"No Shame in Filing Bankruptcy"
Life After Bankruptcy Stories
We filed Chapter 13 in order to not lose our home.We initially struggled some since filing bankruptcy because our bankruptcy payments were originally set too high. We were very persistant in communicating with our attorney and his staff, and our payments have since been lowered to a more manageable amount.
We have run into a few bumps in the road, but they have always been handled with help from our attorney.
We have learned that there really is no shame in filing bankruptcy. But you have to have patience. Many famous and prominent people have had to file.
A good attorney with a good staff is the key to having a successful experience. Once you have filed and you stop getting phone calls and letters from creditors, you feel as if a weight has been lifted.
We were nervous at the meeting of creditors. It can be rather intimidating. But you just have to remember that the people presiding over the hearing are people just like you. And when you see how many others are in the same situation as you,it makes you feel a little better,too.
You must also remember that if something goes wrong, DON'T PANIC! There are very few situations that a good attorney can't fix.
You now have to take a credit counseling class online in order to file. This is a very helpful class. You can get a lot of good advice to help you after your case is discharged.
The one financial lesson that we have learned that will help us the most is that you don't have to have a credit card to live. You must think of filing bankruptcy as a learning experience and take away as much financial knowledge as you can.
But don't ever let it bring you down or cause you shame. You are taking steps to gain control of your finances and there is no shame in that. And remember that you are certainly not alone.
Contributed by Susan from Georgia
