Do I Have Other Options?

Most importantly, there may be an alternative to bankruptcy available to you. My goal is to ensure that your financial future is in your hands.

Try the following techniques to see if you can stay away from bankruptcy.

1. Can you make minimum payments each month to your creditors? If so, you'll need to squeeze your budget to pay more than the minimum on your smallest debt. If you don't, you'll only be paying mostly interest. If you can actually pay off your smallest debt, continue to the next smallest until you pay off all debt. You have to be disciplined to achieve success.

2. If you cannot make minimum payments, call each creditor and get a payment commitment in writing that reduces your debt and interest to zero within 60 months. Find out from each creditor what payment you'll need to make. If you can make payments to all your creditors and pay off your debt within 60 months, you do not need bankruptcy.

If you can't use the above techniques, you may still qualify for a Chapter 13 petition because you have money left over. You should be able to schedule lower payments and reduce the interest rate you pay for unsecured debt (such as credit cards) by filing a Chapter 13 bankruptcy petition.

If none of these options work, call my office to make an appointment. During our meeting, we will review your debts and discuss non-bankruptcy as well as bankruptcy procedure. If we decide that you need bankruptcy relief, I will draft your petition, negotiate with your creditors, and represent you at your bankruptcy hearing.