Bankruptcy records, available to the public at a nominal charge, can help decide on the prudence of a business venture. Here we stress the importance of bankruptcy records and provide tips on how to access the same.

Bankruptcy proceedings are initiated by creditors, or by a debtor, when the latter is unable to discharge his debt. The debtor can be an individual or a company. A bankruptcy petition is filed in a bankruptcy court, and upon the court's approval, assets of the debtor may be liquidated or a partial repayment of the debt may be proposed.

In the case of an organization, restructuring is also a distinct possibility. Court proceedings are documented in the form of bankruptcy records. These records are public property, and can be accessed by people either free of cost or for a nominal charge.

The bankruptcy records have the following information:

• The bankruptcy petition having names of creditors, the debtor, trustee, attorneys, and the judges
• The amount involved in the bankruptcy suit, nature of the suit, and reason of the proceedings
• A chronology of events and documents submitted
• The final verdict or the status of the case
• The claims registry

In addition to these details, bankruptcy records contain other relevant information that can be useful to a person.

Bankruptcy records of a company should be checked to see if it is worth investing in the company. When large companies go bankrupt, they make the headlines, however, most people do not know the financial position of small companies. Here, bankruptcy records are useful. Investing in a company that has filed for bankruptcy protection is not sensible.

Even if the company has filed for bankruptcy under Chapter 11, it is possible that the restructuring plan may not work. If the company has filed under Chapter 7, liquidation of assets takes place and the company pays its creditors before paying the investor. Either way, company fundamentals should be examined before investing.

Bankruptcy records are useful from the perspective of establishing personal relations. As these records are public, people can access information that will help them assess the financial position of a person. Bankruptcy can remain on a person's record for a long time. If bankruptcy is filed under Chapter 7, it remains on the credit report for 10 years.

Filing under Chapter 13 remains on record for 7 years from the date of debt repayment. Bankruptcy has a negative impact on a person's ability to borrow money. In fact, his credit scores can fall by 250 points. In case of doubt, it might be advised to look up the bankruptcy record of a person before embarking on a personal or a business relation with him.

The process of obtaining bankruptcy records does not have to be a painful one. There are numerous cost-effective ways of retrieving the necessary information. In fact, most of the bankruptcy court records are available online.

This is a useful telephonic service provided free of cost to people who need access to limited information. In case detailed information is desired, one should access the PACER database.

Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) can be used in case a person is interested in online bankruptcy records. The user has to pay a fee of USD 0.10 per page and he can access information on a case as soon as it is filed.

In case PACER does not provide the relevant information, USPCI can be accessed. Bankruptcy details are available online and can be obtained by conducting a search based on the name of a person.

This is a paid service which can cost USD 10 to USD 100, depending upon the kind of information required. The details are usually mailed within 24 hours.

Bankruptcy records are useful to people looking to enter business deals. It is useful to have information about the financial position of a party to a business deal. Like information on bankrupt entities, there are websites that mail regular newsletters about companies showing signs of financial distress, which may be subscribed before going for investment.