Bankruptcy Perth, What is the Deal with Debts?

Which Debts are erased if I go Bankrupt?

The easy answer is that when it involves Bankruptcy most debts are wiped, and I have added a chart below for you to look at.

But, simply put some of the exceptions are Centrelink Debts, Child Support, Court fines (like speeding fines) along with any debts arising from uninsured Motor-vehicle claims and educational debts for example, HECS or FEE-HELP. These debts are not wiped out when you file for bankruptcy.

What about Secured Debts?

A secured debt is a car loan or a home loan; it is a debt that has some actual security affixed to it. So for example if you buy a new car for $40,000 dollars the security for that car is the actual car itself.

So, can my secured debts be removed if I file for bankruptcy?

Yes. If you have a car loan for $40,000 you can have that debt cleared away if you simply hand back the car. So the lesson is that you cannot have your cake and eat it too (so to speak), so yes all of your secured debts can be wiped but the asset must be sold or returned. This is just one element that, when it comes to Bankruptcy, it is important to get professional help - like that available at Bankruptcy Experts Perth.

What about my Tax Debts with the ATO can they be erased If I go bankrupt?

Yes they can, both business and personal debts owing to the ATO can be erased with bankruptcy. If you have a business with any type of debts find some advice because it is not always so easy. Feel free to call us right here over at Bankruptcy Experts Perth if you have any questions on 1300 795 575. Or feel free to check out our website: www.bankruptcyexpertsPerth.com.au

What about my business or Company debts?

In some cases when it involves Bankruptcy we can assist you with your business debts, call us concerning this first. Remember bankruptcy applies to an individual not companies, trusts or businesses. Normally you may have to liquidate a company to deal with the debt that way. And when it comes to Bankruptcy, it can be a complicated area, so remember there are implications for a business owner such as insolvent trading. At Bankruptcy Experts Perth we specialise in business and personal debts so give us a call here at Bankruptcy Experts Perth if you have any questions about Bankruptcy on 1300 795 575. Or feel free to visit our website: www.bankruptcyexpertsPerth.com.au

Bankruptcy, Will I lose my Superannuation?

Bankruptcy in Australia can be involved and difficult to understand. A question we usually get asked here over at Bankruptcy Experts Perth is 'what happens to my super if I file for Bankruptcy'? The reply for most is straightforward, if your super is actually in a regulated fund or industry fund like Sunsuper or Host Plus then very little happens; your super is 100 % safe when it involves Bankruptcy.

What if I have a Self Managed Super Fund?

This is a growing concern, consider the growing number of members of Self-Managed Super Funds ("SMSFs") lately; the ATO tells us it has grown Australia-wide from 758,589 in 2009 to 1,011,689 in 2014. So what happens to these Superfunds when it involves Bankruptcy?

Remember Bankruptcy Experts Perth is not implying this post is the entire story, if you have any questions feel free to call us on 1300 795 575. Whether you call us or someone else it doesn't matter, just please don't walk into bankruptcy blind when it comes to your SMSF in fact we advise you find both legal and financial advice before proceeding with any of the actions indicated in this article.

What is a Disqualified Person?

First and foremost, if you are taking into account Bankruptcy, you can not be a part of a SMSF. Why? Because if you are dealing with bankruptcy, you will be grouped as a 'disqualified person'. And a disqualified individual cannot operate as an Individual Trustee. This poses a problem since usually most of the SMSFs are just 2 people, which means each of these members must also be the individual trustees. The position of trustee poses a lot of legal rules, and if you are in this role I would highly encourage you to become familiar with them all-- including the fact that you can not 'know or suspect' that one of you are bankrupt. So you can see how an individual bankruptcy can be quite damaging to a SMSF and as you can imagine the process of Bankruptcy for a SMSF is rather convoluted.

How long do I have so as to restructure my SMSF Fund once I'm bankrupt?

So what takes place if one of the members of an SMSF does enter Bankruptcy?

For starters, the SMSF will need to be restructured. This means that you will need to consider your complete structure and make certain it is meeting the basic conditions, including having a new trustee that is not experiencing issues with Bankruptcy. The Australian Tax office will supply you a 6 month 'grace period' to get this done before you face penalties. And keep in mind, sometimes the most ideal plan would be to simply roll the fund into an industry or corporate fund.

Beyond these large scale reorganizing issues, there is a lot of paperwork to deal with too, and you need to be frequently keeping the ATO informed of what is happening. This indicates you ought to let them know that you have a bankruptcy problem with your current trustee, that they are being removed as soon as possible know who the new trustee/director is. The Bankrupt will also need to inform the ATO using the form NAT 3036 (Found on the ATO website) and they will need to also notify ASIC of their resignation.

Through that 6 month period you will need to remove the Bankrupt from the SMSF-- including their property and assets. Remember if you are not sure call Bankruptcy Experts Perth for some free advice on 1300 795 575.

What if I use a single member fund?

If you are a single member fund, then you will have to appoint a new director, and it will then end up being their responsibility to oversee the sale and transfer of assets into a managed fund. If there are two or more members, than the bankrupt member will have to resign and the other member will remove the property and halve the proceeds. They would then have to decide if they wish to remain as a single member SMSF, or if they want to roll all of it into a managed fund. If both members are entering bankruptcy, then they will need to sell all assets promptly and transfer the liquid assets to the managed fund.

From that you can notice how when it comes to Bankruptcy, even when one single member is running into issues, it can affect the very existence of an SMSF. If you are already facing this concern yourself, or with a partner in a SMSF, please seek financial advice to make sure you are meeting the ATO requirements.

A simple solution ...

As I recommended earlier, a simple solution to your SMSF issue is to put your super back into a normal regulated managed fund prior to bankruptcy and save yourself all the frustrations outlined above. Bankruptcy is never easy, but finding proper advice is the best 1st step. If you want to discuss your options further, give us a call at Bankruptcy Experts Perth or visit our website: www.bankruptcyexpertsPerth.com.au or just call us on 1300 795 575.

Bankruptcy in Perth - Will I lose my house if I go bankrupt?

Bankruptcy Perth is a difficult to understand process, but I know from meeting with thousands facing the likelihood of bankruptcy over the years, that not a thing troubles people more than the notion of losing the family house. Almost everyone is sentimentally connected to their home - it's where the children have grown, it's where you take pleasure in life on a day to day basis.

Will you lose your house if you go bankrupt? The answer is a resounding maybe. (not very helpful, I know) People typically feel that it's an inevitable consequence and a part of Bankruptcy, and therefore push themselves to the brink of insanity to not lose the family home. But when it comes to the whole process of Bankruptcy, a key benefit of Debt Agreements and Personal Insolvency Agreements is you can keep your house. The reason is simple: you've agreed to pay back the debt you are in.

So how is it possible to keep my Perth house, you ask? It's easier if I explain the basic principle behind the Bankruptcy process as administered by the trustee, then you'll have a more clear image.

The function of the bankruptcy trustee is to firstly comply with the regulation of the bankruptcy act 1966 (it's a very plain read about 600 pages if you are serious).

Within that regulatory framework, the trustee is to help recuperate monies owed to your creditors, that is accomplished in a bunch of different ways but it mainly comes down to income and assets. The trustees role is to collect payments over and above your income threshold. The other role is to sell off any assets that can contribute to paying back your debts.

What this sounds like is that yes the trustee will sell your house right? Not always. The only reason the trustee will sell off any asset including your house is to get money to pay back your debts. If there is no equity in your home then it's pointless to sell your home. This is happening increasingly more since the GFC as house prices in many regions have been heading south so what you paid 4 years ago may not actually reflect the price today.

A quick tip here if you have a house in Perth and are looking at Bankruptcy: get an expert to help you through this process, there are a number of variables in these scenarios that need to be considered.

You might wonder, why would the bank want bankrupt clients? wouldn't they hope to sell your house and not take the risk? The bank that has nicely lent you the money for your house is making good money every month in interest out of you, month in month out, provided that you keep up to date with your fees then the bank really wants you in there at all costs. Essentially however it's not the bank's call if the trustee determines that there is lots of equity in your house the trustee will force you and the bank to sell the house.

When you file for bankruptcy you are asked to jot down the value of your house and the amount of money you owe on the house. A tip if you are trying to work out the value of your house: use a registered valuer as this will provide you peace of mind, don't use your neighbours' gut feel tips or a real estate agents advice to come to this figure. When you get a valuer out to your house, make certain you tell the valuer to value the property for a quick sale, make certain you mow the lawn and don't leave the kitchen in a mess also.

Valuers used to offer two valuations: one for a quick sale and one for a well marketed non time sensitive sale. These days that's not the case, but if you meet them and let them know you need to sell the house in the next 30 days you may control the result. The idea is that you want a real sell now figure.

There are two reasons this valuation technique is critical to you: one you can have peace of mind ascertaining the market value of your house, and then you can easily create your equity position. Second of all, your house may be worth so much more than you thought. Get some guidance before doing this. The amount of times I've seen clients that have sold their family home of 20 years just to figure out I could of helped them keep it; unfortunately this happens all too often

When it comes to Bankruptcy and houses, another notable consideration is ownership, in many cases houses are acquired in joint names. Simply put a couple may be a house 50/50 using both incomes to make the payments. If one party declares bankruptcy and the other party does not, the equity is only factored on the 50 % of the property.

When it involves Bankruptcy, this is just one of potentially hundreds of scenarios that are possible when it comes to the family home. Bear in mind the non-bankrupt party can buy the bankrupt's portion of the house in bankruptcy also. I need to repeat this but get some information on this area of Bankruptcy because it is very tricky and each and every case is different.

If you need to learn more about what to do, where to turn and what questions to ask about Bankruptcy, then feel free to speak to Bankruptcy Experts Perth on 1300 795 575, or visit our website: www.bankruptcyexpertsPerth.com.au.