Reaffirmation Agreements

An individual debtor can choose to keep some personal property by entering into a Reaffirmation Agreement while in Bankruptcy.  The Reaffirmation Agreement must be approved by the court.  The effect of a Reaffirmation Agreement is that it changes a debt that would be discharged through bankruptcy into a debt that will not be discharged by filing bankruptcy and will remain in effect after the debtor receives a discharge.

Reaffirmation Agreements are not used frequently and there are detailed and specific requirements that need to be complied with.  Careful planning and a full understanding of the long term impact of signing a reaffirmation agreement should be adhered to when looking into executing a Reaffirmation Agreement.  It is important to seek the advice of a competent bankruptcy professional when looking into a Reaffirmation Agreement.

Reaffirmation Agreements may work well for a debtor if a creditor agrees to give something up in exchange for the Reaffirmation Agreement.  Examples of this would be a reduction in the principle balance of a loan or a change in the interest rate and term for a loan.  Some creditors may agree to help make payments more affordable when the alternative is to have an asset surrendered in bankruptcy.

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