Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Tips to Avoid a Medical Bankruptcy


Did you know that more than half of all bankruptcies are because people are unable to pay their medical bills? This matter cannot be neglected anymore due to the factor that numerous people have to lodge complaint for a bankruptcy due to the expensiveness of medical bills day after day. Something that you need to understand is that in order to avoid a medical bankruptcy you first need to know how you can avoid it and what steps you need to make in order to stay away from a bankruptcy. If there is one thing you do not want to do that would be filing for a bankruptcy because all that is going to do is ruin your credit for 7 years or more and hurt your borrowing power even more than you will ever know.


When it comes to staying on the sidelines of a financial problem of great tips I have for you is simply not to be in a place where you cannot pay for your bills. I know that medical bills are usually unexpected but the fact of the matter is you can not cover too much thinking with respect to payments of others, because everything seems to return all their medical bills. My advice to you is to make sure that you don't have any debt anywhere else because the second you get a medical bill that needs to be paid you should pay it or else you will run the risk of getting a lien on your house, the medical facility taking money from your bank account and even such things as getting your wages garnished.

Tips to avoid a medical bankruptcy

Have proper insurance - The first thing you must do in order to avoid a medical bankruptcy is to have proper insurance. The thing to understand is that many people in the United States does not have adequate insurance and that is a major reason why so many people have to file a medical bankruptcy. My advice to you is to do whatever you can in order to get the best insurance possible because without it you will have higher odds of filing a bankruptcy when you really should not have to.

Plan ahead - If you know you will need to go into operating room for something important then you need to have a plan and be prepared to pay cash for whatever it is you are needing. What most people don't understand is there is always enough time to save up for a medical procedure so if you know one is coming up then sell things, cut costs, and ultimately save part of your income in order to cover your medical costs.

The most important factor a person have to know in order to escape a medical bankruptcy is to be sure that the outstanding bills are paid off or about to be paid off.

Saturday, October 13, 2012

Medical Bankruptcy: Fact or Fiction?


You have probably heard someone use the term "medical bankruptcy." This is a word commonly used by individuals who either are going through a medically related financial crisis, or are acquainted with someone who is facing severe medical debt. Although medical bankruptcy is not a legal term, it is a useful term to describe a financial remedy for an individual who may have reached the end of their rope because of medical debt.


Medical bankruptcy can be a misleading term because there is no legal remedy available exclusively for medical debt. In general, bankruptcy is the dissolution or reorganization of some or all of an individual's debt. When you file for any type of bankruptcy you must include all your debt. This would apply to home mortgage loans, car loans, credit cards, and medical debt. There are several types of bankruptcies, but most individuals filing a bankruptcy for medical debt will typically file for a Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy. A Chapter 7 bankruptcy may allow an individual to eliminate their debt, while a Chapter 13 bankruptcy can allow an individual to reorganize their debt into a 3-5 year plan, while at the same time reducing the principle on their debt.

The idea that a medical bankruptcy exists as a legal remedy may have developed because the court handles medical debt in a different way than they might other types of debt. Not all debt will receive the same treatment in court. A bankruptcy court will generally divide an individual's debt into two classes: Secured Debt or Unsecured Debt. Secured debt is the type of debt that is usually tied to assets like an auto loan or home mortgage. Unsecured Debt is usually not tied to assets, yet can often be eliminated or greatly reduced through a bankruptcy. It's important to realize that medical debt is usually classified as an unsecured debt.

While the term "medical bankruptcy" is not a legal term, it is a useful way for an individual to describe how their finances fell into chaos. An experienced bankruptcy attorney will immediately understand what a client needs when they inquire about a medical bankruptcy. A bankruptcy attorney can then inform them how a bankruptcy could be a solution to their financial hardship caused by medical debt, and even help the individual decide whether a Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 is most appropriate for their situation. Once an individual has decided the best course of action, the attorney will then lead them smoothly through the legal process of filing, and obtaining a bankruptcy.