Cancelling Your Bankruptcy Proceedings: Can It Be Done?
Usually, when you seek out a bankruptcy lawyer and begin the bankruptcy process, you have no intentions of stopping it. Yet, you can, at any time prior to the hearing, cancel your bankruptcy proceeding. Here are the hows and whys of cancelling your bankruptcy case.
Contact Your Lawyer Right Away
If you know with absolute certainty that you want to cancel your bankruptcy, call your lawyer right away. There are some documents that need to be filed, and they can only be filed Monday through Friday. Your lawyer does not work weekends either, and if your hearing is less than two weeks away, he or she will need to get on this immediately.
Establish Your Reason(s) for Cancelling Your Filing
You must have a very good reason for cancelling your bankruptcy proceedings. Did you win the lottery and now you can pay all of your debts? Did a relative pass away and leave you with a sizable inheritance? Maybe you just landed a dream job that pays incredibly well and you expect to pay your bills off within the next month or two?
Whatever the reason, make sure you give this reason to your lawyer. Your lawyer is the one handling your creditors for you and deflecting them from harassing you. He or she is also the one that has informed your creditors that you cannot pay your bills and that you are filing for bankruptcy. When you cancel your bankruptcy, your creditors must be alerted to this fact. Ergo, you must tell your lawyer your reason or reasons why you are cancelling your bankruptcy.
Be Sure to Pay Your Creditors When They Begin Calling Again
Within a few weeks, you will begin receiving phone calls from bill collectors. You should pay them, now that you are flush. They can take stronger legal actions against you now that you do not have the legal protection of a bankruptcy lawyer and the pending bankruptcy in court. As such, you may find extra fees attached to your bills. Pay them promptly, or you may be in court with them before you have a chance to file a second time for bankruptcy and follow through on this subsequent attempt.
An Alternative to Cancelling
Maybe you do not want to follow through on a bankruptcy filing just yet. If you feel like you just need some time to examine other options, you can postpone your bankruptcy hearing. This gives you a little extra time if you need it. Discuss this option with your lawyer.