People who have fallen on hard times financially and are unable to pay their debts may file for bankruptcy. This is often a last resort, and is a way to stay afloat and avoid being pursued by creditors. There are certain requirements needed to file Chapter 7 bankruptcy.
Your Income Must Be Below a Certain Level
People with incomes that are above the median for their area are not eligible for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy. Calculate your income for the last six months, and compare it to the median income level.
A Previous Dismissal of a Bankruptcy Case
If you filed for bankruptcy, but the case was dismissed within the last 180 days, you cannot re-apply. The case may have been dismissed for a variety of reasons, such as:
- A violation of a court order
- The filing contained inaccuracies
- You initiated the dismissal under certain circumstances
Fraud
If you were found to have been dishonest with creditors or if you were not forthcoming in stating your assets in the past, you may not be eligible to file Chapter 7 bankruptcy. Certain activities can jeopardize your filing:
- Hiding assets from a spouse during a divorce
- Inaccuracies about income on documents
- Putting your own assets under the name of a family or friend
For more information about filing Chapter 7 bankruptcy, call Lynch & Belch, P.C. in Indianapolis at 317-888-0006.
