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Understanding Bankruptcy

October 4th, 2009

Summary
Bankruptcy is not very pleasant but if you are facing it, it’s best to know  what to expect. This article gives an insight into the procedure

If you have serious debt  you may be thinking about bankruptcy. It’s crucial to comprehend what bankruptcy is and whether it is the right answerfor you.

Bankruptcy what does it mean? Bankruptcy is a transitory legal stage. Whilst bankrupt, your non-essential assets for example excess income, property and possessions are used to pay some of your creditors. After the bankruptcy period has ended, most debts are discharged. This can be a helpful means of clearing   debt advice that you might never be able to pay.

How long will you be bankrupt for?. Bankruptcy normally lasts for 1 year. After one year, you’ll be ‘discharged’ from your bankruptcy in spite of how much you still owe. If you co-operate fully with the Official Receiver, your discharge may happen earlier. Conversely, in a marginal number of cases and if you have conducted yourself carelessly, bankruptcy can remain for much more than one year.

How to become a bankrupt? A court declares you bankrupt by issuing a ‘bankruptcy order’ after it’s been supplied with a ‘bankruptcy petition’. Usually this happens in 1 of 2 ways.

Firstly by filing your own bankruptcy petition. A debtor’s petition form can be can be off the internet from the Insolvency Service website or obtained from county courts with bankruptcy jurisdiction. The form should be filled in and then taken to the county court nearest to you, that has bankruptcy jurisdiction. A fee of 150 pounds and deposit of £360 is required at this time. This amount cannot be ignored.

How does a creditor make you bankrupt?. Your creditors can serve a creditor’s petition if you owe them an unsecured debt more than eight hundred pounds. When the bankruptcy proceedings are underway, you are obliged to co-operate completely even if it is a creditor’s petition and you question their claim.

Where is a bankruptcy order made? Bankruptcy petitions are normally presented in a county pertinent court near where you live or trade.

Who deals with your bankruptcy? As soon as a bankruptcy order has been made against you, your creditors will not be able to pursue you for payment. Payment becomes the responsibility of the trustee. An Official Receiver is chosen if you don’t have any assets. If you are in possession of assets, an Insolvency Practitioner will be appointed to function as trustee and sell your assets to pay the money owed to your creditors.

What occurs when you are bankrupt?. Once you are bankrupt, the Official Receiver, or chosen  trustee, can sell your assets to repay your creditors. Though, some goods are not treated as assets for this purpose, for example: required household goods such as furniture, bedding, clothing and tools and equipment needed for work.

The Official Receiver can look at your income taking into account expenses and work out if payments should be made to your creditors. You will possibly be asked to sign an ‘income payments agreement’ to pay set monthly payments from your income for 2 years.

What are your responsibilities when you are bankrupt?. You have to: Give the Official Receiver details of your finances, creditors and assets, and take them to the Receiver with the applicable paperwork, like bank statements and insurance policies tell your trustee about any income or assets, for the duration of your bankruptcy cease using bank or building society accounts and credit cards, not apply for credit over £300 without revealing to the creditor that you are bankrupt, not make payments straight to your creditors. It is likely that you willYou might also have to go to court and explain why you’re in debt.

If you’re deliberating making yourself  debt management or you are being threatened with bankruptcy, it’s extremely important to take independent advice.

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