Understanding the following aspects of bankruptcy will help you be more prepared to take the next step.

Bankruptcy is Not Quick

Chapter 7 bankruptcy case lasts an average of four months. A Chapter 13 bankruptcy plan lasts for three to five years. A Chapter 11 bankruptcy case may last for two years or longer.

Public Scrutiny During Bankruptcy

When filing bankruptcy you must be prepared to expose your financial life to the public. You will be required to attend a meeting of creditors when you file for bankruptcy protection. During which the bankruptcy trustee (and maybe even one of your creditors) will ask you probing questions in a public room. Often this can be an extremely uncomfortable and embarrassing process.

Disclosing Your Financial Information During Your Bankruptcy Case

You must be completely honest in bankruptcy because bankruptcy courts feel that only the honest debtor is entitled to a discharge of debt. You must list all of your property, debts, and creditors. If you fail to do so you may you lose the bankruptcy discharge. Because dishonesty in bankruptcy is a serious federal crime you might also be subject to an FBI investigation.

Requires Great Attention

Because bankruptcy is based on forms many people perceive it is a simple and straightforward process. But the forms contain complex questions about your financial affairs and require sufficient time to understand the bankruptcy forms before filing for bankruptcy.

Bankruptcy Discharge is Personal

Discharge is the ultimate goal of bankruptcy. It bars your creditors from ever attempting to collect debts from you and you alone, and does not eliminate the debt itself. So, for example, if you are one of the co-signers on a home loan and you file for bankruptcy, the debt is not wiped out and the lender can still seek to collect the debt from your co-signer.

It’s Not Cheap

Filing for bankruptcy can cost you a significant amount of money, especially if you decide tohire an attorney which can cost anywhere from several hundred dollars to several thousand dollars. Even if you decide to prepare and file your own bankruptcy case it can be costly because the filing fees alone are substantial. Debtors may find relief from filing fees by petitioning for a fee waiver. The court bases its waiver decision on your income, which generally must not be greater than 150% of the federal poverty level.