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Consider Changing Bank Accounts Prior to Filing Bankruptcy
If you are planning on filing for bankruptcy, you should consider changing banks if you owe any money to that bank. Banks and credit unions may claim the right to take the money in your account and apply it toward the money you owe them. To prevent this (or a bank account freeze) from occurring, you should take steps to ensure you have no money deposited, at the time your bankruptcy petition is filed, with any institution that is your creditor. And, if at all possible, you should make sure that checks you have written on such “creditor” bank accounts have cleared prior to the petition date.
To be clear, if you owe money on a credit card, personal loan, or car loan to a bank holding your money, it’s a good idea to close the account (checking, savings, money market, etc.) and open a new account at a bank or credit union that you haven’t borrowed from. If you don’t want to close the account, then go to a different bank (which is not a creditor of yours), open a new account to use, and don’t leave any more money in the original account than you can afford to lose. When these planning steps cannot be taken, and the “creditor” bank freezes an account or takes money from it, you should contact your attorney immediately.
Also, be advised: Wells Fargo Bank may freeze an account (after filing bankruptcy) even if you don’t owe them money.
Lastly, the bankruptcy forms require that you disclose any accounts that you closed in the year before filing. Keep records of the account number, date, and ending balance on any accounts you close.
Click on this link below to review our report on 36 Things Not To Do When Preparing to File a Bankruptcy:
36-Things-Not-To-Do-When-Preparing-to-File-a-Bankruptcy–DiMarco-Warshaw–APLC.-2022-.pdf
36 Things Not To Do When Preparing to File a Bankruptcy
The experienced bankruptcy attorneys at DiMarco Warshaw, A Professional Law Corporationstart with a free evaluation. We’ll go over your situation and provide our assessment on your best options and how we can help you.
Schedule your free evaluation with an attorney here: https://calendly.com/dimarcowarshaw/20min or call us directly at 888-890-5474.
