If you are facing financial difficulties, it can feel like it’s just you, all alone, facing your creditors and your mounting debts. But it is crucial to remember that you aren’t alone. People of all socioeconomic stripes encounter financial problems. It’s a stroke of bad luck that’s more common than you think.
If you have a hard time believing that even people we’d consider wealthy can hit financial rough patches, take Warren Sapp as an example. The former Tampa Bay Buccaneer and Oakland Raider, who made millions during his career in the NFL, recently filed for bankruptcy in a South Florida court. If a former member of the one percent needs to file for bankruptcy, then obviously no one is immune to money troubles.
Sapp’s financial problems are probably not like your own — at the time of his filing, he had $6.4 million in assets but owed $6.7 million in child support, back taxes and late payments to creditors – but the underlying point is the same. Sometimes, even if we have the best of intentions, life gets away from us and we need some help to get back on track.
If you’ve been struggling for a while and don’t see any way things are going to improve in the immediate future, you might consider making an appointment to have a consultation with a bankruptcy attorney. Such consultations are typically no-obligation, and you may end up not needing to use the information you learn. However, this is one step you can take to start getting your financial life back, and wouldn’t it feel good to start exercising control again?
Source: ESPN, “Life after NFL a challenge for many,” Jeffri Chadiha, May 31, 2012