Florida Bankruptcy Attorney

Orlando Chapter 7 Attorney · Cocoa Beach Bankruptcy Lawyer

After you have tried everything to get out from under your debt burden, you may feel frustrated, worried and confused. At the Law Office of Paul L. Urich, we invite you to come in and meet with us about bankruptcy and other options that you may not have considered.

Why worry about your debts and credit problem another day. Contact us to arrange a free consultation today. Let us help you stop creditor harassment immediately.

Selecting the right Florida bankruptcy lawyer is an important decision. Our attorneys have extensive experience in all areas of debt relief, including:

Chapter 7 Bankruptcy in the Cocoa Beach area, Orlando and Central Florida

Under the new bankruptcy laws, you must first pass a means test to file Chapter 7 bankruptcy. If your current monthly income is below the Florida adjusted median income, then you automatically qualify. However, even if your income is above the Florida adjusted median income, you may still qualify after expenses such as car payments and retirement plan contributions are deducted from your income. Our lawyers have helped many people file Chapter 7 bankruptcy after other attorneys told them that they did not qualify due to the means test. We will clearly explain the bankruptcy process and the difference between Chapter 7 versus Chapter 13 bankruptcy.

Chapter 13 Bankruptcy

Chapter 13 bankruptcy is a debt repayment plan. When you file Chapter 13 bankruptcy, you and your lawyer create a plan to pay off a percentage of your debts over a three- to five-year period. Many people file Chapter 13 bankruptcy to protect assets they would otherwise lose by filing Chapter 7 bankruptcy. We will explain your options for loan modifications versus bankruptcy.

Home Foreclosures and Short Sales in Cocoa Beach, Orlando and Central Florida

Filing either Chapter 7 bankruptcy or Chapter 13 bankruptcy will stop any home and investment property foreclosure action by your lender under the automatic stay provisions of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. However, if you are far behind on your payments, filing Chapter 13 bankruptcy may be the best option. Under a Chapter 13 debt repayment plan, you will have up to five years to bring your mortgage payments up to date. We will clearly explain the advantages of a short sale versus foreclosure. We can also show you how bankruptcy can help you strip a second mortgage to make your current house payment more affordable.

IRS/Tax Debts in Orlando and Cocoa Beach Communities

Like other forms of debt, back taxes can create a significant financial burden. Filing bankruptcy can be an effective way of reducing or eliminating that burden. In general, filing Chapter 13 bankruptcy will allow you to discharge more tax debts than a Chapter 7 bankruptcy. We will help you understand how bankruptcy and debt relief will affect your federal tax liability.

Repossessions in the Orlando and Cocoa Beach Region

Filing bankruptcy will stop the repossession of a car, boat, motorcycle or other asset. However, if you want to keep the asset, you will still need to sign a reaffirmation agreement and catch up on your payments. Another option that is available in bankruptcy is to renegotiate your payments. For example, if you owe $20,000 on a car that is worth $12,000, you may be able to refinance your car for $12,000.

Home Liens

If you have a lien against your home due to an IRS tax debt or legal judgment, you may be able to have that lien removed by filing bankruptcy. Tax liens on your home are harder to remove than judgment liens.

Credit Card Debt

There is a lot of misinformation being spread about the new bankruptcy laws. Many credit card companies will tell debtors that credit card bills can no longer be discharged. However, this is not true. Most people with significant credit card debt can still obtain relief by filing bankruptcy.

Consumer Credit Counseling

Before you can obtain debt relief under the new bankruptcy law, you must complete a consumer credit counseling course before and after your bankruptcy filing. Our lawyers will guide you through the process and advise you every step of the way.

Discharge of Debts in Bankruptcy

It is important to list all your property and debts in your bankruptcy petition. If you do not list a debt, it is possible the debt will not be discharged. The judge can deny your discharge if you do something dishonest in connection with your bankruptcy case, such as destroy or hide property, falsify records or lie, or if you disobey a court order. Talk to us about what your life will be like after bankruptcy.

Wage Garnishments and Lawsuits

We will work to help you prevent your employer from garnishing your wages or creditors from filing lawsuits for a judgment to repay money owed.

If your family is finding it impossible to stay ahead of your debts, or you are considering filing for divorce and debt will be a major issue in the property settlement, contact us for a free initial consultation. From our offices in Orlando and Cocoa Beach, we represent clients throughout Central Florida.