We Can Help With Suspension for Unpaid Surcharges
What is a surcharge?
If you accumulate too many points against your license or are convicted for particular traffic offenses, you may be required to pay a surcharge in order to keep your license.
For 6 points within 3 years, you’ll have to pay $150, plus $25 for each additional point. For your first DWI, you’ll have to pay $1,000. Worse, those aren’t just one-time charges. You’ll have to pay every year for three years. So, you’ll pay a total of $450 over 3 years for having 6 points. For a DWI, you’ll pay a total of $3,000 over 3 years.
What happens if you don’t pay a surcharge?
If you don’t pay a surcharge, the New Jersey DMV will suspend your license. In order to get your license reinstated, you’ll have to pay the surcharge and a reinstatement fee of $100. Remember that driving on a suspended license will cost you a surcharge of $250 per year for 3 years, so you can’t just ignore the problem.
How can we help?
When you file for bankruptcy, the New Jersey DMV will reinstate your license. You can discharge your surcharge debt through the bankruptcy process under either Chapter 7 or Chapter 13, so you won’t have to worry about your license getting suspended again for the same charges.
Your Time is Limited
If you let surcharges go unpaid, the DMV may choose to file a Certificate of Debt in court. The court will issue a formal judgment against you and may allow the DMV to collect from you whether you like it or not. That may mean levying your bank account or garnishing your wages. Filing for bankruptcy will get you the protection of the automatic stay, which will stop wage garnishment and other collection actions for the duration of the bankruptcy, but you won’t be able to get a discharge for surcharge debt if there’s already a judgment against you.
If you’re struggling with debt, including surcharge debt, consider filing for bankruptcy before the DMV can file a Certificate of Debt against you and make the surcharge debt non-dischargeable.
Contact Our New Jersey Bankruptcy Lawyers Now
Come in today for a free consultation to discuss your circumstances and your goals. If you’re struggling with surcharge debt, we can help you decide if filing for bankruptcy is the best option for you. You’ll be able to get your license reinstated and have the surcharge debt wiped out. Remember that bankruptcy won’t help surcharge debt if the DMV already has a judgment against you, so act quickly.