I am considering bankruptcy and live in Tennessee.  Please tell me how this worked out for you?
353378
Don't do it if you can avoid it in any way. Your credit will be shot for a very long time. (not to mention it isn't a very upstanding way to settle your debts)
851962
Talk with an attorney.  There might be a way you could still come out of bankruptcy with something left.  You didn't say why you want to go bankrupt.  Do you owe more than $65,000?  If there is a way that you can not file bankruptcy then I suggest that you do not file for bankruptcy.  Do you have relatives you could live with if you lose the house?  Usually if you have a lien then any money that's taken from your pay or from what has been sold that you own first goest to paying the lien on the house.  Debts on the other hand, well you can go to Consulter Credit Counseling who can remove the interest, close your accounts, and help you pay down those bills if you have a job.  Right now there are a lot of part time jobs so you can get a second job for the holiday season and don't buy anything more.  Cut off your cable, get rid of your cell phones, and if things get really tight then sell your expensive car if you have one and get a clunker for a while till you recover.  If there are others in your family they could get jobs too.  And, if you can still have the house for a while longer then maybe you can rent out a room by the week (ask for church attenders who need a room to stay over the holidays).  But first you need to figure out how much time you have left on the house before it goes into foreclosure.  Best of luck to you.
712537
Okay, I'd say bankruptcy is in order.\nTrust me, I know what I'm talking about from unfortunate experience!!\nI was in a position where I was consuming more than I was providing...happened over a course of a year, while hours at work slowly disappeared and my lifestyle stayed the same...\nI was young enough, that although it's a black mark on my record for years, it's not the end all for me.  \nYou will not owe if you go bankrupt.  You will pay fees for nine months or so, then will have nothing more to pay.  But your credit will be bad, and so you'll have to depend on a steady job and a consistent cash flow for 7-9 years (or perhaps even longer).  I'd see a bankruptcy lawyer if I were you ( I found mine in the yellow pages), and get this started.  There's no point in waiting any further.  \nGet it over with, and if you aren't so young, there are still places willing to give anyone a loan.  "Bad Credit, No Credit, NO PROBLEM!!" They will have hefty interest though, so pay the bills on time!!\nAnyway, good luck....
1081489
At first yes, I did feel helpless.  I mean I am a single mom and its hard enough making ends meet.  But you learn to make adjustments in other financial aspects to accommodate the rising gas prices. I totally understand where you are coming from, but we have to deal with it right? I guess we don't have to-but what else are we going to do? Just like you said, would we rather be able to provide for our families and end up getting bitten in the but because of the financial struggle or get fired or quit and live off of the state for the rest of our lives? I guess for me, I am way to proud to have to live off of the state the rest of my life, therefore I deal with the rising prices in EVERYTHING.  I hope all works well for you!
668619
How about develop a plan to get out of debt and not file bankruptcy?  Bankruptcy doesn't solve the problem.  Many people that file bankruptcy just end up in debt a few years later because they didn't address the problems that caused them to go into debt.  \n\nFor most people, the problem is just not managing their money well.  \n\nI would suggest you checkout Dave Ramsey (see link below).  He teaches a course (Financial Peace University) that has helped thousands of people get out of debt and manage their money better.  \n\nMy wife and I went through this course 2 years ago and it changed our lives.  We're now debt free and helping others (by teaching the course) do the same.
147822
Hey, I've been following your line of questioning.  You seem to be in a tight situation.  I don't want to sound like I'm lecturing you but there are many great books out there to help you in your situation.  You might try Suze Orman, she is a guru on personal finance and getting some tips from her books will save you $loot$!  \nI was in your same situation, I went to school and got lots of debt trying to get my M.S. as well.  I even filed for bankruptcy.  Even when you do that it is not over.  I learned a big lesson on personal finance that way.  I now have a 728 credit score, I own 3 houses, one credit card with a $13000 limit (i never carry a balance over), I lease a $38000 car with no downpayment, and can get financed anywhere I want, if I had to.  Plus, that bankruptcy is still visible on my Credit report (it was almost 5 yrs ago).  Hopefully you will never have to do that. \nAll I'm saying is, stick with it.  Don't let other people tell you it's really bad where you are.  It is going to get better, it is just going to take some time.  If I were you, I would keep renting, especially if you have some debt you need to take care of. UNLESS you are going to get into income property, such as a duplex, that pays for itself b/c of the tenant's rent pymnt.  You are doing the right thing and getting the facts about how to overcome your current status.  \nYou really should call the company about your above question.  When lenders get the sheet on you, they look at the money you owe.  If you owe twice as much as you really owe it is going to look horrible.  One of my reports said I owed the Dept. of Education twice the amount of my school loan!  Can you imagine?  Over $80K!  That looked real bad.  It really doesn't matter if it is a duplicate, lenders only care about the amt. you owe against the amt. you earn.  \n\nGood luck friend!  If you ever have any questions or advice about personal finance I am willing to share with you what I did or read to do it, I really like to help people with finances.  I'm not a guru just a real person with a similar background.\nqumungis@yahoo.com
880305
if they wont work out a forebearance agreement,then contact a bankruptcy lawyer, call HUD now!!!! you nedd to prepare to move in case.....good luck
681927
The best advice I have for you is to call your attorney!!!  However, it is possible to change your plan payments, especially if there have been changes in your income or expenses (like higher utility and gas prices) The attorney who filed for you should be able to assist you with this.  And they can usually just put their additional fee for changing things back into the plan.  \nOr, you could do what I did.  I asked for a three month waiver of payments to get me back on my feel when gas prices were really bad.  I went through my attorney to do this, but have heard of people going directly through the trustee as well.  Contact your attorney or the trustee on how to go about doing this.  You will have to extend your plan for how many months you asked for the waiver though.  But that extra money can really help you get caught up. \nWith the new bankruptcy laws, if you can afford to pay at least 100 dollars a month in payments, then the courts will not let you file Chapter 7.  Therefore, you may not be able to convert your Chapter 13 to Chapter 7.  So, your best bet would be to ask for the restructuring of your payments or for the waiver.\nIf you try to restucture you payment plan, make sure you list everything you spend money on in your budget.  Include at least 200-300 a month in food for a single person.  Also include all expenses for over the counter medications, pet supplies and pet doctor expenses (if you own a pet), estimated amount you will spend on car upkeep and repair, estimated amount on gas for your car, entertainment, cable, cell phone, internet fees, house repairs, clothing and ect.  Always estimate to the highest, but don't out and out lie because that would be a crime.  I took what each of these things would cost me in a year and divided it by 12 for my monthly amount.  My hubby and I make around 55,000 a year and only have to pay around 300 bucks a month into our plan!!!
628859
Depends on 1) how long ago the bankruptcy was 2) where you credit stands now 3) where you are financially now and 4) how much the loan is for.\n\nEasiest way is hit the bank and ask.
174914
Like anyother state you could end up losing your house unless CA allows you to declare bankruptcy and keep it. (Some states do allow this)
596936
That is a question for a local attorney, bankruptcy law is state specific.  The state you reside in determines the answer combined with your personal circumstances.
781062
First I would consider consolidation so you can have one monthly payment on everything or refinancing to see if you can lower your payments and if that fails then there are two types of bankruptcy chapter 7 where you get to keep everything and still pay payments but just really low payments and then there is chapter 13 where you have to give everything up and totally wipe out all of your debt.  But chapter 13 really needs to be your last choice because its kinda hard to start over with a chapter 13.   Hope you figure this out and may god bless you.
95219
File for bankruptcy instead. You'll end up paying a much smaller percentage of what you owe and then creditors constant calls will be on hold. While your looking for a job try to get a temp job. You'll have money in your pocket, new references, and an inside chance at jobs that open up at the place you are temporairly working. Good luck.
75873
Hello, I would like to answer your question...\nI know the laws have changed recently and it is harder to go through bankruptcy now than last year...\nYou must be overly in debt and cant possibly pay your way out...\nI had to do that because I lost my long time job when I became disabled and had no way to pay back my creditors...\nI do have a web link you can view all your questions and answers on...\nI hope you will read it over before you take action...\nIt has gotten harder and more expensive to declare bankruptcy now...\nI wish you well...\nhttp://www.fulwilerlaw.com/content/austin-bankruptcy-lawyer.php
295321
Here's an idea... pay the $500-$700 you'd give a bankruptcy trustee to your creditors, and work yourself out of debt.  Don't wave the white flag of bankruptcy... have some self discipline and get out of your situation on YOUR terms!
395711
First, you have to realize and accept the fact that there is and won't be any easy way out of your debt without certain consequences.\n\nHere are a few suggestions from someone who's been and done that:\n\n1. Go to a debt consolidation company, they will make negotiations on your behalf with your creditors for a lower monthly payment. Basically, you will make a agreed upon monthly payment to this company and they will in turn disburse the money to each of the creditor each month. You can call them and tell them your situation as far as the amount of debt and your income. I can suggest one I;ve used in the past, Debt Options in FL, 800-523-0102. It will have a negative impact on your credit score, but at least you will be able to pay down the debt in a fairly short time, and you will only have to repay a small percentage of the actual debt, maybe around 10-30%.\n\n2. File bankruptcy, this is the fastest and least painful way, you can file for Chapter 7 and just walk away from all of the debt. Even though the laws have changed, you can still file for a Chpater 7 or 13 bankruptcy depending on your particular situation, you would have to speak with a bankruptcy lawyer. The fees are probably around $1000 to $2500.\n\nIf you have been in debt for 20 years, then you really need to review your situation seriously and make a decision if you truly want to regain control of your life and finances. It sound that at your current pace, you will still be in debt another 20 years from now! \n\nAs painful as my suggestions may sound, it at least provides a way out for you and then you can start all over with a clean slate, no debts! Trust mem there are millions of people filing bankruptcies every year, so it is not a life ending move, but rather a way to give you a new start.\n\nIt's your life, you can decide as you wish...good luck!
716175
You may want to start by researching info on your state's website first.\n\nCheck out this link: http://www.tennesseeanytime.org/business.html\n\nThis will put you in the right direction in starting your business.\n\nHope this helps you.\n\nGod Bless.