Bankruptcy: Liquidating Your Retirement Savings

Although there is no specific age in which people getcourt to be used for paying creditors.
into financial difficulties, many people get theseThis is according to a new law that was passed in
problems when they have already retired. Instead of2005 to protect those who cannot pay their debt
resting, they find themselves trying to pay off debtsand yet they are bankrupt. This will happen in the
with their hard earned money that they wouldbankruptcy case but not in any form of judgment. In
otherwise be enjoying in their sunset days. Thesecase the retired debtor has some retirement plans to
people will liquidate their retirement savings in orderhis name, they can be used to pay off the debts as
to pay their debts.long as they are part of the estate in case of a
In this case, the debtor ends up paying hugebankruptcy.
amounts of tax as they try to liquidate largeIt should be noted that, this does not include any
amounts of their saving which in most cases in notcash savings made by the individuals for their later
even enough to cover the debts. This will also leaveyears. The court can exempt such plans if their value
the debtor unprepared for their old days. It is notis less than a million dollars. In cases of funds being
always that funds may be liquidated to pay offused in plans by the retired debtor, they are to be
debts. This means that if these savings are in aexempted from income taxes.
special account, these may be exempted by the