Scared of Everyone Finding Out

[Maximo]

Our attorney filed on the 5th. Our local paper puts in names of people who file over 100,000 debts in Chapter 7 and it appears they print all Chapter 13s, which we are. I am mortified of having our FULL NAMES in the paper....what do we do, if anything?

[Flamingo]

There is nothing you can do. It's public information and posted just like births and arrests. Our main paper lists full names, town (no address) and the amount of the assets/debts. There is always the chance your name may not appear (as ours did not) and realize that not everyone reads the BK listings. I would not worry about it.

[magyar123]

If anyone ever questions you about it just ask back "so what?"

[13bound]

i think that people who have nothing better to do than read bk listings have some serious issues.

[justbroke]

Since you're in a Chapter 13... I have only told people who need to know that I'm in a "Reorganization" Plan. That's what it is. If they probe, I just say that it allows me to protect my home from foreclosure for 5 years while I repay all my creditors.

I haven't completely gotten over the stigma of "having filed Bankruptcy", but it is what it is.

And as magyar123 says... "so what?"

[krielly]

If anyone asks you about it, ask them "why do you want to know?". That will probably catch them off guard.......

[Mi Bankruptcy]

If a person asks that. Ask them how much they make a year. If they say none of your business.. I would reply with the same answer in kind.

[mynameainttracy]

You would be surprised how many people read those just wishing they had the guts to file. At least you won't be under the same stress they are anymore.

[Maximo]

Thanks, I'll let you all know how it goes after Sunday when they are usually published.

[krielly]

Try to take it in stride...........

It is what it is..............

Hopefully, things will get easier for you as time passes. We are 3 years into our 5 year plan. It's amazing how differently I feel now than I did 3 years ago. I was mortified when ours came out in the paper...... then after a while it was like...."oh well...." who cares what others think......It's our business, not theirs.

As Dr Phil says "You wouldn't worry so much about what other people think about you if you knew how seldom they did".

I love that saying.......

[crookedoak]

i have been very upfront with it. I dont run down the street telling everyone,` but do not hold back about if the situation brings itself on.

I look at this way. we are paying back our debts, and not blowing them off. Compare us to some of those big companies that file Chapter 11 to reorganize.

It really was the best thing for me 4 years ago, and saved me allot of stress and pressure.

I look at it this way. Would you rather have your car repo'd from work, or the chance of Chapter 13 being found in paper?

[MajorMike]

Everyone found out about ours..friends, work, neighbors. Didnt realize how many read the BK section and it's tiny print!

[epiphany]

i think that people who have nothing better to do than read bk listings have some serious issues.

Bingo.

Who does that? And why should you care what they think?

To the OP, I felt exactly the same as you when I made the decision to file, which was a few days before Xmas last year. You will become more accepting with this further into the process. And one day, you just won't care that much. Someone finding out will just be a small blemish on the day...a minor annoyance that you can easily deal with.

You'll get there.

ep

[jessegirl]

I just called the 4 major newspapers in my state and they ALL said that they do NOT list personal bankruptcy in the newspaper. I have never seen it and then when I first came on this forum i read quite few a people talking about this subject. I was so relieved. One newspaper said that the is no reason to list peoples bankrutcy, that it doesn't benefit the newspaper. Just wanted to add that tidbit.

Are you sure that they even list bankrupices in your paper?

[justbroke]

FWIW, the newspapers that print Bankruptcies, are the same that print the Police blotter. They are usually small town papers that have nothing else that's newsworthy!

I grew up in a small city where half of the people I know, bought the paper just to read the Police/Fire news... to see who got arrested. Hey, it sold newspapers in that city (and the adjoining towns), so that's why it was so special and was on page 3 or 5.