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What Happens When Retirees File for Bankruptcy in Redwood Falls, MN

Financial difficulties can occur for any number of reasons at any time in one’s life, but with the accumulation of debt into retirement and a decrease in income, retirees are increasingly becoming more likely to file for bankruptcy. Several studies have shown that in the past twenty years, the percentage of 65 or older bankruptcy filers has increased by more than 5%, and many of these petitions outlined medical debt as the primary financial burden of senior citizens. Debts gathered over a lifetime, a drop-in income after retirement, and the issue of medical bills with increased risks of health problems in advanced age all add up to severe financial struggles for many retirees across the country. Behm Law Group, Ltd. serves to protect you throughout the filing of your bankruptcy petition and help you understand what happens when retirees file for bankruptcy in Redwood Falls, MN.

 

The common concern for retirees and senior citizens who file for bankruptcy is how it will affect their retirement funds. Fortunately, most types of retirement accounts are protected from asset liquidation in Chapter 7 bankruptcy and the amount in your fund will not affect your repayment plan in Chapter 13 bankruptcy. Protected accounts include 401(k), 403(b), 457(b), and Keogh plans. The majority of other profit-sharing or benefit plans are also protected. Funds saved in an IRA, SIMPLE IRA, SEP IRA, or Roth IRA are protected from bankruptcy with a set exemption limit. The amount you can exempt from the bankruptcy process changes as the cost of living changes.

 

Another concern for seniors and retirees filing for bankruptcy is whether their Social Security will be involved in the process or not. Social Security is protected from wage garnishments along with disability income, but when that income is deposited into your bank account, it can sometimes be subject to garnishment. However, banks are required to know if federal benefits are in your account before they can take garnishing action, and even then, a two-month value of your Social Security and other benefits are protected.

 

If you are struggling to make ends meet in retirement and face looming medical bills or other debt, bankruptcy can be a valuable option. The majority of your retirement income is protected by federal law, and your retirement funds will most likely be completely protected in the process. With the help of a Behm Law Group, Ltd. attorney, you can free yourself from medical debt, credit card debt, utility debt, property debt, personal loans and more when you file for bankruptcy.

 

Live your retirement in peace and take full advantage of your freedom free from financial stress. Contact Behm Law Group, Ltd. today at (507) 387-7200 to learn more about whether filing for bankruptcy in Redwood Falls, MN, is right for you and start your petition today.

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Facing the Bankruptcy Appellate Panel With the Help of a Bankruptcy Attorney in Jackson, MN

For many people, the prospect of facing legal issues in any type of court is a daunting one. Because most legal actions can affect your life for the long-term, it’s natural to be apprehensive about going through any court proceeding. The process of bankruptcy is no exception, but with the help of a reliable legal professional, you can be protected and guided from start to finish. Behm Law Group, Ltd. provides support and assistance with the preparation of your petition, the accurate recording of your financial information, protection from creditors, case structuring, and help navigating the bankruptcy process every step of the way. Before you launch into this complicated process, take full advantage of the help of a Behm bankruptcy attorney in Jackson, MN.

When you file a bankruptcy case, it gets filed in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in your location. In Minnesota, there is only one District for the bankruptcy court – the District of Minnesota.  However, there are several Minnesota bankruptcy court divisions, including St. Paul, Minneapolis, Duluth, and Fergus Falls.  Whether you choose to file for liquidation bankruptcy – chapter 7 – or debt reorganization bankruptcy – chapter 13 – and whether you’re filing on behalf of your business or as an individual consumer, your bankruptcy case will be processed through one of these divisions, depending on where you reside in the state.  The filing of a bankruptcy case is a federal legal proceeding, as opposed a legal proceeding brought under Minnesota state law.  The Bankruptcy Court is a specialized federal court that was specifically created by Congress to process bankruptcy cases.  It was the sense of Congress that bankruptcy matters were so specialized, detail oriented and nuanced that a highly specialized court system was needed to process them.

With the guidance of a Behm attorney, our clients are able to successfully file a bankruptcy petition that provides them a fresh financial start, freedom from creditor harassment, and relief from crushing debt.

Occasionally, however, a case must be appealed after the court makes a decision that doesn’t rest well with either the filer or the creditors involved. If this occurs, your bankruptcy case will be taken to the Bankruptcy Appellate Panel (BAP). This is a panel of three bankruptcy judges that reviews the initial decision of the bankruptcy court. Minnesota is located in the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, and bankruptcy appeals would be processed through the Thomas F. Eagleton Courthouse in St. Louis, MO.

The process of resolving bankruptcy appeals is an undertaking that’s complicated and nuanced to an exacting degree. How these cases are handled depends on the financial past of both filer and creditors, the arguments of the parties involved, and a wide variety of other current circumstances. For those who have little to no experience with bankruptcy law, self-representation is a dangerous choice especially if a case is put to the test of the BAP.

Don’t put yourself at risk if you’re considering filing for bankruptcy. Instead, schedule a consultation with Behm Law Group, Ltd. Even if your case isn’t sent to the BAP, the guidance of an experienced attorney is a critical benefit during this trying time. For more information about our work as bankruptcy attorneys in Jackson, MN, contact us at (507) 387-7200 today.

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Handling Debt Sale When Filing for Bankruptcy in Worthington, MN

When an individual or business fails to meet debt obligations without excuse, they may start to experience more aggressive collection actions from creditors. If you have been struggling to make your debt payments for several months, filing for bankruptcy might be the best option to end creditor harassment and get a fresh financial start. Behm Law Group, Ltd. provides the legal support you need when filing for bankruptcy in Worthington, MN and get optimal results in your case.

 

Generally speaking, when  filing for bankruptcy you’re immediately protected by the automatic stay for the period of time it takes to resolve your case. This means the creditors of the debts that will be handled in your case can’t perform any collection actions. However, things can get complicated when one of your creditors sells one of your debts while you’re filing for bankruptcy or in bankruptcy.

 

A creditor may choose to sell a debt to another creditor at any time, even while you’re in the middle of a bankruptcy case. A creditor might choose to sell the debt if they don’t want to wait for your bankruptcy case to be completed to see if it will get paid anything by the trustee administering your case. By selling your debt, they will receive a small immediate sum, and the buyer of the debt will stand in the place of the original creditor.

 

How does this affect filing for bankruptcy?

 

In most cases, the sale of a debt doesn’t affect your bankruptcy case. Whether you owe a debt to the original creditor or to a debt buyer, you still owe the same amount for that debt. From your perspective, it will be handled in bankruptcy as if there was never a sale. However, the original creditor or the debt buyer must notify the bankruptcy court of the sale so that the party in charge of the debt can receive payments in the event that you file for a Chapter 13 bankruptcy and are scheduled for a three to five-year repayment plan.

 

A debt sale may affect you if the debt in question is discharged or scheduled to be discharged. Because the selling of a debt included in a bankruptcy is an act that is in violation of either the automatic stay injunctive provisions of 11 U.S.C. §362 or the discharge injunctive provisions of 11 U.S.C. §524, you may need to take action if this occurs. For example, presume you have filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy and your credit card debt was discharged in the process. Presume further that, soon after, you’re contacted by a creditor who claims they bought one of your debts and is attempting to collect payments. In this case, you should provide the creditor with a copy of the Notice of Bankruptcy Filing that was issued by the bankruptcy court when your case was commenced.  If your bankruptcy case has been concluded, you should provide the creditor with a copy of the Discharge Order that the court issued.  If the creditor continues to harass you and continues collection activities, you may be forced to contact your bankruptcy lawyer and sue the creditor in bankruptcy court.

 

The sale of a debt will often not concern you as a filer and is simply business between creditors. To learn more about this process and to receive legal support when filing for bankruptcy in Worthington, MN, contact Behm Law Group, Ltd. at (507) 387-7200 today.

 

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Understanding Assignment and Bankruptcy in Mankato, MN

Businesses struggling with unmanageable debts have a range of options for debt relief at their hands. While debt consolidation and debt management plans are popular options that’ll keep a debtor’s overall credit in good standings, there are often situations when these debt relief options only act a bandage instead of a true healing process. When you’re unable to pay your debts and don’t have any way of increasing your income in the next few years, filing for bankruptcy is your best option. Behm Law Group, Ltd. offers the legal advice and assistance you need to successfully file for bankruptcy in Mankato, MN.

 

Bankruptcy is designed to help both debtors and creditors out of a sticky situation, but some creditors may try to dissuade you from filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy and instead liquidate your business outside of court with an assignment process.

 

ABC

 

Assignment for the benefit of creditors (ABC) is an option for business debtors to privately sell assets and return the value of those sales to creditors. When creditors are awarded these sales, they’ll release debtors from payment obligations. This option might be a way to avoid attorney fees and court proceedings, but the process overall is more beneficial to your creditors than to you.

 

Why is Bankruptcy Better?

 

Filing for bankruptcy, despite its effect on your credit, is a better option for business debtors than ABC for a number of reasons:

  1. In bankruptcy, creditors are forced to allow asset liquidation for all dischargeable debts, but in an ABC, they can choose to forgo approval of discharge on debts higher than the secured collateral value. For example, if you owe $5,000 on an auto loan, but the car is only worth $4,500, the creditor would not have to discharge the debt in an ABC.
  2. Unincorporated businesses are not protected during an ABC against creditors seizing the business owners’ personal assets. This means you could be forced to liquidate your personal car or other property in an ABC. In bankruptcy, however, the debts and the assets of incorporated and unincorporated businesses are generally not involved with the liquidation of one’s personal property.
  3. Personal collateral guarantees and other forms of personal security interests on business debts are not removed in an ABC as they would be in bankruptcy. This means if your property was used to secure a loan, creditors can force you to liquidate that property even if it’s not connected to your business in other ways. Bankruptcy allows for exemptions to prevent you from losing your property even if it’s tied to your business debt.

 

ABCs have their benefits, but most of those benefits inure to your creditors. Filing a bankruptcy is the most effective way to remove debt with minimized liability to you and your property. To learn more about the advantages of filing for bankruptcy in Mankato, MN and to find out how we can help, contact Behm Law Group, Ltd. at (507) 387-7200 today.

 

 

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Action and Advice: The Benefits of a Bankruptcy Attorney in Pipestone, MN

The process of filing for bankruptcy has a poor reputation for its effect on property and long-term damage to credit. The legal process of bankruptcy, however, is designed to help filers emerge from crippling debt with a fresh start and a manageable approach to finances. Whether you choose to file for Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 as an individual consumer or small business, you gain more than counsel when you work with a Behm Law Group, Ltd. bankruptcy attorney in Pipestone, MN.

While it’s possible to file for bankruptcy without the help of a trained legal professional, it’s not advisable unless you have a thorough understanding of the process. Bankruptcy attorneys are invaluable for filing a successful case and navigating the highly nuanced bankruptcy process. Court employees and bankruptcy judges are not able to supply legal advice to non-attorney bankruptcy filers, which makes a bankruptcy attorney your most valuable source of counsel and guidance.

Behm Law Group, Ltd. attorneys are committed to helping our clients navigate through the complexities of bankruptcy. Our goal as bankruptcy attorneys is to work with clients to build a successful case that has as little impact on their quality of life as possible.

To put together a strong and accurate bankruptcy petition and put that case through the wringers of the bankruptcy process, everything must start with the right choices and actions to build a viable foundation.

Actions and Advice with an Attorney

When you work with a Behm attorney, your case starts with wise actions and choices made from training and experience. Our counsel will provide professional guidance and expert advice to help you with the following:

  1. Understanding the process of bankruptcy from start to finish.
  2. Choosing the right type of bankruptcy for your financial situation and the types of debts you hold.
  3. Understanding which debts are discharged and why.
  4. Understanding how creditors and debts are defined.
  5. Completing the necessary standard bankruptcy forms for the chapter you choose.
  6. If necessary, completing specialized forms unique to your case.
  7. Building a repayment plan proposal suited to your financial situation if you file for Chapter 13.
  8. Choosing the most beneficial set of exemptions to claim if you file for Chapter 7.
  9. Protect you from negative creditor action.
  10. Eliminate mistakes and chances for accidental fraud in the highly nuanced workings of bankruptcy.
  11. Work with you from start to finish on your case, no matter what obstacles you meet during your bankruptcy process.
  12. Help you understand the short and long-term consequences of filing for bankruptcy, including effects on your taxes, credit score, and life overall.

Working through a bankruptcy case with the help and protection of an attorney creates positive outcomes that will affect your life and finances for years to come. Start your case with the experience and knowledge of a Behm Law Group, Ltd. bankruptcy attorney in Pipestone, MN, today by contacting us at (507) 387-7200.

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Judgment Liens and Handling Them With a Bankruptcy Lawyer in Fairmont, MN

Filing for bankruptcy is an option available to almost every consumer and business in the US. However, despite the layman’s access to filing for bankruptcy, the fact remains that it is a complex, highly nuanced legal process. While a debt from which a judgment lien is obtained is discharged in a bankruptcy proceeding, a judgment lien can still remain after a bankruptcy is concluded and a bankruptcy filer must take certain steps to fully remove it. This responsibility is best approached with the help of a professional. Behm Law Group, Ltd. offers the counsel of an expert bankruptcy lawyer in Fairmont, MN, throughout your petition.

 

What is a Judgment Lien?

 

In a state civil court case, after a judge or jury hands down a decision, or after a court-approved settlement, a judgment is entered by the court. As part of a typical judgment, the court orders the payment of money from one person to another. But the person who owes the money (the debtor) doesn’t always pay up. A judgment lien is one way to ensure that the person who won the judgment (the creditor) gets what he or she is owed. A judgment lien gives the creditor the right to be paid a certain amount of money from proceeds from the sale of a debtor’s property.

 

In Minnesota a judgment lien can attach to any real estate a person has an ownership interest in (farm, house, condominium, etc.).  A judgment lien is automatically entered against any real estate that a debtor (the person against whom the judgment has been assessed) owns in the county in which the judgment was awarded.  If the person owns property in another county, a creditor can take a judgment and docket or file it in that county at which time it becomes a judgment lien against any real estate a debtor owns in that county, too.  A judgment lien can last up to ten (10) years and it can remain a lien on a debtor’s real estate for that entire time.  A judgment lien can also be renewed for successive ten (10) year periods.  If a judgment lien is levied against someone’s real estate, any sale of the real estate can’t be completed unless the judgment lien is paid or expunged/removed.

 

Judgment Liens and Bankruptcy

A discharge obtained through bankruptcy nullifies the debt giving rise to a judgment lien.  However, a discharge does not require a judgment creditor to take affirmative steps to remove a judgment.  In other words, a creditor is not required to go to the county in which it obtained the judgment and ask the court to remove the judgment lien from a debtor’s real estate.  Thus, even after a bankruptcy has concluded, a judgment lien becomes a nuisance lien that still clouds title to a debtor’s real estate and prevents any sale of the real estate from being consummated.

 

In order to remove a judgment lien from the real estate, a debtor must, after the bankruptcy has concluded, file an application to discharge or expunge the judgment lien with the state court in which the judgment and judgment lien were obtained in the first place.  Generally, one can only do this with regard to a judgment lien on real estate that one owns and actually occupies as one’s homestead.  Minn. Stat. §548.181 is the statute that one must use to remove or discharge a judgment from real estate that one owns.  There is a specific protocol that must be followed.  Navigating the procedure and making sure it is done correctly is extremely difficult without the help of a knowledgeable, trained professional. With the help of Behm Law Group, Ltd. and the expertise of a Behm bankruptcy lawyer in Fairmont, MN, filing for bankruptcy can be a successful experience that offers financial recovery. We can assist you with the removal of judgment liens following the completion of a bankruptcy case.  Contact us today at (507) 387-7200 today for more information.

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Risks of Filing for Bankruptcy Without a Bankruptcy Attorney in Waseca, MN

If you’re struggling to meet loan payments and bills alongside daily living expenses, bankruptcy is an option for individuals, business owners, and corporations alike. Designed to liquidate assets, discharge debts, reorganize expenses, and generally give the filer a fresh start while maintaining the fair treatment of creditors, bankruptcy in the U.S. is a process that can fix a lot more than most realize. As American citizens, our freedoms extend to self-representation in all courts of law, including the U.S. Bankruptcy Courts. Utilizing the counsel and support of Behm Law Group, Ltd.’s bankruptcy attorneys in Waseca, MN when filing for bankruptcy, however, can protect you from the potentially costly errors you may make through self-representation.

Representing yourself and filing your own bankruptcy petition is an option, but it can mean you’ll be taking many risks. At the very least, it can be difficult to reach optimal results in your bankruptcy case without the help of a trained professional.

Filing your own bankruptcy petition means you risk case dismissal or court prejudice and forgo the protection of an experienced bankruptcy attorney.

Mistakes When Filing for Bankruptcy:

Mistakes on the required paperwork are the most common reasons a case is dismissed. Gathering the necessary information about household or business income sources, debts, loans, assets, properties, and expenses can be a difficult process. Bankruptcy attorneys have the knowledge, experience, and resources to put together a flawless petition with no room for inaccuracies. Self-representation, on the other hand, offers countless opportunities for small mistakes that may lead to case dismissal. Misrepresentation of finances can appear as fraudulent and can provide a basis for the court to reject your bankruptcy petition.

Protection When Filing for Bankruptcy:

One of the roles of a bankruptcy attorney is to provide legal protection for clients. Business or individual, all filers may be experiencing aggressive collection action from lenders. The automatic stay in a bankruptcy case halts collection action for a period of time, but some creditors may petition the bankruptcy court for the lifting or termination of the automatic stay for certain debts. If approved, those creditors can collect or repossess collateral. A bankruptcy attorney can protect a client from harassment and aggressive actions by creditors, collection agencies, debt collectors, and any other lenders before the automatic stay is lifted.

Above all, a bankruptcy attorney offers expertise, experience, knowledge, and legal protection. Forfeiting your right to attorney protection and guidance may result in a less than successful bankruptcy case.

We’ll take a critical part in creating a positive outcome for your case from beginning to end. Relieve the stress of managing your own bankruptcy case and eliminate risks of failure. Contact Behm Law Group, Ltd. today at (507) 387-7200 for more information about working with an expert bankruptcy attorney in Waseca, MN.

 

 

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The Power of Automatic Stay When You File Bankruptcy in Fairmont, MN

Most Americans over 30 have around $150,000 in various debts including mortgages, car loans, credit cards, medical bills, taxes, and other accumulated debts. This debt can often begin to cripple the quality of life for individuals and families who cannot maintain regular debt payments and still meet standards for necessary expenses. If your financial obligations become overwhelming, the advice of a bankruptcy lawyer can set you on the right path to debt relief and a fresh beginning. Behm Law Group, Ltd. offers legal support from start to finish when you file for bankruptcy in Fairmont, MN.

When you declare bankruptcy, the automatic stay is immediately set in motion. The automatic stay prevents your creditors from collecting debt payments, harassing you over missed payments, or filing lawsuits against you. It works, essentially, to prevent your creditors from doing anything to collect their debts.

In many cases, automatic stay has the power to alter your financial situation in several ways. This includes:

  1. Halting garnishment of your wages from all parties until the stay is lifted. This prevents any garnishment from all your sources of income including salaries, wages, pensions, commissions, bonuses, and retirement funds.
  2. Halting an eviction process until the stay is lifted. Your landlord cannot evict you based on failure to pay rent during the period of your automatic stay. If your landlord obtained a court order against you for eviction or wrongful possession before you filed for bankruptcy, however, the automatic stay does not stall the process. Additionally, in the case where you’re in poor favor with your landlord for misuse of property, going against lease terms, endangering other tenants, or selling illegal items on the property, the court will side with your landlord, and the automatic stay will only be in effect for a short time.
  3. Halting a foreclosure until the stay is lifted or bankruptcy discharges your mortgage or establishes a new payment plan. If you are delinquent with your mortgage payments and you plan to keep your house, you could pay those past due mortgage payments back in a chapter 13 plan and cure or bring current your mortgage obligation. If you want to simply surrender your house and discharge your mortgage debt, Chapter 7 will allow you to do that. The mortgage creditor would foreclose on your house and any debt you owe on the house would be discharged.
  4. Halting utility shut-off until the stay is lifted. For at least 20 days from the start of your bankruptcy petition the automatic stay prevents your water, gas, and electricity providers from shutting off your utilities. This period could be extended throughout your bankruptcy case during the winter months.

For more information about the legal assistance Behm Law Group, Ltd. can provide when you file for bankruptcy in Fairmont, MN, contact us at (507) 387-7200 today.

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Bankruptcy Options for Student Loan Debt Relief in Owatonna, MN

Bankruptcy is an effective course of action for alleviating several types of debt, including credit card debt, mortgages, car loans, and medical bills. The system of bankruptcy is designed to provide debt relief if a filer is struggling with these common financial woes, but it’s not a system necessarily meant to relieve another very common debt: student loans. In fact, at Behm Law Group, Ltd., we often counsel against filing for bankruptcy based on the goal of ridding only student debt. There are situations, however, where you can prove your circumstances demand student loan debt relief in Owatonna, MN.

In the case where you find you may be able to prove your inability to repay student loans, it’s crucial to have the legal assistance of a bankruptcy attorney. In order to obtain debt relief in a bankruptcy case for your student loans, you must be able to prove that you would suffer “undue hardship” if you were forced to repay those loans.

Undue Hardship

Undue hardship describes a situation in which you may be pushed into poverty and have minimal resources available to you for food, rent, clothes, healthcare, and transportation if you’re forced to continue paying a certain debt. In the case of repaying student loans, it’s very difficult to prove to a court that you may experience undue hardship.

You may have no income other than government support and may be able to prove you won’t be able to have a normal working life due to a disability, and yet, a court may still deny your request for student loan discharge. Without the right support during the legal navigation of student loans in bankruptcy (i.e. the help of a bankruptcy attorney,) it’s a long shot that you’ll have an argument that a bankruptcy court will approve.

How bankruptcy courts determine undue hardship for purposes of qualifying for student loan debt relief depends on where you live in the United States.  Some courts will use the Totality of Circumstances Test.  With this standard/test, a bankruptcy court can consider all aspects of your financial situation in determining whether you will be able to repay your student loan debt.  However, some courts in other areas of the United States use other tests. For example, another widely utilized test is the Brunner Test, which tests your situation against measures of poverty, the persistence of your current financial conditions, and your good faith in student loan repayment efforts. Other courts may use a test for Health Education Assistance Loans (HEAL) to determine if your student loans are unreasonably damaging your quality of life.

While you may be able to get student loan debt relief in bankruptcy, undue hardship can be difficult to prove. If you have questions concerning student loan debt relief in Owatonna, MN, contact Behm Law Group, Ltd. at (507) 387-7200 for a consultation today.

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Understanding GAL Fees When Filing for Bankruptcy in Mankato, MN

Just like the rest of the individuals in the U.S., those considering bankruptcy are often juggling many life situations. From divorce to custody battles, many of these situations involve legal procedures and can be difficult to reconcile in the face of filing for bankruptcy. If you’re considering filing for bankruptcy in Mankato, MN, Behm Law Group, Ltd. offers legal counsel to help you balance your life outside of the bankruptcy process.

One common situation many of our clients find themselves working through before or during their bankruptcy petition is divorce. If you’re working through a divorce or are recently divorced, there are a number of ways it may affect your bankruptcy case.

If a state court has appointed a Guardian Ad Litem (GAL) during your divorce, you may have to pay for that obligation throughout your bankruptcy case. There are some circumstances, however, where GAL fees can be discharged which means that you would not have to continue paying them.

What is a GAL?

In cases of divorce when a legal dispute over the custody of children arises between spouses, the court will appoint a GAL to look out for the best interests of the children. The GAL investigates the parents and the relationships the children have with each of the parents. The GAL uses this investigation to recommend to the court which parent should have primary custody. The parents are responsible for paying the fees for the GAL.

Discharge of GAL Fees

In many cases, GAL fees are considered domestic support obligations, and, like alimony and child support, they sometimes cannot be discharged during Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy cases. Nevertheless, like all other domestic support obligations in bankruptcy, there are some times where GAL fees can be fully or partially discharged.  If you and your ex-spouse are jointly liable, you may be able to discharge a portion or all of the fees owed if the right to collect the fees has been assigned or sold to a third-party collection agency or debt purchaser.

While your chances for GAL fee discharge may be limited, our bankruptcy attorneys will work with you to obtain the broadest debt relief possible.  For more information about the assistance we provide regarding the filing of bankruptcy in Mankato, MN, contact Behm Law Group, Ltd. at (507) 3087-7200 today.