If your debts and financial obligations put you in a position where you may qualify for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, it’s important to consider that option before one or more of your creditors place a judgment against you in court. If you stall in meeting debts payments but refuse to use bankruptcy options to recover from heavy financial obligations, your creditors have options to take matters to court. At Behm Law Group, Ltd., we encourage you to use the system set in place by the United States Congress to your advantage and file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in Mankato, MN, if you qualify before your debt obligations lead to a more drastic situation.
Bankruptcy is a complex system of laws in place designed to protect debtors from being unable to resurface from drowning debts. However, that system is also designed to protect creditors, and it offers them several ways of regaining debts owed to them from debtors who do not or cannot meet scheduled payments. One of those options is by acting as a judgment creditor to use the courts approval in regaining what is owed to them.
What is a judgment creditor?
If your creditor files a successful lawsuit against you and receives a money judgment, that creditor becomes a judgment creditor. Creditors cannot place judgment against secured debts, but any unsecured debts and nonpriority debts are susceptible to a judgment creditor. That title allows a creditor to find information about your assets and offers them more collection techniques than a normal creditor. A judgment creditor can forcibly take up to 25% of your net wages, collect from your bank account and other deposits, repossess certain items such as motor vehicles, and place liens against your properties and assets.
How do they gain information about your assets?
If your creditor has kept records of your debt to them over time, it can often be simple for them to find out what assets and properties you hold. Loan applications to your creditor, for example, give information about your name, address, employer, and certain asset information. The DMV can also provide information to judgment creditors about your registered vehicles including boats, cars, and recreational vehicles. Any real estate you own can also be easily searched on public online records.
If you’re struggling with multiple debts, it may be just a matter of time before your creditors file judgments against you. Filing for bankruptcy before then might save time and money and reduce the stress of legal action taken against you. For more information and to find out if you qualify for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in Mankato, MN, contact Behm Law Group, Ltd. at (507) 387-7200 today.
