Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Bankruptcy in Dubbo - Will my income be altered if I go bankrupt?


Bankruptcy Dubbo is a challenging process, and you have to make sure you get the right guidance. And when it comes to your income being affected, the answer to the question is maybe. The first thing you need to know about going bankrupt is there is no limitation on how much you can earn. However, I will mention that your income is a serious consideration when working through when it comes to Bankruptcy.

The very first thing you need to understand about this area of Bankruptcy is just how much you can earn before you start paying back money to your creditors via your trustee (see table below).

Net income is the pre-tax/ in the hand amount you earn per year. A dependant is someone who lives with you and earns less than $3,124 per year (regardless of their age).

You can look for a hardship variation that increases the threshold amount, if you have costs in Dubbo such as medical, child care, significant travel to and from work, or a situation where your partner used to work but is not able to support the household income.

Some of the interesting parts of Bankruptcy is that your employer will not be notified when you file for bankruptcy. Also, Child support is always taken into consideration in bankruptcy, if you receive child support that is not factored in as income. If you pay child support this will be also considered, for example if you provide $5,000 child support each year and you have no dependents living with you then your revised net income limit will be $55,332.10.

There are more issues surrounding income and what is or isn't considered income - if you're not sure, it's recommended to get qualified advice. The reason you have to consider your income as a part of the Big 5 questions here is that bankruptcy is in some instances not an economically sensible option.

If one of your creditors is the ATO (for unpaid taxes), then your tax refund will likely be taken by the ATO whilst you are bankrupt to contribute toward your tax bill. If you don't have a tax bill then you will keep your tax refund provided that doesn't take you over your threshold income caps.

If you feel like when it comes to Bankruptcy, your issue is more complicated, then simply get specialist advice in Dubbo. I may sound like a broken record, but keep in mind that it's always a good idea to overcome these options prior to declaring bankruptcy, since once you have filed the paperwork it's far too late to change your mind.


If you intend to find out more about what to do, where to turn and what questions to ask about Bankruptcy, then feel free to contact Bankruptcy Experts Dubbo on 1300 795 575, or explore our website:bankruptcyexpertsDubbo.com.au.

Thursday, May 5, 2016

Bankruptcy in Dubbo - Are you going to get bitten?


When people in Dubbo ask me about Bankruptcy, I let them know the timeless Native American Fable of the little boy and the Rattlesnake. An old rattlesnake asks a passing young boy to carry him to the mountain top to discover one last sunset before he dies. The boy was reluctant, but the rattlesnake vowed not to bite him in exchange for the ride. They went together only for the snake to ultimately attack the boy despite his assurance not to do so. The snake's answer was 'You knew what I was when you picked me up.

Getting the right financial advice in Dubbo when it relates to Bankruptcy is a great deal like that little boy's experience, laden with risk and danger, and typically skewed for the benefit of the individual giving the advice. In many cases you'll get bitten except if you know what you've picked up before you move forward (avoid the rattlesnakes). I discovered the problem with receiving financial advice as a teenager, and it has been fundamental to Bankruptcy. I'd been keeping my nose to the grindstone for a few years, and saved up a small amount of money I wanted to invest. It was the early 1980s so interest rates were pretty high and investing your money was very profitable. I spent time researching varied investment options, and I went to visit a few financial advisors. It was clear that they had more money than I did: they had nice suits and plush offices, they all seemed to exude confidence and have all the answers. What hit me was that they all had a truly different strategy of what I should do. This puzzled me so much that it put me off the whole idea of picking any of them.

I'm sure currently you have read enough on the internet to be totally mixed up about Bankruptcy and precisely what to do. It would undoubtedly be easier for me to help you understand the nature of the financial snakes you could be grasping while you are trying to get to the bottom of your financial troubles in Dubbo. Basically, you need to try and comprehend what your overarching alternatives are, do your very own research into where to proceed with your plan for Bankruptcy, and after that approach the things you feel is best in Dubbo for your requirements. Essentially, you have 3 options for who to turn to.

The first option is a Solicitor - This may seem the go-to solution when you appear to be in trouble. But there is only so much aid they can give on this matter. There are absolutely specialist legal advisors in bankruptcy, but their expertise comes with a hefty price.

Another choice you may think about is your accountant - they are incredibly helpful and vital to the process of operating your business, but for the most part, when you are considering Bankruptcy, your accountant won't be much help to you anymore.

Your best option? A Financial Counsellor that can talk about debt consolidation, personal insolvency agreements, and pretty much all you should figure out when it comes to Bankruptcy.


If you would like to learn more about what to do, where to turn and what questions to ask about Bankruptcy, then feel free to contact Bankruptcy Experts Dubbo on 1300 795 575, or visit our website: bankruptcyexpertsDubbo.com.au.

Wednesday, May 4, 2016

Bankruptcy in Dubbo - Choices, Choice, Choices


When it comes down to Bankruptcy Dubbo, there are a bunch of options that we get given depending on who we are, who we speak to, and exactly what has happened. One of the most common confusion I see with Bankruptcy is when it comes to selecting between Debt Consolidation, Personal Insolvency Agreements, and Bankruptcy itself.

Should I consolidate my debts?

When it comes to Bankruptcy in Dubbo, a lot of the information you receive on this matter will reflect the interests of the advice giver. That is why, if you call a debt consolidation company, I can assure you they will tell you to consolidate your debts. The debt consolidation industry is a multi-billion dollar industry making money in one very simple way: charging you a fee for helping you wrap each of your credit card and personal loans into just one neat and tidy package.

I hate to tell you this but these guys aren't doing it for free. Please don't misunderstand me: if you think your financial troubles in Dubbo might be solved by paying less interest, then go on and check out the possibilities. Even a small amount of interest saved over years rapidly adds up.

Typically I find if you read this blog you've most likely attempted to consolidate your debts already and come to the following realisations similar to these:

  • Your credit rating is no good, and your credit file already has nonpayments on it so no one will offer you a loan, consolidated or otherwise,.
  • By the time you work it all out, you're so far down a hole that saving a bit of interest just won't make a lot of difference,.
  • You've most likely arrived at the point where you've had more than enough, you're emotionally worn down, you can't go on another day ignoring blocked calls on your phone, ignoring the demands in the mail and so forth.


Personal Insolvency Agreements

So when it comes to Bankruptcy in Dubbo, what's the big difference between a Debt Agreement and a Personal Insolvency Agreement?

Overall flexibility is the main point Personal Insolvency Agreements (PIA) have in their favour. They're also administered by a registered and - may I add - regulated trustee including the government trustee ITSA, and not a private company that advertises on TV. Basically this method resembles Debt Agreements (DA): The trustee has a meeting with the people you owe money to and these experts work out a deal on your behalf. You can give a lump sum settlement figure or enter into a payment plan, or you can offer them assets rather than cash. This might sound okay when it comes to the complications with Bankruptcy - that is up until you realise that one of the difficulties with PIA's is that 75 % of the people you owe money to will have to come to an understanding the deal. If they do not, your plan is rejected or will need to be renegotiated.

Generally the people you owe money want all their money back as well as interest. Sometimes they'll opt for less than the amount you owe them - it's typically a percentage of the debt - but let me stress this aspect: because of all the variables involved in the negotiation process to put together a PIA its difficult to put a figure on what the people you owe money to will truly settle for.

In most cases you'll have to pay back 100 % of the debt owed. This is not just because your creditors are greedy or have a mean streak, it's because the administrators take 20 % of whatever is decideded upon with the people you owe money to. That applies whether you use a private company for this process or ITSA, the government body setup to administer to these PIAs.

When it comes to Bankruptcy and insolvency I've heard of creditors going for less 80 % on rare occasions, but that usually only occurs with a public company going into receivership owing huge sums of money (the kind that makes the news). If you are were owed $10million and you know the people who owe you the money have a team of smart lawyers and some very clever frameworks in place and they offer 5 % of the debt, you might take it and be grateful. Sadly, ordinary punters like you and me in Dubbo aren't going to get that lucky!

If you wish to find out more about what to do, where to turn and what questions to ask about Bankruptcy, then feel free to contact Bankruptcy Experts Dubbo on 1300 795 575, or visit our website:bankruptcyexpertsDubbo.com.au.