For people who are considering filing for personal bankruptcy or who have already filed, it can be an embarrassing and painful topic to discuss. This is especially true if the person who filed for bankruptcy does not want his or her employer or other individuals to know about it. There seems to be a stigma attached to bankruptcy that is difficult to shake, despite more people in Oregon and other states filing for bankruptcy in today’s difficult financial times.
According to The Wall Street Journal, many people see bankruptcy as failure. Therefore, those who have gone through a bankruptcy might feel judged by others, no matter the reasons that led up to the filing. Some may believe the person who filed did not know how to manage his or her money properly and overspent, when the opposite is often true. Financially responsible people are thrust into unfavorable circumstances all the time, whether by unemployment, illness, an accident or another unforeseeable situation.
It is just one of many common myths surrounding bankruptcy that people who file for Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 are irresponsible, states U.S. News. If one of the main reasons for filing for bankruptcy is credit card debt, some may assume the debtor was irresponsible; however, others do not know the reasons behind the debt. For example, the head of a family who was out of a job for any length of time may have had no other option to pay bills and feed his or her family than to use credit cards.
When considering whether to file for bankruptcy, it can help to focus on the positive aspects, such as debt relief and regaining one’s financial footing, rather than worry what others might think.
