If you’re considering filing bankruptcy and are unemployed, what are your options? Because you lack an income, you should rule out Chapter 13 personal bankruptcy, where you pay into a debt repayment plan. You can rarely successfully file Chapter 13 without a job. However, it may be possible if you other income coming in.
The advantage with Chapter 7 bankruptcy is that you can save thousands of dollars, be free of debt, and lose little to no assets. Your home and car can be protected, but the more you own the more need you have for a professional lawyer.
If you have a large amount of property and assets, you stand to lose some of these in bankruptcy. While not common, if your home is going into foreclosure, bankruptcy may not solve your problems. On the other hand, being free of thousands to tens of thousands in debt may allow you to make payments on your home and car with income such as unemployment, disability, and pension.
Some say having no job is almost better with Chapter 7 personal bankruptcy. Why? Changes to Bankruptcy Code in 2005 made it more difficult to make the means test. The means test is the process where your income is calculated. If you are without work, you likely have no income, or perhaps a smaller income. The point here is that your income is based on the previous six months, so if you made a lot of money in the past six months you may have to delay your filing until your average gets below the limit.
For Georgia Chapter 7 personal bankruptcy filers, the median income is what eligibility is based on.
What is the annual median income for Georgia?
1 Individual – 40,546
2 Filers– 55,061
Family of 3 – 60,887
Family of 4 – 68,258
If you have a larger family, add $7,500 for each additional person.
This gives you some breathing room, though many make more than this while employed. But if you’re recently unemployed, you can more than likely file even if on unemployment benefits or disability, as these are very rarely higher than the median incomes stated above.
What if you have no money at all?
If you have no money whatsoever, remember you need to pay a filing fee for bankruptcy, and unless you are experienced in bankruptcy law, you need to hire a lawyer. Few of us are incapable of coming up with these fees given time, and while the court rate is not negotiable, some lawyers are willing to work with you.
Who can help?
What if you’re employed but have too much debt coming in? What if you lost benefits and then had an injury, leading to a huge medical bill? Who can help if you have questions? You need an experienced Georgia bankruptcy lawyer.
First, a lawyer can help you make the decision on whether filing bankruptcy is smart. Second, he or she can advise you on how to best discharge the most debt. Third, if you are making money, a lawyer can explain what Chapter 13 personal bankruptcy can do. Finally, a lawyer is your voice in and out of court: if you run into legal trouble, if creditors are harassing you constantly, and if you fear foreclosure, a lawyer can help.