Learn More About Bankruptcy

Bankruptcy and Retirement Accounts

You Don’t Lose Your Retirement Accounts in Bankruptcy You made responsible choices and contributed to a retirement account, and now that nest egg has grown significantly.  Don’t worry about losing your retirement savings in bankruptcy, because it’s exempt.  Under North Carolina exemptions, all IRS qualified retirement accounts (employer pensions, 401(k)’s, Traditional IRA’s, Roth IRA, etc.) can’t be touched by the bankruptcy court. If you are a state or municipal employee, those retirement benefits are exempt too.  This also applies to

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Bankruptcy And Judgments

Is it too late to file for bankruptcy if a creditor has obtained a judgment against you? For most bankruptcy filers, the answer is “No!” But if you can, don’t wait until a creditor obtains a final judgment. The quicker you act, the better. In North Carolina, if a judgment is obtained against you, it acts as a lien against any real estate you own. This is called a “judgment lien”. This can prevent you from selling your home without

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Student Loans and Bankruptcy

Student Loans and Bankruptcy The strain of student loan debt is felt by many these days as the nation’s student loan debt total exceeds a trillion dollars – more than the nation’s credit card debt. Many wonder whether student loans debt can be eliminated or reduced through bankruptcy. Lenders typically have little risk of losing money on loans because Congress has given the lenders greater power than typically afforded to credit card or mortgage lenders. But for the borrower, Congress

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What Can You Keep When You File Bankruptcy

What Can You Keep When You File Bankruptcy? A common myth is that you lose all of your belongings when you file bankruptcy.  This is far from true. Your bankruptcy case can be structured so that you keep everything that you own by claiming various exemptions under North Carolina and federal laws.  Were it not for exemptions, a bankruptcy trustee would take your assets, sell them, and distribute the proceeds to your creditors.  However, bankruptcy law is designed so that

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