your geographic location, these costs can vary drastically on a monthly basis which could stretch your earnings to the absolute monthly limit.

Purchasing insurance for emergencies could include such things as disability, terminal illnesses, natural disasters, death of a spouse, or even an accident for which you or one of your family members could possibly be liable.

There is no way to totally protect yourself against every possible negative or unforeseeable occurrence, which is why bankruptcy is an option, and in some cases the only option.

Jonathan Hansen is an expert in the fields of financial planning, retirement planning, bankruptcy, foreclosure, and creative financial resource management. He offers free consultation, assistance, and counseling to low income families, seniors, individuals, charities, and other parties in need of financial assistance. He also lectures to groups on creative financial wealth building, debt management, retirement, and avoiding bankruptcy. He runs www.mortgage-refinance-info.com and is also available by phone to help individuals in need of assistance at no charge, and can be contacted at 800-772-7027.

Article source: Expert Articles

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