Not long after I started my practice, I was featured in a Cleveland.com article entitled “Bankruptcy Professionals Help People Attain Financial Stability.” It may seem odd to think of the words bankruptcy and financial stability in the same sentence; however, filing for bankruptcy does just that, it provides stability. In the article, I was quoted saying bankruptcy is about “helping people regain their footing.”
After 17 years in practice as a bankruptcy attorney, I am still saying the exact same thing. This is what bankruptcy does, helps you to regain control of your finances, and ultimately, your life again.
Let me share with you a story about a client. I had a client who had a good job, had just started building up a nest egg in his 401K, and who, unfortunately, had made some bad financial decisions that put him in a very difficult financial situation. The last thing he wanted to do was file for bankruptcy, as he felt like this would be an admission of failure. Other than his finances, things were going pretty well in his life, but his finances were dragging him down. He was suffering not only financially, but mentally as well because of this.
Long story short, after filing for chapter 7 bankruptcy, his life was changed. He didn’t feel weighed down by his debt anymore. And, instead of digging himself deeper into a hole, like he was before bankruptcy, he started to find his way back to financial freedom. Fast-forward several years and he was back to having a good credit score, paying down his student loan debt and saving for a house. He finally had financial stability.
Hopefully you see through that story how bankruptcy actually provides financial stability. Don’t let the stigma of bankruptcy get in the way of what bankruptcy actually does. Bankruptcy allows people who have fallen on hard times, for whatever reason, hit the reset button and get a fresh start. Yes, “fresh start” is one of those catchphrases used fairly often by bankruptcy lawyers, but there is a reason for this, it’s true. Bankruptcy truly does provide you with a fresh start.
In Need of a Fresh Start?
It’s okay if you’ve made some bad decisions that lead to some bad financial outcomes. The only thing worse than getting into a bad place financially is not admitting that it’s happening. A lot of times people make a bad situation worse by trying to kick the can down the road. This eventually just leads them to the same place, which is often bankruptcy. It’s best to get ahead of the situation and stay in control then to let the situation control you.
So, if you’re considering either chapter 7 or chapter 13 bankruptcy and live near the Cleveland or Westlake area, feel free to contact me and I’d be happy to discuss your situation. Or you can schedule a free consultation with me and I’ll give you a call back. My phone is on 24 hours of day and I’m always here for any potential client who just needs to talk. Give me a call at 216-526-0309.
