Personal bankruptcy may be an option if you have significant debts you cannot repay—although its consequences are long-lasting and far-reaching. People who follow the bankruptcy rules receive a discharge—a court order that says they don’t have to repay certain debts.
But bankruptcy information (both the date of the filing and the later date of discharge) stay on a credit report for 10 years and can make it difficult to get credit, buy a home, get life insurance, or sometimes get a job. Still, bankruptcy is a legal procedure that offers a fresh start for people who have gotten into financial difficulty and can't satisfy their debts.
There are two main types of personal bankruptcy: Chapter 13 and Chapter 7. Each must be filed in federal bankruptcy court. Filing fees are several hundred dollars. Attorney fees are extra and vary.
Chapter 13 allows people with a steady income to keep property—like a mortgaged house or a car—that they might otherwise lose through the bankruptcy process. In Chapter 13, the court approves a repayment plan that allows you to use your future income to pay off your debts over the course of three to five years, rather than surrender any property. After you make all the payments under the plan, you receive a discharge of your debts.
Chapter 7 is known as straight bankruptcy; it involves liquidating all assets that are not exempt. Exempt property may include automobiles, work-related tools, and basic household furnishings. Some of your property may be sold by a court-appointed official, called a trustee, or turned over to your creditors.
Both types of bankruptcy may get rid of unsecured debts and stop foreclosures, repossessions, garnishments, and utility shutoffs, as well as debt collection activities. Both also provide exemptions that let you keep certain assets—although exemption amounts vary by state.
Personal bankruptcy usually does not erase child support, alimony, fines, taxes, and some student loan obligations. And unless you have an acceptable plan to catch up on your debt under Chapter 13, bankruptcy usually does not allow you to keep property when your creditor has an unpaid mortgage or security lien on it.
You must get credit counseling from a government-approved organization within six months before you file for any bankruptcy relief. You can find a state-by-state list of government-approved organizations at the U.S. Trustee Program (justice.gov/ust), which is the organization within the U.S. Department of Justice that supervises bankruptcy cases and trustees.
And before you file a Chapter 7 bankruptcy case, you must also satisfy a means test. This test requires you to confirm that your income does not exceed a certain amount. The amount varies by state and is publicized by the U.S. Trustee Program.
In Texas, personal bankruptcy is a legal option for individuals with overwhelming debts they cannot repay. The consequences of bankruptcy include a negative impact on credit reports for 10 years, which can affect the ability to obtain credit, purchase a home, secure life insurance, or gain employment. The two primary types of personal bankruptcy are Chapter 13 and Chapter 7, both filed in federal bankruptcy court with associated filing and attorney fees. Chapter 13 bankruptcy is designed for individuals with regular income to keep their property and pay off debts over three to five years through a court-approved repayment plan. Chapter 7 bankruptcy involves liquidating non-exempt assets to pay creditors and may result in the loss of property. Both types can eliminate unsecured debts and halt certain creditor actions, but they do not typically discharge obligations like child support, alimony, certain taxes, and student loans. Exemptions allowing individuals to retain certain assets vary by state. Prior to filing for bankruptcy in Texas, individuals must undergo credit counseling from a government-approved organization and, for Chapter 7, pass a means test to ensure income does not exceed a specified level.
