Catastrophe
Registered User
- Messages
- 31
It is now two months since my wife and I were discharged from bankruptcy and having gone through the last eight years of trying to avoid registered letters, solicitors demands and numerous 'phone calls from all and sundry, it was really pleasant to have a Christmas without worrying about what the new year will bring.
After my wife took ill over eight years ago and had to leave her job, we were left, as per our pre- bankruptcy financial statement with secured debts of €200k and unsecured debt of approx. €50k. To cut a long story short we tried everything, payment holidays, readjusting payment rates & frequency, interest only, borrowing from family, making deals with various solicitors and then breaking them almost immediately when a different demand came in. We also sought assistance from different people and bodies: Mabs, Citizens Advice, Local Authorities, the Employee Assistance Programme offered by the VHI for those in the Public Service and then finally New Beginnings and the IMHO.
We attended two meetings with New Beginnings and on both occasions we were advised to go bankrupt as we had no excess that we could realistically give to any creditor so as to apply for PIA. We also attended one initial meeting with IMHO and they too advised bankruptcy, the difference with the IMHO however was that they were offering their services for free, in contrast to New Beginnings who were looking for a few thousand euros. We told the IMHO that we could not afford the cost that New Beginnings were seeking and we were told not to worry that we would only be required to pay court and admin costs, which in hindsight amounted to no more than €500 if I can recall correctly.
Willie Penrose TD had just got his Bill through the Dail, however with delays in the Courts Services, our paperwork was delayed and we were finally given a date in early Nov 2015. We queued up in the Four Courts with approx another 80 people and the judge called out both my wife's name followed by mine and we both stood up in turn, acknowledged the court, and the judge told us to meet the rep from the OA office.That was it. In less than ten minutes we were outside the Court having met the OA and telling her we'd prefer to deal by email rather than letter in the future!
Two weeks later we were back in the same Court, the judge acknowledged that we had published the details as required, wished us well, and again in less than 10 minutes we were back out on the Quays.
We knew we had an excess of €140 approx per month in our RLE and we were instructed to set up a standing order for same payable to the ISI. What we did not know, or expect was that the money I had paid into, in my job's Christmas club throughout 2015 would also be confiscated. In tears, in the second week in December, with no other money coming in, my wife rang me at work to say that the ISI wanted the €600.
My wife rang our case worker back in the ISI and explained the situation and in fairness, an agreement was made which left my wife with her money and an agreement from me that I would pay the €600 throughout 2016 along with the PIA.
In early 2016 I got another surprise. With the decrease in the USC in the budget I had got another slight increase in wages and I made the ISI aware and further alterations were made to the PIA which I complied with, however, when I went to claim back my wife's medical expenses from Revenue, I discovered that I was blocked online from making any entries or returns. I made several attempts, rang local offices, rang helplines and no one could help me. I then was put through to the Insolvency Section in Revenue after several weeks and was informed that the ISI had a block on both my wife's and mine tax affairs. My wife's medical expenses were then confiscated by Revenue on behalf of the ISI. I understand, however like my previous experience with the Christmas club, it would have been nice to have known.
From then on until June everything remained static, then I was asked for copies of some recent payslips and my wife informed the ISI that my daughter who was turning 18 was being cut off from the Children's Allowance but was continuing in school. In October the PIA was finished as our circumstances had changed and we were informed that we would be discharged in November.
That was the last we heard from the ISI. In fact, to date we have still received demands from the Bank which we mortgaged with. They did not know we had gone bankrupt. We have sent them copies from of our Court Appearances and told them to get in touch with the ISI, but it appears that one section doesn't know what the other section is doing. Revenue still had our details blocked, however I have finally resolved that issue only this week, so I my wife can claim her expenses, we are still paying a property tax on a house which we vacated over 18 months ago and which we have no intention of ever returning to even if we got the choice.
In conclusion, we are back on an even keel, I can go for promotion this year or do overtime if it arises but most of all the worry and dread is gone. If anyone requires advice or help don't hesitate in asking.
After my wife took ill over eight years ago and had to leave her job, we were left, as per our pre- bankruptcy financial statement with secured debts of €200k and unsecured debt of approx. €50k. To cut a long story short we tried everything, payment holidays, readjusting payment rates & frequency, interest only, borrowing from family, making deals with various solicitors and then breaking them almost immediately when a different demand came in. We also sought assistance from different people and bodies: Mabs, Citizens Advice, Local Authorities, the Employee Assistance Programme offered by the VHI for those in the Public Service and then finally New Beginnings and the IMHO.
We attended two meetings with New Beginnings and on both occasions we were advised to go bankrupt as we had no excess that we could realistically give to any creditor so as to apply for PIA. We also attended one initial meeting with IMHO and they too advised bankruptcy, the difference with the IMHO however was that they were offering their services for free, in contrast to New Beginnings who were looking for a few thousand euros. We told the IMHO that we could not afford the cost that New Beginnings were seeking and we were told not to worry that we would only be required to pay court and admin costs, which in hindsight amounted to no more than €500 if I can recall correctly.
Willie Penrose TD had just got his Bill through the Dail, however with delays in the Courts Services, our paperwork was delayed and we were finally given a date in early Nov 2015. We queued up in the Four Courts with approx another 80 people and the judge called out both my wife's name followed by mine and we both stood up in turn, acknowledged the court, and the judge told us to meet the rep from the OA office.That was it. In less than ten minutes we were outside the Court having met the OA and telling her we'd prefer to deal by email rather than letter in the future!
Two weeks later we were back in the same Court, the judge acknowledged that we had published the details as required, wished us well, and again in less than 10 minutes we were back out on the Quays.
We knew we had an excess of €140 approx per month in our RLE and we were instructed to set up a standing order for same payable to the ISI. What we did not know, or expect was that the money I had paid into, in my job's Christmas club throughout 2015 would also be confiscated. In tears, in the second week in December, with no other money coming in, my wife rang me at work to say that the ISI wanted the €600.
My wife rang our case worker back in the ISI and explained the situation and in fairness, an agreement was made which left my wife with her money and an agreement from me that I would pay the €600 throughout 2016 along with the PIA.
In early 2016 I got another surprise. With the decrease in the USC in the budget I had got another slight increase in wages and I made the ISI aware and further alterations were made to the PIA which I complied with, however, when I went to claim back my wife's medical expenses from Revenue, I discovered that I was blocked online from making any entries or returns. I made several attempts, rang local offices, rang helplines and no one could help me. I then was put through to the Insolvency Section in Revenue after several weeks and was informed that the ISI had a block on both my wife's and mine tax affairs. My wife's medical expenses were then confiscated by Revenue on behalf of the ISI. I understand, however like my previous experience with the Christmas club, it would have been nice to have known.
From then on until June everything remained static, then I was asked for copies of some recent payslips and my wife informed the ISI that my daughter who was turning 18 was being cut off from the Children's Allowance but was continuing in school. In October the PIA was finished as our circumstances had changed and we were informed that we would be discharged in November.
That was the last we heard from the ISI. In fact, to date we have still received demands from the Bank which we mortgaged with. They did not know we had gone bankrupt. We have sent them copies from of our Court Appearances and told them to get in touch with the ISI, but it appears that one section doesn't know what the other section is doing. Revenue still had our details blocked, however I have finally resolved that issue only this week, so I my wife can claim her expenses, we are still paying a property tax on a house which we vacated over 18 months ago and which we have no intention of ever returning to even if we got the choice.
In conclusion, we are back on an even keel, I can go for promotion this year or do overtime if it arises but most of all the worry and dread is gone. If anyone requires advice or help don't hesitate in asking.