The new bankruptcy : will it work for you?

Not sure where to start? Let's find the right bankruptcy option for you.

You know bankruptcy will help you get back on your financial feet. But which chapter type is best? The New Bankruptcy explains the benefits of Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy. You'll learn that Chapter 7 bankruptcy will:
wipe out credit card balances, utility bills, and more protect property you need to work and live take about four to six months to complete
Chapter 13 bankruptcy works by keeping creditors at bay while you:
catch up on a house or car payment pay off an overdue tax or support balance pay less on other debt, such as credit cards and student loans
The 7th edition includes legal updates, worksheets, easy-to-use charts, and a sample bankruptcy filing on the latest official legal 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. 24
• The Bankruptcy Trustee p. 27
• Business Bankruptcies p. 31
• 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. 69
• Debts That Will Be Discharged in Bankruptcy p. 70
• Debts That Survive Chapter 7 Bankruptcy p. 73
• Debts That Survive Chapter 13 Bankruptcy p. 83
• Debts Discharged in Chapter 13 (But Not in Chapter 7) p. 88
• How Joint Debts Are Handled p. 88
• 4 Your Property and Bankruptcy p. 93
• Your Bankruptcy Estate p. 94
• Inventory Your Property p. 98
• Value Your Property p. 100
• Understanding Exemptions p. 100
• 5 Your Home p. 107
• Homeowners Filing for Bankruptcy Under Chapter 7 p. 108
• Homeowners Filing for Bankruptcy Under Chapter 13 p. 123
• Renters Filing for Bankruptcy p. 130
• 6 What Happens to Personal Property That Secures a Loan p. 135
• What Are Secured Debts? p. 136
• How Secured Debts Are Handled in Chapter 7 Bankruptcy p. 136
• Eliminating Liens in Chapter 7 Bankruptcy p. 142
• How Secured Debts Are Handled in Chapter 13 Bankruptcy p. 144
• 7 Making the Decision p. 147
• 8 Your Credit Cards p. 159
• If Your Balance Is Zero p. 160
• If You Owe Money But Are Current p. 162
• 9 Your Job, Freedom, and Self-Respect p. 165
• Will You Lose Your Self-Respect? p. 166
• Will You Lose Your Job? p. 167
• Effect of Bankruptcy on lob Applicants p. 168
• Other Forms of Discrimination Because of Bankruptcy p. 168
• Effect of Bankruptcy on Child Custody p. 169
• Effect of Bankruptcy on Your Freedoms p. 169
• 10 Bankruptcy Forms and Procedures p. 173
• The Means Test p. 175
• Challenges for Abuse p. 176
• Valuation Hearings p. 182
• Common Chapter 7 Motions and Proceedings p. 183
• Converting From One Chapter to Another p. 186
• Potential Problems in Chapter 13 p. 188
• Filling Out the Bankruptcy Forms p. 190
• 11 Getting Help With Your Bankruptcy p. 195
• Debt Relief Agencies p. 196
• Bankruptcy Petition Preparers p. 197
• Bankruptcy Lawyers p. 200
• Legal Research p. 207
• 12 Alternatives to Bankruptcy p. 217
• Do Nothing p. 218
• Negotiate With Your Creditors p. 220
• File for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy p. 224
• File for Chapter 12 Bankruptcy p. 224
• Glossary p. 227
• Appendixes
• A Federal and State Exemption Tables p. 249
• Doubling p. 251
• Wage Garnishment Laws and Exemptions in Bankruptcy p. 251
• Retirement Accounts p. 252
• Confirm the Exemptions Before Relying on Them p. 252
• B Charts and Worksheets p. 335
• Median Family Income Chart (Effective May 1, 2017) p. 336
• Worksheet A Current Monthly Income p. 339
• Worksheet B Allowable Monthly Expenses p. 341
• Worksheet C Monthly Disposable Income p. 343
• Worksheet D The Means Test p. 345
• Worksheet E Personal Property Checklist p. 347
• Worksheet F Property Value Schedule p. 351
• C Sample Bankruptcy Forms p. 353
• Form 101-Voluntary Petition for Individuals Filing for Bankruptcy p. 355
• Form 106 Summary-Summary of Your Assets and Liabilities and Certain Statistical Information p. 363
• Form 106A/B-Schedule A/B: Property p. 365
• Form 106C-Schedule C: The Property You Claim as Exempt p. 373
• Form 106D-Schedule D: Creditors Who Have Claims Secured By Property p. 376
• Form 106E/F-Schedule E/F: Creditors Who Have Unsecured Claims p. 377
• Form 106G-Schedule G: Executory Contracts and Unexpired Leases p. 385
• Form 106H-Schedule H: Your Codebtors p. 386
• Form 106I-Schedule I: Your Income p. 387
• Form 106J-Schedule J: Your Expenses p. 389
• Form 106Dec-Declaration About an Individual Debtor's Schedules p. 391
• Form 107-Statement of Financial Affairs for Individuals Filing for Bankruptcy p. 392
• Form 108-Statement of Intention for Individuals Filing Under Chapter 7 p. 400
• Form 2010-Notice Required by 11 U.S.C. § 342(b) for Individuals Filing for Bankruptcy p. 402
• Creditor Matrix Cover sheet p. 406
• Creditor Mailing Matrix p. 408
• Form 119-Bankruptcy Petition Preparer's Notice, Declaration, and Signature p. 409
• Form 121-Statement About Your Social Security Numbers p. 410
• Form 122A-1-Chapter 7 Statement of Your Current Monthly Income p. 411
• Form 122A-1Supp-Statement of Exemption from Presumption of Abuse Under §707(b)(2) p. 413
• Form 122A-2-Chapter 7 Means Test Calculation p. 414
• Form 423-Certification About a Financial Management Course p. 423
• Form 2030-Disclosure of Compensation of Attorney For Debtor p. 424
• Form 427-Cover Sheet for Reaffirmation Agreement p. 426
• Form 2400B-Motion For Approval of Reaffirmation Agreement p. 428
• Form 2400A-Reaffirmation Documents p. 429
• Form 2400C-Order on Reaffirmation Agreement p. 436
• Index p. 437