The Ultimate Arizona Bankruptcy Guide – Part 1 – An Overview of Bankruptcy in Arizona

A Bankruptcy Guide Written Specifically for Arizona Families

Bankruptcy is a big decision and one that most people want to avoid at nearly all costs. However bankruptcy is a powerful tool that can help you deal with your debt problem once and for all and in most cases the benefits overwhelming outweigh the negatives.

I have been meeting with families to discuss bankruptcy for more than a decade and this experience has taught be a couple of things. First, no one wants to file for bankruptcy. Often when I meet with people in my office they literally struggle to even say the word.

The word bankruptcy has a lot of baggage associated with it.  You may feel that filing for bankruptcy means you have failed or that someone it makes you a bad person.

Nothing is further from the truth.

Debt problems can impact anyone.  I have filed bankruptcy cases for families that have been to the top of scale when it comes to income and then had an unexpected illness in the family, a business shut down, or an unexpected job loss that had lead to financial problems.

Bankruptcy is not the problem.  The real problems arise when you fail to take action on your debt.  Some elect to pursue debt settlement, borrow from family, borrow from retirement, and other methods to eliminate their debt.  And in certain circumstances those options are fine.

But you must act.  And before you do it is smart to meet with an attorney who deals with debt problems to learn what your options are and what the best path to becoming debt free will be for your situation.

Information is Power

When dealing with money problems and creditors you may feel like the world is against you and that you don’t have any real options. That is what the debt collectors want you to think.  The truth of the matter is you hold one of the most powerful debt fighting tools – a tool that can stop your creditors dead in their tracks and give you some breathing room and peace.

That tool is bankruptcy.

But before you can made an informed decision on whether bankruptcy is a good option for dealing with your debt problem it is important to educate yourself on all of the benefits and negative aspects of bankruptcy.

And that is why I have decided to write The Ultimate Arizona Bankruptcy Guide.

While the Bankruptcy Code is a federal law this guide will be specific to Arizona and what it is like to go through the bankruptcy process in Arizona.

An Overview of the Bankruptcy Process in Arizona

Over the next few weeks there will be several articles published that will walk you through a bankruptcy proceeding here in Arizona. Each step is important and will be discussed in detail.  They include:

• Should you file a chapter 7 or chapter 13 case?
• What documentation is needed to file for bankruptcy?
• Do I need an attorney to file for bankruptcy?
• How much does bankruptcy cost?
• Can bankruptcy stop a wage garnishment or home foreclosure?
• I have an emergency, can I file bankruptcy quickly?
• Do I have to include all of my debts?
• Will I lose my home or car in bankruptcy?
• Will I have to do a pre-bankruptcy credit counseling class?
• When my creditors stop harassing me?
• Do I have to do to court?
• How long will my case take?

These are just a sample of the questions that will be address in this bankruptcy guide.  My goal is to provide you with detailed information on the Arizona bankruptcy process so that you can make an informed decision on dealing with your debt problem.

Check back soon for the next article that will discuss the differences between chapter 7 and chapter 13 bankruptcy and how you can know which is the right one for you.