You are considering filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy or Chapter 13 bankruptcy in South Riding. Bankruptcy is a common debt relief choice. In fact, many people in Virginia have received bankruptcy relief, and South Riding is no different. In fact, there were 13,924 bankruptcies filed in Virginia in the year ending June 30, 2021 (Source). With a population of 31515, I’d estimate a fair number of those were in South Riding.
The purpose of this article is to provide an extensive list of filing bankruptcy in South Riding including:
Without further ado, let’s get started with Chapter 7 bankruptcy.
Chapter 7 bankruptcy is the most common consumer bankruptcy in the United States. People appreciate the simplicity of Chapter 7 bankruptcy, the cost of the Chapter 7 bankruptcy, and the speed of debt relief. For example, in South Riding, you could get debt relief in about 120 days with a Chapter 7 bankruptcy.
One of the challenges of Chapter 7 bankruptcy in South Riding is that you have to qualify. In order to qualify in South Riding, you often have to pass the Virginia bankruptcy means test. You can estimate that qualification below in South Riding. Let’s cover how you can qualify.
The first part of the means test is to understand your income in relation to the median income levels for Virginia. It considers the average family size and income.
To estimate your qualification, you can take the South Riding Chapter 7 qualification calculator below that is specific to South Riding.
Finally, the most recent Virginia median income levels is for cases filed on or after April 1, 2024, and can be found below.
| # of People | Annual Income |
|---|---|
| 1 | $75,756 |
| 2 | $95,482 |
| 3 | $116,903 |
| 4 | $139,667 |
| 5 | $149,567 |
| 6 | $159,467 |
| 7 | $169,367 |
| 8 | $179,267 |
| 9 | $189,167 |
If your income exceeds the median, you can move on to the second part of the means test to estimate qualification. The second part of the means test is to understand your actual expenses. You can check out our guide covering trying to qualify for Chapter 7 bankruptcy above the median.
Chapter 13 bankruptcy is known as a wage-earner bankruptcy. Chapter 13 bankruptcy is a voluntary reorganization of debt. In Chapter 13 bankruptcy, the individual has debt that they can no longer manage and often own assets that exceed state and/or federal relief. Folks file Chapter 13 bankruptcy often when they do not qualify for Chapter 7 bankruptcy.
Most individuals in South Riding will qualify for Chapter 13 bankruptcy as long as they are below the debt limits.
Compared to Chapter 7, there is no liquidation in Chapter 13 Bankruptcy. Although, the discharge won’t be until around 3 to 5 years. The Chapter 13 bankruptcy will stay on your credit report for 7 years.
When looking for a bankruptcy attorney, we recommend that you look for these 5 attributes: Rate, Reliability, Referrals, Reviews, and Relevancy. You can check our guide to find a top bankruptcy attorney in South Riding.
The estimated Chapter 7 bankruptcy lawyer fee in South Riding is: $1000 - $1500.
The estimated Chapter 13 bankruptcy lawyer fee in South Riding is: $4750 and $5609. The Chapter 13 attorney fee is often set across the district, meaning that all Chapter 13 bankruptcy attorneys in a district may charge around the same fee.
One of the most important things to do is to find a reputable bankruptcy attorney in South Riding if you decide to hire one. This is legal advice related to finances that are going to affect your future. For example, making sure you are in the right bankruptcy chapter (Chapter 7 vs Chapter 13) could cost you thousands more and take you years longer.
As stated above, South Riding has a population of 31515. In many cases, individuals in larger cities such as Virginia Beach or Norfolk would like a bankruptcy lawyer close by. In smaller cities, I have found that individuals have questions about whether the bankruptcy will show up in the newspaper or whether friends will hear about it. This is a valid question.
Regardless, you can check the Chapter 7 bankruptcy lawyers in or near South Riding using the table below. You just need to input your zip code, and voila, you can choose which Chapter 7 bankruptcy lawyer you would like to speak to near or far away from South Riding in a free bankruptcy lawyer consultation.
Filing a Chapter 13 bankruptcy in South Riding may be a bit more intensive, so you may consider a Chapter 13 bankruptcy that is closer to you. That said, with the internet and the pandemic, many of the meetings are now online and you can generally submit your documentation online as well.
As you live in South Riding, you are often able to use the Virginia bankruptcy exemptions to help you keep your belongings.
One of the biggest questions people have is whether they are able to keep their homes in bankruptcy. This is where bankruptcy exemptions come into play. As South Riding has a home ownership % of 84.8% and an estimated estimated home value of $528196, you can understand that many people want to keep this asset. You can often keep your assets using bankruptcy exemptions.
Here are the Virginia bankruptcy exemptions. The exemptions are revised on different occasions, so you may wish to check the most current information on exemptions. Also, as a reference, Virginia is a place that does not allow you to use federal bankruptcy exemptions. You often have to choose which one to use, so a bankruptcy attorney can help you with that option.
The homestead exemption is often broken down by age and whether you are married.
Virginia specific homestead bankruptcy exemption text: “Va. Code Ann. § 34-4. Must file homestead declaration before filing for bankruptcy. $5,000 plus $500 per dependent; rents & profits; sale proceeds exempt to $5,000 (husband & wife may double, unused portion of homestead may be applied to any personal property); if 65 or older, exemption is $10,000″ (Source)
The automobile bankruptcy exemption in Virginia is $6,000.
The wildcard bankruptcy exemption in Virginia is $5,000.
Below is specific special handling of bankruptcy exemptions in Virginia.
Unemployment can cause both frustration and angst about options. The most recent statistic I found is that the South Riding unemployment rate is 3.8%. There may be resources available to help. In addition to the unemployment rate, South Riding has a disability rate of 4.7%. As such, if you are truly in need and don’t have income, there are resources that may be available that can help you.
Here are some legal aid resources that may be helpful to you in South Riding.
The bankruptcy court and district may have free resources that are available to you. I have included the information below.
One of the most common alternatives to bankruptcy is debt settlement. A debt settlement firm would negotiate for a lower amount due on your debt in the case of financial hardship. The goal would be to reduce your debt in half. In this case, you would have a lower monthly payment.
If you are looking at debt settlement in South Riding, you may want to consider a national debt settlement firm to a local one in South Riding. For example, most of your creditors are probably national banks instead of local South Riding banks. As such, you can potentially get lower fees by using a national firm. You should strongly consider the pros and cons and credit score impact before taking the plunge as Ascend only recommends 2 debt settlement firms nationwide that both offer free phone evaluations.
Chapter 7 bankruptcy and Chapter 13 bankruptcy in South Riding can provide debt relief. That said, you may want to consider the cost of bankruptcy in South Riding, the different bankruptcy chapters, reputable attorneys in South Riding and alternatives to help you make the most informed decision.
You can also take our Chapter 7 vs Chapter calculator below to help you estimate the cost and qualification of Chapter 7 bankruptcy and Chapter 13 bankruptcy in South Riding.
