Do You Know Anyone Who Has Filed For Bankruptcy?

So many people who come to my office say "I don't know anyone who has filed for bankruptcy." One thing that I can tell these people is that they do know people who have filed, they just don't know who they know that has filed.

The guilt and shame they feel over being the only person they know considering bankruptcy is obvious. Many people do not consult an attorney about bankruptcy until they fell like they are out of options and have no other place to turn. This is often because people feel like no one else they know would ever resort to bankruptcy, and filing for bankruptcy is only for people trying to get away with something.

This is not simply true.

Many good, honest and hardworking people file bankruptcy every year. Bankruptcy references even are found in the Bible. People just don't tend to tell people when the file bankruptcy. While bankruptcy is not something to be ashamed of, it is certainly not one of those events of one's life that you would expect them to be proud of, or announce to everyone they know.

So, if you are considering bankruptcy, don't say you don't know anyone who has filed bankruptcy but wonder who you do know who has filed and you just don't know it.

Did the 2005 Changes in the Bankruptcy Laws eliminate bankruptcy?

The bankruptcy laws changed in 2005. Many people know the laws were changed, but few people really understand what the changes did. The most important thing to know is that Bankruptcy is still available, and works in much the same way it always has.

The rules are different, the paperwork harder, but bankruptcy is still available to help many people. The only real way to know is to talk to an attorney who can answer questions about your case.

I think that the biggest misconception is that the laws were changed to make bankruptcy unavailable. I have heard that some creditors are even telling people that they can't file bankruptcy because bankruptcy doesn't exist.

Please understand that bankruptcy did not go away, and if you might have been helped by bankruptcy under the old laws, you might still be helped under the new laws. Bankruptcy still exists to help people who are unable to pay off their debts and need help.

Welcome to my blog.

Welcome to my blog about consumer bankruptcy law, and related issues. First, let me say that I know very little about blogs or blogging and I am trying it out for the first time now. I am still not quite sure why I want to blog but as I learn how this works, I hope that this site provides interesting information for you.

To introduce myself, I am a bankruptcy attorney who has concentrated in bankruptcy law since 1988. I started in the bankruptcy area when I was hired as a law clerk to Judge Rufus Reynolds, United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Middle District of North Carolina. He was one of the longest sitting bankruptcy judges in the country, and a remarkable man to have the opportunity to work for. I practiced in Winston-Salem, NC for several years before moving back to Charlotte, NC, my hometown. I opened my solo practice in 1993.