Are you having financial problems and think bankruptcy is the lone choice you have? You aren’t alone. There are a lot of people who have turned to bankruptcy as the solution to their financial problems. This article will provide you with bankruptcy tips to ensure everything goes as smoothly as it should.

Before filing for personal bankruptcy, make sure you are doing the right thing. Look into credit counseling to see if it could help you work out of your debt without bankruptcy. Before you take the drastic move of filling for bankruptcy and living with a long lasting bad credit history, make sure to consider using another way that may not be as damaging to your credit.

If you are going through a bankruptcy do not fall victim to guilt and pay off debts that you do not need to pay. Don’t touch retirement accounts unless you don’t have a choice. Dipping into savings may need to happen, just don’t totally wipe it out, or you might not have much financial security later.

Try going to a personally recommended bankruptcy lawyer instead of using a phone book or the Internet. There are lawyers out there who will take advantage of your financial state and not deal honestly with you. Make sure your filing process goes as well as possible by finding a trustworthy lawyer.

Be aware that getting unsecured credit is going to be tough once you’ve gone through bankruptcy. This being the case, look at secured card options. Using a secured card not only helps to rebuild your credit, but it also keeps you from going more in debt with credit card bills. Unsecured credit may be offered to you quicker than you think after doing so.

Do not abandon hope. When you file for personal bankruptcy, you may even be able to retrieve personal property that has been repossessed. For example you may be able to get your car, electronics and even jewelry returned to you. If the property you own has been repossessed under 90 days before the bankruptcy filing, you may still be able to get it back. Interview and research attorneys before choosing one to help you with your bankruptcy.

Don’t file for bankruptcy until your represented by an attorney. You might not understand all of the various aspects to filing for bankruptcy. An attorney will make sure that everything is being done correctly.

Find out if you can use Chapter 13 bankruptcy, as it may help you better than the other laws. If you have regular income and under $250K in unsecured debt, a Chapter 13 may be right for you. Not only can you repay your debts through consolidation, personal property can be kept, as well as real estate. Generally, this stays in effect for up to 5 years. Afterwards, your unsecured debts clear from your accounts. Remember that missing a payment to the plan will result in your case being dismissed.

If you are making more money than you owe, bankruptcy should not even be an option. Sure, bankruptcy can get rid of that debt, but it comes at the price of poor credit for 7-10 years.

Before declaring bankruptcy, it is important to know your rights. Do not take debt collectors at their word when they tell you that a specific debt can’t be discharged through bankruptcy. Only a few kinds of debt, like student loans or child support, are ineligible for bankruptcy. If the debt collector tries to tell you that your debts, which do not fall into those categories, cannot be bankrupted, take a note of it, look up the debt type, and report them to your state’s attorney general office.

You can take out a mortgage or car loan while filing Chapter 13 bankruptcy. There will, however, be obstacles. You will have to see your trustee and the approval for this new loan. It is important to make a budget and prove that you are able to afford the payment. You will also need to have a good reason why you need the item.

Keep in mind though that personal bankruptcy might prove a wiser choice for your credit history than keeping making late payments. While bankruptcy will haunt your credit history for up to ten years, your damaged credit will start healing right away. This is why people call bankruptcy a fresh start.

Like you have heard, you are not alone in your financial problems. Others just like you are filing for bankruptcy as well. But with the benefit of the information you have here, you have a head start on your journey. Ensure the ease of the bankruptcy process with these tips.

You can always get a bankruptcy alternative if you don’t want to consider bankruptcy as an option. Well, you will always have a lot of alternatives as long as you know what these are.