Considering Bankruptcy

Here are some things to think about before you decide to file for Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy.

Should You Choose Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 Bankruptcy?

Chapter 7 bankruptcy works well for people who can protect all of their property with exemptions, whose income is low enough to meet qualification requirements, and whose debt is the type that bankruptcy will discharge.

By contrast, Chapter 13 bankruptcy works best for people:

• whose income is too high to qualify for Chapter 7 bankruptcy
• who would like to save a house from foreclosure or a car from repossession, or
• who want to pay back nondischargeable debt, such as back child support or income tax debt, through a three- to five-year repayment plan.

Will Bankruptcy Wipe Out Your Debt?

Before you file your case, you’ll want to think about the goals because a bankruptcy discharge doesn’t eliminate certain types of debt (called priority obligations). For instance, you can wipe out most credit card obligations, medical bills, and personal loans. But you can’t discharge domestic support obligations (such as child and spousal support), newer tax debt, student loans (unless you can prove undue hardship), and more.

Is Your Lender About to Foreclose on or Repossess Your Property?

If you have debts secured by your property (such as a mortgage or car loan), your lender can foreclose on the home or repossess the car if you default on your obligation (or take any other property that serves as collateral for the debt). Your lender has this right because of the lien you agreed to when you took out the loan.

However, bankruptcy’s automatic stay can stop or delay the foreclosure and repossession process. The relief afforded by the stay in Chapter 7 bankruptcy is usually temporary. But filing for Chapter 13 bankruptcy might allow you to:

• keep the property and catch up on your missed payments
• reduce the balance of your loan if you qualify for a cramdown, and
• eliminate wholly unsecured junior liens from your house through a process called lien stripping.

Source: https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/considering-bankruptcy.html