Bankruptcy & Debt

We are bankruptcy attorneys we have offices located in Eastgate, Ohio and Middletown, Ohio.  We specialize in Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 Bankruptcy filings.  We have helped thousands get out of debt and can help you too!

Ever feel that you are all alone in your struggles with debt?  Sitting on the edge with no one to help you and no where to turn?  You have extended all the help from your family and cannot ask for more.  You are extended at every end and the rope

the rope is getting thin?  There is help.  There are answers to your struggles.  People have been struggling with debt for centuries, this is nothing new.  In the Old Testament every 7 years a creditor would have to forgive all the old debts of his debtors, now that would not quite work nowadays, can you imagine the abuse?  People would have no incentive to pay their bills! In Greek times if you could not pay your debtors you could be put into debtor prison, not only you but your spouse and your children as well.  People struggling with debt is probably about as old as history, it is nothing new and nothing to be ashamed of.  In society today we have bankruptcy available for those who are struggling with debt.  Bankruptcy is a last resort for most due to the stereotypes created in Hollywood of the bankruptcy debtor.  The picture of expensive vacations and extravagant spending, however, the typical person filing bankruptcy is more likely the struggling young couple with young children trying to put dinner on the table.  Or more sadly the older couple who have worked hard their entire lives, but with the soaring cost of living and rising health care costs, just cannot make it anymore and finally turn to file for bankruptcy protection.

WHAT IS THE FIRST STEP?

If you are thinking of filing for bankruptcy protection, the first step is to come into our office and have a free consultation.  At this free consultation you will be able to sit down with an attorney and discuss your individual situation.  They will then guide you as to the best next step for you.  If you do decide to file for bankruptcy protection a small retainer fee will get things started.  You can then refer your creditors to our office until you file your case.

WHAT IS BANKRUPTCY PROTECTION?

Once you file your bankruptcy case you will be under the protection of the bankruptcy stay.  Under the bankruptcy automatic stay all collection efforts against you by creditors must stop.  This means mail harassment, phone harassment, court proceedings and garnishments.  It will be against the law for any creditor to contact you in any way.

Upon completion of your case you will receive a discharge.  A discharge is a bankruptcy document which deems all your debts wiped out, gone, a fresh financial start!  This is a very important document and you will want to keep it with your other important documents.  You will then be on your way with your new financial start.

MORE INFORMATION

For more information check out our website at www.keeganandrade.com or www,middletown-bankruptcy.com

Call your Eastgate, Ohio bankruptcy attorney today for your free consultation.  We have helped thousands out of debt and can help you too!

Is Bankruptcy the Answer?

We are bankruptcy attorneys we have offices located in Eastgate, OH and Middletown, Ohio.  We specialize in chapter 7 bankruptcy and chapter 13 bankruptcy.

WHAT IS BANKRUPTCY?

This is the legal proceeding which relieves debtors from responsibility of debt payments who cannot meet them and also provides protection while attempting to repay the debts.

HOW CAN BANKRUPTCY HELP ME?

Filing bankruptcy could wipe out credit card debt and other unsecured debts. If filed, no creditor can legally collect of those debts.

Bankruptcy can stop creditor harassment, as in phone calls and harassing letters and could stop repossession of your car or foreclosure of your mortgage. You could still retain your home even if a foreclosure has already been filed.

Medical debt is discharged through bankruptcy. Overall, health care is the main reason in the U.S. for filing bankruptcy. Hospitals and ER services cannot refuse you service in the future, if you were to file.

You do NOT lose everything you own. Sometimes in a chapter 7, the trustee may take items and sell them to pay on your debts.

These are just some of the ways that a bankruptcy could help you.

WHICH BANKRUPTCY OPTION BEST FITS MY SITUATION?

The most common filings for bankruptcy are chapter 7 and chapter 13. Chapter 7 will wipe out all your unsecured debt (credit cards, medical fees, utilities, etc.). You can also keep your house and vehicle in chapter 7, as long as your current on payments. Chapter 7 is a straight bankruptcy, referred to as a liquidation bankruptcy. This will stop all collection proceedings including phone calls, mailings, garnishments and court proceedings. As many as 65% of consumer bankruptcy filings in the U.S. are chapter 7.

Chapter 13 is a repayment plan. It is referred to as a wage earner. You must have a reliable source of income so that you can repay all or a portion of your debt. Chapter 13 will stop a foreclosure or repossession as well. It is designed to help you retain your home or vehicle if your behind. You will repay 1% to 100% of your debt, depending on the individuals situation. This will last a minimum of three years and max of five years. During this time it will be up to the creditors to file claim in order to be paid during the case.

WHAT DEBTS WILL A BANKRUPTCY NOT ERASE?

Most of your debts can be discharged in a bankruptcy. Some debts are not dischargeable. They cannot be wiped out in a chapter 7 or at the end of a chapter 13. Some kinds of debt can never be discharged.

Student Loans - Most student loan debt is not dischargeable. In some situations a debtor can claim that student loan debt causes an extreme hardship and can obtain a discharge, but it is very difficult to persuade a Bankruptcy Court to discharge a student loan debt.

Taxes - Some income tax debt can be discharged in bankruptcy, but this varies, you should make an appointment for your free consultation to discuss your individual situation.

Alimony and Child Support - Back payments or arrearages for child support and for alimony are nondischargeable. Orders to pay attorney fees in child support and child custody cases are usually nondischargeable.

Fines and Penalties - Most fines that are imposed by a court and most penalties that are assessed by a government agency are nondischargeable.

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER BANKRUPTCY?

If you want to have credit, you will be surprised at the amount of credit offers you will receive once you file for bankruptcy protection. You can improve your credit after filing and being discharged. This gives people the opportunity to rebuild their credit because it eliminates the old debt.

MORE INFORMATION

For more information check out our website at www.keeganandrade.com or www.middletown-bankruptcy.com

FREE CONSULTATION

Contact our office today in Eastgate, Ohio or Middletown, Ohio for your free consultation to see if bankruptcy will give you the financial relief you are looking for.

We Are Bankruptcy Attorneys

We are bankruptcy attorneys we have offices located in Eastgate, Ohio and Middletown, Ohio.  We specialize in Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy filings.

THINKING OF BANKRUPTCY?

Are you struggling every month to make the bills and never getting ahead?  Lost your good job and just have not been able to replace the income at new employment?  Medical bills piling up?  Preparing to divorce?  Any of these are good reasons to consider filing for bankruptcy protection.  What is bankruptcy?  Bankruptcy is a federal code that will allow you to file for protection and discharge all of your unsecured debts under the federal bankruptcy code. Once you file for bankruptcy protection the creditors must stop all collection efforts against you.  This means that they cannot contact you by phone or by mail.  This also means that any court cases that are filed against you must be halted and if your paycheck is already being garnished the creditor must release this garnishment upon the filing of your case.

WE CAN HELP YOU

Hiring the right attorney is as important as the decision to file for bankruptcy protection.  You want to make sure you have an attorney who is experienced and knows the laws.  At the Law Office of Keegan & Andrade Co., LLC we specialize in bankruptcy.  For over 20 years with over 40 years of combined experience we have been concentrating on the practice of bankruptcy filings. We will be able to walk you through every step of the process and make it simple for you.

At our law office we offer you a free consultation.  At this free consultation  you will be able to sit down with one of your experienced and knowledgeable attorneys to discuss your individual situation.  They will guide you as to the best road for your to take to secure your financial future.  This road may or may not be bankruptcy.  However, if bankruptcy is the road for you at our office you may put down a small retainer fee to retain our office.  Once you have retained our office you may refer your creditors to us until your case is filed.  We will also accept payments during this time until your pay in full.  Once you pay in full we will file your case.  Once your case is filed the bankruptcy court will notify all of the creditors listed in your case by regular US Mail.  Once your case is filed the creditors must stop all collection efforts against immediately.

You will have a court date approximately four weeks after your filing date.  We will appear with you at this hearing.  After your hearing you will just be waiting for your discharge which will take approximately 120 days.

MORE INFORMATION

For more information check out our website at www.keeganandrade.com or at www.middletown-bankruptcy.com

Contact your Eastgate, Ohio or Middletown, Ohio bankruptcy attorney today to see if bankruptcy can give you the fresh financial start that you are looking for.

Bankruptcy & Your Home

We are bankruptcy attorneys we have offices located in Eastgate, Ohio and Middletown, Ohio.  We specialize in Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy.

I AM CURRENT ON MY HOUSE

If you are current on your home, but are struggling with other debts, such as credit cards and medical debts then a Chapter 7 bankruptcy would be good for you.  In a Chapter 7 you would be able to keep your home and wipe out all of your unsecured debts.  You would continue to make your house payment throughout the bankruptcy process and keep your home.

The next decision to make after filing for Chapter 7 is if you will reaffirm the debt on your home.  A reaffirmation agreement is a document that you can sign that you promise to repay the debt that you owe.  Signing this reaffirmation agreement also guarantees that this debt will report your payments to the credit reporting agencies going forward.  There are pros and cons to signing the reaffirmation agreement on your home.  The pros include that they will report your payments to the credit reporting agencies, that they will work with you on loan modifications and will send you your monthly statements.  The cons to signing the reaffirmation agreement is if you do get into difficult times again and cannot make your house payment, they can then foreclose on your home and hold you responsible for the debt owed.  If you decide not to reaffirm your home there are also pros and cons to this decision.  The pros are that even if you do get into difficult times again and cannot make your house payment that they can still foreclose on your home, but you will not be responsible for the debt.  The cons are that they will not report your payments to the credit reporting agencies, will not work with you on loan modifications and may not even send you statements going forward.  This is not a decision to be taken lightly and should be discussed with the attorney as to your individual situation.

I AM BEHIND ON MY HOUSE PAYMENTS

If you have fallen behind on your house payments you have several options. First you must decide if you wish to keep the home or let it go.  If you decide that you do not want to keep your home you can file Chapter 7 and let your home go through the case.  Your home will still go through the foreclosure process and eventually be out of your name.  You will be able to stay in your home until the end of the foreclosure process, thus giving you time to save money to get a new place.  You will not be responsible for the debt owed on your home as it will be discharged through the Chapter 7.

If you decide that you would like to save your home Chapter 13 would be available for you.  A Chapter 13 will force your mortgage company to work with you and allow you to catch up your missed mortgage payments over a 3 to 5 year period.  You may still work on a loan modification if you wish, but filing for a Chapter 13 will stop all foreclosure proceedings.  Chapter 13 reorganizes all of your debts and you get to keep your property.

Your mortgage company must comply with the Chapter 13 plan as it is federal law.  In the case the Chapter 13 Trustee will make your regular mortgage payment and all of you arrears in the 3-5 year period for you.  You will simply mail in one payment to the Trustee and all of your debts will be paid out of this payment.  At the end of the case the Trustee will file a notice that your mortgage payment is current. This is good because the mortgage company cannot come back on you later and say you owe more fees.

MORE INFORMATION

For more information check out our website at www.keeganandrade.com or www.middletown-bankruptcy.com

Call your Eastgate, Ohio or Middletown, Ohio bankruptcy attorney today to set up your free consultation.  We offer fair fees and monthly payments plans.