Business Bankruptcy Lawyers

Business bankruptcy lawyers can help companies to find out options on how to continue to operate despite financial problems. Chapter 11 is the type of bankruptcy that businesses usually choose for restructuring. Companies that are eligible for filing Chapter 11 include partnerships, corporations, and sole proprietorships. Sole proprietors must include their personal assets along with company assets whereas a partnership or corporation just includes company assets. Business bankruptcy lawyers oversee the appointment of a trustee to monitor the progress of the preceding. The trustee holds the meeting with the creditors and makes sure that the company complies with all the requirements set by the court. A debtor has to attend a credit counseling course before he or she can file bankruptcy. In most cases companies who want to continue operating and intend on paying creditors over time can accomplish this by filing Chapter 11.

Companies usually have two choices when filing bankruptcy. They can liquidate their assets and use the proceeds to pay debts under Chapter 7 or they can restructure under Chapter 11. Business bankruptcy lawyers can give advice on the best options based upon a company's individual circumstances. After filing Chapter 11 a company can get an automatic stay to keep creditors from legally pursuing them. In addition, an automatic stay suspends judgments, foreclosures, and repossessions of property from taking place. A creditor that has security interest can file to grant relief from the automatic stay. The relief may be granted if the property is not necessary for restructuring. If the property is needed in order for the company to continue operating then the court will probably grant relief to the creditor.

The company who chooses to do a restructuring and reorganization will need to file a plan on how they are going to accomplish this. Business bankruptcy lawyers can help with putting the plan together. The trustee and all creditors must be mailed a copy of the plan. Creditors have the right to object to the plan but the court may go ahead and rule in the favor of the company. When a plan is accepted by all the creditors and it qualifies according to Chapter 11 bankruptcy rules it can be discharged. However, the discharge may not happen until the debtor fulfills payments under the plan to creditors or other interested parties. "Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you" (Philippians 4:9).

Once an estate is completely reconciled a final decree can order the case to be closed. Business bankruptcy lawyers know that there are some debts that can not be discharged. These include debts for alimony and child support, student loans or other loans guaranteed by the government, debts caused by personal injury to others, and debts for criminal restitution. This is true no matter what type of bankruptcy is filed. Before a final decree is granted the court may make a determination that the company needs to file under a different Chapter. Another way to file for discharge of financial debts can be done under Chapter 7. Talking to a lawyer who specializes in this field will help a company or an individual decide the best way to file.

Some companies may want to consider filing Chapter 7 in the effort of liquidating assets and paying off creditors. Assets can include anything that has value including property. A debtor will need to supply the court with a list of assets and liabilities along with current income and current expenses. Business bankruptcy lawyers can help the debtor to compile all of this information. A debtor will have to pay a filing fee to the court, an administrative fee, and a trustee surcharge fee. In addition, there must be a list of all of the creditors and the amounts owed to them, a list of all property, monthly living expenses in detail, and all of the sources and amounts of income. Most attorneys have schedules to use to record of all the information needed by the court.

Property can be saved from the liquidation of the proceeding by filing a schedule for exempt property. Business bankruptcy lawyers should understand what the laws are pertaining to exemptions by the Federal government and by the State government in which the debtor resides. If the property is under a lien then the owner of the lien should be informed about the property being exempted from the Chapter 7 proceedings. The owner of the property may want to get advice from an attorney about this matter. The debtor may reaffirm a debt with a reaffirmation agreement in which case the debt would not be discharged but the debtor will continue to pay on it.

An automatic stay stops any collection proceedings from taking place against the debtor. Any pending lawsuits against the debtor must be stopped including judgments, repossessions, and wage garnishments. The meeting of the creditors gives the creditors an opportunity to voice their protests against the Chapter 7. A trustee of the case will take care of the liquidating the assets if there are any. Creditors will need to file a claim to be eligible for payment of the liquidated assets. If there has not been any fraud or any reason to suspect fraud then the debtor is usually discharged of the debts. More information about Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 can be found online by doing a search for Business bankruptcy lawyers.

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