Bankruptcy debtors should not sign
reaffirmation agreements on second mortgage loans.
The reason that we tend not to see
reaffirmation agreements on home mortgages has to do with Minnesota's status as a non-recourse state.
So there's no good reason to sign
a reaffirmation agreement on a first mortgage, and as a practical matter a bankruptcy debtor with a first mortgage will usually not see a reaffirmation agreement proposed.
In the case of seller bankruptcy, the seller should agree in the wrap agreement to execute
a reaffirmation agreement on the wrapped debt (i.e., rather than surrendering the property to the lender seeking or otherwise seeking to avoid the debt).
Not exact matches
If you sign a
reaffirmation agreement, you take that personal liability back
on and allow the creditor to sue you for any deficiency if you default
on the loan.
If the debtor defaults
on payments after signing a
reaffirmation agreement, the creditor will have the right to sue for a deficiency judgment.
On the other hand, if there is a
reaffirmation agreement signed by the debtors and approved by the Bankruptcy Court, and the borrower / debtor makes timely payment, the loan will be reported to be in good standing.
Clients should understand that second mortgage companies can not foreclose
on its mortgage simply because a bankruptcy debtor chooses not to sign a
reaffirmation agreement.
So the bankruptcy discharge that would otherwise eliminate the debtor's personal liability
on a mortgage loan or car loan does not apply to the secured debt that is the subject of the
reaffirmation agreement.
If a clients signs a first mortgage
reaffirmation agreement and later defaults
on the mortgage loan, the lender will still foreclose, but assuming that the lender forecloses by advertisement (and almost all mortgages are foreclosed this way in Minnesota), the debtor need not worry about having to pay a deficiency if the home sells for less than the mortgage balance.
Reaffirm your car debt If you have an auto loan for which you are still making payments
on, be sure that you sign a
reaffirmation agreement with the auto lender.
If you intend
on surrendering your car, do not sign a
reaffirmation agreement.
Once the
reaffirmation agreement is signed, you are back
on the hook for the loan.
You, therefore, have waived your legal rights for bankruptcy protection by signing off
on a
reaffirmation agreement.
On the other hand, if you signed a
reaffirmation agreement without the knowledge of your lawyer and the bankruptcy court and the items were actually discharged, you may have a legal case that you do not have pay the creditor.
The
reaffirmation agreement renews the debt after bankruptcy and puts you back
on the hook to pay it.
That is why a lawyer has to sign off
on the
reaffirmation agreement.
The mortgage lender may offer to reduce the interest rate
on the loan or otherwise make the terms more favorable in an effort to induce you to sign a
Reaffirmation Agreement.
A
reaffirmation agreement is an
agreement whereby you're telling the lender and the bankruptcy court that you intend to assume responsibility of the account such as an auto loan or home mortgage by maintaining future payments
on the account.