Do Legal Judgments Matter in Financial Transactions?
Posted on: July 5, 2018 by Gavin MuirheadWhat is a legal judgment?
Legal judgments can come in many different forms and have many different effects and outcomes on an individual’s financial security. In terms of finances, legal judgments usually occur as a result of a debt collection incident, which has grown to be highly common in the U.S. as national and individual debt rises, and owing money to a bank or a creditor can wind up costing you more than a monthly payment in the end. If one is not able to keep up with monthly fees and accumulating interest, creditors can take the individual to court and the court may make a legal judgment against you, which leaves you responsible for the debt in ways the creditor sees fit or necessary. For instance, individuals who have legal judgments against them may wind up having assets seized or repossessed to pay back creditors the money they owe.
How legal judgments can affect your financial transactions
There are many ways that a legal judgment may affect your financial transactions, and each individual circumstance may indicate different outcomes. Depending on the assets you’re associated with and the total amount money due, you may encounter a number of different scenarios:
Bank account or wage garnishments
To get money back that you owe to creditors, they may garnish your wages or money that sits in your bank accounts. This may automatically be deducted from your paycheck, or creditors can seize money from your bank.
Asset seizures
Asset seizures are another common outcome of financial legal judgments. If you’ve ever seen someone’s car being repossessed, it’s usually because they owe money to a creditor but could not fulfill their designated monthly payments. Houses, cars, and individual businesses can be held accountable for these financial obligations.
Interest rates
In legal judgments, the judge can grant the creditors permission to add more fees and interest to your total amount due in an effort to make up for their troubles in court or losses they encountered due to the inability to collect monthly payments.
Common negative outcomes of legal judgments on finances
Money troubles are already difficult enough to deal with; however, legal judgments often have further negative effects and outcomes on individuals due to the continued hardship they create. Of course, asset seizures and wage garnishments are certainly negative outcomes; however, there are a few other ways this can take a toll on individuals.
Bankruptcy
Filing for bankruptcy is a temporary solution with permanent effects. Bankruptcy can be an excellent choice for some; however, for others, it leaves a black mark on their credit, and it also puts individuals at a disadvantage when trying to qualify for certain financial transactions or endeavors.
Court fees & debt
Court fees add up quickly, and if you’re trying to fight creditors in court then you’ll likely encounter a sizeable amount of attorney fees and other court-associated expenditures. This can further propel individuals into debt and put them at risk for losing more assets and money to creditors.
How you can prevent against negative outcomes and effects
There are ways you can protect yourself against the negative outcomes and effects of legal judgments:
Settle debt
Depending on how much debt one has accumulated, settling debt may be much easier said than done. If at all possible, it’s important to settle as much debt as possible, to consolidate debt, and to meet with a financial planner or assistant who can help you get your finances in order, coming up with a plan for the future.
Organize finances
Keeping finances organized helps people to not forget about bill due dates and deadlines. However, if you’re ever in a situation where you do need to go to court with creditors, it’s important to be as organized as possible and keep excellent records.
How our background check services can help
At Affordable Background Checks, we help clients make informed decisions about their lives. Whether you’re getting into a business partnership, a relationship, or planning your financial future where another individual is involved, background checks can offer in-depth financial information about credit histories, legal judgments, or assets that can be enlightening and helpful for making tough choices when your livelihood and posterity might be on the line. Check out our website or contact us directly to learn more about the services we offer.
