There is no doubt that millions of people in America are in debt over their heads. It's obvious that we should do not be charging things on our credit cards unless we can pay for them when the monthly bill comes in. Nevertheless, most of us charge things like groceries, gasoline and a multitude of other items because it's so convenient and inevitably, it keeps adding up. Unfortunately, when that monthly bill arrives, far too often we are unable to pay the full amount.
The sad fact is that when you have maxed out all your credit cards and can only pay the minimum amount each month, you are already in trouble. Things may get so bad that you will have to choose between buying food, gas, clothing for your kids and paying your electric bill. Once it gets to that point, you are in a serious financial crisis and must act immediately. But what choices do you have, short of filing for bankruptcy?
Regarding bankruptcy, with the new laws now in place, it is much more difficult to file than it was previously. Unless you can prove that you have a true financial hardship, you will not be able to file for bankruptcy. And even if you can, in most cases the debts that you owe to your creditors will have to be reconstructed - not eliminated. And be aware that if you have student loan debt, you can never get out of paying it off. It is something you will be stuck with for the rest of your life. If you are a homeowner and still have a mortgage, another option might be trying to get a second mortgage. The advantages of a second mortgage are that you can spread out your debt over a greater time span and lower your payments at the same time.
Wednesday, January 3, 2007
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