Maintaining financial health after bankruptcy is an important goal for many people. In fact, that is what the process is all about. Contrary to popular belief, bankruptcy is not a sign that someone has gone broke or has failed in any way. It is a commitment to and an opportunity for a more stable financial lifestyle.
The first step on this journey towards financial health and independence is often maintaining the requirements of the bankruptcy process. This is especially important for those who file Chapter 13 bankruptcy.
Keeping on track
As explained on FindLaw, Chapter 13 is a type of bankruptcy that allows people with unmanageable debt to create a payment plan that aims to resolve what they owe over a period of three to five years. For those who file under Chapter 7 liquidation bankruptcy, relief in the form of discharge of debt is often more immediate.
Breaking the pattern
Going forward, many people choose to maintain the lifestyle that depends in which they depend less on credit cards. Luckily, there is a great deal of advice on how to do this online.
Personal finance pundit Dave Ramsey, for example, suggests taking a behavioral approach by paying off the smallest debts first. This theoretically allows for the satisfaction of accomplishing small goals while working towards financial independence. This type of reward could be useful incentive to act quickly, should debt begin to accrue again post-bankruptcy.
There are many schools of thought when it comes to breaking the cycle of debt. Like many things, it is usually best to look at the reality of the situation first, and then to determine which options are most likely to be effective.