Bankruptcy Options Often Seem Too
Few
Generally, the bankruptcy options for consumers
involve two types of filing choices Chapter 7 and Chapter 13.
Chapter 7 eliminates the mitigating debts that have piled up for
both individual consumers and businesses. Chapter 13 restructures
debts for individuals to put them into more manageable increments
of payments. Normally, payments to creditors on a Chapter 13 filing
are paid off over the course of 3 to 5 years. These chapters will
effect assets such as homes, consumer debts, and credit. These
choices will affect credit for as many as ten years. The chapters
stay on credit reports for three years beyond when most debts fall
off, which is typically seven years. The ability to obtain credit
and loans for homes and autos can be affected for a few years
beyond the process. Consumers should only go for these solutions as
a last resort when every other possibility has been exhausted.
Statistics show that about one in every seventy
people file on an annual basis. Bankruptcy options are of the
utmost urgency to keep more consumers from filing. Some consumers
really believe they are without any other choice. Many will file
proceedings for amounts as minimal as $5,000. The burden of
insurmountable debt and relentless creditors calling and sending
venomous letters, causes consumers to succumb to this as their sole
choice in the matter. Credit counselors may even advise a person
that going for broke is the best way to go. This may or may not be
true since the implications of filing can remain as public record
with the courts up to twenty years. Employers can dig and sometimes
find the information decades after items have been discharged from
a person's credit.
We need more bankruptcy options for people.
Lenders need to take some responsibility and have more programs in
place to assist debtors that find themselves in trouble. Sometimes
predatory lending practices can land a person into a situation
where they seem to have no other choice. Also, credit should only
be extended to people who truly are qualified. Stricter measures
need to be put in place to help with the situation.
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