Credit Card Debt Laws That You Need to Know
With the struggling economy, many people are finding themselves deep in credit card debt. Therefore, consumers are forced to turn to debt consolidation in order to get control of their finances. However, before a person decides to consolidate their credit card debt, they need to be aware of the credit...
Paying Off Debt With Debt Consolidation
Living with debt is by no means easy. There’s the constant concern of living paycheck to paycheck and the never ending issue of covering monthly bills and living expenses. While most of us pride ourselves on being self-sufficient, it’s hard to ignore that we all sometimes live well beyond our means....


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Wisconsin
In 2005 Congress drastically changed the bankruptcy laws to curtail the number of consumer bankruptcy filings. With bankruptcy cases rising each year and American attitudes towards debt changing with each generation, legislators felt it was time to make filing bankruptcy more difficult and less attractive of a option for consumers. The most important change had to do with the fact that consumers who earn more the median income in Wisconsin (or whatever state they reside in) are no longer necessarily able to file whatever chapter bankruptcy they want. Instead they are obligated to “pass” the means test in order to qualify for Chapter 7 bankruptcy.

Detailed below is information about Wisconsin’s median income figures as of 2006:

2-person families: 52,793
3-person families: 63,628
4-person families: 72,495
5-person families: 68,515
6-person families: 63,545
7-or-more-person families: 56,557

In the event that a consumer does not qualify for Chapter 7 due to the results of the means test, they can be required to file Chapter 13 bankruptcy instead. Under this type of bankruptcy, the debtor is required to pay off some or all of the debt over a period of three to five years from their monthly disposable income.

Due to the stricter nature of bankruptcy, many people in Wisconsin are turning to debt reduction options like credit settlement and credit counseling. To learn more about these options or get a free consultation, submit a form today!

You can also find some more relevant information about credit & debt issues in Wisconsin on these pages:

Wisconsin Consumer Credit Counseling Services
Wisconsin Bankruptcy Laws
Wisconsin Debt Collection

Bankruptcy Filing Figures In Wisconsin

2004: 26,668
2005: 37,420
2006: 11,010

Wisconsin saw more than three times as many bankruptcy cases filed in 2005 than 2006, signs that the new bankruptcy law implemented in October of 2005 is working out as planned. As a result more Wisconsin consumers are finding other ways to get out of debt without bankruptcy, whether that is through debt management or settling their credit cards. To learn more about services that can help you avoid bankruptcy and consolidate your credit cards, simply fill out a form today!
 

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