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Bankruptcy Planning, Vehicle Ride Through in New York Question

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    Bankruptcy Planning, Vehicle Ride Through in New York Question

    We are probably going to see a lawyer in the next few weeks to discuss filing Chapter 7 bankruptcy in October. Seeing only $12,000 of our debt is in my name, my husband will probably file alone unless the lawyer advises us otherwise. We have a vehicle that is financed at 1.9% with 24 payments to go. It is worth about $18,000 and we owe about $14,500 on it. I was thinking that we should probably surrender our vehicle in the bankruptcy as the payments are very high. We didn't put anything down on it when we financed it. It is financed directly with Nissan Motor Acceptance. We live in New York.

    However, I was talking it over with my father and he thought it may be wiser to keep it. We won't be able to get anything at such a low rate for a while and he thinks that we stuck it out for over 3 years and should just finish the loan. He offered to help out for a while with the payments until I am able to find a job. My grandmother has also offered to help out if necessary.

    The problem is that we probably won't be able to reaffirm it as our income is pretty poor now. My husband has a low paying job and I sell on eBay and go to college full time. I am planning on getting a job as well. Ebay is so up and down and right now its really down and fees are so high. I'm thinking of quitting eBay, selling off the last of my stock, and just working a regular job. I don't have the constitution for the peaks and valleys of self employment. I am scheduling my fall classes at night for this reason so I can work during the day.

    I know we can redeem the truck and pay for it outright. I don't think that my father would lend us the whole amount owed ($14,500) in one lump sum. He was talking about chipping in a couple hundred dollars a month towards the payments. We could probably do a redemption loan, but the interest would go from 1.9% to 24%.

    I guess what I'd really like to see happen is that we don't reaffirm but just keep the payments current after the bankruptcy and eventually pay it off. I've heard that they can repossess if there is no reaffirmation agreement even if the payments are current. I also heard that some states forbid them from repossession when payments are current. Does anyone know if you can still do a ride through in New York?

    Also, when you file bankruptcy, do you have to state your intentions on the original petition? What do you say if you don't want to surrender but hope to ride through? Do you say that you plan to reaffirm but then don't file the reaffirmation paperwork? I've read a bunch of books on bankruptcy and I'm really confused on this part. I don't know if we should keep it or surrender. Another thing is that New York only allows $2400 equity and we will have more than that by about $1500 when it is filed. Would we give the trustee the extra money at the 341 meeting?

    We have a modest home that we are keeping, $700 monthly payment, the house is upside down. Do we have to sign a reaffirmation agreement with our mortgage company too or just keep making payments as usual? We are current on the mortgage and the vehicle right now and will remain so if we keep them.

    I'm sorry for so many questions, but I'm really confused on what to do about this vehicle.

    #2
    New Law does not allow for "Ride Thru". It's either or. Either Redeem or Surrender.

    What a lot of people have done is a back door "Ride Thru". File an Intent to Reaffirm, then never sign and file the Reaffirmation Agreement.

    In order to Reaffirm, the signed Reaffirmation Agreement has to be filed with the Court before you're Discharged. People simply don't get the document filed and there fore "Ride Thru".

    It's risky.

    You have to absolutely, positively stay current on your payments. Even one day late gives the Lender cause to come after your vehicle. Most probably won't, but it is a possibility.

    The Law is too new to know exactly what Lenders are gonna do when vehicles and homes reach a point of significant equity.

    So far, nobody's lost their house or their car doing the New Law "Ride Thru" because of excessive equity.
    Filed Ch 7 - 09/06
    Discharged - 12/2006
    Officially Declared No Asset - 03/2007
    Closed - 04/2007

    I am not an attorney. My comments are based on personal experience and research. Always consult an attorney in your area to address concerns related to your particular situation.

    Another good thing about being poor is that when you are seventy your children will not have declared you legally insane in order to gain control of your estate. - Woody Allen...

    Comment


      #3
      SinkingFast,
      Thanks so much; a "back door" ride through sounds kind of shady, but thats just what I was hoping to do. I know it is risky and probably more so because the vehicle has positive equity due to the low interest rate. This vehicle was involved in an accident (a large object fell on it in a windstorm back in 2005) and has had close to $4000 in body work. It has a negative carfax report because of this. The insurance company paid for the repairs. It may have a lower value because the repairs, but I haven't had it appraised. It's worth $18,000 according to the KBB if it was in excellent condition.

      Do most people just do ride throughs? I've heard that its hard to get a lawyer to agree to sign a reaffirmation notice now. I've been sorry that we got this truck from the first day. I wanted to sell it back in 2005 when the unfortunate accident happened, but we assumed it would lose alot of value and we'd lose money on the deal when they ran the carfax report. But now we owe so little on it and we couldn't buy anything comparable for the same money at this low rate that I'm tempted to try to keep it.

      Comment


        #4
        Well the worse that could happpen if you the ride through doesn't work is that you could lose it and have to find a different car. That is worse case scenario, but unlikley. If it has an unfavorable carfax report then the value is proabably much less than you owe. Reaffiming may not even be a good option. I would go to edmunds.com and to an appraisal based on this info. many times no matter what the actual condiition of the car or the value it is very difficult to sell with a negative report. I say do the back door ride through, drive it till you don't need it anymore, try to sell it, see what happens, it you can't sell it, call them to pick it up and call it a day. A ride through is a win win for you if it works. Good luck
        Chapter 7 Pro Se....Discharged Feb. 2006

        Comment

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