I'm pretty stressed out about everything so I do need some help. Answer: Yes, a business can file a chapter 7 bankruptcy , just like an individual can. Many businesses, in fact, utilize a chapter 7 to get a fresh start. We have had clients who file a business chapter 7 and then open another business within the month.
If a business qualifies for a chapter 7 , then its debts are eliminated, they are discharged. We are Roswell bankruptcy lawyers who take great pride in our experience, knowledge and personal relationships. When you need a Roswell bankruptcy attorney to answer questions, just call us at The unit is available Monday through Friday from a. At the conclusion of your Chapter 7 bankruptcy you will receive a discharge of debt. A discharge releases you the debtor from personal liability for certain dischargeable debts.
Some taxes may be dischargeable. Whether a federal tax debt may be discharged depends on the unique facts and circumstances of each case. Consult your bankruptcy attorney to determine which tax debts may be discharged.
Please note: We cannot provide legal or other advice about your bankruptcy case. Email required. Skip to content Can you continue Operating your Business after filing for Bankruptcy? How Different Types of Bankruptcies May Affect Your Business How and when your business files for bankruptcy will impact its future viability and financial stability. Contact us for a complimentary in-office consultation for up to a half hour Please leave this field empty. All Rights Reserved.
Built and powered by WSI. Would you like us to contact you? Se habla espanol! The Bankruptcy Code requires the trustee to ask the debtor questions at the meeting of creditors to ensure that the debtor is aware of the potential consequences of seeking a discharge in bankruptcy such as the effect on credit history, the ability to file a petition under a different chapter, the effect of receiving a discharge, and the effect of reaffirming a debt. Some trustees provide written information on these topics at or before the meeting to ensure that the debtor is aware of this information.
In order to preserve their independent judgment, bankruptcy judges are prohibited from attending the meeting of creditors. In order to accord the debtor complete relief, the Bankruptcy Code allows the debtor to convert a chapter 7 case to a case under chapter 11, 12, or 13 6 as long as the debtor is eligible to be a debtor under the new chapter. However, a condition of the debtor's voluntary conversion is that the case has not previously been converted to chapter 7 from another chapter.
Thus, the debtor will not be permitted to convert the case repeatedly from one chapter to another. When a chapter 7 petition is filed, the U. If all the debtor's assets are exempt or subject to valid liens, the trustee will normally file a "no asset" report with the court, and there will be no distribution to unsecured creditors.
Most chapter 7 cases involving individual debtors are no asset cases. But if the case appears to be an "asset" case at the outset, unsecured creditors 7 must file their claims with the court within 90 days after the first date set for the meeting of creditors. A governmental unit, however, has days from the date the case is filed to file a claim. In the typical no asset chapter 7 case, there is no need for creditors to file proofs of claim because there will be no distribution.
If the trustee later recovers assets for distribution to unsecured creditors, the Bankruptcy Court will provide notice to creditors and will allow additional time to file proofs of claim. Although a secured creditor does not need to file a proof of claim in a chapter 7 case to preserve its security interest or lien, there may be other reasons to file a claim.
A creditor in a chapter 7 case who has a lien on the debtor's property should consult an attorney for advice. Commencement of a bankruptcy case creates an "estate. It consists of all legal or equitable interests of the debtor in property as of the commencement of the case, including property owned or held by another person if the debtor has an interest in the property. Generally speaking, the debtor's creditors are paid from nonexempt property of the estate. The primary role of a chapter 7 trustee in an asset case is to liquidate the debtor's nonexempt assets in a manner that maximizes the return to the debtor's unsecured creditors.
The trustee accomplishes this by selling the debtor's property if it is free and clear of liens as long as the property is not exempt or if it is worth more than any security interest or lien attached to the property and any exemption that the debtor holds in the property.
The trustee may also attempt to recover money or property under the trustee's "avoiding powers. In addition, if the debtor is a business, the bankruptcy court may authorize the trustee to operate the business for a limited period of time, if such operation will benefit creditors and enhance the liquidation of the estate. Section of the Bankruptcy Code governs the distribution of the property of the estate.
The debtor is only paid if all other classes of claims have been paid in full. Accordingly, the debtor is not particularly interested in the trustee's disposition of the estate assets, except with respect to the payment of those debts which for some reason are not dischargeable in the bankruptcy case. The individual debtor's primary concerns in a chapter 7 case are to retain exempt property and to receive a discharge that covers as many debts as possible. A discharge releases individual debtors from personal liability for most debts and prevents the creditors owed those debts from taking any collection actions against the debtor.
Because a chapter 7 discharge is subject to many exceptions, debtors should consult competent legal counsel before filing to discuss the scope of the discharge. Generally, excluding cases that are dismissed or converted, individual debtors receive a discharge in more than 99 percent of chapter 7 cases. In most cases, unless a party in interest files a complaint objecting to the discharge or a motion to extend the time to object, the bankruptcy court will issue a discharge order relatively early in the case — generally, 60 to 90 days after the date first set for the meeting of creditors.
The grounds for denying an individual debtor a discharge in a chapter 7 case are narrow and are construed against the moving party. Among other reasons, the court may deny the debtor a discharge if it finds that the debtor: failed to keep or produce adequate books or financial records; failed to explain satisfactorily any loss of assets; committed a bankruptcy crime such as perjury; failed to obey a lawful order of the bankruptcy court; fraudulently transferred, concealed, or destroyed property that would have become property of the estate; or failed to complete an approved instructional course concerning financial management.
Secured creditors may retain some rights to seize property securing an underlying debt even after a discharge is granted. Depending on individual circumstances, if a debtor wishes to keep certain secured property such as an automobile , he or she may decide to "reaffirm" the debt.
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