Local Attorneys: Pittsburgh, Greensburg, Erie & Johnstown
We represent clients throughout Western Pennsylvania with six locations: Offices in Pittsburgh, Greensburg, Natrona Heights, Cranberry Twp, Erie and Johnstown in any bankruptcy and foreclosures
The attorneys at Pittsburgh's Pennsylvania Office, Willis & Associates have been aggressively fighting in and out of the courtroom for people. With a combined 45 plus years of experience, they help those who need debt relief. Here at Willis & Associates , they have the experience and success rate that sets them apart by offering every client one-on-one attention, experience and knowledge in bankruptcy and reorganization and a reputation in the field
Chapter 7 Bankruptcy in Pittsburgh, Greensburg, Erie and Johnstown
Chapter 7 bankruptcy is designed to help people who are unable to pay their existing debts. It allows you to “discharge” (i.e., eliminate) most typical consumer debts including, credit cards, personal loans, checking account overdrafts, certain tax debts, medical bills and utility bills.Frequently, people try to make minimum payments for years and attempt to work with their creditors, only to find themselves no better off than when they started. Chapter 7 bankruptcy is a responsible way for you to reorganize your finances, liquidate your debt, and have one chance to hit the reset button on their financial lives.
- Speed: Complete liquidation typically within 4 to 6 months of filing your case.
- Simplicity: There are no payments to your creditors. You simply work with a qualified attorney to prepare the necessary bankruptcy schedules and file your case.
- Protection: Creditors are required to comply with the bankruptcy code and must immediately cease any of the following actions: collection calls, garnishment of wages, pursuit of judgments through lawsuits, repossession and foreclosure.
- Retain Property: Debtors are often able to keep much of their property in a Chapter 7 filing, including houses, cars, retirement accounts, cash and all household goods and furnishings.
- Improve Your Credit Rating: Over time, most people are more likely to rebuild their credit score by filing for bankruptcy and getting their finances under control than continuing to struggle under an increasing debt load. In many instances you will be in a better position to obtain credit than if you had not filed for chapter 7!
Local Bankruptcy Attorneys Chapter 13
Save Your Home: At Willis & Associates, when it comes to saving your home in Pittsburgh, Greensburg, Erie or Johnstown we’re experts in short sales, foreclosure mediation, loan modification, and chapter 13 bankruptcy.
- You need to prevent a foreclosure on your home, or a repossession of your vehicle You are getting wage garnishments & harassed (or sued) by creditors
- You want to eliminate a 2nd or 3rd mortgage and your home is valued below the 1st mortgage
- You expect to have monthly income or wages, and you don’t qualify for a Chapter 7
- You have certain debts like unpaid income taxes, a student loan, or child support, all of which cannot be discharged in Chapter 7. Again, Chapter 13 allows you to pay these back over a 3 to 5 year period with no interest
- You have a co-debtor on a personal debt. If you file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, your co-debtor will still be on the hook — and your creditor will undoubtedly go after him/her for payment. If you file for Chapter 13 bankruptcy in Pittsburgh, Erie or Johnstown the creditor will leave them alone.
Local Bankruptcy Lawyer Top 3 Surprising Things About Bankruptcy
- It’s not that difficult to file for bankruptcy:
Yes, the laws and process can seem complicated, but if you have an experienced lawyer to help guide you through, then it’s a relatively straightforward process. - Creditors have to leave you alone the moment you file for bankruptcy:
The moment a debtor files a petition with the bankruptcy court (and these days, most petitions are filed online electronically), something called the “automatic stay” goes into effect. This means that creditors are not allowed to contact you directly to seek payment. Instead they musts go through the bankruptcy court to obtain payment. If a creditor is aware that you have filed for bankruptcy and then attempts to contact you about payment, it is a violation of the automatic stay and that creditor can be penalized by the bankruptcy court. In other words, the automatic stay gives you some breathing room while you work with your lawyer on the bankruptcy process. - Chapter 13 plans don’t require full payment of debt.
The whole idea behind Chapter 13 is that it’s a payment plan negotiated between a debtor and all of its creditors. So the amount that you end up paying back depends on your circumstances, your income, your assets, your debts, your creditors, and perhaps most importantly, your lawyer.