When is the right time to regain control of your finances?

When it comes to significant life events, such as getting married or starting a family, most people struggle with determining when the time is right to move forward with a decision. But considering the unpredictability of life, there is often no perfect time for many of the decisions you have to make.

In terms of finances, various changes could affect your debt-to-income ratio without warning. Depending on how bad your financial situation becomes, you may consider filing bankruptcy. But how do you know when the time is right?

When would you consider bankruptcy?

Income loss and unexpected medical expenses are among the most common reasons people file bankruptcy.

However, no matter the reason for your monetary struggles, some of the considerations which could help you determine whether bankruptcy is right for you include:

• Are credit cards the only way you can pay for your necessary expenses?
• Have you borrowed money from your retirement account to pay bills?
• Are you already working multiple jobs to try to catch up on your loan payments?
• Have your interest rates increased because you are unable to make payments on time?
• Is your debt negatively affecting your personal and work life?

When finances are tight, you may think you lack options, but that is not always the case. Depending on your circumstances, some of your creditors may be willing to renegotiate your repayment terms. And in some cases, a budget could help you get back on track.

In some situations, bankruptcy can be the best way to wipe out debt and start fresh financially. If you wonder whether bankruptcy could provide the debt relief you need, considering the effect your debts have on your life can help you determine whether filing bankruptcy would be the right decision for you to make at this time.