Filing Chapter 7 bankruptcy in Georgia is quite often the best decision you can make. Depending on your income and assets, you may not only be eligible to file but will lose very little. It should be said, first, what Chapter 7 bankruptcy can do for Georgia residents, how it works, and what the trustee does.
Chapter 7 bankruptcy may be different than you think. With changes in bankruptcy law in the past years, Chapter 7 bankruptcy is now tougher to file. This is because some are forced to file Chapter 13 bankruptcy if they have enough income. It depends, then, on how much you make and your monthly expenses. If you are out of work, and have little money coming in, you should be eligible for Georgia Chapter 7 bankruptcy.
Chapter 7 bankruptcy discharges you from the majority of your debts. There is a long list of debts you cannot discharge, mainly tax debts, child support or alimony, debts for student loans, and some others.
Chapter 7 bankruptcy is a liquidation proceeding. For Atlanta residents and all U.S. citizens, the court appoints a trustee to liquidate your nonexempt assets. In some cases, there are no assets which are nonexempt, meaning you lose nothing. This varies, but most Chapter 7 bankruptcy filings in Georgia are no asset cases. The creditors will have no need to file a claim with the court in that case.
Once the bankruptcy begins, typically a 3-6 month process before your debts are discharged, an “estate” is created which in legal terms is the owner of all the debtors property. Generally, creditors will be paid off by the nonexempt property of the estate.
The trustee has a key role here, in that he or she tries to get the most out of all the assets. The higher the sale, the higher amount which can be turned over to unsecured creditors. That means the trustee will be looking to sell your nonexempt properties for the highest value, as part of the Chapter 7 bankruptcy case.
But the debtor is actually trying to get money from nonexempt property in most cases. The trustee will follow Bankruptcy Code by the six classes of claims used in paying back debtors. As each of these classes are paid, the next level is paid.
What This Means
Filing a Chapter 7 bankruptcy involves far more than this complex set of rules. In short, even though in many cases little property is lost, the more value of your nonexempt property,the more the debtors have to pay back. Chapter 13 bankruptcy, now more encouraged than ever, is preferable if you want to maintain your home or other property. The only problem is, Chapter 7 bankruptcy discharges debt, while Chapter 13 bankruptcy does not.
Hiring a Georgia Bankruptcy Attorney
This makes it clearly more important to hire counsel, a Georgia bankruptcy attorney who can help you navigate the Bankruptcy Code.









