As an Asheville bankruptcy lawyer, I frequently speak to clients who feel terrible about their financial situation. They want to pay back all their debts in full but are just not able to do so with their current income/debts. The last thing they want to do is file a bankruptcy case.
My job is to make sure these clients understand a few concepts:
1. Filing a bankruptcy case is not an admission of guilt. Over 90 percent of bankruptcy cases result from job loss, medical bills, or divorce. These days, the drop in home values has caused tremendous amounts of financial ruin. My feeling is that people should not blame themselves for these type of unfortunate circumstances. Do you blame yourself for getting sick? Your home value falling? Getting laid off? Sure, you might have made some bad financial decisions in your past, but you certainly are not the first or last person to make purchases you later regret.
2. Filing a bankruptcy case will not make a Judge decide whether you deserve relief. In the vast majority of cases, a Judge will never even look at your petition. In over 95% of the bankruptcy cases filed, a trustee will determine that you are entitled to the relief requested in about 10 minutes. Your name will not be listed in the newspaper. The trustee will never come to your house to look through your belongings. These are all bankruptcy myths. Instead, the bankruptcy code tells us what financial situations entitle people to relief. I can let you know your rights in about 30 minutes.
3. You need to forgive yourself. The worst part of a bad financial situation is the stress which causes medical problems and strains relationships with family members and friends. A bankruptcy case can provide a legal fresh start, financially. You still need to allow yourself to heal so that you can move forward with your life without the burden of guilt. The law says you have a legal right to be forgiven, but the most painful part for you is doing the same thing for yourself.
Ready to see if you qualify for relief? For those of you in Western North Carolina, I would be happy to set up a free, initial bankruptcy consultation where we can determine your rights.
*The information contained on this website is not intended and does not constitute the providing of any legal advice or any legal opinions or services to any user thereof. The information available on or through this web page is not intended and shall not be used as a substitute for the advice and consultation provided by an attorney. Any factual examples used to illustrate concepts are hypothetical and do not depict actual events or real persons.
