The past two years have been a very unusual time for bankruptcy lawyers, bankruptcy trustees and judges and the entire collection industry.

When the pandemic started in March, 2020, courthouses closed throughout the state of Georgia. There were no jury trials and most live court hearings were canceled or suspended.

Federal and state government officials used emergency lawmaking powers to stop collection actions like wage garnishment, foreclosure and repossession. Even when temporary laws stopping civil litigation expired, politicians pressured creditors and collection agencies to hold off on pursuing collection actions against individuals.

By mid to late 2022, however, both formal and informal measures to help individuals hold on to their money came to an end. In our office we first saw an uptick in vehicle repossessions, followed by an increase in wage garnishment, bank account levy and mortgage foreclosure.

As we begin 2023, the forces that protected consumers from aggressive collection activity are gone. Creditors and collection law firms are no longer hesitating to use the courts to pursue legal remedies against individuals. In fact, in some ways it is easier for creditors to use the court systems in most local counties because many courts have retained virtual procedures in lieu of in person court proceedings.

So what does this mean to you? If you are delinquent on credit card debt, medical bills, your car or truck payment, furniture or appliance loans, or your mortgage, you are again at risk of repossession, foreclosure, wage garnishment or bank account levy.

It is always better to take a proactive approach to debt problems and consider your options, both bankruptcy and non-bankruptcy when you don’t have the pressure of looming deadlines.

Ginsberg Law has represented hard working men and women in the Atlanta metro area deal with financial problems for over 30 years. If we can help you evaluate your options we would be happy to do so. Call us today at 770-393-4985 for a free consultation.