If you have too much credit card debt, excessive medical bills, pending lawsuits, a garnishment of your paycheck or your creditors or collection agencies are harassing you we can help!
Bankruptcy is one of the legal services offered by our office. Our job is to get you out from under burdensome debt. Nat will personally meet with you and review the issues which have caused your financial problems and formulate a solution to get the fresh start you need under Chapter 7 of the bankruptcy code.
Under Chapter 7 bankruptcy you can protect/keep certain assets under the federal or state exemptions. In the majority of cases debtors will not lose assets/property and get a fresh start from their overwhelming medical, credit card and unsecured debts.
There are certain exceptions where you are not protected by the filing of a bankruptcy petition. These include: prosecution of a criminal charge and certain other domestic support obligations including payment of child support.
We will review all the information that is needed to prepare your case for filing. After your bankruptcy petition is prepared and readied for filing, you will come to our office to review and sign your petition and to complete your first credit counseling session. Your case will then be filed electronically with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee in Greeneville, Tennessee. You will be assigned a case number and at that point you are protected by Federal law. The Bankruptcy Court will give all your creditors and/or collection agencies notice of the filing of your case and at that point:
- Letters and phone calls from creditors or debt collectors must cease
- Creditors may not repossess personal property such as motor vehicles, furnishings, etc.
- Pending lawsuits are stopped immediately
- Garnishments are stopped
- Your creditors and/or collection agencies are prohibited from harassing you over your debts.
You will be required to attend a 341 Meeting of Creditors in Greeneville, Tennessee and appear before a bankruptcy Trustee. Nat will attend this meeting with you and will have you come into the office prior to this meeting to prepare you for the questions the Trustee will ask and the forms of identification you will be required to show the Trustee.
Prior to the 341 Meeting of Creditors you must complete your second credit counseling session. Your certificate of completion will be filed with the bankruptcy Court. Your case will then be ready for discharge after approximately 60 days. Once you receive your discharge, your creditors are prohibited from ever trying to collect the debt again.
In general, individuals can file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy every eight (8) years.
Please give us a call today to begin your journey to a fresh start. Your consultation will be FREE.