Economics Finance

If you’ve got a lot of debt, you may be thinking that bankruptcy is your only option. But, don’t file that bankruptcy petition just yet. These six steps may be all you need to stay out of bankruptcy and get your finances under control.

1. Write out all your monthly expenses, in detail.

Do you have a mortgage or an auto note? If so, what is your interest rate? How much are your monthly payments? What is the outstanding balance on those loans? List them, in full detail.

Next, write down all your necessary monthly expenses. These expenses include things like electricity, telephone, insurance, food, etc. You should know how much you spend each month on all of these items.

After surveying your necessary monthly expenses, take a look at your discretionary monthly expenses. Discretionary expenses are those things that are optional. You don’t have to have them. But, you may enjoy them. Representative discretionary expenses include entertainment, eating out, club memberships and any impulse buys you make in a given month. Continue reading ‘Bankruptcy is Avoidable If You Do These Six Things Today’ »

Your children rely on regular child support payments for all kinds of necessities: food, clothing, shelter, medical attention. It’s every parent’s responsibility to care for his or her child, and child support payments are a way of enforcing a non-custodial parent’s debt to his or her children. So what happens when the person supposed to make the payments files for bankruptcy? Will it put your children’s welfare into jeopardy? Can your children afford bankruptcy?

Fortunately, even during bankruptcy proceedings, a parent is still required to make his or her court-ordered child support payments. The welfare and care of the children is considered a top priority under American law, and these obligations take precedence over the relief afforded by filing for bankruptcy. The recent Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act (BAPCPA) helps clarify the rules surrounding such payments, and re-emphasizes the importance of providing for and caring for one’s children.

Chapter 7 bankruptcy is a type of liquidation bankruptcy, in which non-exempt property is sold. The sale of these items is used to pay off one’s creditors. For example, if you owe $10,000 to the bank and can’t pay it, you can file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, and the money made from the sale of your possessions is used to pay off that debt. Under the BAPCPA, the continued support of any children is considered a serious priority, and proceeds from the sale go towards your court-ordered payment plan first, before creditors are able to take the money. Continue reading ‘How Bankruptcy Affects Child Support Payments’ »

Bankruptcy and You – Understanding Credit Cards and Credit

Bankruptcy reform has made it more difficult than ever for people to file bankruptcy and enjoy being able to just get rid of credit card debt when they cannot afford it. However, this increase in difficulty when it comes to debt relief has led to credit card companies that are more aggressive than ever before. There is a great debate among the ABA, or American Bankers Association, about who is to blame for credit card debt and so many bankruptcy cases being filed. The lenders blame the consumers, while some blame the creditors for being too aggressive.

There will never be a definitive answer as to who is at fault. However, in order to make sure that consumers are safe no matter what creditors are doing, it is important to be informed. It IS harder than ever to file bankruptcy if a financial debacle is created. It isn’t hard to find debt relief services or companies that can help with debt settlement. It is the responsibility of the consumer, no matter how persuasive creditors might be, to avoid becoming another statistic of credit card debt and let debt take over their lives. Continue reading ‘Credit Cards and Bankruptcy’ »

You must report the cancellation of personal debt on your income tax return. When an owed debt by either a person or business entity is cancelled or forgiven, some amount of taxable debt income may be generated since the benefit of the amount borrowed in the past is no longer associated with the burden of repayment now or in the future. Cancellation of debt (COD) is reported to both taxpayer and the tax authority on IRS Form 1099-C. This information is transferred, for personal debt, to Line 21 on IRS Form 1040. Business debt, depending on the nature of the business, is transferred to IRS Form 1040 Schedules C, E or F. Continue reading ‘Preparing Income Taxes – Reporting the Cancellation of Debt’ »

Christian credit debt counseling is a service that is very much in demand these days. The debt counseling services are available in various states. You can find these services easily with the help of a click. If you perform a little research on the Internet you will find that there are so many organizations available that can solve your problems regarding credit and debt.

The institutions that offer the Christina credit debt counseling do so from the Christian perspective. They actually tend to provide counseling based on the biblical beliefs and principles. There are certain trained counselors present in these institutions. They counsel the people in such a way that they do not repeat their mistakes in future.

Internet is the best place to search for these services. Other than this, you can also get the Christian credit debt counseling from the local ministries, some non profit companies and even the churches. These organizations are available throughout the nation. So wherever you belong to you will be able to receive this service. Continue reading ‘Christian Credit Debt Counseling May Be the Answer to Your Prayers’ »

I watch and listen to commercials about solving credit card debt all the time. It is about consolidation, elimination, solution, you name it. There are even special shows on TV, that proclaim their knowledge and expertize. I remember one show in particular, where they were talking about “what not to do in order to avoid falling deep in debt”. They were going back and forth about prevention strategies. At the end, there was a questions and answers part. One of the questions was what do if someone was already in the debt hole. The answer was to try and win the lottery. I could not believe my ears. The reality is that even from the place you should expect help you find sarcasm. Both sides – the violent credit card industry and the newly proclaimed debt elimination companies have the same goal. You find yourself squeezed in between and nowhere to turn for help. The only place to go and really find help is you. You are the best advocate to yourself and your family. I hear you saying now that you do not know what to do and how to do it. This is exactly the state they want you in. I know your most common objections and something to say about them.

1. First objection: “I do not know what to do”. Here is the answer: Do something. Do the best you know at the moment. I am not saying that it will be the right thing to do, but you will get a feedback. Next action will be better. For example: Write down all of you credit cards on a sheet of paper. Call the credit card lender and talk to them. Talk to you relatives and friends.

2. Second objection: “I am not knowledgeable to know how to do it”. Even if it is a true statement, which I doubt, there is a solution. It is very simple: ASK. Start with your lender and try to find out. If they try to scare you, do not listen. This is just part of their job. I will give you a priceless tip. Target 0% interest rate and get on a 5 year payment plan. The second option is a settlement. This works out beautifully, just be persistent and know what you want. Continue reading ‘Practical Credit Card Debt – 3 Objections and 3 Solutions’ »

Credit card and unsecured debt piling up can create a snowball effect and several adversities therein. Disrupting any means to budget your bills, increasing fees and minimum monthly payments are hurting Americans nationwide. Credit debt alone is making it harder and harder for consumers to stay afloat, much less get ahead in these trying times. This ongoing crunch on the economy and job instability has created crossroads to crashing points on the road to financial freedom, leaving many Americans in disarray.

In lieu of, there are many ways which you can eliminate your debts and become debt free.

• Credit Counseling
• Debt Settlement
• Bankruptcy

A credit counseling program is also known as a debt management plan. Credit counseling is the process of consolidating all your unsecured debts into one payment plan through an agency where lower, fixed interest rates (APRs) are obtained and late, over limit, and past due fees cease once enrolled. You make a payment each month to the agency and they send payments out to each one of your creditors every month. The creditors still send you statements monthly which show the reduced rates and the payments being made on your behalf by the credit counseling agency. The biggest advantages with this method is the convenience of one monthly payment, a reduction in fees, the stopping of additional fees, and an improved credit score over time from the consecutive monthly payments and continuing balance reductions. Your best bet in this arena is to work with a non-profit agency that you’ve verified with the BBB as a reputable company. Continue reading ‘Pay Off Debt – You Have Options’ »

Nobody likes to file Chapter 7 bankruptcy. However, when the pressure of debt seems insurmountable, the option of Chapter 7 may seem to be the only way to achieve debt relief. What a lot of people who settle on Chapter 7 fail to realize is that it stirs a whole bunch of other emotions and pressures.

Depression

Without question, depression is probably the most-often cited after side effect of filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. People who have financial trouble will lose sleep, become physically ill (the most “popular” physical effects include ulcers, heart conditions, hypertension), and notice a definite strain in their relationships.

Knowing ahead of time that depression is a side effect of Chapter 7 bankruptcy allows filers to prepare for what can be a very bumpy emotional road to their “fresh start.” By understanding just how bad the depression can get, filers can join support groups or seek advance-advice from their doctor or counselor. Continue reading ‘The Non-Financial Side Effects of Chapter 7 Bankruptcy’ »

If we look at the latest stock market activity, with the S&P 500 up more than 40% since the March lows, people looking for ways to repay debt are facing an interesting dilemma. Although interest in debt removal, debt elimination plans, and other debt settlement information has peaked over the last couple years, people with debt trouble should really evaluate positive ways to repay debt. Here is why.

Stock Market Returns Are Leading Indicators

We hear all of the time about leading and lagging indicators. A leading indicator tells us what is expected to happen (higher stock market returns suggest companies are expected to make more money). Lagging indicators tell us what has already happened but is only surfacing now — for instance, the statistic on higher bankruptcy filings tell us that more people were unable to repay debt. It does not mean that they cannot repay debt today, but when they filed they had no other means.

With this in mind, with so many companies expected to become more profitable going forward, it seems employment expectations should improve as companies spend on expansion and other plans. Instead of looking up debt settlement information, which will damage credit, looking at more creative ways to repay debt might make more sense. Continue reading ‘Stock Markets Gains Tell Us to Repay Debt, Not to Write it Off Through Bankruptcy’ »

If you are at a point where you are considering the possibility of declaring yourself bankrupt as a last resort to deal with debt problems, then it is probably fair to assume that the last thing in the world you want right now is another bill. For this reason, a number of people look to attempting a do it yourself bankruptcy, that is to say, they seek to go it alone without the assistance of a lawyer.

But let’s get straight to the point. A do it yourself bankruptcy is NOT feasible.

You might have heard people talking about how they went through a do it yourself bankruptcy successfully but the chances are that this was before 2005. Continue reading ‘If You Are Considering a Do It Yourself Bankruptcy, Read This First!’ »