A: In many cases, creditor calls will stop within 2 weeks of delivered notices of bankruptcy. However, if you've been sent to collections for delinquent accounts, it may take 30 days or more for calls to stop.
When you file for Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy, you immediately qualify for an "automatic stay," which is a court injunction that halts the actions of creditors (with some exceptions) to collect debts from you. This means that harassing letters, phone calls and emails must stop as soon as creditors receive notices of bankruptcy from your court-appointed trustee (the person in charge of your bankruptcy filing at the court level).
Since most of these notices are delivered via mail, though, the calls most certainly won't stop the same day you file for bankruptcy. You will need to allow at least a full business week for the trustee to mail the notices, another full week for the post office to deliver them and then another few days for processing time by your creditors. Some trustees will fax the notices, however, and this can reduce your wait time.
Still, you can expect to wait up to 30 days for most calls to stop completely. During this time, you can calmly let creditors and/or collection agencies know that you have filed for bankruptcy and even provide them with your trustee's name and contact information if they wish to verify this information. This may help reduce call volume as well.
In order to receive the fastest results and to get the most out of filing for bankruptcy, it is necessary to hire a Modesto bankruptcy lawyer. A lawyer can expedite the process where possible and ensure your protection every step of the way. The bankruptcy rules in California are constantly changing, so it is imperative that you have a professional legal representative to help you stop creditor harassment and help you get back on your feet financially.
