What Happens If You Declare Personal Bankruptcy

Suspended Income Tax Payments

HMRC will apply a nil tax code when youre bankrupt. This tells your employer not to take any further income tax from your wages for the rest of the tax year . The extra money in your pay that results from this can be claimed by the trustee to form part or all of an IPA or IPO. If the IPA or IPO is wholly paid out of this extra income, it will stop when you start paying tax again.

The NT wont tell your employer youre bankrupt as an NT can be applied for a number of reasons.

Negotiating With The Trustee

Most Chapter 7 bankruptcy cases are what is called “no-asset” cases, which means everything the filer owns is protected through bankruptcy exemptions. Exemptions are specific to where cases are filed and vary by state law. Exempt property can’t be taken from the filer.

Nonexempt property is not protected through Chapter 7 bankruptcy and can be taken by the trustee and sold to pay back your unsecured debt. If a bankruptcy filer wants to keep otherwise nonexempt property, they can usually pay the trustee the value of the property. This is generally an option because the creditors will ultimately get the same amount whether the nonexempt asset is sold by the trustee or is bought by the filer.

Will My Canadian Student Loans Go Away If I Declare Bankruptcy

If you were a student, either part-time or full-time, less than seven years from the date that you declared bankruptcy, you will have to repay your student loan debt, including the interest charges. Check with Canada Student Loans to learn what they consider to be the last official date you were in school.

If your official last day is under seven years ago, you may still be able to get your student loan debts discharged. You can retain a lawyer and make an application to the court.;

You must meet the following requirements:;

• You have been out of school for a minimum of five years;
• You acted in good faith with regard to the liabilities under the loan
• You have and will continue to experience financial difficulty to such an extent that you will be unable to pay the liabilities under the loan

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You Will Be Discharged From Bankruptcy

A discharge releases you from the legal obligation to repay the debts you had as of the date you filed for bankruptcy, except for specific types of debts that are excluded by law. These include alimony and child support payments, student loans , court-ordered fines or penalties, and debts arising from fraud.

The timing of your discharge depends on a number of factors, including whether this is your first bankruptcy, and whether you are required to make surplus income payments.

Timing of your discharge from bankruptcy

If this is your first bankruptcy and you are not required to make surplus income payments , you will be eligible for an automatic discharge from bankruptcy in nine months. If your surplus income is higher, your bankruptcy will be extended to 21 months and you will be required to make payments from your surplus income.

Your discharge from bankruptcy will happen automatically if

• the discharge is not opposed by the LIT, a creditor or the Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy;
• you have attended the mandatory financial counselling sessions; and
• this is your first or second bankruptcy.

To ensure that a greater percentage of debts is repaid to creditors, the following standards set out when an automatic discharge will occur.

Discharge hearing

Can I Keep My House And My Car Under Canadian Bankruptcy Rules

Bankruptcy should not impact your secured debts, such as a vehicle lease or a mortgage, as long as you continue to make payments and there is no equity in your secured assets.

In most provinces, you do not lose your house or car when you declare bankruptcy. You can work out arrangements with your trustee and creditors to keep the asset and continue paying the mortgage or loan. Learn more about what assets you can keep in bankruptcy.;

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Lottery Winnings Or Inheritances

If you win the lottery or receive an inheritance after youve filed, but before youve been discharged from bankruptcy, that money must be given to the LIT, who will distribute it to your creditors. If the amount youve received is greater than the debts you owed, you can keep whats left after your creditors have been paid off.

Who Qualifies To File Bankruptcy

To be eligible to file bankruptcy in Canada you must be an insolvent person which means you:

You do not need to be a citizen to claim bankruptcy. You can be a permanent resident or even live abroad but have property here.

Get a free consultation to see if you qualify. We will review your debts and budget to help you decide if bankruptcy is the right solution for your situation.

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The Bankruptcy Process At A Glance

Bankruptcy Exemptions On Prince Edward Island

• No limit on clothing for you and your family
• No limit on medical or health aids
• Any motor vehicle needed for transportation to work up to $6,500, or up to $3,000 if not used for work
• Household furniture, utensils, equipment, food and fuel up to $5,000
• Tools used by you in your business or trade, up to $2,000

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Bankruptcy In The United States

Like the economy, bankruptcy filings in the U.S. rise and fall. In fact, they are like dance partners; where one goes, the other usually follows.

Bankruptcy peaked with just more than two million filings in 2005. That is the same year the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act was passed. That law was meant to stem the tide of consumers and businesses too eager to simply walk away from their debts.

The number of filings dropped 70% in 2006, but then the Great Recession brought the economy to its knees and bankruptcy filings spiked to 1.6 million in 2010. They retreated again as the economy improved, but the COVID-19 pandemic easily could reverse the trend in 2021. It seems inevitable that many individuals and;small businesses will declare bankruptcy.

What Happens After You File For Bankruptcy

Your bankruptcy is complete when you receive your Notice of Discharge from your Trustee. At that point, you will be free of the unsecured debts that were included in your bankruptcy. You can begin to rebuild your credit.

A notation about your bankruptcy will remain on your credit bureau report after the date of discharge. This is usually removed automatically after six years. Even while the bankruptcy is still noted on your report, you may be able to get credit from certain lenders. You can help this along by taking active steps to rebuild your credit. Your Trustee can give you advice on getting a new start.

Dont waste any more time. Contact a Licensed Trustee near you. We have trustees everywhere from Toronto to Ottawa and everywhere in between. Get the help you need today!

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Bankruptcy Exemptions In Newfoundland And Labrador

• Food and fuel required by you and your dependants for 12 months
• Clothing for you and your dependants up to $4,000
• Household furnishings and appliances up to $4,000
• One motor vehicle up to $2,000
• No limit on medical and dental aids for you and your dependants
• Items of sentimental value up to $500
• All pets are exempt from bankruptcy
• Up to $10,000 of equity in your home
• Tools of your trade or business up to $10,000
• Certain income and pension plans

What Happens If I Dont Tell The Trustee

As mentioned above, your trustee offers essential bankruptcy help to repay your creditors and begin to clear your name. However, if you fail to disclose all information and deliberately mislead the trustee, you are committing a criminal offence. Therefore, you could be fined or, in the worst possible case, sent to prison. It is vital you share all information regarding your finances with the trustee for the best possible bankruptcy help.

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Disadvantages Of Filing For Bankruptcy

The Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act is the legislation by which licensed trustees administer bankruptcy files. Its rules and laws are meant to balance the scales between the need of an honest unfortunate debtor for a fresh financial start and the rights of the creditors. For this reason, filing for bankruptcy in Canada has some disadvantages:

• It will lower your credit score and credit history to the lowest level for a minimum to six years from the time your bankruptcy is completed;
• While most assets will not be affected by declaring bankruptcy, there may be some assets that will need to be surrendered or may mean your bankruptcy will have an additional cost; and,
• In bankruptcy you must provide the trustee with detailed income and expense information, and including your income tax information.

If you have reached the point where you are over-extended and can no longer afford your debt, the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages in most cases.

What Happens To Your Information

Any previous name included in the bankruptcy petition will appear on the bankruptcy order, and in the:

• notice of your bankruptcy, which is permanently recorded in the Gazette but excluded from search engine results one year and three months after publication
• Individual Insolvency Register which will be removed within three months of your discharge

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Will Bankruptcy Affect My Job Or Future Employment

Twenty-nine percent of employers run a credit check on new job applicants, according to a survey by CareerBuilder. As a result, declaring bankruptcy could affect your ability to get a new job, especially if that job is in the financial services industry or with a government entity.

They do this primarily to make sure you’re a good fit for the jobssuch as handling moneyand that you’re not financially stressed, which could increase the likelihood of theft or fraud.

If an employer simply runs a routine criminal background check, however, your bankruptcy won’t show up.

It’s less likely that employers would conduct background checks on current employees. So if you’re not planning to switch jobs, you likely don’t need to worry much about a bankruptcy affecting your employment.

Is Personal Bankruptcy The Only Solution

No. There are alternatives to bankruptcy in Canada. Licensed Insolvency Trustees will look at all your options when they complete their financial assessment. Some individuals will qualify for a debt consolidation loan, a credit counselling program or a consumer proposal. Each of these options have their own set of pros and cons and not everyone will qualify for all of these options.

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What Does Discharged Mean

Discharged means your bankruptcy has ended; you no longer have to pay your debts and you are able to apply for credit. However, if you do not complete your duties during bankruptcy, you will not get discharged, your trustee will close your file, and creditors can resume collection efforts against you. To learn more about how to get out of bankruptcy, read about how long bankruptcy lasts in Canada.

Personal Bankruptcy Stops Collection Activity

Once you file for bankruptcy, the court issues an orderknown as an automatic staythat prohibits creditors from contacting you. The automatic stay can stop your house from being sold at auction, prevent your employer from deducting wages from your paycheck, and excuse you from a mandatory attendance at a deposition or other lawsuit-related appearance. Its a powerful tool.

Getting out from under debt is the primary reason people file personal bankruptcy.

After filing for bankruptcy, all collection actions, including the following, must come to an abrupt halt:

• foreclosures, and
• lawsuits seeking monetary reimbursement.

The reprieve might be temporary, however. Even though filing for bankruptcy stops creditors in their tracks, it doesnt fix all problems. For instance, a lender can ask the court for permission to lift the automatic stay and proceed with a foreclosure sale or lawsuit. The court will likely grant a mortgage lenders request if the filer cant bring the payments current and the property lacks equity that could be used to cover the missed payments. To find out more about why you cant keep your house if youre unable to pay your mortgage payments, see Secured Claims and Liens in Bankruptcy.

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How Much Debt Do I Have To Be In To File Bankruptcy

Bankruptcy eligibility in Canada is very simple: You must owe $1,000 or more and be insolvent, meaning that you are unable to pay your debts as they generally become due. A BC Licensed Insolvency Trustee will be able to help you assess your situation, consider and evaluate all your options and help you decide which makes the most sense to get back on track.

You Will Have A Trustee That Will Manage Your Bankruptcy

A trustee is the person or entity that manages your bankruptcy. They work with you, and your creditors, to achieve a fair and reasonable outcome for all. During bankruptcy, you have an obligation to provide information to your trustee, including changes to your circumstances. This may involve supplying books, bank statements and other documents that the trustee asks you to provide.

When you apply for bankruptcy, you can choose a registered trustee. If you do not choose a trustee, your bankruptcy may initially be administered by either the Official Trustee or a registered trustee.

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Understanding Your Debt Relief Options

Bankruptcy is an option of last resort. It is just one solution available for Canadians struggling with debt.

Before choosing bankruptcy, your trustee will talk with you about your financial situation. What assets you own, what debts you owe, and your income will affect the choice about which debt solution is right for you.

Not every person experiencing debt problems needs to file bankruptcy. When you meet with a Licensed Insolvency Trustee for a debt assessment, part of the review includes a discussion of the;alternatives to bankruptcy.

Some bankruptcy alternatives your trustee will review with you will include:

• Filing a debt management plan. If you do not have enough debts to file bankruptcy, a credit counsellor can help you work out a plan to pay back your debts. This has the same credit impact as a consumer proposal but is good for small debt amounts.
• Taking out a debt consolidation loan. Well help you consider whether you have the credit capacity to afford a new loan to consolidate debts and if you can qualify at a reasonable rate.
• Making a proposal to creditors. Settling your debt through a consumer proposal is less harmful to your credit and has significant advantages over bankruptcy.

As one of Ontarios largest consumer proposal administrators, we have the experience to help you choose between claiming bankruptcy and making a debt proposal to creditors.

Evaluate your alternatives to bankruptcy with our;Debt Options Calculator.

Stop A Foreclosure Repossession Or Eviction

The automatic stay will stop these actions as long as they’re still pending. Once complete, bankruptcy won’t help.

• Evictions. An eviction that’s still in the litigation process will come to a halt after a bankruptcy filing. But the stay will likely be temporary. Keep in mind that if your landlord already has an eviction judgment against you, bankruptcy won’t help in the majority of states. Learn more about evictions and the automatic stay.
• Foreclosure and repossession. Although the automatic stay will stop a foreclosure or repossession, filing for Chapter 7 won’t help you keep the property. If you can’t bring the account current, you’ll lose the house or car once the stay lifts. By contrast, Chapter 13 has a mechanism that will allow you to catch up on past payments so you can keep the asset. Find out more about bankruptcy’s automatic stay and foreclosure and car repossession and bankruptcy.

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