Bankruptcy guide

Business Debt And Personal Guarantees

Use this guide to organize Personal Guarantee Exposure, Lawsuits, Bankruptcy Options and Records. Start with the controlling record and date, then connect the issue to the bankruptcy chapter, property, debts, and local procedure that may change the answer.

Define the question before choosing an answer

Use this guide to organize Personal Guarantee Exposure, Lawsuits, Bankruptcy Options and Records. Start with the controlling record and date, then connect the issue to the bankruptcy chapter, property, debts, and local procedure that may change the answer.

Evidence file for Business Debt And Personal Guarantees

Personal Guarantee Exposure

Entity records, owners, guarantees, accounts, receivables, inventory, leases, taxes, payroll, assets, and insider payments.

Lawsuits

Court, case number, parties, service date, order, amount, next deadline, and current enforcement status.

Bankruptcy Options

The controlling document, exact date, amount or value, people involved, current status, and the source that can verify it.

Records

The controlling document, exact date, amount or value, people involved, current status, and the source that can verify it.

Facts that shape the review

  • Separate the entity from the individual: ownership, guarantees, taxes, leases, payroll, receivables, collateral, and recent owner transactions may point to different options.

Issue log

Issue Evidence to preserve Open question
Personal Guarantee Exposure Entity records, owners, guarantees, accounts, receivables, inventory, leases, taxes, payroll, assets, and insider payments.
Lawsuits Court, case number, parties, service date, order, amount, next deadline, and current enforcement status.
Bankruptcy Options The controlling document, exact date, amount or value, people involved, current status, and the source that can verify it.
And Records The controlling document, exact date, amount or value, people involved, current status, and the source that can verify it.

Questions that can change the next step

Question Your facts
What exact outcome is needed?
What date changes the next step?
Which fact remains unverified?

Timing caution

If a sale, hearing, deduction, seizure, shutoff, or response deadline is near, use qualified local help rather than waiting for general online information.

Verify with current sources

U.S. Courts Bankruptcy Basics · Official Bankruptcy Forms · Current Means Testing Data · Official source directory

Prepare the next conversation

Business debt checklist