So how does it work? We have a “creditor line” to which all of your creditors will be referred. Any questions they have or comments they may need to make to you can be taken care of by our office. Make sure you ask any attorney you’re thinking of hiring if they provide this extra service to help you while you are preparing to file your case. I think you’ll find that most don’t.

All you need to do to prevent harassing creditor calls is call to set up a consultation. The appointment is free—but not having to live in fear of who is on the other end of your phone line may be priceless.

•    Don’t take money out of your retirement funds. Most retirement funds are safe from creditors when you file for bankruptcy, but if you take money out of them, not only are you taxed heavily, but you also lose future security.
•    Don’t incur new debt, especially on luxury items. Some people might be tempted to max out credit cards or put a down payment on a new car when they know that they are about to declare bankruptcy. However, new bankruptcy laws prevent people from taking advantage of the system in this way. Spending before declaring bankruptcy won’t work – and it isn’t right.
•    Don’t pay back relatives in the months before bankruptcy. Even family members are considered creditors during the bankruptcy process, and paying them first is considered giving them preference.
•    Don’t give away or sell expensive items to friends or family to protect it during bankruptcy. “Selling” a ring or your car to a relative to keep it safe from creditors will get your discharge denied – and it is dishonest.
•    Don’t borrow against your home. In most states, home equity is exempt during the bankruptcy process. Taking out a second mortgage to pay debts will harm your long-term plans of getting out of debt, since mortgages can’t be discharged but other types of debt can be.

If you are considering filing bankruptcy to pull yourself out from under mountains of debt, you may not need an attorney to do so. I wrote my free consumer guide, “Get Out of Debt: Secrets You Don’t Want to Know,” to help you clear up all the myths you’ve heard about bankruptcy and help you avoid making a mistake you might regret. Click here to request your FREE copy before you speak to any attorney, debt collector, or sign any forms.

Will bankruptcy affect your job?

If your wages are being garnished or you are receiving creditor calls at work, your boss most likely knows that you are in debt anyway. Trying to hide that from them won’t work. Filing bankruptcy, however, shows your boss that you are willing to take responsibility for your debt and get your life back on track. Bankruptcy may actually allow your boss to see you in a positive light, as someone who is willing to do what they need to do in order to get a handle on their debt. Your boss may have more respect for that decision than if you had chosen to remain under the overwhelming weight of debt and not take any action.

So, don’t let the myths about bankruptcy stop you from making one of the best decisions you can for you and your family. If you are drowning in debt, you may not even need an attorney, but you do need helpful information to keep you from making a mistake that can ruin your case. That’s why I offer my book ,”Get Out of Debt: Secrets Your Creditors Don’t Want You to Know,” for free. Click here to get your copy today.

• Research sales comparable
• Find out how many property liens are attached
• Avoid making a low-ball offer

What does that mean? Your lender may levy your bank accounts, harass you by phone, or use the Missouri or Illinois garnishment laws to get a judgment against you and take part of your wages. Luckily, there is a way to prevent any of this from happening to you.

Missouri or Illinois bankruptcy can actually stop repossession from happening in the first place. A St. Louis bankruptcy attorney may even be able to get your car back before it is sold if it has already been repossessed. If, however, you’ve already given up your car, Missouri and Illinois bankruptcy can help you with your deficiency balance—and the subsequent wage garnishment.

A St. Louis bankruptcy attorney can help you file a Chapter 7, which can get rid of your deficiency balance completely and stop the lender from garnishing your wages.

It isn’t always easy to see the “snowball effect” that debt can have on your life. One minute you think you’ve only missed one car payment. The next minute, your car is being towed by the repo man and you suddenly owe a balance, for which your wages are being garnished. It really can happen that fast.

A wage garnishment is debilitating. Instead of helping you get out of debt, a wage garnishment actually makes it harder for you to pay the rest of your bills. It is like getting on the fast track to debt. However, the power to stop it is in your hands.

These situations happen more often than you think—and to more people than you think. Though hard times hit us all, the difference lies in whether you decide to take action or not. Remember, doing nothing changes nothing. If you want to control the direction your life is going in, do the research, find an option that works for you, and stop your life from getting out of your control. Request a free copy of my Illinois and Missouri bankruptcy book, “Get Out of Debt: Secrets Your Creditors Don’t Want You to Know,” to learn the facts you need to know!

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.”

The state you file in corresponds with the place in which you’ve spent the most time in the 90 preceding your bankruptcy filing. For example, if you’ve lived in Illinois for the past three months, you wouldn’t be able to file a Missouri chapter 7. You must file in Missouri. Now, if you’ve lived in multiple places for the last 3 months, you must file in the state that you’ve spent the majority of your time (91 days or more).

Often, people assume that the rules are better in one state than they are in another, causing the question of where to file to be asked in the first place. The truth is that one state is not necessarily better than the other, just different. The main differences between Missouri and Illinois bankruptcy filings will be the trustee, the exemptions, and the local court rules.

Keep in mind, however, that certain districts put certain rules in place because they are most appropriate for the people living in their jurisdiction. At the end of the day, it is best to file where you are supposed to file. Not only could you risk an objection from the Trustee by filing in the wrong state, but you could also put your own financial future at risk. It truly isn’t worth trying to cheat the system.

If you aren’t sure where to file Missouri or Illinois bankruptcy, the best place to start is with an experienced St. Louis bankruptcy attorney. Find a lawyer with knowledge of both sides of the river, including their respective trustees, exemptions, and local rules. If you start off with the right attorney, you’ll be able to get the most out of your case, regardless of where you file. He or she should be able to get you the protection from foreclosure, credit card debt help, and relief from creditors you need while still using the exemptions and local rules to protect your property and family.

If you want to learn more about bankruptcy to make sure it is the right move for you and your family, simply request a free copy of my Illinois and Missouri bankruptcy book, “Get Out of Debt: Secrets Your Creditors Don’t Want You to Know.”

• The standard wage garnishment/deduction:

• In Missouri: 25%
• In Illinois: 15%

• If you are the head of household:

• In Missouri: the standard rate goes down 10%
• In Illinois: the standard rate remains the same

• If your wages are being garnished for child support:

• In Missouri: Up to 65% of your wages can be garnished
• In Illinois: For 1 child you can be garnished 20% of your income, it goes up to 28% for 2 kids, and up to a maximum of 50% for 6 or more children

Bankruptcy is a solution to wage garnishment, it completely stops once you file. Filing bankruptcy can also stop creditors from taking any other action against you, such as, repossession, foreclosure, etc.

If your wages are being garnished in Missouri or Illinois, you may not need a lawyer, but what you do need is helpful information to arm you from harassing creditors. That’s why my best advice is before you speak to a St. Louis bankruptcy attorney, debt collectors, or sign any forms, you need to read my free book. “Get Out of Debt: Secrets Your Creditors Don’t Want You to Know” can give you the answers you need to start fresh financially.

Below are some of the things you should look out for on your credit report:

1. Accounts that don’t belong to you.

2. Accounts that reflect inaccuracies such as the wrong dates or payment amounts.

3. Errors in your name or Social Security number.

4. Addresses listed that you never lived at.

5. Entries older than 7 ½ years from the “date of last activity.” These are considered derogatory entries such as credit card charge-offs, collection accounts or delinquent medical bills.

Click here for my article on steps to disputing any errors that are listed on your credit report.

If your credit score is struggling for reasons other than inaccuracies, you are not the only one that is experiencing financial struggles. If you are buried under a mountain of debt and are interested in a way that could possibly improve your credit score immediately, before you speak to an attorney, debt collectors, or sign any forms, you need to read my free book, “Get Out of Debt: Secrets Your Creditors Don’t Want You to Know.”

If you are coming in for an initial consultation, I’m sure you’re wondering what you should bring. You are more than welcome to come into our office with only questions, if you are just in the beginning stages of figuring out this process. I provide a free book to anyone who is thinking about bankruptcy, I want to make sure you don’t make any decisions you regret. Before you talk to any lawyers, creditors or sign any forms, get my FREE book, “Get Out of Debt: Secrets Your Creditors Don’t Want You To Know,” simply by clicking on this link. Even if you feel like debt is crushing you, you still may not need a lawyer, and my book will help you understand your financial situation better.

If you have already decided to file for bankruptcy, bringing in certain documents and information to your free initial consultation can help speed up the process for you. This can also help me, as a Missouri bankruptcy lawyer, better understand your case. Below are examples of some of the things that can help speed up the bankruptcy process for you.
1. Bring a list of any questions you may have for your Missouri bankruptcy lawyer. You might think that you can think of all the questions you have to get the answers you are looking for, but you could forget something during the meeting. This is your best chance to talk with your Missouri bankruptcy lawyer face-to-face and to understand everything that you need to know.
2. Bring a current list of your assets and debts. While I understand this won’t be the complete list, so don’t stress out about trying to think of all of them. The main reason for this list is to give your Missouri bankruptcy lawyer a good idea of your present financial situation and the type of bankruptcy that can benefit you the most. It will also provide a better idea of your financial situation to you and your family.
3. Bring a list of creditors. This list also definitely doesn’t have to be complete; it will give your Missouri bankruptcy lawyer a better picture of your situation and whether or not bankruptcy is the right choice for you.
4. If your home is in foreclosure, bring as much information as you can, including any documents that you have received. It is very important that your Missouri bankruptcy lawyer knows exactly where you are in the foreclosure process as you continue through the bankruptcy process.

For more information about bankruptcy and tips for how to handle it, like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/castlelaw OR follow me on Twitter @James_CastleLaw!