When You Have to File for Bankruptcy: Step-by-step Instructions to Take Control of Your Financial Future

Filing for bankruptcy doesn't have to be a shameful thing, and often it happens because of some critical event in your life that you had no control over. This book will help you identify the reasons why, and help you prepare yourself so your claim is completed as quickly and easily as possible. It'll provide you with alternatives to consider before walking you through the steps of how, and what chapter, to file.

Once you've decided to file, the book breaks down how to select an attorney, why to select an attorney, and goes through all the forms you'll need as well as the Means Test. The book will provide you with everything you need to know to file on your own if you choose, but it's strongly advised to choose a competent attorney that is going to be able to do it a lot better than you can. It then acts as a coach on how to formulate your post-filing plan, and how to stick with it so that your credit and finances are in as good a place as they can be when the bankruptcy period ends.

The best part of the book is that it touches on the myths of bankruptcy and really informs you of what bankruptcy is, what it will solve, and what it won't. It lets you know your rights, how to get creditors to stop harassing you, and how to rebuild your credit after you file. The second half of the book doubles as a budget planning guide, with tips and tricks to lower spending and pay your debts. At the end of the book is a bunch of case studies, which provide much needed expert advice. This book is a must read for anyone that may be contemplating filing, or has already filed bankruptcy.

Rating: 5 / 5

"When You Have to File For Bankruptcy," by Matt Pelc, is a helpful, easy read. It's a book that pertains to a variety of readers– from those of us who are simply in credit card debt to those who are in complete financial disparity. The greatest part of this book is how it caters to its readers. A reader has easy access to the chapter he or she needs and can go straight to filing for chapter 7 bankruptcy if they wish.The book is simple and concise for a few reasons. It is set up to take you through the steps of evaluating your debt, considering filing, actually filing and recovering from filing. It explains confusing legal terms and ideas like the difference between chapters 7 and 13. I also found some very helpful tools in the book, like a Web site to retrieve your free credit report. Pelc uses the "Johnson" family and others as sample people filing for bankruptcy to make it simpler. He shows their fake income and fake debt that can be complicated and relative to everyday debtors. In my opinion, the best part of the book is the chapter that describes the different types of bankruptcy in layman's terms. Pelc does a good job of making an unfamiliar and unpleasant subject easier to deal with. He also does a good job of letting the reader know that bankruptcy is common– in 2007 over 800,000 people declared bankruptcy. The last part of the book was wordy and possibly could've been a single chapter on rebuilding credit and recovering. Overall I give the book four out of 5 stars because I found it very helpful and easy to read.

Rating: 4 / 5

Rating: 4.7/5.0

"When you have to file for Bankruptcy" is in simple words – a great guide. Matt Pelc has written this book with experienced insight and has superbly covered the bankruptcy process. The bankruptcy process is a long and trying process. The person reading this book for the first time might be overwhelmed by the information and process detailed in the book but Matt Pelc is very good at nudging us to understand the procedure of bankruptcy and guiding the reader to clearly understand the course of action needed.

The book includes many examples to help the reader clearly understand what Matt Pelc is trying to explain. The case studies are a great resource to further comprehend the bankruptcy process. I especially like the part where Matt Pelc discusses how we can ensure we do not land in the same situation a few years later by guiding us as to where to cut expenses and what to watch out for.

The book has some dry spells but the bankruptcy procedure, itself, is a long drawn out process. Matt Pelc, as simply as possible, details the entire bankruptcy, explaining the law, the various forms that need to be filled, the obstacles involved while strongly urging the services of a lawyer.

Rating: 5 / 5

When You Have to File for Bankruptcy is an excellent guide for anyone contemplating backruptcy. It carefully explains the pros and cons of filing bankruptcy in language anyone can understand. The different types of bankruptcy are described as well as what to expect during each stage of the process. Following the book makes it easy to be prepared with your necessary documents ahead of time. Mr. Pelc removes the fear, as well as the stigma, from filing for bankruptcy. The book also helps you repair your credit and create a budget after the bankruptcy is over, putting you back on the road to good financial health.

I rate this book five out of five stars.

Rating: 5 / 5

Deciding whether you should file for bankruptcy is a very serious matter, particularly when you stop to consider that a successful bankruptcy can take months or even years, and that the filing can remain on your credit report for another decade. The decision is one that should involve tremendous thought and research.

This book is an invaluable tool because it offers great insight into what to expect before, during and after filing. Readers are also given other possible solutions and suggestions to try before filing.

In the past several years, bankruptcy laws have changed dramatically. The author looks at those changes and gives you sound advice on how to avoid the pitfalls which could complicate or adversely impact an already problematic situation.

His information and guidance are posed in simple terms to help regular citizens wade through all the legal jargon and court proceedings. He also takes great pains not to judge anyone who has found themselves in the situation and he offers a great deal of hope and encouragement for the future.

The author strongly recommends that legal advice be obtained and backs up his recommendation with expert testimony showing that very few bankruptcy cases are successful without proper counsel.

In addition to describing the basic types of bankruptcy filings, from Chapter 7 to Chapter 13, the book also provides advice about life after a bankruptcy. Topics include everything from creating a realistic budget, to using the experience to become a savvy, informed consumer, and what to do with all the credit card offers you'll receive after a discharge

Rating: 5 / 5