Debt collectors have attempted to intimidate consumers into paying debts that are prescribed or not owed at all in cases of mistaken identity. If new rules are adopted debt companies would have to more fully document their accounts. Also proposed are requirements that would prevent a collector from contacting a debtor more than 6 times […]
The Means Test is the fierce hurdle Chapter 7 bankruptcy filers have to clear to avoid having the Court dismiss or convert their cases. The kernel of the means test is this: If a debtor’s income exceeds his expenses by a certain amount proportional to his total unsecured debt, then abuse will be found, or at least abuse will be presumed. Each of these are terms of art and have specific definitions in the bankruptcy world.
It might seem counterintuitive, but filing bankruptcy usually improves a credit score. The estimated 12 month post-filing credit score typically shows increases of from 25 to 100 points. Expect still greater improvement if post-filing credit is applied for, used wisely and bills are paid promptly. This is for several reasons. The bankruptcy liquidates most debts […]