My Creditors Are Still Calling after My Bankruptcy! Is That Allowed?
One of the biggest benefits of filing Missouri or Illinois bankruptcy is the peace of mind you get when you’ve finally freed yourself from debt—and that includes freedom from your creditors! You no longer have to live in fear of who will be on the other end of the phone.
Your creditors are prevented from contacting you because of the automatic stay. Federal bankruptcy law demands that creditors stop contacting you about any debt that was involved in the bankruptcy. That includes any other tactics they use including letters, phone calls, or threats to your property.
Even when you are done with your bankruptcy case, your creditors are prevented from contacting you about debts that were discharged. To contact you about such debts would be a violation of your discharge order and may even give you a reason to go after that creditor.
What a relief! Though creditors are required to follow the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), it is not unusual for them to break the rules. Some of the common yet terrible tactics of bill collectors include abusive language, adding additional, unauthorized charges, bothering you at work even after you’ve asked them to stop, and harassing your family. It is no wonder that you couldn’t wait to be free of your creditors!
However, your creditors can contact you concerning debt that was not part of the bankruptcy. Your discharge order protects the debt you had when filing, but additional debt that you incur afterward is collectable by your creditors.
As you can see, getting into debt after your discharge is dangerous. You will have to go back through the pain of debt—but without the protection of a St. Louis bankruptcy attorney. To stop this from happening, you must be careful with your post-bankruptcy spending. Getting right back into debt after eliminating it through bankruptcy is simply unwise.
Life after bankruptcy can be wonderful—as long as you are cautious about your spending habits and follow the guidelines to make the most of your fresh start. It is important that you find a St. Louis bankruptcy attorney who will not only make your bankruptcy process easy but also help you get back on your feet afterwards. Facing creditor calls after your bankruptcy doesn’t need to happen. The power to stop it is in your hands.
Wondering what else you can expect bankruptcy to do for you? Request a free copy of my Illinois and Missouri bankruptcy book, “Get Out of Debt: Secrets Your Creditors Don’t Want You to Know.”
Tags: automatic stay, benefits of filing bankruptcy, creditors bothering you after bankruptcy, FDCPA, federal bankruptcy law, missouri bankruptcy book, St. Louis bankruptcy attorney