[ Content | View menu ]

What to Know When Filing for Bankruptcy in Texas

Written on June 2, 2008

Filing for Texas bankruptcy should be standard as it follows regular federal bankruptcy laws and statutes. The only difference may be in the state exemptions. Otherwise, in filing for Texas bankruptcy, be sure that if you are filing the petition yourself, you are updated on current regulations or filing requirements. Even if you are availing of outside legal services (you should), it would be advantageous on your part to know the facts yourself.

Since 2005, there have been additions in the requirements for filing bankruptcies specifically with regards to credit counseling and the Means Test. You are expected to accomplish both should you file for Texas bankruptcy. Credit counseling is required for al all individual debtors who file bankruptcy within six months before filing for bankruptcy. Petitioners are also required to complete a financial management instructional course as well after filing for bankruptcy.

An important step before filing for Texas bankruptcy is the understanding of the Act Means test. This takes into account your financial capability, your expenses and your income all factored into a median which would then determine under what Chapter you must file your petition under based on whether you are above or under the median. If your income is below the median it is recommended that you choose Chapter 7. Averages vary per state, but if you are unable to fork out at least $100 monthly payment to your debts, spread out over the next five years, then you are likely able to file for Texas bankruptcy under Chapter 7.

Another basis would be the total value of your unsecured debts such as credit card bills and medical bills. If you are unable to pay at least 25% of that, you can file under Chapter 7. Before filing for Texas bankruptcy, make sure that your petitions paper work is updated and thorough; gather and collate your financial profile, your current income and its sources, financial transactions entered into for the last 48 months, itemized list of living expenses, debts both secured and unsecured, all viable property and possessions as well as tax income documents and loan or mortgage papers.

Once this is completed, you can go through the property or items which you believe should be exempted under Texas exemptions. You or your legal counsel can file the necessary petition at your Texas district bankruptcy court. Your papers and forms will be evaluated and remember that any dishonest or fraudulent items and omissions can be the basis for outright dismissal of your petition. The costs for filing bankruptcy is less than $300 for Chapter 7 and which you can actually pay in installments while the fee for a petition filed under Chapter 13 is under $200. In filing your Texas bankruptcy petition under Chapter 13, remember that you need to submit your repayment plans for your debts. Your repayment plans include the manner on how payment is divided among your different creditors as well as the figure of the amount needed for this, minus your living expenses.

Remember that you cannot default on this; you must declare and use all disposable income for the plan at least for the next 3 years. Normally, this process and the validity of your proposal should be approved first by the court. Concurrently, an automatic stay is enforced on all your assets.

Francisco Segura owns and operates http://www.bankruptcy-reviews.com

Texas Bankruptcy Laws Are Liberal For Debtors
Texas bankruptcy laws are not the same as in other states. Therefore, if you want the court to give judgment in your favor, make sure that you are aware of these laws and know when and how to use the same.Texas Bankruptcy CourtsTexas has the specific...

Filing Bankruptcy Online - Simple and Convenient
The innovative growth and advancements in Internet has now made filing bankruptcy online, a possibility. You can easily find hundreds of bankruptcy forms processing services online. These are many agencies that will not only provide you bankruptcy fo...

Information For Filing Bankruptcy
If you are looking for information for filing bankruptcy, you have come to the right place. This article intends to explore the simple steps in filling bankruptcy.There Is No Other SolutionThe first step is to make sure that filing bankruptcy is the ...

Evaluating The Bankruptcy Cost
If you are planning to file for bankruptcy, you will have to keep several things into your careful consideration bankruptcy cost is one of them. Before you go ahead and hire your bankruptcy attorney, it is very important for you to understand that t...

Filing Bankruptcy in Federal Courts
One cannot file for bankruptcy through US state courts, since exclusive jurisdiction is vested with Federal courts. The court charges a certain fee at the time of filing, depending on which category of bankruptcy is being filed for. Specifically, a c...

Things To Consider When You Are Filing Bankruptcy
Due to the steadily rising costs of living and other increasing expenses, some people are filing bankruptcy. Before taking the serious step of filing bankruptcy, it is reasonable to look into some information to decide what kind of bankruptcy may be ...

The Timeline For Chapter 13 Bankruptcy
The laws pertaining to bankruptcy are very complicated. That is the reason why you are recommended to be properly aware of the timeline before filing your petition under chapter 13 bankruptcy. The following timeline describes the laws at different st...

New Bankruptcy Laws
The U.S. Government recently approved a bill that brought about some major changes in the bankruptcy laws on April 20, 2005. The bill is called the The Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005. As per this bill, about 25 chang...

Which Type Of Personal Bankruptcy Is The Best For You
If you have caught yourself in the nasty trap of debts and your financial situation is not strong enough to pay off all these debts, you must be into a dilemma of, what to do or what not to do. May be, you are planning to file for personal bankruptcy...

Filing Bankruptcy - An Overview Of Steps To Follow
When it comes to filing bankruptcy, there are certain steps that you need to follow. Let me give you a brief insight into the same.Is The Bankruptcy Only Option Left To You?Before you go ahead and file for bankruptcy, it is very important for you to ...

Filed in: RSS Feed Icon Bankruptcy Attorney .