One of the biggest reasons people struggling with debt hesitate to consider bankruptcy is the shame and stigma they perceive is attached to it. However, you should not be ashamed about filing for bankruptcy. It can happen to anyone and is far more common than you probably think.
In the period between March 2012 and March 2013, there were a total of 62,662 bankruptcy filings in the state of Georgia:
- Filings by individual consumers accounted for more than 90 percent of total filings.
- Almost 70 percent of Georgia’s total filings occurred in the Northern District.
- About 9 percent of Georgia’s total filings originated in the Atlanta area.
- Gwinnett County had the most bankruptcy filings in the entire state with 6,269. This is followed by Fulton County with 5,779 and DeKalb County with 5,735.
- Almost half of Georgia’s total business and nonbusiness filings were under Chapter 7.
- More than half of individuals filing for bankruptcy in Georgia used Chapter 13 bankruptcy to manage their debt without having to liquidate their property.
If you live in Georgia and are considering filing for bankruptcy, you are not alone. More than 60,000 of your friends and neighbors across the state have used the bankruptcy process to resolve or manage their personal debt. What’s more, more than 1,700 businesses in Georgia have also used the bankruptcy process to wind up their affairs or regain solvency or financial viability.
While bankruptcy is a big step that should never be taken lightly, thousands of people have used the process to drastically improve their lives. Talking to a Georgia bankruptcy lawyer about your situation can help you dispel the myths, learn the facts and decide whether bankruptcy is the right choice for you.