Bankruptcy is a way for you to get out of your hard financial times and it is something that you have to do when you can no longer afford to pay your existing debts.

Keep in mind that there are many types of bankruptcy, but the most commonly filed form of bankruptcy is chapter 7 and a chapter 13.

Chapter 7 is the most common for the individual. It is the complete erasing of qualifying debt. The debtor is then released from all repayment obligations. Keep in mind that chapter 7 bankruptcies are very serious and should not something that is taken lightly.

While giving you an immediate fresh start in repairing your finances, it remains on your credit report for 10 years. You still will be seen as a high risk and you will also be noted as a person who is financially irresponsible.

Chapter 13 is less harmful to your credit. Though there are still marks against you, since you will be working to repay your debts on a payment plan, you do not look like you are financially irresponsible, though you are still considered a slight credit risk. With a chapter 13 you will be able to keep your home and they will not start selling your assets to pay back your creditors like you would in chapter 7.

In 2005 an act passed legislation that now makes it more difficult for individuals to receive a chapter 7 bankruptcies. You know need to do pre-filing credit counseling sessions and also post-filing financial counseling, so that you can get yourself back on the right track.

It is very important that you weigh all sides of the chapter 7 and the chapter 13 bankruptcies. You need to decide which one will do you more harm then good. You’ll also want to make sure that you pick a bankruptcy that will help you to resolve some of your financial problems.

How to Avoid Bankruptcy

Keep in mind that when it comes to bankruptcy you will want to look for other solutions, because you need to find someway of getting your individual and business financial obligations.

If the right steps are taken from the beginning, you can keep yourself and your family out of financial trouble and away from bankruptcy.

You will need to start off by educating your children. Many of us growing up weren’t presented with the tools and knowledge to establish and maintain good credit and keep away from the scare of bankruptcy.

You should be honest to your children about your finances, but also need to be able to guide your children to make the right decisions in the future. Teaching children that hard work, no matter the job, has its rewards and if you spend on a budget, there will never be a fear of bankruptcy.

You’ll also need to establish a budget in order to keep bankruptcy from happening. You cannot spend what you don’t have. Many people today have multiple credit cards and are in essence spending money they don’t actually have, plus more for interest.

You also don’t want to pay off the credit cards with another credit card. This is just an awful chain reaction that will not get you anywhere. You’ll need to spend what you can afford and only what you can afford.

But you will want to make sure you have something socked away for an emergency. You will find that that it is a good idea to have at least two thousand dollars set aside for just in case purposes.

It is another step to take to keep out of financial trouble. Probably the most important thing though is to watch your bank account. Don’t allow yourself to be in a situation where you overdraw.

Keep in mind that there are so many people who rely on the overdraft in order to keep them financed each month, but you will find that your actions are destructive to your credit report but they are also The fact is more than a third of adults rely on their banks overdraft to keep them going on a month-to-month basis. Such actions are ones that lead individuals on a path to bankruptcy.