Who gets paid first in a business bankruptcy?

The creditors get paid first in business bankruptcy. This rule exists to allow the company to continue to borrow money if necessary in order to continue its operations and effectively wind down its affairs. Federal laws regulate the order in which creditors get paid after a business bankruptcy, and that order is generally based on who assumed the most risk when lending money to the company.

UPDATED: Jul 19, 2023Fact Checked

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Jeffrey Johnson

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Jeffrey Johnson is a legal writer with a focus on personal injury. He has worked on personal injury and sovereign immunity litigation in addition to experience in family, estate, and criminal law. He earned a J.D. from the University of Baltimore and has worked in legal offices and non-profits in Maryland, Texas, and North Carolina. He has also earned an MFA in screenwriting from Chapman Univer...

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UPDATED: Jul 19, 2023

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UPDATED: Jul 19, 2023

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