Do Not Feel Guilty If You Have No Choice But To File For Bankruptcy

Guilt tends to dog the footsteps of many people who file bankruptcy, but should it? If there is no other option, something has to be done.

In today’s fast paced and debt filled world, people in over their heads financially often have an enormous personal struggle with the thought of filing bankruptcy. They feel a deep-seated twinge of guilt for failing to manage their financial affairs. But really, should they feel guilty when there is no other option open to them? It’s a tough question and a tough position to be in.

The drowning debtor with guilt is between a rock and a hard place, because in their minds, if they declare bankruptcy, they are deadbeats. They do not want to pack it in and admit defeat and have to face the stigma of having gone bankrupt; a status that will haunt them for many years. So they struggle to keep their heads above water and fail; miserably. And yet, they still want to pay what they owe.

Unfortunately, when things get that bad, there are not many other options open. If their debts are eating them alive every month, it is time to do something; to salvage what is left of their financial stability, without the guilt if possible. This is really a difficult financial decision and has nothing to do with morals.

Sadly, many people feel that if they max out their retirement account to pay off credit cards or bail out their home, that they have the world by the tail. It does not work that way. Retirement funds are protected from creditors and if you spend the whole enchilada, you have nothing for retirement. The true reality of using your retirement funding for credit card payments or trying to save your house, is that for every approximately $10,000 you bleed out of your account, you may well lose close to $100,000 in future income.

If you find yourself on the uncertain road heading towards possibly filing for bankruptcy, do not access your retirement funding without first talking to a qualified and skilled Iowa bankruptcy lawyer. They will tell you right away what your legal rights are and what is protected. You need to make informed decisions about your debt load, not ones that have the potential to completely ruin you financially, putting your retirement in serious jeopardy.

If you happen to have more than one creditor, and many people do, do not dash for cash to pay off just that one creditor, because if you do, what are you going to do with the other creditors? If you have some money to spread about, then spread it amongst all the creditors; don’t pay just one off or the rest may hound you into bankruptcy.

In the final analysis, declaring bankruptcy is difficult and it should never be done without talking to a seasoned Iowa bankruptcy lawyer first. There are many things that will help a financially strapped debtor deal with their situation. If you do not ask the questions, you are left with no options and a lot of mental pain and anguish. If you ask the questions, your lawyer will be able to provide you with clear and concise answers to help you choose what will suit you the best.

Kevin Ahrenholz is an Iowa bankruptcy lawyer and Iowa bankruptcy attorney. To contact him, visit https://www.iowachapter7.com or call 1.877.888.1766.

Posted on Sunday, April 10th, 2011 and filed under News and Press.
Tags: Iowa Bankruptcy Attorney, Iowa bankruptcy lawyer, Iowa business bankruptcy attorney, Iowa business bankruptcy lawyer