When you are significantly in debt it can be very overwhelming. One thing that adds to that overwhelming feeling is having to deal with creditors. Many creditors will repeatedly call and harass you in an attempt to get you to pay back your debts. If you are not in the financial position to do so, it can be frustrating and feel as if the pressure from your finances will never end.
If you are in this situation, you can stop harassing creditors from calling by filing for bankruptcy. When you file for bankruptcy, an automatic stay goes into effect. This stops any actions against you by creditors—they can no longer attempt to collect your debts or try to garnish your wages for the duration of your bankruptcy.
Get Creditors to Stop Calling
So, what can you do to get creditors from calling? How should you respond to them when they call?
- First, get the assistance of a skilled Georgia Bankruptcy attorney. Once you have hired an attorney to help you with your bankruptcy, creditors may only contact you through your attorney. This means that they must call you attorney for any issues concerning your debt and cannot talk to you. If they do call, politely inform them that you have an attorney and if they have questions to contact him or her. Then you can give the creditor your attorney's phone number and end the call. Once you have an attorney, you don’t have to talk to them
- Second, get your bankruptcy filed. As previously mentioned, once your bankruptcy is filed, the automatic stay goes into effect immediately. This means your creditors can no longer bring an action against you to collect your debt and they should no longer contact you. When you file for bankruptcy, the court will notify all your creditors listed on your bankruptcy petition. As a result, your creditors will know that you are filing for bankruptcy and therefore they should no longer contact you while it gets resolved.
- Third, don’t say anything if your creditors do call. If for some reason a creditor continues to try to call or write to you, even after you have informed them you have an attorney or they have received notice from the court of your bankruptcy, just don’t talk to them. You don’t want to say anything that could be used against you—you can’t do anything until your bankruptcy is resolved, so simply let your bankruptcy attorney handle your creditors.
Stop Creditor Calls Today!
If you have creditors calling and harassing you, or attempting to bring collection actions against you, contact a skilled Atlanta bankruptcy attorney who can talk to you about how bankruptcy can help stop this. At The Ballard Law Group, our attorneys can look at your individual situation and help you understand whether a Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy would be best in your case. Call us today at (404) 800-9939 to schedule a free consultation at either our Atlanta or Lawrenceville office.