How To Get a Financial Fresh Start With Upsolve

16 Mar How To Get a Financial Fresh Start With Upsolve

Posted at 08:00h in Finances by Triage Cancer

Extremely high medical bills are a huge problem in the United States, particularly for the cancer community. That’s why we are proud to announce our partnership with Upsolve, a free bankruptcy tool. Most people don’t realize that normally, filing for bankruptcy actually costs money.

Bankruptcy is a powerful legal tool that wipes away debts from high medical bills, credit cards, job loss, and other financial shocks. Most people who file bankruptcy fall into debt because of a one-time unexpected financial shock. For example, 71.5% of people who file list medical emergencies as a reason. If you’re struggling with medical bills and are considering bankruptcy as a solution, you’re not alone. 530,000 Americans file bankruptcy each year to eliminate debt resulting from medical illness.

Upsolve is a nonprofit tool that helps individuals file Chapter 7 bankruptcy for free, using a web app. Think TurboTax for bankruptcy. Users also receive free education, community, and support.

This is Upsolve’s process to get a financial fresh start:

First, take a short screener to determine if you qualify for Upsolve’s free services. If you do, fill in information about what you earn, spend, owe, and own. If you were employed, you’ll also upload your paystubs. If you were required to file tax returns from the past two years, upload them to your account.

Next, take a 60-minute, federally-required credit counseling course.

Once these steps are complete, Upsolve generates the required federal and local bankruptcy forms with your information and answers. After your bankruptcy forms are filed, you will need to complete two final tasks. You will then take a second 60-minute, federally-required financial management course.

Finally, you will attend the meeting between you and the trustee who handles your case. They’ll ask you basic questions and it usually lasts about 5 minutes. If you have any questions during the process, you can contact Upsolve by submitting a request at help.upsolve.org.

About two months after your trustee meeting, you’ll receive official notice of your dischargeable debts being erased.

Upsolve also provides you with resources on how to rebuild your credit after bankruptcy.

When rebuilding credit, make sure to also check out Triage Cancer’s free resources for navigating finances after cancer.