Many is Cuyahoga Falls who are in the unenviable position of needing to file for personal bankruptcy often worry about how doing so will affect not only their financial situations, but also their standing within the community. Some may remember back to a time when such a decision was considered a societal taboo, and allow the fear of being branded as financially irresponsible or being ostracized by family and friends to deter them from seeking needed protection for their creditors. While it’s impossible to know the opinion of each and every person within a large community, one can look at public actions such as election results to try and gauge what public opinion may be in this issue.
If recent local election results in Michigan are any indication, the general public appears to be far more forgiving of one’s choice to file for bankruptcy than it was in the past. Two of the newly elected candidates to the Flint City Council had both been open about their past personal bankruptcies during their respective campaigns. When asked about her reason for filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection, one said that she was forced to after having to meet the expenses associated with the death of her mother, and that if she had to do it again, she would.
While this case may not be representative of every community, it does show that the general opinion of personal bankruptcy may be shifting more towards understanding rather than scorn. Hopefully, those in a financial bind who may need the protection that bankruptcy provides can look at such a story and have hope that their good names won’t be overly tarnished by such a decision. Anyone needing assistance in initiating a personal bankruptcy may wish to secure the services of a reputable bankruptcy lawyer.
Source: Mlive.com “Flint voters elect two convicted felons, two others with bankruptcies to city council” Dominic Adams, Nov. 06, 2013
