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Flight School Loans: When Bankruptcy Helps

Quick Answer: Flight school loans can potentially be discharged in bankruptcy if the school was not properly accredited at the time of attendance. ATP Flight School appears unaccredited based on searches, suggesting the borrower’s $30K captain salary debt may qualify for discharge through a new bankruptcy filing.

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Dear Steve,

Student loan debt can’t get out of it and have filed bankrupt 6 yrs ago and included it in but wasn’t able to get rid of it it’s a private student loan

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I was able to discharge my sallie Mae student loan but not my MRU student loan. MRU filed bankruptcy and now I’m paying my loan to AES my question is I went to a flight school and make 30k a year as a captain super sad. But you said my loan can be discharged if it was a place like a flight school. And if its was issued to another school which I think mine was.

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I got the loan to go to Utah valley but went to flight school at ATP flight school. So does this count? And would I have to refile bankrupt to get it discharged?

Scott

Dear Scott,

It is disgusting what the entry level salary is commercial pilots is. It’s a wonder anyone can go to flight school, graduate, and make enough of a living to repay the loans.

You mentioned I did say loans like flight school loans could be easily discharged in bankruptcy. I’m assuming you were referring to this article.

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As I mentioned, the key to a slam dunk discharge is if the school was accredited at the time you attended. I even give a link to see if the school is currently accredited, in the story.

A search for ATP Flight School could not locate an accredited school with that name using the linked search.

In fairness to your past bankruptcy attorney, dealing with student loan issues is a relatively new focus of study.

I’d suggest you contact your previous bankruptcy attorney and given them the link to this article and ask for their assistance and opinion.

What they might want to do is file a current adversary proceeding and show how the loans appear to have been eligible for a discharge when you previously filed bankruptcy. Others have done this after the fact, successfully. – Source

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Steve Rhode The Get Out of Debt Guy | Consumer Debt Expert
Consumer debt expert & investigative writer. Personal bankruptcy survivor (1990). Washington Post award-winning author. Exposing debt scams since 1994.

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