The new bankruptcy : will it work for you?

Choose the best bankruptcy option Is bankruptcy right for you? It's tough to know on your own. Here, you'll find clear-cut answers, worksheets and strategies to help you figure out whether bankruptcy is the best solution for your debt problems. Find out:

Whether you qualify for Chapter 7 bankruptcy which debts are wiped out how Chapter 13 repayment plans work how bankruptcy affects homeowners whether you can keep cars and other property how bankruptcy affects credit other ways to handle debt problems The 6th edition includes updated state and federal exemption tables that list which assets you can keep if you file for bankruptcy. It also provides helpful worksheets, checklists and sample forms.

• The Bankruptcy Law: A Work in Progress p. 1
• 1 What Is Bankruptcy? p. 3
• Types of Bankruptcy p. 6
• Chapter 7 Bankruptcy p. 7
• Chapter 13 Bankruptcy p. 17
• How Bankruptcy Stops Collection Efforts p. 25
• The Bankruptcy Trustee p. 28
• Business Bankruptcies p. 32
• 2 Who Can File for Bankruptcy p. 35
• Getting Help With Eligibility Issues p. 37
• Credit Counseling p. 37
• Calculating Your Income Status p. 40
• Chapter 7 Eligibility Requirements p. 46
• Chapter 13 Eligibility Requirements p. 57
• Other Issues That Might Affect Your Decision to File p. 64
• 3 How Bankruptcy Affects Your Debts p. 71
• Debts That Will Be Discharged in Bankruptcy p. 72
• Debts That Survive Chapter 7 Bankruptcy p. 75
• Debts That Survive Chapter 13 Bankruptcy p. 85
• Debts Discharged in Chapter 13 (But Not in Chapter 7) p. 90
• How Joint Debts Are Handled p. 90
• 4 Your Property and Bankruptcy p. 95
• Your Bankruptcy Estate p. 96
• Inventory Your Property p. 100
• Value Your Property p. 102
• Understanding Exemptions p. 102
• 5 Your Home p. 111
• Homeowners Filing for Bankruptcy Under Chapter 7 p. 112
• Homeowners Filing for Bankruptcy Under Chapter 13 p. 130
• Renters Filing for Bankruptcy p. 136
• 6 What Happens to Personal Property That Secures a Loan p. 141
• What Are Secured Debts? p. 142
• How Secured Debts Are Handled in Chapter 7 Bankruptcy p. 142
• Eliminating Liens in Chapter 7 Bankruptcy p. 148
• How Secured Debts Are Handled in Chapter 13 Bankruptcy p. 150
• 7 Making the Decision p. 153
• 8 Your Credit Cards p. 165
• If Your Balance Is Zero p. 166
• If You Owe Money But Are Current p. 168
• 9 Your Job, Freedom, and Self-Respect p. 171
• Will You Lose Your Self-Respect? p. 172
• Will You Lose Your Job? p. 173
• Effect of Bankruptcy on Job Applicants p. 174
• Other Forms of Discrimination Because of Bankruptcy p. 175
• Effect of Bankruptcy on Child Custody p. 176
• Effect of Bankruptcy on Your Freedoms p. 176
• 10 Bankruptcy Forms and Procedures p. 179
• The Means Test p. 181
• Challenges for Abuse p. 183
• Valuation Hearings p. 188
• Common Chapter 7 Motions and Proceedings p. 190
• Converting From One Chapter to Another p. 192
• Potential Problems in Chapter 13 p. 194
• Filling Out the Bankruptcy Forms p. 197
• 11 Getting Help With Your Bankruptcy p. 201
• Debt Relief Agencies p. 202
• Bankruptcy Petition Preparers p. 204
• Bankruptcy Lawyers p. 206
• Legal Research p. 213
• 12 Alternatives to Bankruptcy p. 223
• Do Nothing p. 224
• Negotiate With Your Creditors p. 226
• File for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy p. 230
• File for Chapter 12 Bankruptcy p. 231
• G Glossary p. 233
• Appendixes
• A Federal and State Exemption Tables p. 255
• Doubling p. 257
• Wage Garnishment Laws and Exemptions in Bankruptcy p. 257
• Retirement Accounts p. 258
• Confirm the Exemptions Before Relying on Them p. 259
• B Charts and Worksheets p. 331
• Median Family Income Chart (Effective November 1, 2014) p. 332
• Worksheet A Current Monthly Income p. 335
• Worksheet B Allowable Monthly Expenses p. 337
• Worksheet C Monthly Disposable Income p. 339
• Worksheet D The Means Test p. 341
• Worksheet E Personal Property Checklist p. 343
• Worksheet F Property Value Schedule p. 347
• C Sample Bankruptcy Forms p. 349
• Form 1, Voluntary Petition p. 351
• Form 1, Voluntary Petition, Exhibit D p. 354
• Form 6, Summary of Schedules p. 355
• Form 6A, Schedule A p. 357
• Form 6B, Schedule B p. 358
• Form 6C, Schedule C p. 361
• Form 6D, Schedule O p. 362
• Form 6E, Schedule E p. 364
• Form 6F, Schedule F p. 367
• Form 6G, Schedule G p. 370
• Form 6H, Schedule H p. 371
• Form 6I, Schedule I p. 372
• Form 6J, Schedule J p. 374
• Form 6, Declaration of Schedules p. 378
• Form 7, Statement of Financial Affairs p. 379
• Form 8, Statement of Intention p. 385
• Form 201, Notice to Debtor (§ 342) p. 387
• Creditor Matrix Cover Sheet p. 390
• Creditor Mailing Matrix p. 391
• Form 21, Statement of Social-Security Number or Individual Taxpayer-Identification Number (ITIN) p. 392
• Form 22A, Statement of Current Monthly Income and Means-Test Calculation p. 393
• Form 23, Debtor's Certification of Completion of Postpetition Instructional Course Concerning Personal Financial Management p. 405
• Notice to Debtor by Non-Attorney Bankruptcy Petition Preparer Attorney Fee Disclosure p. 406
• Statement Re Payment Advices (local Form) p. 407
• Statement Pursuant to Rule 2016 (B) (local form) p. 409
• Reaffirmation Agreement Cover Sheet p. 410
• Reaffirmation Agreement-Motion Requesting p. 412
• Reaffirmation Agreement Documents p. 413
• Reaffirmation Agreement Order p. 420
• Index p. 421