Silences harassing creditor collection calls & letters

At the exact moment in time that your case has been filed and a case number is assigned, an umbrella of protection opens up above you. This umbrella is referred to as the "Automatic Stay." In simple terms, the automatic stay is a temporary restraining order imposed upon your creditors that prevents them from DOING VIRTUALLY ANYTHING to collect the debt you owe them. Literally, from the moment your case is filed, your creditors must stop calling you, writing to you or communicating with you in any way. They may not file law suits against you, continue to garnish your wages, repossess your car, foreclose on your home, or freeze your bank accounts.

To be fair to your creditors though, in as much as the protections described go into place at that exact moment in time, your creditors do deserve to get NOTICE of your having filed for bankruptcy. Official Notice is sent out by the bankruptcy court clerk by regular U.S. Mail. This can take up to ten days following the filing of your case. This does not mean you have to endure ten more days of threatening creditor calls. Notice comes in many forms and the simplest of these is "from your lips to their ears." When they call, thank them for their interest in your financial well-being and give them the "good news!" Give them your case number, invite them to look it up on the Court's web site, and invite them to call our office for verification of filing. Be polite yet stern: "I have filed for bankruptcy protection; this is my case number; this is my attorney's name and phone number; please do not call again."