Our Cincinnati bankruptcy attorneys have been helping Ohio residents through the bankruptcy process for over 45 years and have never had a client give up her engagement ring or other jewelry.

We understand your concern; not only does your engagement ring have financial value, it has sentimental value as well.  The same goes for other jewelry, especially family heirlooms and gifts provided by those you love.

Fortunately, the state of Ohio agrees; you can protect your jewelry.  In fact, most clients don’t give up any personal possessions, including jewelry, at all.

 Bankruptcy Exemptions

 Your bankruptcy lawyer will determine which Chapter of bankruptcy is appropriate for you.  For individual and married filers, usually Chapter 13 or Chapter 7 bankruptcy is the best fit.

1.     In a Chapter 13 bankruptcy, you can keep your engagement ring and other jewelry.  There is no limit on the value of your jewelry.

2.    In a Chapter 7 bankruptcy, you can, likely, keep your engagement ring and other jewelry, subject to the exemption limits.

Ohio Bankruptcy:  Jewelry Exemption

That state of Ohio offers a jewelry exemption in the amount of $1,350; this amount of doubled to $2,700 for a married couple, filing jointly.

Ohio Bankruptcy:  Personal Items Exemption

Each individual filer can keep up to $10,725 of personal items (with no item being worth more than $525); this means a married couple, filing jointly, can keep up to $22,450 of personal items.   Usually this covers clothing, kitchenware, furniture, books, and computers, but it can be used to protect jewelry as well.

Ohio Bankruptcy:  Wild Card Exemption

 A wild card exemption of $1,075 per individual filer ($2,350 per married couple, filing jointly) can also be used to protect your engagement ring and other jewelry.

Lien:  Limited Exception

 If you are still making payments to a jewelry store, which has a lien on your jewelry, you must continue to make the payments to the store to keep the jewelry.

On the other hand, if you are making payments to a credit card company, there is no lien and no requirement to pay off that debt.

• In a Chapter 7 bankruptcy, this debt will be discharged, meaning you never have to pay it back.

• In a Chapter 13 bankruptcy, this debt may be renegotiated.

To Protect Your Engagement Ring and Other Jewelry, Get Legal Help

Consult with a qualified Ohio bankruptcy attorney when considering bankruptcy or if you have any concerns about protecting your engagement ring and other jewelry.

We focus our practice on bankruptcy law and you can reach us at 513-793-6555 or Thomasjr@geygan.com.  Your next step is to contact us now.

You can stop the harassing phone calls, demand letters, frustrating wage and bank garnishments, and scary lawsuits by filing for bankruptcy protection.  You can eliminate stress and get a fresh start, wiping out medical bills and credit card debt, by filing for bankruptcy protection.   It just takes 3 easy steps.

3 Steps to a Fresh Start through Bankruptcy

1. Contact the office of a qualified bankruptcy attorney
2. Fill out the bankruptcy forms
3. Attend the Meet the Creditors meeting

Step One:  Contact the Office of a Qualified Bankruptcy Attorney

An experienced and qualified bankruptcy attorney knows how to fill out and file all the paperwork, position assets, and protect as many assets as legally permissible.

It matters what assets you own and how you own them.  It matters what debts you’ve repaid and what debts you haven’t.

Step Two:  Fill Out Bankruptcy Forms

Bankruptcy forms require information about your current income, expenses, and debt.

To best represent you, your lawyer needs a lot of information from you.  It’s worth the effort to fill out the forms properly.  It’s the only way to know what paperwork to file so the phone calls, letters, garnishments, and lawsuits can be stopped and your assets can be protected.

Be sure to fill out all the forms completely and honestly.  Any less than full disclosure is sure to come back and haunt you.

As soon as your attorney files your bankruptcy petition, it will be reviewed and, likely, accepted by the court.  The court then issues an “automatic stay,” meaning that all creditors must stop harassing you.

Step Three:  Attend the Meet the Creditors Meeting

While it might scary, the Meet the Creditors meeting isn’t a big deal; in most cases it’s a mere formality.

The meeting takes about 15 minutes and usually no creditors bother to attend.  The trustee asks a few questions about your bankruptcy petition and then the meeting is over.

Your lawyer attends the meeting with you.

Where to Get Help

Consult with a qualified attorney when considering bankruptcy or if you have any questions about bankruptcy.  Bankruptcy is a very specialized area of law; be sure your attorney focuses his or her practice on bankruptcy and helping people like you.  We’ll guide you through the 3 steps of bankruptcy protection.  Your next step is to contact us at 513-793-6555 or Thomasjr@geygan.com.

Our Cincinnati bankruptcy lawyers see it all the time.  Good people facing financial ruin because of huge medical bills.  In fact, medical bills and health problems are one of the main reasons people file bankruptcy.  And, good news for all:  Medical bills can be eliminated in bankruptcy. 

 Bankruptcy Offers a Fresh Start after Medical Crisis

 Lawmakers recognize that many folks need a fresh start at one time or another.  A medical crisis is an appropriate time for a fresh start. 

 In fact, CNNHealth, reports that, approximately, 60% of all bankruptcies are triggered by medical bills.  More than 1,500,000 bankruptcies are filed each year.   This means that about 900,000 bankruptcies are due to medical bills. 

 You certainly are not alone, if you have overwhelming medical bills.

 How to Stop Collection Calls Right Now

 We understand that collection calls from hospitals, doctors’ offices, physical therapy clinics, and other medical professionals is stressful.  Fortunately, we have good news. 

 ·         Medical bill collection calls can be stopped immediately.  As soon as your bankruptcy petition is accepted by the court, all phone calls must cease. 

 ·         Why? The court issues an automatic stay, which is a court order, instructing that all attempts to collect on your debt must stop.  This means that all telephone calls from medical offices and practices will stop.  The calls from credit card companies, mortgage lenders, and car loan providers stop as well.

 In addition, most wage and bank garnishments, collection letters, and lawsuits will stop as well.

 If a call leaks through, as they do occasionally, all you need to do is explain that you’ve filed bankruptcy and are represented by an attorney. 

 Our clients find the quiet after the filing of their bankruptcy petition to be a big relief.  It provides a chance to relax and regroup and find the path to a successful financial future that the fresh start of bankruptcy provides.

 Where to Get Help Getting Rid of Medical Bills with Bankruptcy

 Consult with a qualified bankruptcy attorney when considering bankruptcy or if you have any questions about getting ride of overwhelming medical bills.  Bankruptcy is a very specialized area of law; be sure your attorney focuses his or her practice on bankruptcy and helping people like you.

 We focus our practice on bankruptcy law, erasing medical bills, and helping good people get a fresh start.   You can reach us at 513-793-6555 or Thomasjr@geygan.com.  We will gently walk you through the bankruptcy process, answer your questions, analyze your case, and aggressively fight for your legal rights, while giving you a permanent break from creditor phone calls.  Your next step is to call our office now.

Getting phone calls from creditors is the worst; many are trained to harass, lie, and threaten.  Creditors may even call your workplace, neighbors, friends, and relatives.  It’s harassment and it’s embarrassing.

In addition, your wages and bank account may be garnished and lawsuits may be filed against you in an attempt to collect on your debts.  You may face foreclosure on your home.

This article will explain how to stop creditor phone calls now so you can get some peace, regroup, and decide how you’re going to approach your financial situation.

Two Ways to Stop Creditor Phone Calls

1. File a bankruptcy petition.
2. Tell the creditor that you are represented by an attorney.

File a Bankruptcy Petition

File a petition for bankruptcy with the court.  As soon as your bankruptcy petition is accepted by the court, it will issue an “automatic stay,” notifying creditors of your petition.

The automatic stay explains that your bankruptcy petition has been accepted and that creditors may not continue to try to collect on any of your debts.  This means that harassing phone calls must stop.

If a call slips through, simply explain that you have filed bankruptcy and the creditor will remove you from their call list.

Filing bankruptcy also stops most garnishments, lawsuits, and foreclosure.

“I’m Represented by an Attorney”

If you’ve hired an attorney to help you determine whether bankruptcy is appropriate for you (or not) or to actually file a bankruptcy petition, but the filing hasn’t happened yet (likely, because you still need to provide information), you can tell any creditors that you are represented by an attorney.

Provide the attorney’s name and phone number.

When you are represented by an attorney, creditors must communicate through the attorney, not directly with you.  This means that the phone calls will stop.

Note that if bankruptcy hasn’t been filed, wage and bank account garnishments, lawsuits, and foreclosure can still continue (however, most garnishments and all lawsuits, including foreclosure, will cease as soon as your bankruptcy petition is filed.)

Where to Get Help Stopping Creditor Phone Calls Immediately

Bankruptcy is a very specialized area of law; be sure your attorney focuses his or her practice on bankruptcy, stopping creditor phone calls, and helping people like you get a financial fresh start.  We focus our practice on bankruptcy law.  You can reach us at 513-793-6555 or Thomasjr@geygan.com.  Your next step to stop harassing phone calls is to contact our office.

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