Stop Utility Shutoff | Get A Fresh Start!
Utility shutoffs are more than just an inconvenience and an insult. In Michigan, with its cold winter climate, utility shutoffs can also be deadly.
Every winter it seems we learn of one or more individuals who die in their homes due to utility shutoffs. Not long ago, a man died in his Wayne County home after his heat was shut off. The kerosene heater the man used as an alternative source of heat fell over while he was sleeping. The house caught fire and the man asphyxiated.
Many of those struggling with utility shutoffs in Michigan are families with young children. Fear for these children has an added dimension. If it is discovered that a family has no running water in their home, the children can be removed by the state and placed in foster care.
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If you are struggling with utility bills and are worried that the utility companies will shut off your water, gas or electricity, please contact John Kallabat and Jeffrey Kallabat at the Bankruptcy Legal Center, P.C. today for a free consultation. We will explain your options and what we can do to help you.
Filing for Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy is one way to prevent utility shutoffs. If your utilities have been turned off already, the utility companies must turn them back on as soon as you file for bankruptcy, although you may have to pay a small refundable deposit in some cases (usually less than $100).
- Under Chapter 7 it is possible to get rid of or "liquidate" your overdue utility bills completely. To qualify for Chapter 7, your income must be less than the median annual income for Michigan. One big drawback to Chapter 7: it stays on your credit report for 10 years.
- Under Chapter 13, you may be able to discharge all or some overdue utility bills as part of a debt reorganization payment plan. To qualify for Chapter 13, you need a regular source of income. Chapter 13 stays on your credit report for seven years.
- Before filing for Chapter 7 or Chapter 13, individuals must undergo credit counseling.
- At some point during the bankruptcy process, debtors must participate in a financial management education program before their debts can be discharged.
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To find out what the
Bankruptcy Legal
Center, P.C. can do to help you stop foreclosure and get a
fresh financial start, please call or
e-mail
us today for a free consultation.
"
We are a debt relief agency. We help people file for
bankruptcy relief under the Bankruptcy Code."
From offices in Bingham Farms, Michigan, our law firm represents
clients in Detroit and neighboring southeast Michigan cities including
Livonia, Dearborn, Plymouth, Southfield, Pontiac, Troy, Novi,
Royal Oak, Mount Clemens, Warren, Sterling Heights, Auburn Hills,
Center Line, St. Clair Shores, Howell, Taylor, Utica, Brighton,
Redford, Farmington and Waterford; throughout Oakland County,
Wayne County, Genesse County, Macomb County, Livingston County,
Washtenaw County; Genesee County and in Michigan statewide.
