Bankruptcy Law
Practice Area
BANKRUPTCY MAY BE RIGHT FOR YOU if you are being harassed by bill collectors, are unable to pay for your obligations, are overwhelmed by credit card or medical debt, or if your wages are being garnished. An Ohio bankruptcy lawyer can help make this process move smoothly.
Bankruptcy is a shield that protects your
assets from creditors. Filing for bankruptcy protection automatically and immediately stops all creditor harassment. This means no more collection calls or letters.
All wage garnishments will stop as soon as your bankruptcy is filed with the court. All discharged debts will be permanently forgiven at the conclusion of your case. Your creditors cannot contact you again regarding the matter, nor can the obligation be held against your credit score. Our bankruptcy attorneys can give you this financial fresh start.
The Two Types Of Bankruptcy
THE “FRESH START” BANKRUPTCY is the fastest and easiest form of bankruptcy for an individual. Known officially as chapter 7 bankruptcy, you are able to eliminate your dischargeable debts without making any repayments.
If you qualify, your entire case will generally last for only 3-4 months. If the value of your assets and property are below values established by law, you will retain your home, car, and other property, while eliminating your debt.
A “REPAYMENT PLAN” BANKRUPTCY is a plan that your creditors must honor once confirmed by the court. This chapter 13 bankruptcy gives you the advantage of having set monthly payments over a set duration.
This bankruptcy allows you to make one monthly payment to the court, which will be divided up automatically and paid to your creditors in some cases for pennies on the dollar. At the end of the repayment term, any unsecured unpaid balances will be discharged. A typical chapter 13 bankruptcy will last from 36-60 months.
The Bankruptcy Process
Your first meeting
We will start with a free telephone consultation to ensure that bankruptcy is right for you. When you decide to move forward, we arrange an in-person meeting. This meeting is always with an attorney, not a paralegal or support staff member.
Choose your path
We will help you choose the bankruptcy type that is right for you based on all the information you provide.
Gather & prepare
We will determine what information is needed to properly prepare your case and work as a team together gathering the necessary information.
Review
Once we have all information, we will prepare your case. Once your case is prepared, we meet with you one final time. We will review the documents that will be filed with the court and we will help you practice the questions that you will be asked at your hearing.
Filing & court
We file your case the same week as your final meeting. You are under bankruptcy protection as soon as you are filed. All creditor activity must stop immediately. Around one month after filing we will attend your only hearing with you. It is very brief, typically lasting for only 5-10 minutes. We will have you completely prepared for this hearing ahead of time.
Rebuild your life!
Your official discharge notice will arrive by mail. You can begin to rebuild your credit and your life.
Get Your Life Restarted
LEARN WHY ONE OF OUR AWARD WINNING attorneys is the right choice for your fresh start by calling us now for a free phone consultation. Bankruptcy cases are a little different in every area. Our experienced bankruptcy attorneys know the ins-and-outs of each individual court.
- Columbus residents’ petitions are filed in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Ohio.
- Cincinnati residents’ petitions are filed in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Ohio.
- Cleveland residents’ petitions are filed in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Ohio.
We make bankruptcy easy for you by guiding you through each step. Other law firms may simply take the paperwork you gathered and file it. Our attorneys will help you gather the right information so that nothing is missed. You will be thoroughly prepared you for your bankruptcy hearing.
- Bankruptcy overview
- Chapter 7
- Chapter 13
- Income
- Non-Dischargeable
- Student Loan
- Wait to File
- Debts
- Credit Repair
- Home Ownership
- Lawsuit Protection
- Wage Garnishment
- Tax Relief
- Vehicles
- Bankruptcy and Payday Loans in Ohio
- Bankruptcy Discharge Reinstatement Fees
- Bankruptcy Trustee
- Best Bankruptcy Attorney
- Why Use Bankruptcy Lawyer
- Avoiding Mortgages and Judicial Liens Through Bankruptcy in Ohio
Helpful Bankruptcy Information
A WAIT TIME BETWEEN ONE BANKRUPTCY FILING that results in a discharge and a new filing is imposed by the court. Experienced attorneys will help you make this determination. The wait between one bankruptcy discharge and your next bankruptcy filing is as follows:
| Previous | Current | Time since filing date |
|---|---|---|
| Chapter 7 | Chapter 7 | 8 years |
| Chapter 7 | Chapter 13 | 4 years |
| Chapter 13 | Chapter 7 | 6 years to 8 years |
| Chapter 13 | Chapter 13 | 2 years |
YOUR YEARLY HOUSEHOLD INCOME is one of the major determining factors if you can qualify for a chapter 7 bankruptcy. If the household adjusted median income is above what is allowed for a household of that size, no single person within that household is allowed to file for chapter 7. If this is the case the only remaining possibility is a chapter 13 bankruptcy. An experienced lawyer can help you make this determination. Below are the allowable income levels for a Chapter 7 filing based on household size: (updated 4/1/2017)
| Household size | Adjusted median income |
|---|---|
| 1 | $47,582 |
| 2 | $59,565 |
| 3 | $69,058 |
| 4 | $83,515 |
| 5 | $91,915 |
| 6 | $100,315 |
| 7 | $108,715 |
| 8 | $117,115 |