Chapter 7 bankruptcy offers a fresh start to people who find themselves buried in credit card debt, medical bills and other unsecured debt. In the bankruptcy, most of those debts are discharged, which means that you’re no longer legally obligated to pay them.
It also means that creditors and debt collectors can’t contact you about those debts, report them as late to the credit bureaus or otherwise bother you about them. An Oklahoma Chapter 7 bankruptcy lawyer at Convenient Bankruptcy can help you TODAY. Call us now at (405) 639-2099 or fill out a contact form and we’ll reach out to you. Convenient Bankruptcy’s process makes the Oklahoma bankruptcy process as convenient on you as possible. We handle many consultations through phone call & Zoom appointments. We also encourage text & Email message communication as well as text message reminders of appointments and court appearances and court filings sent by email.
Some of the most common types of debt discharged when filing chapter 7 bankruptcy include:
- credit card debt
- medical bills
- past-due rent and utilities
- payday loans
- some tax debt
- Immediate Relief from Financial Stress
One of the most powerful aspects of consumer bankruptcy is the automatic stay. In most cases, the automatic stay stops creditor calls, debt collection letters, law suits and even wage garnishments as soon as your bankruptcy case is filed.
That means that when you get the right help, the pressure could be off in as little as a few days.
The Basics
Chapter 7 bankruptcy is designed to help people crippled by unsecured debt wipe the slate clean and begin again on a more solid footing.
How Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Works
An Oklahoma chapter 7 bankruptcy attorney from Convenient bankruptcy will prepare petitions and schedules that detail your income, debts and assets for the bankruptcy court. The court will appoint a bankruptcy trustee to oversee your case. The trustee’s primary job is to make sure that any available assets are distributed to your creditors, but most Chapter 7 filers keep all of their property. That’s because some property is exempt, meaning that it’s safe from creditors.
Exemptions vary somewhat from state to state, but they typically include things like:
- clothing
- furniture
- work tools
- a certain amount of equity in your home
- a vehicle up to a certain value
- In some states, there is also a “wild card” exemption which allows you to protect some property that might otherwise not be exempt.
Creditors have up to 60 days to object to discharge. A discharge may be entered at any point after that 60-day period expires, assuming that you have completed the required Personal Financial Management Course. Often, the entire Chapter 7 bankruptcy case is completed in as little as four months. The discharge acts as an injunction, barring creditors and debt collectors from pursuing payment of discharged debt.
The Bankruptcy Discharge
The bankruptcy discharge is intended to provide people like you with a fresh financial start. Obviously, you can’t make the most of that fresh start if creditors continue to harass you or discharged debt is still appearing on your credit report.
When a creditor or debt collector violates the discharge injunction, we can reopen the bankruptcy case to request sanctions. Sometimes, the creditor will even be ordered to pay you money for violating the discharge.
Many bankruptcy law firms consider their work done when the discharge is entered, but we know that you need continuing protection. That’s why we offer a free post-discharge audit of your credit report and take quick action against any creditor who is jeopardizing your fresh start with illegal collection activity or inaccurate credit reporting.
