How a Chapter 13 Attorney Can Help You Get Out of Debt

A Chapter 13 attorney is a legal professional who helps you file for bankruptcy. There are lots of steps in the process and documents that have to be prepared and submitted. They can help you navigate the process and get it underway. The sooner you get started, the sooner you can get your debts paid off and fix your credit rating.

This type of bankruptcy filing is the most common. What makes it different is that you don't lose everything by filing. Unlike other types of filing, you don't have to sell off your home or belongings. This type lets you keep your assets and that's a major reason why it's popular.

Essentially, this type is a kind of debt consolidation. You put your debts together into one monthly payment and pay it back under the supervision of the court. You can expect to make regular monthly payments over the next 3 to 5 years. At that time, your debt is paid off and you can start building good credit again.

There's a common myth that filing for bankruptcy destroys your credit completely. While it has a negative effect, it's not as dramatic as this. In fact, it is much more disastrous for your credit rating to have many outstanding debts that you can't pay. Compared to defaulting, it's much nicer to your credit rating.

Once you file, your credit rating will be lowered to 480. However, the instant you file, you can start rebuilding your credit and raising this rating. It is not uncommon at all for people to get loans even during this 3 to 5 year period when they're paying their old debts back. You can take out a loan, but you must first get the court's approval.

The first step in this process is to file a petition to the court saying that you can no longer pay your debts and you need relief. During this time, you will also have to pay a docket fee. Your Chapter 13 attorney will help you prepare all of this. It doesn't take long and once you've done it, you've officially applied. The process has begun.

Next, you'll have to submit financial documents for the court to review. This includes all of your assets, even though they can't take them. The Chapter 13 attorney will also help with this step since it can be quite complicated. The rest of the process is up to you. You simply make your monthly payments and in 5 years you're debt free.

Your bankruptcy filing will stay on your credit report for 7 years, however, this looks much better than defaults on all of your loans. It shows lenders that you knew when you were in trouble and sought help instead of letting it go. If you want to file, the first step is to contact a Chapter 13 attorney and get the ball rolling.