Few things in life can be as disruptive and unsettling as overwhelming debt. It can affect your paycheck, further hindering your income efforts, and make everyday actions like answering a phone call frightening and stressful. Relief is possible, and you do not have to go through the journey alone. Our Ocala Chapter 7 bankruptcy attorneys can help you achieve a brighter financial future.
When our Ocala bankruptcy lawyers represent you, you get open, easy, and fast communication with our attorneys. We’ll take the time to answer all your questions and address any concerns you have right from the start. Learn how we can help you get out of debt and start rebuilding your credit from a clean slate. Contact one of our team members at Bogin, Munns & Munns today for your free initial consultation.
The U.S. Courts Recommend Hiring a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Attorney
Declaring bankruptcy and gathering and organizing its required documents can be a long and involved process. Thankfully, an Ocala commercial law lawyer can bring clarity and decisiveness to the process. Even the U.S. Courts urge filers to hire a lawyer to guide them through the process.
When you hire our law firm to represent you, we do all of the following for you:
- Create a detailed list of your creditors
- Accurately document your debts, including credit card debt, student loans, medical debt, and more
- Complete and file all required schedules
- Clarify the automatic stay and when it starts
- Build a complete list of your exempt debts
- Make the bankruptcy process easy with virtual meetings and court hearings
We aim to make filing for bankruptcy as simple and straightforward as possible. At each phase, we’ll work hard to ensure your documents are complete, accurate, and organized.
Start Understanding Your Options With Our Bankruptcy Questionnaire
At Bogin, Munns & Munns, we want you to understand your options, the bankruptcy process, and the aftereffects of filing bankruptcy. We ask potential filers to fill out our bankruptcy questionnaire to give us a glimpse into their finances and understand their preferences.
The questionnaire is informal and can also include a 15-minute consultation virtually or via telephone with one of our team members. There is no fee for this service. Alternatively, you can schedule a one-hour, in-person consultation for a nominal fee.
Whichever consultation you choose, we will inform you of your options and start developing a strategy to fit your unique financial needs.
To consult with an experienced chapter 7 bankruptcy lawyer serving Ocala
(855) 780-9986
Learn More About Debts You Can Discharge Through Your Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Filing
Bankruptcy gives you financial freedom by allowing you to discharge (eliminate) debt, including overdue credit card bills, medical bills, past-due utility bills, repossessions, and even overpayments from government or municipal agencies.
No debt that you incur after your filing date can be included in your official discharge. Our Ocala Chapter 7 bankruptcy lawyers can clarify how and why you should avoid any further credit use after you have filed for bankruptcy to avoid incurring additional debt.
Learn more about credit responsibly during and after bankruptcy. Contact one of our team members at Bogin, Munns & Munns now for your free consultation.
The Advantage of the Automatic Stay for Bankruptcy Filers in Ocala, Florida
Your final bankruptcy discharge can take time, often between four and six months. One of the many benefits of the automatic stay, per the U.S. Courts, is to stop creditor harassment. In addition, it can prevent collection activities such as:
- Filing or continuing a lawsuit against you
- Beginning or continuing a foreclosure
- Garnishing (and thereby decreasing) your pay
According to 11 USC § 362, the stay is automatic and immediate, meaning it starts the moment you file your bankruptcy petition and endures until your case is complete.
Our Lawyers Will Clarify How the Bankruptcy Process Works in Ocala
Like most legal matters, declaring bankruptcy starts with official paperwork. Per the U.S. Courts, extensive paperwork must accompany your bankruptcy petition. We will help you obtain, complete, and file all the schedules and forms, which can be daunting to manage alone.
The remaining steps in the bankruptcy process include:
- Credit counseling: A mandatory course before and after filing for bankruptcy that you must take with a court-approved credit counseling agency. We will help you find one and enroll.
- Forms and filings: Your forms and schedules will be assessed and approved, and your petition will be filed with the appropriate court.
- Trustee appointment: The court will appoint a trustee to verify your identity, create an estate containing your assets, and sell or otherwise liquidate your non-exempt assets, if applicable. Most Chapter 7 filers have no non-exempt assets and will retain their personal property, including their home and vehicle.
- Meeting of creditors: At this meeting, the trustee will review your information, question you under oath, and allow creditors to question you as well. The meeting is mandatory for you, and your lawyer will be there.
- Discharge of debts: After completing the post-filing credit course, the court will discharge your debts. This process can take anywhere from four to six months.
Part of the process also includes taking a Chapter 7 means test. The test will determine your eligibility to select this Chapter and start the filing process.
What to Expect if You Do Not Pass the Means Test
The means test is designed in part to ensure proper use of the bankruptcy system and proper filing in the correct category. If you do not pass the Chapter 7 means test, you still have bankruptcy options available to you.
In many cases, it means you will have to file for bankruptcy under Chapter 13. If this Chapter best meets your needs, we will define why the trustee disallowed your original filing and clarify the pros and cons of Chapter 13.
Ocala Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Lawyer Near Me
(855) 780-9986
Contact Our Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Consultation Team Now
Debt that is unrealistically disproportionate to your income can be difficult or impossible to overcome. An Ocala Chapter 7 bankruptcy lawyer from our team can help you file for bankruptcy and have most, if not all, of your debt discharged.
Find out how you can benefit from bankruptcy’s debt relief and automatic stay. Contact our consultation team at Bogin, Munns & Munns for your free bankruptcy review today.
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