Law Office of Gordon Mosley
Financial stress and divorce: One often leads to the other
On Behalf of Law Office of Gordon Mosley

If Texas residents who end their marriages in court were to name the key factors that led to their break-ups, answers would undoubtedly vary. However, there does seem to be a common denominator in many divorces. Lots of people say their martial declines began right around the same times they suffered financial problems, as if the two things went hand-in-hand. Others say their financial struggles arose during divorce proceedings or after the court issued decrees.


In either of these cases, facing serious financial debt before, during or after a marital breakdown can make stress levels soar. Such situations also prompt a lot of decision-making. If you’re in a similar situation, the following ideas may help bring clarity and provide information that gives you access to financial and family law support as well.


A few facts regarding bankruptcy and divorce


No two marriages (or divorces) are exactly the same. Job loss, medical emergencies and other types of extenuating circumstances can place undue hardship on families that seems nearly impossible to overcome. One of the following situations may apply to your current state-in-life:


During divorce proceedings, large numbers of people face unemployment or exorbitant medical expenses that land them in worse financial shape after divorce than prior to it.

Post divorce expenses also lead to financial disaster for many people. Having to pay child support or spousal support on a single income proves far too difficult in many situations.

Some people fail to realize that marital debts are shared in community property states; just marital property is split 50/50.

Once your divorce is final, you can’t file joint bankruptcy with your former spouse; however, this might be an option before divorce. If your spouse is the only who files for debt relief, you may still be held accountable for marital debt.

The last fact on the list may lead you to decide to delay filing for divorce while you address financial problems first. Whether to file for bankruptcy jointly then file for divorce, or wait until your divorce is finalized then file for individual bankruptcy is an intensely personal decision that typically has both immediate and long-term consequences.


An experienced bankruptcy attorney can address the financial aspects of your situation. Exploring any and all debt relief options that may be available to you may help you resolve your current financial problems and create a plan for restored fiscal stability as you move forward toward a new lifestyle.

Facing garnishment, lawsuits? Bankruptcy may be able to help.

By On Behalf of Law Office of Gordon Mosley • February 21, 2022
During the day, you may have the ability to keep your financial worries somewhat at bay by concentrating on other tasks. However, when the time comes to get in bed for the night, those thoughts that stayed at the edge of your mind all day may come flooding forward. How will you make your next credit card payment? When will the next creditor call? What can you do about your garnished wages? These concerns affect numerous people who must contend with overwhelming debt. No matter what led to your debt, you do have options for effectively addressing those liabilities. In particular, bankruptcy may act as a significant step toward a fresh financial start. However, you may wonder whether taking this action really suits your circumstances. Has action been taken against you? When you face overwhelming debt, you may also face letters and calls from creditors every day. Over time, you may have become adept at avoiding these attempts at contact or requested a stop to such actions. However, more significant actions may have been taken against you with which bankruptcy may be able to help. Two actions that may make you consider this debt relief option more seriously include: Wage garnishment: If creditors are directly garnishing wages from your paychecks in attempts to pay your outstanding balances, you already face serious financial trouble. You may need every penny you earn to make ends meet as it is, and when you cannot hold on to your wages, bankruptcy may be able to help stop garnishments. Lawsuits: When creditors feel that they cannot effectively get you to pay your balances on their own, they may sue you for payment. Lawsuits are serious matters that could cause you to face even more financial strife while also facing orders to pay your liabilities. Fortunately, bankruptcy could help stop judgments in such cases. Because these actions can have serious outcomes, taking steps to stop them may help you in the long run. Can you attempt other debt relief methods? If you are not yet facing wage garnishments or lawsuits, you may wonder whether you could first attempt other actions before bankruptcy. Certainly, creditor negotiation and credit counseling could act as possible avenues to try. Of course, not all creditors feel willing to negotiate, and you may still need to address your full balances. Additionally, you may want to remain wary of services which claim they can reduce your debt or help you become debt free as many of these claims turn into scams that cost unsuspecting individuals more money. Though it can be frightening to consider such a major action, exploring your bankruptcy options further may help you get your financial affairs in order and bring back your restful sleep.

Seeking debt relief does not make you a bad person

By On Behalf of Law Office of Gordon Mosley • February 21, 2022
No matter what you do, you just can’t seem to get your head above water financially. In the last little while you’ve experienced loss of income, or you’ve had unexpected emergency expenses that you had to put on credit cards, or you or a loved one may have suffered a serious medical event, costing your family a small fortune. Maybe it was a combination of these or other hardships. Now you need help, but feel you are a bad person for seeking debt relief. There is and always has been a certain stigma surrounding bankruptcy in the United States. The truth of the matter is, Texas residents who need financial help are not bad people and no one should make them feel bad for asking for help. It is their right to pursue bankruptcy if it is what will best serve their interests. Stigmas attached to bankruptcy There are three types of stigmas often associated with bankruptcy. These are: Financial Emotional Social Emotional and social stigmas are often combined. They refer to how you see yourself after pursing a bankruptcy filing and how you believe people view you. People are afraid to let others down or do not want others to know they are struggling. When drowning in debt, the only thing that should concern you is fixing the situation. It shouldn’t matter how you do it and it really is no concern of anybody else’s. You do what will best serve you. The financial stigma sounds bad, but it can be a good motivator. Will your credit score go down if you file for bankruptcy? Yes. Will it stay that way forever? Will you be financially doomed for the rest of your life for seeking relief? No. While credit recovery after bankruptcy can take time, it is possible to do if you take full advantage of the bankruptcy filing and are cautious in your future financial decisions. Don’t let the stigmas stop you At the end of the day, you have to do what is best for you and your family. That may involve pursuing a bankruptcy filing and that is okay — it does not make you a bad person. Don’t let the stigmas stop you from seeking the relief you need. If you are not sure if it is the best course of action, you can seek legal counsel on the matter and then go from there.
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