Bankruptcy Indiana

In this bankruptcy blog I have very often stressed that, contrary to myths about "deadbeats", filing bankruptcy can be the only viable choice for people with circumstances beyond their control. My mission as a debt counselor and Indiana bankruptcy attorney is to help those people escape the daily hell of creditor pursuit and use the safety net of Indiana bankruptcy law to make a fresh start.

Despite the statistics we keep reading about the sharp rise in bankruptcies and foreclosures, (and of course my work puts me in front of debtors day in and day out), the fact is, most people you meet are not filing bankruptcy.  But I've been thinking about something interesting lately.  Outside of my bankruptcy law offices, a lot more often than you might think, I see people who think they are responsibly handling their day to day finances responsibly.  They are not overspending, they keep their bills paid on time, and they don't rack up huge credit card debts.  Yet these people, who may be business colleagues, personal friends, or even relatives, are inadvertently opening the door to someday needing bankruptcy protection themselves. They are actually putting themselves and their families on a track that could lead to bankruptcy, and they're doing that through their dangerous habits.

Let's face it - medical costs are one of the three "biggies" that drive people into debt, along with layoffs and divorce.  Research is pretty much conclusive at this point that smoking is detrimental to health.  Smokers may need to pay for expensive surgeries, oxygen, etc., and babies born to smoking mothers may need costly surgery and treatment themselves.  While we in the U.S. have made a lot of progress in curbing smoking, nicotine-related illness costs the U.S. almost a billion dollars each year!  Alcohol abuse is also linked to numerous - and expensive - health problems, (including auto accidents caused by drunk driving). 
 
So, looking at this pretty tame group of people I associate with in business and socially, you might think - and they must think - personal bankruptcy would never be in the cards for them or for their children.  I love them all, but sadly, I know smoking and excessive drinking are two habits that are not helping their chances of dodging the bankruptcy bullet.