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 Financial circumstances may make bankruptcy your only
alternative. Bankruptcy can give you the protection you need to keep
your property and give you the breathing room you need to clear up
your debt.
The Law Offices of Andrew G. Adams, III, have helped hundreds of
consumers through the maze of personal bankruptcy. Attorney Adams
has extensive knowledge of Chapters 7 and 13 of the Bankruptcy Code.
The firm counsels bankruptcy clients throughout central Virginia,
including Richmond, Chesterfield, Henrico, Hanover, Mechanicsville,
Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, Petersburg, Prince George, and
Stafford. If you are overwhelmed with debt and facing foreclosures,
repossessions, liens, garnishments, and aggressive collections
procedures by creditors and collection agencies, the firm can help.
 The goal of a Chapter 7 is to eliminate as much debt as possible to
give you a "fresh start.” This is achieved through the bankruptcy
discharge—a federal court order that states that you are no longer
legally liable for most of your debts.
One of the most valuable features that bankruptcy protection offers
is the automatic stay, provided in 11 USC 362. Available instantly
upon filing a bankruptcy petition, the stay halts most creditor
actions, including repossessions, garnishments, utility shut-offs,
foreclosures, and evictions. The stay offers a cooling off period to
sort things out, by providing additional time to work things out,
and many of these actions can then be permanently handled.
Sometimes bankruptcy will even allow you to regain your driver’s
license that has been revoked for failure to pay an accident
judgment.
 While in theory Chapter 7 is a “liquidation” bankruptcy, Virginia
has adopted many exemptions, which may allow you to keep certain
property, plus you can often keep valuable property which is
encumbered by a valid lien—such as a secured automobile loan or a
deed of trust, or mortgage, on real estate.
A Chapter 13 bankruptcy is also known as a wage earner's
reorganization. With a Chapter 13 bankruptcy, you establish payment
plans with your creditors, with debt to be paid off over 3-5 years.
Unlike Chapter 7 bankruptcies, a Chapter 13 debt adjustment allows
you to catch up arrearages on secured debts like homes and motor
vehicles through your repayment plan. Vehicle payments can often be
lowered to reduce your total monthly expenditures.
The Law Offices of Andrew G. Adams, III, handle foreclosure
procedures, stop garnishments, work to save repossessions of
personal vehicles, and assist in the financial management of credit
cards before collection procedures take effect.
If you want more information about how the bankruptcy laws affect
you, you may need legal advice. If you have questions about how the
firm can help you with a bankruptcy filing, contact and the firm to
schedule a consultation.
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