Discharging—permanently writing off—student loans can be difficult. You may be able to make it easier to do with good bankruptcy timing.

Discharging Student Loans in Bankruptcy

It takes certain circumstances to discharge student loans. Those circumstances can involve the right timing of your bankruptcy case.

When you file for bankruptcy, you are granted an automatic stay on most of your debts. Essentially, this means your creditors cannot contact you or attempt to collect the debt. What happens, though, if the creditor keeps calling and harassing you through the mail, at your work, or at your home? Rest assured: you can enforce the protections that bankruptcy offers.

When Contact Is a Genuine Oversight

All creditors know (or should know) that a bankruptcy filing means they must cease all contact with you, as the debtor. As such, most who violate this rule have simply done so due to an oversight. Perhaps they did not remove your name from the system properly, or they have not received the paperwork yet that notifies them of your filing. In any case, it is important that you not overreact or panic during the initial contact from a creditor. Instead, simply inform them that you have filed for bankruptcy and politely refer them to your attorney.

If the contact was made by phone, document the date and time of the call, the agent’s name and extension number (if applicable), and the creditor’s name and phone number. If the contact was by mail, copy or scan the mailing (after you have written a response that indicates your bankruptcy filing and your attorney’s number). This information gives you proof of contact and ensures you can take action if the contact continues or escalates.

Very recent credit card purchases and cash advances can be a problem when filing bankruptcy. Smart timing can mostly solve this problem.

You can avoid the presumptions of fraud, and so discharge more of your credit card debts, by timing your bankruptcy filing right.

This blog post continues a series about the smart timing of your bankruptcy filing started back in July. (It’s been interrupted by urgent blog posts related to the pandemic—about unemployment benefits and the federal eviction moratorium.) The last in this timing series was about how bankruptcy timing helps with income tax liens.

At our firm, we help clients every day with questions and concerns about the bankruptcy process under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. Our experience has shown us that bankruptcy proceedings are often misunderstood, and unfortunately, misinformation abounds among those considering filing for bankruptcy. If you are thinking about bankruptcy as an option for your situation, it is very important for you to fully understand the potential advantages and disadvantages, as well as what might happen after the proceedings are complete. With this in mind, here are three of the most common myths about bankruptcy, along with the truth about each one.

Myth # 1: My Employer Will Be Notified That I Filed for Bankruptcy

Financial struggles are embarrassing for many people, and the reasons are understandable. As a result, it might be humiliating for you if your employer were to be notified of your bankruptcy filing. The good news is that this myth—albeit common—is just that: a myth. The bankruptcy process does not involve any employer notification whatsoever unless you happen to owe a formal debt to your employer somehow—in which case your employer would be notified, but as a creditor. Bankruptcy filings are public record, which means they could technically be published by the press, but it is unlikely that your employer would have much interest in searching through such publications.

Myth # 2: I Will Never Get Credit for a for a Major Purchase Again

Filing for bankruptcy can certainly have a negative effect on your credit rating, but the effects are temporary. Your bankruptcy will not bar you from ever having the ability to secure credit for major purchases like a home or automobile. For most bankruptcy filers, the credit approval needed to secure a home loan would be possible in about two to three years from the date of their bankruptcy filing. Obtaining approval for car loans and credit cards generally take less than two years. What is most important in re-qualifying for credit is making sure that you are rebuilding your credit properly in the period following your bankruptcy filing.