Bankruptcy
Oftentimes, life throws curves our way that can’t be anticipated or planned for, such as a job loss, illness or major problems with your vehicle. Sometimes, just the simple economics of life get to be too much to handle, especially when there isn’t enough money coming into your household to pay all of the bills. That is usually when people find that they start to fall behind with their bills and get into financial trouble. If you find that the burdens of unmanageable debt are too much to handle, filing for bankruptcy may be right for you.
Some common types of debts that may be dischargeable through bankruptcy are:
- Credit Card
- Medical Bills
- Utility Bills
- Unsecured Personal Loans
- Business Expenses where the debtor is the personal guarantor
Some types of debts that generally are not discharged through bankruptcy are:
- Student Loans
- Taxes
- Domestic Support Obligations
- Fines, Penalties, Forfeitures and Criminal Restitution Obligations
- Debts not properly listed on a bankruptcy petition
All in all, there are 19 categories of debts that are not dischargeable under Chapter 7, 11 and 12. There are fewer debts that are not dischargeable under Chapter 13.
I would be happy to discuss your financial situation with you to clarify which of your debts may or may not be dischargeable in a bankruptcy proceeding.
For more information on bankruptcy, please see my bankruptcy article that appeared in the Bellingham Bulletin in their October, 2010 issue. 
