Chapter 7 bankruptcy offers debtors serious relief. In a chapter 7 bankruptcy, you surrender non-exempt property to the court. That property is sold and used to pay your creditors. The rest of your unsecured debts are then discharged. Most debtors don’t have any non-exempt property, so they don’t have to give up property. That means… Read more »
Posts Categorized: Chapter 7 Bankruptcy
Do I Have To Include All My Property In Bankruptcy In Ohio?
The simple answer to whether you have to include all of your property in bankruptcy in Ohio, or in any other state, is yes. Many people, though, do not want to include some of their property, such as a car or a house. If you’re current on a loan, but behind in other debts, do… Read more »
What is the Automatic Stay? What is the Penalty for Creditors Who Violate It?
Last updated Aug. 31, 2017. Bankruptcy is designed to help you get back on sound financial footing. That can’t happen if you still have to worry about creditors garnishing your wages or foreclosing on your home. So, bankruptcy comes with some serious protection against creditors trying to collect. The automatic stay is the most important… Read more »
Can a Creditor Contact Me After I Hire a Lawyer?
Last updated Sept. 26, 2017. First, let’s make a distinction between creditors and debt collectors, because they have to follow different rules under different laws. Your creditor is the person or party to whom you owe the debt. It’s most often a bank, a credit card company, or a medical service provider. When creditors can’t… Read more »
How Much Will Bankruptcy Lower My Credit Score?
Last updated Jan. 28, 2018. You probably already know that bankruptcy is going to impact your credit. In fact, fear of that impact may be what’s keeping you from filing. So how much does bankruptcy affect your credit score? How Credit Scores Work First, let’s take a look at how your credit score is calculated… Read more »
Ohio’s Homestead Exemption Protects Your House in Bankruptcy
Last updated Jan. 30, 2018. Historically, a creditor could take everything you owned in payment of your debt. In the Middle Ages and before, creditors could even take possession of the children of a debtor or the debtor himself if he couldn’t pay. Today, debt slavery is forbidden by law (not to mention all moral… Read more »
Should My Corporation or LLC File for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy?
Last updated Oct. 31, 2018. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, in 2015 there were nearly 30 million small businesses operating in the United States. For various tax, legal, and financial reasons, the owners of many of these small businesses choose to operate them through a business entity, like a corporation or limited liability… Read more »
Ohio Bankruptcy Means Test for Chapter 7
Last updated July 31, 2018. When you’re struggling with debt and don’t know where to turn, it’s time to consider filing for bankruptcy. Bankruptcy still seems somewhat taboo in the modern world, but the reality is that millions of people every year need to wipe their financial slates clean and start over fresh. Bankruptcy exists… Read more »
How Are Judgment Debts Due to Injury Treated in Bankruptcy?
Rule: Judgment debts incurred by defalcation of a guardian are non-dischargeable in bankruptcy, as are judgment debts for willful and malicious injury. At the end of a successful bankruptcy process, your unsecured debts are discharged. This includes credit card and medical debt. There are exceptions, however, such as student loan debt, which is generally non-dischargeable…. Read more »
What Happens If the Trustee Moves to Dismiss My Bankruptcy Case?
Last updated May 14, 2018. Under Chapter 7 bankruptcy law, the court may dismiss your case if it believes that relief is unwarranted based on your financial circumstances. 11 USC § 707(b)(1) reads: After notice and a hearing, the court, on its own motion or on a motion by the United States trustee, trustee (or… Read more »
About Russ Cope
Russ B. Cope is dedicated to legal standards that go far beyond filing cases — he is interested in your goals. Russ wants to be certain that each client is making an informed decision that will make their life better, and thrives on the interaction between lawyer and client.
