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An overview of the bankruptcy process. Key bankruptcy terms like: discharge, automatic stay, and exemptions. Chapter 7 bankruptcy: what it is, how it works, and when it is preferred. Chapter 13 bankruptcy: what it is, how it works, and when it is preferred. How bankruptcy can save a home from foreclosure or a car from repossession. 5 good reasons to file bankruptcy. 5 good reasons not to file bankruptcy. 3 alternatives to filing for bankruptcy. 5 questions to ask when interviewing a prospective bankruptcy attorney.
Dear Friend, Deciding if you need to file for bankruptcy is not an easy thing. Why not? Because you do not know if it can help your situation, but you do know there is a lot of emotion that goes along with just thinking about filing. How do you assess bankruptcy as a potential solution to your debt problems? How can you look past the emotional to consider the practical? You begin by reading this guide. I wrote this guide so that individuals, couples, and families just like you can get a better understanding of the bankruptcy process and the different solutions available to you. There is a lot of misinformation out there about bankruptcy, and there are some great aspects of bankruptcy that most people do not know about. For those of you that are considering filing bankruptcy as a means to get out of debt, this guide should be invaluable. I work in Franklin, Tennessee, but the truths and the principles contained in this guide should apply to you no matter what state you live in. And because I am an attorney, I have to provide a disclaimer about the content and purpose of this guide1. I practice bankruptcy law because I get to meet a variety of people from different walks of life and help them walk through their difficult financial situations. I get to see marriages restored, pride returned, burdens lifted, and shame fade away. It is an absolute blessing to do what I do. If you have any questions about what you read in this guide, please feel free to call me at 615-807-1064 or email me at gboutwell@llgtn.com. Cordially,
Gordon H. Boutwell
This guide is for informational purposes only and should not be taken as legal advice or as legal opinion. No attorney-client relationship is created by your reading, using, or relying upon information found within this guide. You should contact your attorney to obtain advice with respect to your particular issue or problem. While I intend to make every effort to ensure that all information in this guide is accurate and current, I do not make any representation or assume liability for the content, accuracy, timeliness, completeness or any other aspect of the information provided.
Got a question about your situation or something you read in this guide? Feel free to email me at gboutwell@llgtn.com, call me at 615-807-1064, or visit my website at www.llgtn.com.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
What is bankruptcy?..................................................................................................................4 Terms you need to know: DISCHARGE........................................................................................................6 AUTOMATIC STAY..........................................................................................7 EXEMPTIONS......................................................................................................8 Chapter 7 bankruptcy...........................................................................................................10 Chapter 13 bankruptcy.........................................................................................................11 Saving a home from foreclosure or a car from repossession.............................12 5 good reasons to file bankruptcy...................................................................................13 5 good reasons not to file bankruptcy...........................................................................16 3 alternatives to filing for bankruptcy...........................................................................19 5 questions to ask when meeting a prospective bankruptcy attorney............20 About the author.25
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Got a question about your situation or something you read in this guide? Feel free to email me at gboutwell@llgtn.com, call me at 615-807-1064, or visit my website at www.llgtn.com.
WHAT IS BANKRUPTCY?
Bankruptcy
is
a
legal
process
in
which
individuals,
couples,
families,
and
businesses
can
eliminate,
repay,
or
restructure
some
or
all
of
their
debts.
There are 2 main types of consumer bankruptcies: Chapter 7 and Chapter 13. Both help you with your debt, but in very different ways. As you consider bankruptcy as a possible debt resolution tool, it is important to know how and to what extent each chapter eliminates debt, and what is required of you during each, so that you can know which option is the best for you.
WHY FILE?
People
file
bankruptcies
for
a
variety
of
reasons.
You
may
file
to
obtain
a
discharge
of
their
debts.
The
discharge
frees
you
from
your
oppressive
financial
situation,
and
provides
you
a
fresh
financial
start,
by
eliminating
some
or
all
of
your
debts.
You
could
also
file
to
invoke
the
automatic
stay,
which
can
stop
creditor
harassment
and
lawsuits,
and
protect
your
house
from
foreclosure,
your
car
from
repossession
or
your
paycheck
from
garnishment.
Others
file
to
restructure
and
consolidate
debt
into
a
manageable
payment.
Got a question about your situation or something you read in this guide? Feel free to email me at gboutwell@llgtn.com, call me at 615-807-1064, or visit my website at www.llgtn.com.
WHAT IS BANKRUPTCY?
Bankruptcy
is
a
legal
proceeding
in
federal
court
in
which
a
person
with
more
debts
than
they
can
pay
seeks
relief
from
those
debts.
Got a question about your situation or something you read in this guide? Feel free to email me at gboutwell@llgtn.com, call me at 615-807-1064, or visit my website at www.llgtn.com.
The
bankruptcy
discharge
releases
a
debtor
from
their
obligation
to
repay
certain
debts,
and
it
also
protects
debtors
when
creditors
attempt
to
collect
on
these
debts.
COMMON DISCHARGEABLE
DEBTS
One of the main reasons why people file bankruptcy is to obtain a discharge of their debts. When you complete your bankruptcy case, you no longer owe the debts that were discharged, and the creditors can never come after you to collect on those debts ever again. Not all of your debts will necessarily be discharged. Certain types of debts will not be discharged as a matter of law, and other debts may not be discharged because of something you have done or not done.
COMMON NON-DISCHARGEABLE
DEBTS
1. Domestic Support Obligations (child support & alimony); 2. Student Loans (unless certain circumstances exist); 3. Debts for money obtained by lying or through deceit (like fraud, larceny, false representations, or embezzlement); 4. Debts arising out of willful or malicious injury; 5. Debts not listed on the schedules. Got a question about your situation or something you read in this guide? Feel free to email me at gboutwell@llgtn.com, call me at 615-807-1064, or visit my website at www.llgtn.com.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Credit cards; Medical bills; Personal loans; Check advances; Fees owed to professionals (like attorneys and CPAs); 6. Deficiencies for foreclosed homes and repossessed vehicles.
In addition to the bankruptcy discharge, one of the other main reasons why people file for bankruptcy is the automatic stay. The stay goes into effect automatically and immediately upon the filing of your case.1 The bankruptcy automatic stay immediately stops LAWSUITS, FORECLOSURES, GARNISHMENTS, and all collection efforts against you and your property. The automatic stay is not an absolute shield, though. It will not stop the commencement or the continuation of certain civil and criminal actions.
4.
Got a question about your situation or something you read in this guide? Feel free to email me at gboutwell@llgtn.com, call me at 615-807-1064, or visit my website at www.llgtn.com.
THE MYTH
One
of
the
most
common
misconceptions
about
bankruptcy
is
that
you
lose
everything
you
own
when
you
file.
For
the
vast
majority
of
consumers,
this
is
simply
not
true.
In
2010,
there
were
1.139
million
Chapter
7
bankruptcies,
and
less
than
6%
of
these
case
resulted
in
a
debtor
losing
assets.
THE TRUTH
How
is
this
possible?
Well,
first
off,
the
purpose
of
bankruptcy
is
not
to
punish
you
for
your
past.
Second,
when
you
come
out
of
your
bankruptcy,
you
need
to
retain
certain
necessities
of
life
in
order
to
make
the
most
of
your
fresh
start.
By
applying
exemptions
against
your
personal
property
and
your
home,
you
shield
your
assets
from
your
creditors,
and
you
retain
them
after
the
conclusion
of
your
bankruptcy.
LIMITATIONS
There
are
limitations
to
how
much
property
you
can
protect.
Any
personal
property
or
home
equity
that
is
not
protectable
can
potentially
be
seized
for
the
benefit
of
creditors.
Some
common
Tennessee
exemptions
are
listed
on
the
next
page.
Got a question about your situation or something you read in this guide? Feel free to email me at gboutwell@llgtn.com, call me at 615-807-1064, or visit my website at www.llgtn.com.
YOUR REAL PROPERTY (HOME) In the state of Tennessee, the amount of equity in your home that you can exempt depends upon your age, whether you are filing with your spouse, and whether you have minor children in your legal custody. If you are any age, with custody of minor children, you can protect $25,000 of your home equity if you file by yourself, or $50,000 if you file with your spouse. If you are under the age of 62, without custody of minor children, then you can protect $5,000 of your home equity if you file by yourself, or $7,500 if you file with your spouse. If you are over the age of 62, without custody of minor children, then you can protect $12,500 of your home equity if you file by yourself or $20,000 (if only one of you is over the age of 62) or $25,000 if you file with your spouse (and both of you are over the age of 62).
Got a question about your situation or something you read in this guide? Feel free to email me at gboutwell@llgtn.com, call me at 615-807-1064, or visit my website at www.llgtn.com.
CHAPTER 7 BANKRUPTCY
Chapter
7
is
called
Liquidation.
It
is
also
referred
to
as
straight
bankruptcy.
HOW IT WORKS
An appointed Chapter 7 Trustee liquidates any of your non-exempt assets and uses the proceeds to pay your creditors. PLEASE NOTE: Rarely are there any assets to liquidate, as the laws of the state of Tennessee usually allow you to protect most, if not all, of your assets. You must qualify for 7 by passing the Means Test, which compares your average monthly income to that of a similarly sized household in Tennessee. Most Chapter 7s last about 4 months, from the date you file until the date you receive your discharge of your debts.
Most if not all of your debts are unsecured. You are current on the secured debts you want to keep, or you wish to surrender the secured collateral back to the creditor. Your assets are fully protected by state exemptions.
In most cases, your unsecured debt (e.g., credit cards, medical bills, signature and personal loans, vehicle repo or home foreclosure deficiencies) will be discharged. Student Loans will most likely not be discharged, though. Most priority debts like income taxes and domestic support obligations survive the discharge, meaning that you will continue to owe them after you receive your discharge. You usually can choose whether and how you want to keep your secured debts (e.g., vehicle with a loan, home with a mortgage) You may choose to surrender a secured asset without owing a deficiency that arises when your creditor resells it.
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Got a question about your situation or something you read in this guide? Feel free to email me at gboutwell@llgtn.com, call me at 615-807-1064, or visit my website at www.llgtn.com.
CHAPTER 13 BANKRUPTCY
Chapter
13
bankruptcy
is
called
Adjustment
of
Debts
of
An
Individual
with
Regular
Income.
HOW IT WORKS
Chapter 13 is a 3 to 5 year repayment plan that consolidates your debts into a manageable payment. You make regular payments to the Chapter 13 Trustee, who in turn sends the money to your creditors according to the plan that you have put together and that the court and creditors confirm. The amount of money that you repay your creditors is based upon your monthly income and expenses, as well as your assets.
You are facing foreclosure on your home or repossession of your car. You have assets that are not protected by state exemptions that you do not want to lose, like a home with significant equity or a vehicle with no lien. You have significant tax debt that you want to repay in a finite time without further penalties and interest.
In most cases, you will repay a certain percentage of your unsecured debt and all of your secured debts (excluding long-term debts like mortgages). When you finish your plan, usually all you will owe will be your continuing mortgage. You can potentially lower your interest rate and monthly payment on your car and other secured debts Your plan will most likely pay back any IRS tax debt or domestic support obligations that you owe.
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Got a question about your situation or something you read in this guide? Feel free to email me at gboutwell@llgtn.com, call me at 615-807-1064, or visit my website at www.llgtn.com.
Foreclosure
is
a
legal
process
in
which
a
secured
lender
retakes
ownership
and
control
of
a
piece
of
real
property
from
the
borrower.
Did you know that you can save your home from foreclosure or your car from repossession by filing Chapter 13 bankruptcy? Its true. In a Chapter 13 you can put together a plan to keep your home, your car, and other collateral that a creditor is threatening to take back.
Countless people have used Chapter 13 for just this purpose. When your mortgage company will not work If your are behind on with you as you try to catch up your payments, or your car payments, and when your attempts to modify your mortgage fail, the lender is threatening filing a 3 may be your best option to retain the home to repossess it, you can and work out a repayment plan for what you owe on it. file Chapter 13 and propose to repay the Even if your mortgage company has begun the loan, late fees, etc. foreclosure process, you may still have time to file for through your plan. Once Chapter 13. In most circumstances, the filing of a the case is filed, the bankruptcy will invoke the automatic stay, stopping automatic stay goes into the foreclosure from happening. So long as you effect, and the creditor comply with your plan and meet all your obligations cannot come pick up your during your Chapter 13, the mortgage company should vehicle. not be able to touch your home. In some situations, you 13 deals with your mortgage in 2 important ways: may be able to regain 1. It makes the continuing mortgage payment due possession of a vehicle on the house; and that has been recently 2. It pays all the arrearages due to the mortgage repossessed by filing company so that you become current by the time Chapter 13. you complete your case. 12 Got a question about your situation or something you read in this guide? Feel free to email me at gboutwell@llgtn.com, call me at 615-807-1064, or visit my website at www.llgtn.com.
AVOIDING REPOSSESSION
AVOIDING FORECLOSURE
1. YOU DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH INCOME TO PAY YOUR LIVING EXPENSES AND YOUR DEBTS.
This
is
one
of
the
most
common
reasons
to
file
for
bankruptcy.
There
is
simply
not
enough
money
left
over
at
the
end
of
the
month
to
pay
your
living
expenses
and
your
bills.
You
could
have
had
significant
medical
illness
or
injury
or
loss
of
employment
or
reduction
in
pay.
Regardless
of
the
reason,
you
cannot
seem
to
get
ahead,
you
feel
like
all
you
are
doing
is
spinning
your
wheels,
and
you
cannot
see
a
light
at
the
end
of
the
tunnel.
You
would
love
to
be
saving
money
each
month,
but
your
minimum
payments
on
your
loans
and
credit
cards
and
the
like
make
that
impossible.
Bankruptcy may be a good way for you to break the cycle of financial distress and start over. It is designed to
give you a fresh financial start by eliminating most (if not all) of your debts while allowing you to keep most (if not all) of your possessions.
Got a question about your situation or something you read in this guide? Feel free to email me at gboutwell@llgtn.com, call me at 615-807-1064, or visit my website at www.llgtn.com.
If
you
are
behind
on
a
bill,
the
creditor
has
the
right
to
call
you
to
collect
on
that
debt.
They
must
comply
with
the
provisions
of
the
Fair
Debt
Collection
Practices
Act,
which
is
something
you
should
definitely
read
through.
You
can
find
a
copy
of
the
act
here:
Some
creditors
are
more
aggressive
than
others,
and
no
matter
how
dire
your
financial
situation,
they
demand
more
of
you
than
you
can
offer.
They
want
a
payment
sooner
than
you
can
provide
or
they
want
more
money
than
you
can
afford
to
pay.
They
will
not
listen
to
reason
and
they
call
at
all
times
of
the
day
and
into
the
evening,
demanding
payment.
Or
perhaps
they
have
already
sued
you
and
gotten
a
judgment.
Now
your
paycheck
is
being
garnished,
and
you
are
struggling
even
more
to
make
ends
meet.
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer /credit/cre27.pdf
The
filing
of
a
bankruptcy
protects
you
from
creditor
harassment
and
wage
garnishment.
When
you
file,
the
automatic
stay
immediately
goes
into
effect,
and
your
creditors
are
prohibited
from
continuing
to
call
you
to
collect,
they
cannot
sue
you
for
your
debt,
and
they
must
stop
the
garnishment
on
your
check.
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It is possible that, while you have money left over at the end of the month to pay your debts, you simply have such a large amount of debt that it would take you years and years to come out from underneath it all. No doubt there is incredible value in working a debt repayment plan and seeing it through to the end. On the other hand, if you feel that you have learned from your past and know how to better prepare for the future, or if you want to get out from underneath your debts sooner rather than later, then bankruptcy may be a good choice for you. Got a question about your situation or something you read in this guide? Feel free to email me at gboutwell@llgtn.com, call me at 615-807-1064, or visit my website at www.llgtn.com.
Money problems can devastate relationships. The most solid marriage or family can be torn apart over issues of money. The most mild- mannered and gentile man or woman can become an absolute jerk when finances are too tight. When your situation has become dire, and you can feel your important relationships unraveling, it may be time to take some drastic action. You may have never thought that you would be one of those people that file bankruptcy.
There is no shame in filing bankruptcy. You are not a bad person for filing. You can take responsibility
for your financial situation instead of letting it get worse and hurting you and your family even more.
Many people file bankruptcies to retain a home that is in foreclosure, but what can you do when you do not want to keep your house anymore? Maybe you are having a hard time selling it, or you owe more on the house than it is worth. Or you got divorced and your ex stuck you with the mortgage note. In most bankruptcies, you can surrender the home back to the mortgage company and not owe on the mortgage once you get your discharge. The mortgage company will eventually remove the property from your name, either by foreclosure or a deed-in-lieu of foreclosure or something similar. You will still be liable for any homeowners association fees that you have with the property until the mortgage company obtains possession.
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Got a question about your situation or something you read in this guide? Feel free to email me at gboutwell@llgtn.com, call me at 615-807-1064, or visit my website at www.llgtn.com.
1. MOST OF YOUR DEBTS ARE NONDISCHARGEABLE, SO BANKRUPTCY DOES NOT HELP YOU.
Bankruptcy
is
a
great
tool
to
eliminate
debt,
and
it
can
wipe
out
most
debts,
but
there
are
certain
debts
that
your
bankruptcy
cannot
eliminate.
If
a
large
portion
of
your
debts
is
not
going
to
be
discharged
in
bankruptcy,
then
you
should
strongly
consider
whether
filing
bankruptcy
makes
sense.
For
instance,
suppose
you
want
to
file
Chapter
7
to
get
rid
of
some
credit
card
debt
but
you
also
owe
a
lot
of
student
loan
debt.
In
this
situation,
filing
for
Chapter
7
bankruptcy
will
likely
not
do
a
lot
for
you.
Sure,
you
got
rid
of
some
credit
card
debt,
but
your
student
loans
will
most
likely
not
be
discharged
in
your
bankruptcy.
The
same
is
true
with
most
taxes,
child
support
and
alimony,
and
other
nondischargeable
debts
(for
more
about
nondischargeable
debts,
please
read
through
page
6
of
this
guide).
your debt will not going to be discharged, then filing for bankruptcy may not be your wisest course of action.
What does this all mean? You get rid of some debt, you still owe on the nondischargeable debts, and you need a smart repayment plan to address those debts. You would have to do that even if you do not file bankruptcy, so what do you really gain by filing? It is important to know which of your debts will be discharged, and which will not, so that you can properly evaluate bankruptcy as a possible debt elimination tool.
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Got a question about your situation or something you read in this guide? Feel free to email me at gboutwell@llgtn.com, call me at 615-807-1064, or visit my website at www.llgtn.com.
2. YOU HAVE THE FINANCIAL MEANS TO GET OUT OF DEBT YOURSELF, AND
BANKRUPTCY DOES NOTHING SPECIAL FOR YOU.
Your situation may not be as dire as you think. You may be able to pay them off yourself without filing for bankruptcy. Your income and your expenses drive your debt repayment options. If you make significantly more per month than you spend, then you should strongly consider setting up debt repayment plans with your individual creditors. If you make a lot of money, and you do decide to file a bankruptcy, then you may be required to repay all or a large part of your debt back to the creditors. In so doing, you have forfeited the ability to try to negotiate the balances on the debts, and you have paid your attorney and your Trustee to oversee your case.
Unless
you
gain
something
extra
by
filing
the
bankruptcy,
then
it
may
not
be
your
best
option.
That
something
extra
for
you
may
mean
the
ability
to
can
catch
up
your
mortgage
payments
over
time,
surrender
your
home
without
penalty,
or
pay
off
your
student
loans
or
tax
debt
in
a
finite
time.
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Several professions, especially those that require major financial responsibilities, place a large value upon credit score. Filing for bankruptcy will have a negative impact your credit score. But the bankruptcy may only have a relatively small impact on your score because of the history of late payments, large debts, and other financial issues that drove you to file for bankruptcy in the first place. Current and future employers cannot discriminate against you because you filed. Got a question about your situation or something you read in this guide? Feel free to email me at gboutwell@llgtn.com, call me at 615-807-1064, or visit my website at www.llgtn.com.
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Bankruptcy is designed to be a springboard to a new life. It should help you not only in the short term, but the long term as well. Ideally, without the burden of your debts, you can save, make your income work for you, and plan for your future. The last thing you want to do is to file a bankruptcy where you have no hope of a better life upon its completion. As an example, if you have monthly income of $2,000, but your monthly expenses alone are $2,500, then filing for bankruptcy does not help you in the long run. Bankruptcy provides you some relief by eliminating some debt, but you will be right back where you started in a matter of months because your income is greater than your expenses. If you do not have the means to move on with your life after bankruptcy, then it may not be the right time to file. Got a question about your situation or something you read in this guide? Feel free to email me at gboutwell@llgtn.com, call me at 615-807-1064, or visit my website at www.llgtn.com.
1. DO NOTHING.
This is always a choice. You can ignore the collection notices, not answer the creditors calls, and avoid the certified letters waiting for you at the Post Office. You can bury your head in the sand and pray that your creditors give up, quit calling, or forget where you live. But you do not get out of debt by avoiding it. You get out of debt by being proactive, getting help, and having a plan.
Got a question about your situation or something you read in this guide? Feel free to email me at gboutwell@llgtn.com, call me at 615-807-1064, or visit my website at www.llgtn.com.
At some point in your journey to get out of debt, you may decide to speak with a bankruptcy attorney for a variety of reasons. A lot of people go just to learn more about how bankruptcy works, while others meet with an attorney for the specific goal of filing. Regardless of your reason, you want to make a wise decision when you choose a bankruptcy attorney to represent you. You are going to pay money to this person to perform a service for you, and you deserve to have the service performed properly and timely. In the care of an experienced, competent bankruptcy attorney, you should know what to expect from the start of your case, whether there are any potential pitfalls or complications and what can be done about them, and how the case should conclude. The presence and counsel of a seasoned professional can help make the bankruptcy process fell a little less nerve-racking. To help you in choosing a bankruptcy attorney, here are 5 questions to ask during your initial consultation. The attorney will ask you numerous questions to get a better understanding of your situation and what can be done about it. In turn, you should ask the attorney some questions to get a better feel for their ability to adequately represent you.
3. 4. 5.
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Got a question about your situation or something you read in this guide? Feel free to email me at gboutwell@llgtn.com, call me at 615-807-1064, or visit my website at www.llgtn.com.
It is important to know early in the bankruptcy filing process what you should expect from your attorney. Given the nature of the practice, many attorneys have paralegals and other support staff to handle most of the meetings and communications with clients, while the attorney attends court, negotiates with other parties, and oversees the more complicated matters of the cases. With other, smaller firms, the attorney and maybe one assistant likely handle all matters from answering the phones to meeting all the clients to preparing all the bankruptcy forms. So decide early what you want from your bankruptcy attorney, and choose accordingly.
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Got a question about your situation or something you read in this guide? Feel free to email me at gboutwell@llgtn.com, call me at 615-807-1064, or visit my website at www.llgtn.com.
As part of your agreement, the attorney may charge further fees if any unexpected complications arise or if additional services are required. The attorneys fees for Chapter 7 are typically much less than for Chapter 13, although the attorney usually requires most if not all of their fees paid up front before the filing of the case. In Chapter 13, most of the time the attorney will elect to receive a court- awarded fee that is based entirely upon the debt in your case. Many firms require little or no up front fees to file 13, with the remaining portion of the fee paid through your plan. So every time you make a Chapter 13 payment, a portion of that goes to your attorney.
Got a question about your situation or something you read in this guide? Feel free to email me at gboutwell@llgtn.com, call me at 615-807-1064, or visit my website at www.llgtn.com.
Any good bankruptcy attorney will help you to evaluate all of your options for getting out of debt, even if that means you do not file. They should analyze your income and expenses, review your assets and liabilities, and discuss with you why bankruptcy does or does not make sense for your situation.
When
you
are
evaluating
bankruptcy
as
an
option,
heres
what
your
attorney
should
explain
to
you,
and
what
you
need
to
understand
before
you
decide
to
file:
A. B. C. D.
23
Unfortunately, there are many attorneys out there that care more about their best interests than yours. As you speak with an attorney about bankruptcy, be careful of those that: A. Pressure you into filing when you only wanted to gather information or ask questions; B. Hastily tell you that you have no other option but to file; C. Do not or cannot explain why filing makes the most sense for you; D. Do not or cannot explain the consequences of filing; or E. Disregard or belittle your other debt resolution options.
How
bankruptcy
could
help
you
and/or
hurt
you;
Which
of
your
debts
will
be
discharged
and
which
will
not;
The
process
for
filing
and
completing
your
particular
case;
Any
potential
challenges
in
your
case.
Got a question about your situation or something you read in this guide? Feel free to email me at gboutwell@llgtn.com, call me at 615-807-1064, or visit my website at www.llgtn.com.
The attorney can talk about what they value, how they practice law, and you learn more about them as a person, not just as your potential representative.
You can hear in the attorneys voice if they are excited about or proud of their practice. What you can gain during this conversation is invaluable.
What are some good responses to this question? A. I strive to provide the highest quality service to my clients. B. I treat my clients the way I would want to be treated in the same situation. C. I personally answer phone calls, meet with my clients, and work every aspect of your case from start to finish. D. I educate my clients on their options so that they can make the best, most well-informed decision possible. E. I am extremely flexible in working with my clients, meeting them when their work schedule provides, even if that means after hours or on weekends. F. I do my best to answer emails, phone calls, and other inquiries within twenty four hours.
24
Got a question about your situation or something you read in this guide? Feel free to email me at gboutwell@llgtn.com, call me at 615-807-1064, or visit my website at www.llgtn.com.
25
protection
attorney
in
Franklin,
Tennessee.
He
has
practiced
law
since
2006,
with
most
of
that
time
dedicated
to
bankruptcy,
personal
finance,
and
consumer
advocacy.
Over
the
years
he
has
helped
hundreds
of
individuals,
couples,
and
families
with
their
financial
problems.
He
believes
in
treating
other
people
the
way
he
would
want
to
be
treated
in
the
same
situation.
He
takes
the
time
to
get
to
know
his
clients,
and
he
educates
them
on
their
options
for
getting
out
of
debt,
helping
them
to
understand
and
evaluate
them.
He
believes
bankruptcy
is
a
worthwhile
tool
to
help
some
(but
not
all)
people
get
out
of
debt,
and,
when
combined
with
financial
education
and
counseling,
can
be
a
springboard
to
financial
independence.
Gordon
H.
Boutwell,
Atty
Lodestone
Legal
Group
In
March
2011,
Gordon
and
R.
Keith
Gordon
formed
198
E.
Main
St.,
Ste.
4
the
Lodestone
Legal
Group
in
Franklin
Tennessee,
Franklin,
TN
37064
with
the
purpose
of
assisting
business
and
private
615-807-1064
clients
by
exploring
legal
options,
navigating
the
legal
gboutwell@llgtn.com
pitfalls,
and
providing
measurable
results
through
www.llgtn.com
custom
solutions
and
a
commitment
to
the
lost
art
of
personal
care
and
client
service.
Lodestone
Legal
Group
practices
in
the
areas
of
bankruptcy,
debt
negotiation
and
settlement,
financial
counseling,
residential
and
commercial
real
estate,
estate
planning
(wills
and
trusts),
and
small
business
and
corporate
law.
Got a question about your situation or something you read in this guide?
Feel free to email me at gboutwell@llgtn.com, call me at 615-807-1064, or visit my website at www.llgtn.com.