Part 2 from a 2 part series of articles 10 Things Bankruptcy Court Won’t Tell You
6. Don’t settle with Mom first or fudge the condo in Boca. Many debtors naturally want to pay back friends and family before filing for bankruptcy. Yet that can be a big mistake. Any money repaid to “insiders”—including relatives, friends and acquaintances, or business partners—within a year of bankruptcy is recoverable by the trustee. If the recipient doesn’t voluntarily return it, the trustee has the power to sue. A more serious infraction involves trying to hide assets from the court. So don’t even think about giving your Harley to your brother— or selling it for cheap—to protect it from creditors. Bankruptcy filers must list everything they’ve sold, transferred or given away over the past two years. And nothing can be transferred, given away or sold for less than market value. There are many ways bankruptcy “fudgers” get caught. Spurned lovers or creditors often turn them in. I recall a case in which a lawyer read in the paper that a bankruptcy filer he’d represented a few years back was selling property. Turns out the filer had hidden the house from the court. He lost his bankruptcy discharge, letting creditors come after him again. Liars can also wind up in jail for perjury.
7. Better save up before you file. This spring, Mary Smith realized she was in over her head. The entrepreneur from Long Beach, Calif., had incurred more debt than expected launching her business and wanted to explore the possibility of bankruptcy. Yet once she started pricing lawyers’ services, Smith realized she couldn’t afford to file Chapter 7. Lawyers suggested she borrow the money from family and friends. “I was so hurt by that,” says Smith, who hasn’t even told some of her loved ones about her situation. She’s hoping to file with the help of a legal-services nonprofit. Lawyers in Chapter 7 cases generally request payment up front; otherwise, their fees would be discharged during the bankruptcy process along with other debt. (In Chapter 13, part of the lawyers’ fees become part of the payment plan.) Consumers seeking advice can visit the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys to find a knowledgeable attorney nearby. There are usually ‘pro bono’ forums at the bankruptcy court, and we offer periodical clinics as well for local people in need.
8. Just because your bills stop coming, after filing bankruptcy, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t pay them. Not only does filing for bankruptcy stop collection calls, but most bills stop coming too. That’s because the courts immediately file an injunction that prohibits collection actions against the debtor or his property. But that doesn’t mean debtors are suddenly released from payment obligations for secured possessions they want to keep—that’s legal lingo for anything bought with collateral, like a car or house. During Chapter 7 proceedings, which usually last about four to six months, you must remember to pay for what you want to keep in the absence of a bill. (In Chapter 13, those bills are folded into the payment plan the court establishes.) Besides the house and car, secured possessions could also include an engagement ring or other jewelry. Debtors must decide to “reaffirm”—that is, keep and stay current on—any secured debt before all other debts are eliminated in bankruptcy. To do that, in the absence of a bill, contact the party you send payment to. For example, those with Chase auto loans should call the company for logistical (not legal) guidance, says a Chase spokesperson.
9. Timing is everything. When you owe more than you own, it’s time to consult a lawyer. But that doesn’t mean bankruptcy is necessarily the next step. It’s often best to wait until you think the worst is over, because if you file prematurely, you’ll likely incur more debt, which won’t be included in the bankruptcy discharge. For example, those facing hospitalization may want to postpone until that’s behind them. And for Chapter 7 filers who stand to lose their home, holding off on filing can maximize the time living in the residence without making mortgage payments. To do this, wait until the eve of foreclosure to file for bankruptcy, but don’t do this without legal advice. On the other hand, there are situations in which it’s best not to wait. Those with no hope of repaying debt often have little to gain by postponing. In such cases, it’s usually better to bite the bullet sooner rather than later.
10. Bankruptcy doesn’t have to be the end of the world. There’s nothing easy about bankruptcy. It can be especially hard for middle-class filers who face a swift and unexpected slide down the socioeconomic ladder. And those who file for medical reasons suffer the double burden of health problems and financial distress. An important part of the coping process, mental-health professionals say, involves acknowledging the normal feelings of depression, fear and anger that often accompany bankruptcy. But many people emerge from it stronger than they expected. It helps that bankruptcy has become more widespread these days, lessening its stigma. Before she filed, Johnson, the Georgia entrepreneur, dreaded the process and worried about how it would leave her. “I thought I’d be living in a double-wide,” she says. Instead, she parlayed her marketing skills into a deal on a new rental when she lost her home in Chapter 7. (She offered to market the subdivision in exchange for a lower rent.) She lost her old Chevy but got a bargain on a used Jaguar. More rewarding than these material comforts, Johnson says, was that she emerged from bankruptcy with her friends, her family and her faith intact. Indeed, support networks often make all the difference in helping people cope with bankruptcy, counselors say, so don’t be ashamed to reach out.
