You may have seen ads for Hawaii Debt Relief Org or you are just considering debt relief in general due to a financial hardship.
You are in the right place.
The purpose of this article is to help you understand the legitimacy of debt relief in Hawaii . The best way to gauge the legitimacy of a program might be to consider online reviews. However, you may find that there are not many reviews covering Hawaii debt relief. That said, we found some interesting insights. Here’s what we'll cover:
- What is Hawaii Debt Relief?
- How Much Does Hawaii Debt Relief Cost?
- Does Hawaii Debt Relief Provide Emergency Debt Relief?
- Whether Hawaii Debt Relief is legitimate
- Pros and Cons of Debt Relief Options
Now, if you are struggling with debt and wondering what to do next, we built a free, unbiased debt options comparison calculator (not even an email address is required) that provides a wide range of debt options that may be able to fit your budget. Please note that the calculator is based on your zip code, so it covers Honolulu to East Honolulu, and the entire state of Hawaii.
What Is Hawaii Debt Relief?
Hawaii debt relief is an organization that links debtors with other debt settlement companies. Or, it is a financial hardship option when you cannot afford your debt.
Debt relief is a broader term, which refers to getting assistance to help with your debt. Here’s the various debt relief options:
- Hawaii Chapter 7 Bankruptcy
- Hawaii Chapter 13 Bankruptcy
- Debt Settlement (Negotiation)
- Debt Management
Please note that many people consider Hawaii when they are facing a hardship such as Hawaii wage garnishment or a debt collection lawsuit or something that is forcing them to consider their options. Also, you may be curious how popular the bankruptcy option is. In Hawaii, there were 1,441 bankruptcy cases filed in 12 months ending in June 2021.
How Much Does Hawaii Debt Relief Cost?
The cost of Hawaii debt relief is one of the most important things to consider because you are looking for debt relief.
At Ascend, we believe that debt relief may be a good option, but it’s only in the context of understanding all of your options and understanding the cost of that option. This is exactly why we built a free debt relief cost comparison calculator below that helps you compare the cost of debt relief, debt management, bankruptcy, and debt payoff planning. It’s 100% free, and doesn’t even require an email address.
Let’s cover some of the costs.
Chapter 7 bankruptcy is often the cheapest and fastest Hawaii debt relief option, but you often have to qualify using the Hawaii bankruptcy means test, which is based on your income, household size, and state. If it’s helpful, here are the income limits for bankruptcy cases filed on or after November 1, 2023.
| # of People | Annual Income |
|---|---|
| 1 | $75,632 |
| 2 | $90,934 |
| 3 | $109,103 |
| 4 | $128,372 |
| 5 | $138,272 |
| 6 | $148,172 |
| 7 | $158,072 |
| 8 | $167,972 |
| 9 | $177,872 |
From using the calculator, you will notice that the cost to file bankruptcy in Hawaii is $313 for a Chapter 13 and $338 for a Chapter 7 bankruptcy. You may notice that does not include attorney fees though. Attorney fees may vary depending on where you live. For example, the Chapter 7 attorney fees are estimated at $1,500 in Honolulu vs $1,400 in Pearl City. For Chapter 13 bankruptcy in Hawaii the estimated attorney fee is $3,000.
You may also see that you are at risk of losing assets such as your home or vehicle if you have too much equity in a vehicle. To protect these assets, you can look at the Hawaii bankruptcy exemptions. For example, you can see the homestead exemption information below (source):
“Hawaii Rev. Stat. § 651-92(a). $30,000 for head of household or over 65.”
For debt management in Hawaii, you’ll see the estimated monthly payment driven by potential interest rates reduction. Debt management is often most helpful if you have high interest credit cards.
For debt settlement, you’ll notice an estimated fee amount and an estimated settlement amount as the companies are trying to negotiate amounts (from say $10,000 to $5,000).
Does Hawaii Debt Relief Provide Emergency Debt Relief?
Many people are looking for emergency debt relief in Hawaii, which could be a form of COVID relief. Please note that many of these programs have now ended with the exception that student debt payments that has a final extension until December 31st, 2022.
If a company is promising you Hawaii emergency debt relief, please do your research to make sure that they are not just trying to pitch to you a debt relief program with high fees.
Is Hawaii Debt Relief legitimate?
Many people in Hawaii experience hardship that requires some sort of debt relief. Thankfully, there are legal debt relief options such as bankruptcy in Hawaii to help you get relief from your debt and a fresh start.
In Hawaii, you may also find legal aid options helpful that can help you get the help you need at a lower cost.
Please note that not everyone qualifies for free legal aid. If you are at or below the Hawaii poverty guidelines, you potentially could also have your bankruptcy filing fee waived. Below are the Hawaii poverty guidelines.
| # of People | 150% Poverty Guideline |
|---|---|
| 1 | $17,310 |
| 2 | $23,500 |
| 3 | $29,690 |
| 4 | $35,880 |
| 5 | $42,070 |
| 6 | $48,260 |
| 7 | $54,450 |
| 8 | $60,640 |
| 9 | $66,830 |
| * Add $6,190 for each individual in excess of 9. | |
Pros and Cons of Debt Relief Options
Finally, let’s cover some of the pros and cons of debt relief in Hawaii. You can find this list of pros and cons in our debt relief calculator results as well.
Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Hawaii
- Pro: Legal protection against creditors
- Pro: Property protection against creditors
- Pro: No taxes on unpaid debt
- Pro: No qualification necessary (as long as under debt limits)
- Con: High damage to credit report (on public record)
- Con: High damage to credit score
- Con: Possible low availability to credit after filing
- Con: Low payment flexibility
- Con: Length of time 3-5 years
- Con: Low to medium success rate
Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Hawaii
- Pro: Length of time ~ 90 days
- Pro: Most inexpensive option: ~$2,000
- Pro: Legal protection against creditors
- Pro: No taxes on unpaid debt
- Pro: Eliminates most unsecured debt
- Pro: High success rate
- Con: High damage to credit report
- Con: High damage to credit score
- Con: Possible low availability to credit after filing
- Con: No property protection above exemption
- Con: On public record
- Con: Must qualify for Chapter 7 in Hawaii
Debt Settlement
- Pro: Potential savings can be significant
- Pro: Payment flexibility for inconsistent income
- Pro: Can be < 1 year with access to capital
- Pro: May access credit sooner than bankruptcy
- Pro: Account cancellation creates accountability
- Con: Medium to high damage to credit report
- Con: Medium to high damage to credit score
- Con: Potential taxes on forgiven debt
- Con: May be sued and collections can continue
- Con: Late fees and interest
- Con: On Public Record (if creditor sues)
- Con: Low to medium success rate
Debt Management
- Pro: Potential lower interest rate and fees
- Pro: Lower damage to credit report and score
- Pro: Sets your debt on a specific payment plan
- Pro: Consolidates your debt
- Pro: Not on public record
- Con: Often highest cost debt relief solution
- Con: Lower payment flexibility
- Con: Length of time 3-5 years
- Con: Creditors may not work with DMP
- Con: Low to medium success rate
Should I Pursue Debt Relief in Hawaii?
Pursuing debt relief in Hawaii is ultimately your decision and you know your finances best. For example, are you living in East Honolulu and seeing that your rent is going to continue to rise? Are you facing inflation pressures from living in Honolulu and trying to live on a Hawaii minimum wage of $10.10 per hour?
What you can do (if helpful) is take the free Hawaii debt relief calculator below that can help you estimate the costs and pros and cons of each of your options.
