{"id":194,"date":"2009-07-20T08:07:03","date_gmt":"2009-07-20T08:07:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nybankruptcy.net\/main\/?p=194"},"modified":"2018-12-05T06:25:04","modified_gmt":"2018-12-05T06:25:04","slug":"what-you-should-know-about-the-credit-counseling-requirement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nybankruptcy.net\/main\/what-you-should-know-about-the-credit-counseling-requirement\/","title":{"rendered":"What you should know about the credit counseling requirement"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"confusion\"“Credit counseling” has a couple different meanings and common uses, and it can be very confusing for anyone considering bankruptcy in New York.\u00a0 So I thought I would to take a moment to clarify.<\/p>\n

One meaning is the credit counseling requirement under the 2005 Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act (aka BAPCPA)<\/a>.\u00a0 All individual debtors are required to participate in a credit counseling course before they can file for bankruptcy.<\/p>\n

Credit counseling is also often used to refer to companies that provide “credit counseling services.”\u00a0 These companies are usually non-profit entities (though don’t believe for a second that they don’t make a profit).\u00a0 They are a non-bankruptcy alternative and are typically only able to help individuals in a limited way by consolidating their credit card debt.\u00a0 As I explained in a previous post–“Don’t believe the hype:\u00a0 Credit counseling services and debt settlement companies<\/a>“–they are generally not a good option for individuals.\u00a0 They charge an up-front fee.\u00a0 They are not necessarily reliable.\u00a0 There are very few checks and balances on their activities.\u00a0 And they are, in effect, collection agencies for the credit card companies.<\/p>\n

So there are two potential meanings to credit counseling.\u00a0 One a legal requirement, and the other a service best avoided.<\/p>\n

The confusion doesn’t entirely end there, however.\u00a0 In order to fulfill the credit counseling requirement before you file for bankruptcy, you must participate in a credit counseling course<\/strong>.\u00a0 The credit counseling course can be administered by any entity that gets licensed to provide the course.\u00a0 That entity can be a lawyer or law firm.\u00a0 It can also be a credit counseling agency (i.e., the kind I just described that wants to “help” you with your debt).\u00a0 Or it could be any other company or entity that obtained the license to administer the course.<\/p>\n

It’s helpful to know that you can take the one-time course over the phone or even by internet, and you can complete it pretty much any time day or night.\u00a0 It takes about 2 hours and costs about $50 (though that fee can be waived for people who genuinely cannot afford it).\u00a0 Your lawyer can always provide you with a list of accredited providers.\u00a0 There is also a list of accredited providers<\/a> of the required credit counseling course on-line at the website of the Office of the U.S. Trustee<\/a>.\u00a0 (Note that it is organized by court district, i.e., Eastern District of New York, Northern District of New York, Southern District of New York, Western District of New York.)<\/p>\n

It’s worth being aware that, if you’re married, you and your spouse must both take the course.\u00a0 However, you only need to pay the course fee once.<\/p>\n

Also, you should be aware that, from the date you take the course, your bankruptcy filing must be done within 6 months.\u00a0 If not, then you have to take the course again.<\/p>\n

Whether the required credit counseling course will actually be helpful to you is a whole separate issue.\u00a0 For now, however, the main point is that it is required.\u00a0 On the other hand, a credit counseling agency is definitely not<\/span> a requirement.<\/p>\n

For more information on filing for bankruptcy attorney Brooklyn NY<\/a>–whether in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx, Staten Island or Suffolk County, Long Island–please contact us for a free initial consultation<\/strong><\/a> to get all of your questions answered and make sure you know all of your options.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

“Credit counseling” has a couple different meanings and common uses, and it can be very confusing for anyone considering bankruptcy in New York.\u00a0 So I thought I would to take a moment to clarify. One meaning is the credit counseling requirement under the 2005 Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act (aka BAPCPA).\u00a0 All individual …<\/p>\n

What you should know about the credit counseling requirement<\/span> Read More \u00bb<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"default","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":""},"categories":[16,26,22,46,7],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nWhat you should know about the credit counseling requirement<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\""Credit counseling" has a couple different meanings and common uses, and 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