No
one plans on dramatic financial changes, but they happen. When
changes do arise to an individual in Chapter 13 bankruptcy, they
might be misled into believing there is no other option than sticking
to their schedule of set monthly payments. But they might be
surprised to find that Chapter 13 bankruptcy has a great deal of
flexibility. Before we discuss options, it is important to note that
payments are not something you want to ignore. You must make all of
your Chapter 13 payments in full and on time because if you do happen
to miss a payment, the trustee in charge of your case may drop or
dismiss your case. Were that to happen, the court cannot protect your
property from creditors. However, if you decide that you no longer
want to make payments on your Chapter 13 bankruptcy, you do have
options.
For
starters, you can convert the Chapter 13 bankruptcy into Chapter 7.
If they do convert the case, the debtor no longer has to make Chapter
13 payments. An example where this might be a good option is if a
person filed for Chapter 13 for a very specific reason, such as
trying to catch up on a car loan or home mortgage to prevent a loss
from foreclosure. However, if the debtor still cannot keep up with
payments in Chapter 13, it wouldn’t make sense to make payments any
longer, and Chapter 7 would be a favorable alternative. If you are
represented by an attorney already, however, you do not want to
convert your case without first speaking with your attorney.
The
second option, if you no longer want to make payments on your Chapter
13 bankruptcy, may be a voluntary dismissal. This is an option that
is usually available to debtors at any time. If a person filed for
Chapter 13 in an attempt to catch up with car or mortgage payments
and is successful, they may no longer want to be in Chapter 13. In
this option, debtors are no longer required to make monthly payments.
However, if this is carried out before, they will not receive a
discharge.
Another
option is to amend the Chapter 13 plan. Options in amending the plan
can be as simple as adjusting the payment schedule, reducing the
monthly payments, or even extending the length of a plan. There are
some limitations on these changes. For example, you cannot extend the
length of the plan for more than five years from the time of your
first payment. However, if you have a reduction in pay due to a
decrease in income, the amount of your monthly payment can be
changed. The process involves a motion to amend the plan to the
Chapter 13 trustee and all involved creditors.
Unemployment,
garnishments, and repossessions can happen to anyone. When bad things
happen to good people, and you are filing for bankruptcy in NY, the
bankruptcy attorneys at Doyaga and Schaefer are here to help. Stop
the harassment, the worry, the financial stress. For a free same-day
consultation, call 718-488-7500 or 516-656-7500, or visit our website
at bigapplebankruptcy.com for more information.