November 6, 2008

Bankruptcy Basics

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According to the American Bankruptcy Institute “household debt is at a record high relative to disposable income.” The Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts reported that the number of filings for the year ended March 31, 2003 “exceeded 1.6 million for the first time in any 12 month period,” a 15.1 percent increase from the previous year.

There are two basic types of personal bankruptcy: Chapter 7 and Chapter 13. Chapter 7 Bankruptcy and Chapter 13 are legal proceedings that are available to a person to cope with a financial crisis. Personal bankruptcy must be filed in a federal bankruptcy court. You will have to pay about $160.00 in court fees. Attorney fees are additional.

Chapter 7 bankruptcy involves the liquidation of all your assets that are not exempt from the bankruptcy settlement. Exempt property may include automobiles, some household furnishings, and property needed for work-related use; for example if you were a mechanic the tools you use to perform your work would be exempt from the bankruptcy settlement. Exemption amounts vary from state to state.

Under this plan the court appoints a trustee to handle the liquidation of your non-exempt property. The trustee can sell or turn over your property to your creditors. The court discharges your debts and you are now debt-free. You are allowed by law to file a Chapter 7 bankruptcy once every six years.

A Chapter 13 bankruptcy allows you to keep property, like a mortgaged house (provided there are no liens on it) or a car, as long as you have a steady income. A Chapter 13 bankruptcy is a court-ordered and approved repayment plan to your creditors. This plan allows you to use your future income to pay back your debts over a 3-to-5 year period without surrendering any property. Once you complete payments under the plan, your debts are discharged by the court.

Both types of bankruptcy may get rid of unsecured debts and stop foreclosures, repossessions, garnishments, utility shut-offs, and debt collection activities. Both provide exemptions that allow people to keep certain assets, although exemption amounts vary. A bankruptcy will not erase most child support, alimony, fines, taxes and some types of student loans.

Financial experts agree that a bankruptcy should always be the last resort used for managing your debts. Bankruptcy has long lasting results. A bankruptcy remains on your credit report for a period of 10 years, making it more difficult to obtain credit in the future. You should also know that although your bankruptcy disappears from your credit report after 10 years, you may still be asked by future employers or lenders if you have “ever” filed for bankruptcy.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for informational purposes only. The author is not herein engaged in rendering legal, insolvency, tax, or other professional advice and services.

© 2004, www.yourfreecreditreportnow.com
Author: James H. Dimmitt.
Get your FREE credit report online now and subscribe to our FREE weekly newsletter for consumers, “TO YOUR CREDIT”. Visit http://tinyurl.com/bgo9 for details.

 
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That’s why now you really need to suss out and get word if you can have a credit loan at a upright percent interest rate.

Translated it says: Woon je in Texel of Losser en heb je BKR registratie. Lenen met en BKR codering is nog nooit zo gemakkelijk geweest. Verwen jezelf met een nieuwe caravan met verwijder bkr notering, 267791 euro is geen enkel probleem om te financieren. Van Korendijk tot Tholen, geld lenen met en BKR codering kan hier altijd.

It makes no difference if you live in Independence Montana or in Harlingen Texas a fine online investigation will salvage you often a lot of pain. At present you can inquire interest rates quickly on the internet and cipher if there are possible sneaky traps you should be aware of. A lot of the moneylenders wil show you a rate that looks comely but doesn’t feel well or so after some time. You should be shining today to examine if you have a super deal or if you don’t with the merchant bank that offers you a money loan. Investigate to see if the bank who is willing to give you a loan is good. 10.5 percent rate of interest may look so reasonable but will it stay immutable after you have to repay your loan. A moneylender in Daytona Beach Florida or so can have a total different actual rate for a 35000 dollar bank loan then a merchant bank in Norman Oklahoma and that makes a large clear gap in your weekly pay offs.

 
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Negotiations with creditors have failed. Repossession is imminent and foreclosure proceedings have begun. Your income is simply not sufficient to pay your bills, no matter how low the payments are. It may be time to consider bankruptcy.

Bankruptcy law evolved as a reaction to the abuses surrounding debtors prison. Before the nineteenth century a prison system existed for those who didn’t pay their bills. If a merchant filed a claim, the debtor was incarcerated until his debts were paid. (Women were not found in debtor’s prison, not because of chivalry but because they did riot have the ability to borrow). The lender was legally responsible for the expenses of the prison stay, including food, but seldom paid. After all, a debtor would have to sue in order to enforce this law, and it was rather difficult to sue when in prison. As a result, many borrowers languished in prison for years, surviving on what their family could bring to them or, in many cases, simply starving to death. Although some lenders would doubtless not object to the renewal of debtor’s prison, fortunately we live in more enlightened times. Bankruptcy was created to provide a second chance (or third, or fourth) to those hopelessly in debt It provides a mechanism to wipe the slate clean and begin anew. As times have changed, though, so has the bankruptcy code. Not all debts can be wiped out. The proceedings can be easily disqualified in the event of improper procedures. There are many things a debtor should know before resorting to bankruptcy.

The Bankruptcy Decision

There are two kinds of individual bankruptcy: Chapter 7 and Chapter 13. Chapter 7 bankruptcy, named for the chapter number in the bankruptcy code, requires a full liquidation of all debts and cancels all no-exempt debts. Chapter 13 bankruptcy is essentially a court-mandated payment plan that sets up affordable monthly payments to your creditors,

The decision to declare bankruptcy is not an easy one. Unfortunately, many bankruptcy attorneys recommend bankruptcy to just about anyone they consult with. All too often frightened consumers are advised to declare bankruptcy just to avoid a few debts. This is a mistake. Bankruptcy should truly be a last resort as the legal system meant it to be. A bankruptcy appears on your credit for ten years, and although lending criteria are slowly changing, many lenders will not even consider an applicant who has had a bankruptcy. What’s more, a Chapter 7 bankruptcy can cost you most of your property. Before making a decision to declare bankruptcy, estimate how bad your situation really is. On a piece of paper, make a list of all your assets and the approximate value they could be sold for. On the other side, add up all of your debts. If the debts exceed the assets by a large percentage, you may wish to consider bankruptcy. On the other hand, if it seems that your situation may improve (you may get a new job or a second income), or if your assets are of greater value or close in value to your debts, a different approach may be appropriate.

Negotiate with your creditors

Explain your situation and ask for more time to pay. If the creditors refuse and continue to threaten garnishment tell them such action would force you into bankruptcy. No creditor wants to hear the “B” word. Using bankruptcy as a threat is a very powerful negotiating tool, confronting creditors with a choice between getting a little each month or probably getting nothing through bankruptcy. Don’t try this tactic on secured creditors. They may decide to repossess your property to avoid having to go through court.

Contact Consumer Credit Counseling

As mentioned earlier in the book, Consumer Credit Counseling is a non-profit group funded by creditors to help consumers negotiate repayment plans. It is often able to negotiate payment arrangements better than the individual because of its constant contact with a variety of creditors. If you can’t negotiate a satisfactory arrangement, give these people a try. Remember, the fact that you are using credit counseling may appear on your credit record.

Consider Chapter 13 bankruptcy

This kind of filing allows you to repay your debts in a court-mandated fashion and will appear on your credit record for only seven years, If negotiations fail or there simply isn’t enough money to make ends meet Chapter 7 bankruptcy may be your only option. Bankruptcy does not necessarily discharge all debts. If your debts are exempt from bankruptcy, filing will do very little to improve your situation. If a co-signer was used, the debt would then be owed by the co-signer, unless that person also declared bankruptcy. In community property states a spouse’s assets and debts would also be included in the bankruptcy, assuming they are community property. Consider all very carefully before deciding to file.

Non-Dischargable Debts – Bills You Have To Pay In Spite Of Bankruptcy

Certain kinds of debt cannot be automatically eliminated by bankruptcy filing. They must meet certain requirements before being eliminated by bankruptcy. If most of your debts are non-dischargeable, bankruptcy may not solve your financial dilemma. The only ways a non-dischargeable debt can be eliminated through bankruptcy are through an exception being granted by the court, a certain period of time transpiring since the debt was due, or because the creditor does not object to the discharging of the debt. Certain debts can only be discharged by an exception. They are:

Recent Student loans

This applies to student loans that became due within the last five years. Any extension of repayment would be added to this time period. Some courts, furthermore, will only discharge payments that are more than five years past due. So if the student loan was due seven years ago and the payments were originally to be made over a five-year period, you would still be responsible for the last three years of payments. The court may also grant an exception to a student loan if it would produce an “undue hardship” for you to pay it. This is rarely granted.

Taxes

Federal, state, and local taxes are not dischargeable for at least three years after you file your tax return. Even if you’ve been tied up in tax court for more than three years, any tax assessed within 240 days of filing for bankruptcy is non-dischargeable. Property taxes are dischargeable if they are over one year late, but the lien against your property is not. The bottom fine is that you can count on the government collecting its tax money eventually.

Child Support and alimony

These can only be discharged in special circumstances, which generally include agreements that have not been court-ordered. If one spouse has agreed to assume more than half of marital debts in exchange for lower support payments, the court may not discharge all debts held by the spouse for bankruptcy. Consult an attorney if this situation applies.

Fines

Neither fines from a court, judge, or government agency nor surcharges, penalties, and restitution, as a general rule, can be discharged in a bankruptcy. The same is true of debts incurred as a result of damage or liability from driving while intoxicated. The debt incurred from intoxicated driving must be established in court and a judgment must be issued by a higher court. Small-claims, traffic, and municipal judgments for intoxicated driving are all dischargeable. Once again, consult an attorney.

Debts not discharged in a previous bankruptcy

If debts from a previous bankruptcy have been found non-dischargeable, they cannot be discharged in a later bankruptcy.

Debts not listed on your bankruptcy petition

If you do not include a debt on your petition, it will not be discharged. Many people filing bankruptcy keep one or more credit lines with small balances or no balance out of the bankruptcy proceeding to preserve part of their credit resources. Another strategy is to reaffirm debts on the condition that credit continues to be offered. The creditor, confronted with a choice between collecting nothing and maintaining your credit, will sometimes choose the latter. Be very careful when reaffirming debt. You are not obligated to and you should have a new written agreement spelling out all of the new conditions.

Other kinds of non-dischargeable debts can be discharged immediately if the creditor does not object If the creditor objects, these debts will be judged by the court to be either dischargeable or non-dischargeable. The creditor can ask that the debts not be discharged if they claim the following conditions existed:

The debt was acquired by Intentionally fraudulent behavior

Fraud in this case is any dishonest act used to obtain credit. Claiming to be someone you are not, or borrowing money when you have no means or intention of repaying it, would be clear-cut examples of fraud. Not disclosing certain relevant facts could also be construed as fraud. If you make a promise and intend to keep it and believe you will be able to keep it, that is not fraud. Creditors tend to be paranoid and believe everyone is defrauding them, so this excuse for non-discharge is often used by creditor’s attorneys.

Debts Incurred as a Result of False Written Statements

A blatantly false credit application would qualify. The inaccurate statement must be an important fact and one that the creditor relied on in order for the debt to be judged non-dischargeable. A misspelled name or minor error would not render a debt non-dischargeable. Drastically overstating income or misrepresent a job title would be considered fraudulent.

Fraudulent usage

If you charge “luxury goods or services” in an amount over $500 within 40 days before filing bankruptcy, the debt is likely to be deemed non-dischargeable. The same is true if cash advances are obtained fewer than twenty days before declaring bankruptcy. A lot of small charges, made to avoid pre-clearance, would also be considered fraudulent if you were over your credit limit or obviously unable to pay.

Debts resulting from illegal or malicious acts, embezzlement, larceny, or breach of fiduciary Responsibility

Any money owed because of illegal acts such as embezzlement (taking property left in your safekeeping), larceny (theft), or the failure to fulfill your duties as a trustee can be non-dischargeable. The court will usually de a definition of fiduciary responsibility.

Once you’ve examined your debts and determined what is dischargeable and what is not, you can determine whether bankruptcy would enhance your current financial situation. There are several other things you should know before you decide whether to file.

Exempt Assets

A common misconception about bankruptcy is that you lose everything you own to satisfy your debts. In fact, the court will allow you to keep many things essential to your well being, and perhaps even a little bit more. Although there is a federal exemption law, only in states and the District of Columbia allow you to use it These states let you choose between the state and federal exemption laws. The in states are:

Connecticut
Hawaii
Massachusetts

Michigan
Minnesota
New Jersey
New Mexico
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
Texas
Washington

Wisconsin
Vermont

The other states require a person declaring bankruptcy to use state exemptions.

Here are some examples of things that may be exempt, depending on the state in which the petition is filed.

Personal effects
Furniture
Cars (up to a certain amount of equity)
Tools of a trade
Equity m a residence (sometimes the entire residence)
Clothes
Household goods
Books
Jewelry

One very interesting exemption is the homestead exemption. When John Connally, the former governor of Texas, declared bankruptcy a few years ago, many people were surprised that he was allowed to keep his huge mansion, valued at several million dollars. Texas has a homestead exemption that allows anyone petitioning bankruptcy to keep up to one acre in an urban area or 100 acres in a rural area, regardless of value. The ex-governor may have had a very good attorney, but many other states also offer homestead exemptions.

One bankruptcy strategy is to sell non-exempt property before bankruptcy and convert it into exempt property. For example, a Texas resident might sell non-exempt assets and use the proceeds to pay off the home mortgage on her homesteaded property. You would almost certainly want to consult an attorney before attempting this kind of transfer of assets, however, since the court could very easily view such action as an abuse of the bankruptcy laws.

Even if a certain amount of equity is exempt, your creditors can often sell the asset to recover any excess equity you may have. If you own a car worth $10,000, for example, and you only owe $5,000 on it and your state exemption is $1,200, the creditor can sell the car and give you $1,200. Some states allow ‘Wildcard” exemptions that can be used to cover the difference.

Knowing which debts are dischargeable and what the law allows a petitioner to keep, a rational decision can be made whether to file for bankruptcy. If you do choose to file, there are several ways of going about it-as well as several pitfalls to avoid.

Taking Action

When you’ve decided to take action you can begin the filing process. If creditors are knocking on the door and repossession, foreclosure, or garnishment is just around the comer, it may be wise to consider using an emergency filing to obtain an automatic stay. An automatic stay stops creditors from taking any further action until the case goes before a bankruptcy judge. Unlike a bankruptcy filing, which usually contains several pages of information an emergency filing is only one page long and contains a list of your creditors. The rest of the petition has to be filed within fourteen days or the case is dropped. The court will send notices of the pending bankruptcy to the creditors listed, who must cease all further collection action. If they do not cease, send them copies of the automatic stay and request that all further collection action cease. A creditor can ask that the automatic stay be lifted, allowing him to continue collection action. Only a landlord trying to evict you from a rented dwelling will usually prevail, unless there is a long-term lease involved. If you are renting on a long-term lease, which could be considered an asset, the landlord may have to wait for a formal @g in order to evict YOU.

Once the wolves are at bay, another decision will need to be made: whether to hire a bankruptcy attorney. Attorneys, as we all know, are expensive. In the case of a complicated bankruptcy, however, they can be invaluable. If you have quite a bit of property or valuables, if you are trying to move money from non-exempt to exempt assets, if your creditors try to make your debts non-dischargeable because of fraud, or if there are any other complications, you may wish to hire an experienced bankruptcy attorney. Shop around. Don’t be afraid to negotiate. Ask a lot of questions and talk to several attorneys before you make your decision.

If you have a very simple bankruptcy or can’t afford an attorney, invest $15 in a good do-it-yourself bankruptcy book. It will give in-depth information not covered in this chapter. Typing services am also available to type up bankruptcy forms. They are reasonably priced and, in the case of a very simple bankruptcy, can take the place of an attorney. If your case is complicated and you can’t afford an attorney, do your own research. Read a consumer bankruptcy manual first and then consult a good legal library. There are several legal guides devoted strictly to bankruptcy. Once you or your attorney have prepared your case, you’re ready for formal work.

The Filing Process

All the appropriate papers can be obtained from your local bankruptcy court. Consult the yellow pages under Government Services (usually in the beginning of the book) for an address and phone number. The court allows you fourteen days from the date of an emergency filing to complete the formal process. If Chapter 7 bankruptcy is being filed, you will need to send in the following forms after you have received them from the court:

Statement of Financial Affairs.

Schedule of Current Income and Current Expenditures.

A schedule describing your debts.

A schedule describing your property.

A schedule listing exempt property.

A summary of the above schedules.

Statement of Intention in regard to your secured property and what you intend to do with it

Statement of Executory Contracts describing contract that will need to be fulfilled, such as auto leases.

Bankruptcy Petition cover sheet.

Mailing addresses of all creditors.

Any required local forms.

A fee will also be assessed, usually $90, due at the time of filing. The court will usually accept installments of a four-month period. An application for installments must accompany the petition.

After your petition is filed, a meeting of the creditors will be arranged. The court appoints a trustee to preside over the meeting and to be responsible for the liquidation of assets. With most smaller bankruptcies, only the person filing and the trustee will attend. The trustee, who is usually a local attorney, will ask several questions about the information on the bankruptcy documents. Call and ask the court clerk what papers you will need to bring (usually financial statements or sometimes even tax returns). If a lot of property is involved, especially if it is nonexempt, property, your creditors may show up to protest any exemptions. They may also attempt to grill you about your intent to pay the bill or about lying on your application. Answer truthfully and there shouldn’t be a problem.

If the creditors’ attorneys become abusive, demand a hearing before the bankruptcy judge before the proceeding goes any further. If the creditors object to any of your exemptions, they have 30 days after the creditor’s meeting to file an objection with the court. The court will schedule a hearing and you will be given the opportunity to respond, although you don’t have to. A creditor may also try to claim a debt as non-dischargeable because of fraudulent acts, a @ or malicious act, or embezzlement or theft. He can only accomplish this if he successfully raises the objection within sixty days of the creditors’ meeting. To defend yourself, you or your attorney will have to file a written response and be prepared to argue your case in court.

Once all the requirements have been met and your intentions have been made clear, the court can declare the bankruptcy discharged. No formal hearing will be held unless you have chosen to reaffirm your debt in which case the judge will want to be sure that you understand what you are doing. After this time, provided the creditors do not raise any objections, the dischargeable debts are erased.

Picking Up The Pieces

Bankruptcy was once the lowest disgrace that could befall someone. Today, however, it is commonplace. Corporations declare bankruptcy to get out of contracts or avoid legal judgments. Individuals rely on it to protect them from a society that extends credit too quickly.

Bankruptcy does not mean that you will automatically be denied all credit for ten years. In fact, many firms look at bankruptcy as a responsible way of discharging debts when there is no other way out. Creditors fear bankruptcy, but they also realize that if they lend to someone who has declared bankruptcy, they need not worry about another bankruptcy for seven more years (you can only file once every seven years). If you happen to have a good explanation for the bankruptcy, such as medical bills, divorce, or some other catastrophic event, a creditor may be willing to overlook it and extend credit. Ask potential creditors about their policy toward bankruptcies. Their responses may be surprising.

Darryl Power over 3 years in online marketing, 1 year in Pay-Per-Click advertising and 7 years of business management.

http://www.home-grownventures.com

 
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In a world where people use credit as much as they drink water, it is no surprise that so many people need debt consolidation loans. Debt consolidation loans sound like a good way of getting your debt cleaned up, but are they? If you need help getting out of debt, consider all your options before choosing. You will be surprised to learn what is available to help you.

Whether you need to consolidate medical bills or maybe just credit card debt consolidation, finding the right option is easy when you know how. First you need to find out what types of loans you qualify for. If you own a home and have some equity in it, you may be able to cash that out into a home equity loan. This is a good option if you have a good relationship with your current lender and have enough equity to cover the loan amount.

Other types of loans, or consolidation loans, can be helpful as well. You can find free debt consolidation companies out there that will help you, but don’t be fooled into believing these companies won’t charge you something. Often times there are fees to pay. Another consideration isn’t a loan at all. Non profit debt consolidation is a program for those who need help getting out. Often times, these companies can lower or eliminate your credit card interest rates because they have a relationship with your creditors. Most of the time, you set up a fixed amount of money that they take from your checking account monthly. This amount is what they have lowered your credit card monthly fees to. It is all of your accounts in one. Usually, this amount will pay off your bills within a certain amount of months assuming that you pay them monthly.

Whatever method you choose, find some information out online or through your local banks and lenders. There are many companies competing for your business.

Once you have the information you can make a decision that is good for you and your lender.

About The Author

Mike Yeager, Publisher

http://www.a1-loans-4u.com/

mjy610@hotmail.com

 
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When you love someone, you want to see them happy even if you are not around. Now there are a few reasons to consider buying life insurance but by far the most common motive for doing so is to see that the ones you love are taken care of financially once we pass. At the time of our passing, death benefits are paid to our beneficiaries. But, it is a also very true that many of purchase life insurance early on in our lives and usually after bringing children into the world. As we grow older and we create a more solid financial footing, the actual need for a life insurance settlement is reduced. After all, the kids are all grown up and we have grown wiser and have generally built a retirement portfolio that should leave our loved ones on firm footing after we pass.

Since the need for life insurance settlements decreases as we age, the temptation to cancel that policy grows. Now should we cancel, the company will pay you what is known as a “surrender value” in return for all those years we paid into the life insurance policy but never collected. But this surrender value is nowhere near the actual value of your policy after years, oftentimes decades, of paying into policy. This is why you should not consider the surrender value as your best option when canceling your life insurance policy. In truth,life settlement(also known as a senior settlement) is many times the best option for anyone cashing in their life insurance policy.

Now you may be scratching your head and wonder just what exactly these life settlements are and how they are the better way to go. Senior settlements are the result of you selling your life insurance policy to another party which may be a bank or some kind of financial institution that deals in such transactions. In return for the death benefits paid out in a life insurance settlement, a company entering into a life settlement will pay you a percentage of those total benefits when you sell your policy to them. Although they may only pay you perhaps 50% of the total amount of those death benefits, this is still a larger figure than what you would receive from the life insurance company in any surrender value transaction. How and why do they do these life settlement companies do this?

Although the surrender value of a life insurance policy usually includes all the money you paid in premiums over the years, the fact remains that it does not usually include the interest made off of those premiums over the years. Businesses that offer you the senior life settlement option are trying to make money from those death benefits but they know that they have to offer you more than the surrender value that the life insurance company is offering or else you have no incentive to do business with them. This is why they are willing to give you more of the real value of your life insurance policy than the insurance company. And, since there are numerous companies dealing in life settlements to choose from, you can shop around and find the best deal whereas the life insurance company will only give you the surrender value of the policy and no more.

So basically, an owner of a life insurance policy has a valuable commodity. The life insurance company will not make as much money if it has to pay the death benefits on a life insurance settlement so they are happy to see you cancel the policy and refund your premiums because they have made money off of your money for years. A life settlement company wants you policy because they see the potential for profit but are more motivated to give you top dollar for your policy than the insurance company. Clearly, the chances are pretty good that seeking a senior settlement is often going to be more profitable for you than any surrender value offered by the life insurance company. So, if you are considering terminating your life insurance, realize the value of that policy and check into senior settlements because you might be very amazed at the just how valuable your policy truly is and make more money in the process.

Learn more about Life Settlements at
Insurance Settlement Review

Jim Prescott, CPA business consultant for over 30 years specializing in small and medium size businesses that range from closely held to publicly traded companies. Jim is a Partner in CPA firm Prescott Chatellier Fontaine & Wilkinson, LLP that offers audit, accounting, investment advice, tax planning services, estate plans, pension plans consulting and insurance advice.
In addition to the CPA firm’s web site Prescott Chatellier Fontaine & Wilkinson, LLP you can find more information and Articles on Life Settlements at Insurance Settlement Review.com

 
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Most of us are aware of the credit score – a numerical quantity widely used to assess your credit worthiness. But there’s another scoring tool that can debar you from getting credit. It’s the Bankruptcy Risk Score – a supplementary score that most creditors and lenders scrutinize prior to offering credit.

Personal bankruptcy seems to be a major consumer credit problem for lenders and credit providers. Since creditors cannot recover losses due to bankruptcy without litigation, so consumers filing bankruptcy are more costly for them. The year 2005 has experienced record number of bankruptcy filings – at least 31.6% higher than 2004 prior to the new law coming into effect.

But the new law has hardly helped debtors. Reports suggest that only 3.3% of the debtors could get rid off debts using debt management plans. The mandatory credit counseling sessions under the new law proved useful to only a maximum of 5% and minimum of 1%-2% of the filers. Here lies the need for Bankruptcy Risk Score to make debtors more aware of how much credit they can deal with. On the other hand, creditors and lenders get the extra edge over traditional scores, as they are better informed of the consumers’ credit status. This helps them in making credit decisions accordingly.

Creditors assess the score when you apply for a mortgage, a credit card or any other bank card. Before extending credit, banks may also review the score while checking your accounts. Banks need to maintain a standard capital-to-risk ratio, and Bankruptcy score enables them to evaluate the risk within their portfolio. A combination of your credit score and spending habits (how you use credit card, shopping card, etc) helps in the evaluation.

You may be looking for a single loan, either a mortgage or an auto loan. But multiple lenders may ask you for the credit report. In order to make up for this, while determining the Bankruptcy score, multiple auto or mortgage inquiries are taken as a single inquiry. Over applying for credit also matters a lot as far as this score is concerned.

Bankruptcy Risk Score Vs FICO Score

Unlike the FICO credit score that gives a general overview of your credit history, the Bankruptcy Risk Score highlights your chances of getting bankrupt. The score varies from -200 to 2018, with the most ranging between 0 – 1000. Higher score indicates greater risk of filing bankruptcy. This is in contrast to the FICO scoring model where a low score implies there is higher risk in offering credit.

With Bankruptcy Risk Scores, creditors can:

  • Supervise existing portfolios
  • Decide upon the initial credit limit
  • Raise or lower the existing credit limits.
  • Determine the collateral requirements for mortgages and other secured loans.
  • Identify lower and higher risk debtors and then offer loan programs as per their payment ability.

Bankruptcy scores are not available to consumers, only the creditors are informed about it by credit reporting agencies. However, the credit reporting agency, Experian has decided to provide consumers with such scores, knowing which consumers can anticipate debt problems and thus be more cautious. Experian has also compiled the following list of states with higher bankruptcy scores.

Texas

Nevada

New Mexico

Louisiana

Arizona

With a high bankruptcy score, you can hardly get credit at some of the best rates prevailing in the market. Just like you go for a credit repair in order to raise your FICO score, you should look forward to different means of improving the bankruptcy score.
Here are some easy-to-follow steps to guide you in the process.

Pay your bills in time:
Late payments or missed payments create a negative impact on the bankruptcy risk score. Other factors affecting the score are accounts being referred to collection agencies, repossessions or an already declared bankruptcy. You can avoid such situations by using automated payment system which helps you to pay in time. You may also check out with the credit reporting agencies for any error or dispute in your credit report.
Maintain a low debt balance:
Keeping a low debt balance, that is, a low balance-to-limit ratio is necessary. Using up a credit card beyond the limit affects your score. But you can have multiple cards with minimum balance on each. And, in case you have indeed crossed your credit limit, you may consult the creditor for an alternative repayment plan.

Open accounts only when required:
It’s better not to open several accounts within a very short period of time. This can lower both your credit score as well as Bankruptcy score. Credit report statistics show that an individual applying for new credit 6 times in the past 1 year is 8 times more likely to file bankruptcy than others are.

Bankruptcy score depicts whether you will be bankrupt, delinquent or go through a charge off in future. With this score, analysis of your credit history becomes more precise with creditors being well-informed of your credit status. While creditors and lenders can judge your credit worthiness better, you too can decide as to whether you can afford to manage debts, provided you know your score.

Jessica Bennet is a financial writer associated with the MortgageFit Community. With her knowledge and experience, she has made a mark in writing and advising on all financial issues. Her guidance and support has helped us in building up a strong Community where all the members contribute towards industry development.

 
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Who are these people anyway? They viciously harass you and call you bad names. They embarrass you beyond belief by leaving detailed messages with your neighbors and at your workplace. In extreme cases, they have been known to stalk you!

Debt collection agencies are hired by your creditors to do their dirty work. If they get you to pay, the debt collector usually gets a percentage of what you owe, plus added fees. Some debt collection agencies buy your debt from the creditor for a low fee and attempt to collect double and sometimes triple what you owe on your original debt by attaching high penalties, interest and other processing fees.

Basically, debt collectors make a living trying to scare and intimidate you into paying your bills. They don’t care that your finances are in limbo because you have recently divorced or that your employer informed you in the eleventh hour that you were being laid-off. All debt collectors care about is that they will get a slice of the pieif you pay.

Debt collectors convince themselves that you are a deadbeat, sitting on a stack of cash and refusing to pay. By painting a negative mental picture of you in their mind, they feel justified harassing you into paying a delinquent bill. Most debt collectors are just downright mean, nasty, heartless individuals who make a living scaring “the pants off” of people who are simply broke and trying to survive.

One lady reported that after she vehemently tried to explain to an unrelenting debt collector that she was recently divorced, underemployed and didn’t have the money to pay the $12,000 credit card bill her ex-husband left her, the debt collector replied, “Look, fat lady, it’s obvious that you could stand to skip a few meals. Just send me your food bill for one week to wipe out this debt!” The lady was horrifiednot so much by his remarks because she was accustomed to the debt collector being rude to her on the phonebut by his comment regarding her size. How did he know she was overweight? Had he been stalking her?

Debt collectors use many tactics to research you, especially if you owe a large debt. Remember, their livelihood depends on how many people they can get to pay overdue billsthe bigger the debt, the bigger their payoff.

Despite what debt collectors believe, most people are not faced with buying a ticket to Tahiti versus paying their credit card bill. People who are broke find themselves faced with real-life problems like putting food on the table versus paying a credit card bill!

Keep in mind that debt collectors are no different than you are. As the saying goes, “they put their pants on one leg at a time.” They cannot physically harm you and the mental abuse they throw at you can be easily avoided (visit www.brokemansurvivalguide.com)

A.M. Harris is he author of The Broke Man’s Survival Guide: 50 Clever Strategies to Use When You Are Unemployed, Underpaid or Just Dead Broke and Can’t Pay Your Bills. Visit http://www.brokemansurvivalguide.com for more information.

 

September 28, 2008

Making Backwards Choices

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I was reading this past week about a woman who lost 170 lbs in 9 months by eating backwards. She had breakfast for dinner and dinner for breakfast. She lost the weight without leaning on a typical diet plan. Her result, losing 170lbs, has lasted ten years. It’s not so much the weight loss that caught my attention, but the fact that she took responsibility for change in her life.

This now size 1 woman didn’t go on a diet, she made a lifestyle change. Diet is a bad word. It represents a temporary nutritional change that will require sacrifice and results that are often unsatisfactory and short lived. She made up her own solution, and that’s why it worked for her. Chasing down someone else’s ideas is rarely effective. We are more likely to be successful when it is our own plan.

What is your plan? What do you want to change? If you have been craving something new, different, better, but find yourself mired in the same spot you started in, maybe you would consider making some backwards choices? Identify a few areas in your life you expect something greater that what is right now.

One important place to make changes in your life is in the financial arena. Are you paying yourself first? Preparing for your future? Spending within your means? Our typical mindset is to spend what we have, or more likely, spend more than we have through loans and credit cards. We live paycheck to paycheck because that is the choice we have made.

I encourage us to make some new choices. Take responsibility for where we are, and decide where we want to be. Then all it takes is a plan, a few backwards choices, and watch how quickly we find ourselves in a new and better place.

As a structured settlement recipient, you can make some backwards choices by cashing out your annuity. Instead of waiting for the settlement to pay out over time, you can get the money you want and need sooner. Consider carefully any financial choice you make, and seek expert advice. If you want the best, you have to seek it out. Whether you are trying to lose weight, or regain control of your finances, sometimes making backwards choices can get you going in the right direction.

Jason Rigler
Financial coach for structured settlement recipients
and lottery winners.
http://www.whataremypaymentsworth.com

 
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It makes no difference if you live in Midwest City Oklahoma or in Danville Virginia a beneficial online inspection will unbosom you often lots of ail. A moneylender in Huntington West Virginia or so can have a total totally different actual loan rate for a 17500 dollar money loan then a bank in Albany New York and that makes a big clear gap in your yearly pay backs. now you really need to check out and ascertain if you can have a credit loan at a good percent interest rate. of the merchant banks wil show you a rate of interest that looks honest but feels poorly or so after a while. 5.5 percent rate may seem so clean but will it stay invariant after you have to redeem your loan. At this present you can check up on rates of interest quickly at websites and examine if there are other possible traps you should know about.

The Dutch translation says: Woon je in Venlo of Heeze-Leende en hebt u BKR verleden. Lenen met BKR is nog nooit zo eenvoudig geweest. Verwen jezelf met een andere auto met geld lenen met negatieve bkr vermelding, 369222 euro is geen enkel probleem om te lenen. Van Heusden tot Bergeijk, geld lenen met een BKR notering gaat hier altijd.

Be clever today to examine if you have a bargain or if you don’t with the merchant bank that offers you a money loan. Check up to see if the merchant bank who is willing to give you a loan is ok.

 
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Left unchecked, one of the worst feelings in the world is opening a credit card statement that you know you have no chance of making the minimum repayment, let alone paying off the entire balance. Times such as these are stressful and if ongoing can cause you serious personal and financial problems. As such, dealing with credit card debt is vital. Here are a few useful tips:

Your Credit Limit

Number 1 in any understanding of your card is that your credit limit is just that, a limit not a target. In other words, while it is easy to understand why people max-out their credit cards in the first month, you need to always remember that your limit is that maximum you can use and not the amount you must use. Moreover, you should always be honest with yourself and ask yourself from time to time whether or not you genuinely believe, given your current financial position, you can repay your credit card debt. If you feel that your credit card debt is becoming overwhelming, talk with your card provider about decreasing your card limit. Keep in mind that you can always increase the limit again should things become financially more secure.

Your Credit Card APR

The APR you are paying on your credit card will be affected by what your credit rating score is. Keep this in mind and try and make sure you always keep the interest payable on your outstanding balance to a minimum by ensuring that you keep a good credit rating.

Your Credit Card Statement

If you have become afraid to receive a credit card statement then you may be equally afraid to read your credit card statement. However, this is possibly the most important time for you to be reading the statement as you may be being charged extras, such as late payment fees, which increase your account amount and thus you minimum monthly repayment amount. If you are making the wrong minimum monthly repaying as a result of what you guess the amount should be you are liable to be charged additional fees. And do the spiral continues.

Dealing with credit card debt is all about knowing how much you have to repay and how much you have available on your balance. This does not mean, however, that just because you made a repayment you have to use the credit card again the next month. Ideally you’ll make a repayment and not use the card again for a while. If you are using your credit card to sustain your day to day living then the time may have come for you to consider a consultation with a financial consultant to seek other ways to manage your credit card debt so that you can get things back on track.

Joe Kenny writes for Credit Card Guide, offering the latest information on credit cards in the UK, visit them today us to apply for a balance transfer credit card and start clearing credit card debt today. Visit today: www.cardguide.co.uk/

 
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