What This Book’s About 8
Why Bankruptcy? 10
Should I Hire an Attorney for a Bankruptcy Filing? 11
Bankruptcy Fundamentals 12
Chapter 7 Bankruptcy 15
Chapter 13 Bankruptcy 17
Not All Debts Are Eliminated in Bankruptcy 19
How Often Can You File? 19
What If Your Bankruptcy Filing Is Dismissed? 20
State Law Bankruptcy 21
Credit Counseling 22
Eligibility to File for Bankruptcy 23
Chapter 7 Eligibility 24
Chapter 13 Eligibility 25
Why Choose Filing Chapter 13 over Chapter 7? 26
Income Limits 27
Income Limits for Chapter 7 28
Income Limits for Chapter 13 28
How a Bankruptcy Proceeding Works 30
Creditors Are Represented by Trustees 31
341 Hearings 32
Providing Necessary Documentation: 521 Docs 33
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Bankruptcy Motions: Unfreezing Bank Accounts 34
Creditor Objections 34
Automatic Stay: Creditors Can’t Contact or Garnish 35
Debt Discharged in Bankruptcy 36
Owning Too Much: Asset Cases 36
Buying Back Your Property 37
Reinstating Home and Auto Loans 38
Non-filing Spouses 40
Converting from Chapter 7 to Chapter 13
and Vice Versa 40
Chapter 13 Converting to Chapter 7 40
Chapter 7 Converting to Chapter 13 41
Post-discharge Creditor Issues 42
Waiver of Bankruptcy Filing Fee 42
Finding Your Case Online via Pacer 43
Forms Required with a Chapter 7 Filing 44
Schedule A: Real Estate 45
Schedule B: Personal Property 48
Schedule C: Exempt Property 49
Schedule D: Secured Creditors 51
Schedule E: Priority Debts 52
Schedule F: Eliminating Creditors 52
reallifelegal.com 5
Schedule G: Eliminating Leases and Contracts 54
Schedule H: Notifying Cosigners 55
Schedule I: Your Income 56
Schedule J: Household Expenses 57
Property Exemptions 57
Transfers Prior to Filing 59
Attorney Compensation Statement 60
Statement of Intention: Home and Car Loans 60
List of Creditors: Creditor Matrix 61
Too Much Income: So-called “Abuse” Cases 62
Chapter 13 Bankruptcy 63
Chapter 13 Exemptions 64
The Automatic Stay 65
Protecting Cosigners in a Chapter 13 Bankruptcy 66
Calculating the Chapter 13 Repayment Plan 66
Income-based Plan 66
Equity-based Plan 67
Reduced Car Loan Payments: Cram Down 68
Creditor Payments and Objections 69
Making Payments Under Chapter 13 70
Chapter 13 Required Hearing and Documentation 70
Confirmation Hearing to Approve the Plan 71
Paying Creditor Claims 72
Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Trustees 72
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Debtor Options and Requests 73
Credit Counseling 73
Domestic Support Obligation Disclosure 74
Eliminating Debt in a Chapter 13 Bankruptcy 74
Special Circumstances 75
Divorce Decrees 76
Businesses 76
Student Loan Discharges 77
Alternatives to Bankruptcy 78
Life After Bankruptcy 80
Glossary 82
About the Author 86
About Real Life LegalTM 87
Available Titles 87