Experienced Salt Lake City Bankruptcy Attorneys Help Utahns Find Debt Relief

Serving all Utah and guiding clients throughout the bankruptcy process

Filing for personal bankruptcy in Utah can be a daunting experience. However our legal team at Huntsman | Lofgran in Salt Lake City provides you with direction and sound strategic advice throughout the bankruptcy process, ensuring that this path to debt relief is as painless as possible. Your matter always goes to an attorney — it’s never shunted to a paralegal — and our team approach ensures that you can always reach a lawyer regarding your matter whenever you need.

Bankruptcy is about self-empowerment

Many people find the idea of filing for bankruptcy humiliating. However there are reasons why many hardworking, honest folks are experiencing financial distress lately: the economy has been retrenching. Employers have been disbanding pension plans and putting more responsibility for retirement savings on the employee, and the trend has continued into other employee benefits, such as health insurance. Technology, outsourcing and just-in-time workforce management are putting an end to the days of workers being able to find long tenure with a single employer.

With the basic rules of the game changing, it should not be surprising that there were 14,632 nonbusiness bankruptcy filings in Utah for the year ending September 30, 2013. Rather than a sign of defeat, bankruptcy is really a way for you to prepare for a fresh financial start in an economy operating under different rules.

Pre-filing credit counseling

In order to qualify for Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy, you must show that you have received credit counseling from an agency approved by the U.S. Trustee in Utah within the six-month period before you file for it. You also have to take a debtor education course before you can obtain a bankruptcy discharge.

Two personal bankruptcy options

If you’re filing for personal bankruptcy, you generally have two options:

• To qualify for Chapter 7 bankruptcy — In which most if not all of your assets are liquidated in exchange for a release from your unsecured debts (such as credit cards and medical bills), (Please note that not all debts are dischargeable — child support payments, student loans and back taxes aren’t, for example.)
• To qualify for Chapter 13 bankruptcy — In which you may be more easily able to keep important assets, such as your home or car (Your debts are reorganized and subjected to a systematic pay-down process. When you complete the three- to five-year repayment plan, you may be released from any unsecured debts.)

We help you determine if your current income, expenses and secured debt levels meet bankruptcy requirements for either Chapter 7 or Chapter 13. If you own a small business, we help you determine if Chapter 11 bankruptcy may be a more appropriate way to go. Whichever route prevails, our attorneys walk you through the entire bankruptcy process, addressing such topics as bankruptcy exemptions, real estate protection, how to stop the repossession of your motor vehicle, and the circumstances under which student loans may be forgiven.

We can also help you with more information and counsel regarding such bankruptcy topics as:

Post-filing debtor education

After filing for bankruptcy, you are required to complete a personal financial management course, also called a debtor education program that the U.S. Trustee in Utah has approved.

Bankruptcy in Salt Lake City made as efficient and painless as possible

Once you’re ready to discuss bankruptcy, call on our bankruptcy lawyers, who can help you consider your options and ensure that deadlines aren’t missed, details aren’t omitted, and your time and energy are not otherwise wasted. Call Huntsman | Lofgran in Salt Lake City today at 801.838.8900 or contact us online to set up a free initial consultation. Our office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and ample, free parking is available.