Frequently Asked Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Questions
- Can I still file bankruptcy after the law change?
- Who can file a Chapter 7 bankruptcy?
- Who can file a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy in Texas ?
- Do have to take a credit counseling course before I file Chapter 7 Bankruptcy?
- What is Chapter 7 bankruptcy?
- What will Chapter 7 Bankruptcy do for me?
- How often can I file Chapter 7 bankruptcy?
- Is it wrong to file bankruptcy?
- Do both me and my spouse both have to file Chapter 7 bankruptcy?
- If I'm married but filing as an individual, do I have to give information about my spouse?
- Will my bankruptcy affect my spouse's credit?
- Can I File Bankruptcy if I am in the middle of a Divorce?
- Will I lose my job if I file Chapter 7 bankruptcy?
- How long will bankruptcy stay on my credit record?
- Can I eliminate income taxes through Chapter 7 bankruptcy?
- Do I still have to make my car and house payment in Chapter 7 bankruptcy?
- If I file Chapter 7 can I still use my credit cards?
- Can I keep any of my credit cards after I file Chapter 7?
- What is a Reaffirmation Agreement?
- What’s the difference between a secured debt and an unsecured debt?
- Can I choose which debts and property to include in my Chapter 7 bankruptcy?
- Can Chapter 7 bankruptcy discharge or eliminate all my debts?
- Do I have to list my back child support in my Chapter 7 bankruptcy even if cannot be discharged?
- Can I discharge payday loans in Chapter 7 bankruptcy?
- Can I get rid of student loans in Chapter 7 Bankruptcy?
- How long does the Chapter 7 bankruptcy process take?
- Can the trustee take my tax refund after filing Chapter 7?
- I am listed on a bank account that's not mine; do I have to list it as an asset?
- I co-signed for another person, do I have to include that debt in Chapter 7?
- Do I have to file my income taxes while in Bankruptcy?
- I have a vehicle that I own outright. Can I sign it over to a relative and then file bankruptcy so that the bankruptcy trustee does not take it?
- Can I repay debts owed to relatives before filing Chapter 7 Bankruptcy so that I do not have to list them on my bankruptcy petition?
- What if I forget to list a creditor?
- After I file can creditors still harass me?
- What is disposable income?
- What is a section 341(a) meeting of creditors?
- What will happen at the meeting of creditors?
- Will an attorney be present with me at the meeting of creditors?
- Do I need to bring anything to the meeting of creditors?
- What is a Bankruptcy Discharge and how does it operate?
- What can I do if a creditor keeps trying to collect money after I have filed bankruptcy?
- Will my immigration Status Be Affected By filing Chapter 7 Bankruptcy?
- Do I Need an Attorney to file Chapter 7 Bankruptcy?
Frequently Asked Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Questions - Answers
- Can I still file bankruptcy after the law change?
- Yes. The new law changed the bankruptcy rules which include certain pre-filing requirements, but the law did not eliminate your right to Chapter 7 Bankruptcy protection if you qualify.
- Who can file a Chapter 7 bankruptcy?
- Any person residing, domiciled, or having property or a place of business in the United States may file Chapter 7. A business may also file a Chapter 7 bankruptcy. There are currently no minimum or maximum income limits or other income requirements or limitations for most bankruptcy filings however under the new bankruptcy law, only people who pass the "bankruptcy means test" may file a Chapter 7 bankruptcy.
- Who can file a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy in Texas ?
- A person's residence and domicile, for bankruptcy purposes, is the place where he or she has lived for the majority of 180 days preceding the bankruptcy filing. For example, a person could file bankruptcy in a Texas bankruptcy court 91 days after moving to Texas from a residence in another state. If you file bankruptcy in Texas, however, you can only claim Texas's asset exemptions if you have resided in Texas for the previous two (2) years. Whether you live in Houston, San Antonio, Austin, Dallas or anywhere else in the great State of Texas a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy filing will be determined from where you have resided or have been domiciled within one of the four Bankruptcy Court Districts in the State of Texas for the majority of 180 days preceding the Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing. The Texas Bankruptcy Court Districts include the Southern, Western, Northern, and Eastern Divisions.
- Do have to take a credit counseling course before I file Chapter 7 Bankruptcy?
- The new bankruptcy law requires all debtors to fulfill two basic education requirements. Firstly is a credit counseling course prior to bankruptcy filing. And secondly a financial management course before obtaining a bankruptcy discharge. All Chapter 7 debtors (with the exception of businesses) are required to take the courses on their own. All bankruptcy education courses are available in person, by phone, or over the internet and are approved for the Texas Bankruptcy Court District in which you are filing. You can obtain information about the costs and availability of debtor education at one or more of the agencies approved by one of the Texas Bankruptcy Court District in which you reside. Texas Bankruptcy Court Districts include the Southern, Western, Northern, and Eastern Divisions.
- What is Chapter 7 bankruptcy?
- A Chapter 7 bankruptcy is a process, also known as a liquidation, which allows the debtor to keep certain assets & sell other assets, under the supervision of the bankruptcy court. In exchange for the liquidation, all debts are cancelled. A “Chapter 7” bankruptcy provides you the protection available under Chapter 7 of the United States Bankruptcy Code. Under Chapter 7, a Court can relieve you of the responsibility to pay your unsecured dischargeable debts and let you keep your exempt property. Chapter 7 bankruptcy is most often used to eliminate, or discharge, primarily unsecured debts such as credit cards, medical bills, certain taxes, as well as some judgments & lawsuits. Chapter 7 bankruptcy does not eliminate secured debts, such as vehicles (unless the secured property is surrendered). Chapter 7 bankruptcy will not save a house from foreclosure or a car from repossession if you are delinquent in payments. Most Texas Chapter 7 bankruptcy debtors have little non-exempt personal property because of Texas's favorable exemptions.
- What will Chapter 7 Bankruptcy do for me?
- The greatest benefit a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy is often a fresh financial start which can relieve the financial burdens of stress and restore peace of mind. Once the Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Petition is filed, the collections calls and bills stop. Any lawsuit, collection action, repossession or garnishment pending against you is stopped in its tracks. Once the discharge is entered, you should have a real fresh financial start in a very real sense. No lawsuits, zero balances on all your credit cards, no more medical bills, no payday or personal loans, and no calls from bill collectors.
- How often can I file Chapter 7 bankruptcy?
- A debtor can receive a Chapter 7 discharge once every eight years. Under certain circumstances, a Chapter 7 can be followed by a Chapter 13.
- Is it wrong to file bankruptcy?
- We don’t think so. Filing for bankruptcy is taking a positive step to regain control of your financial situation and hopefully you can obtain a fresh financial start. Whatever financial problems you may have, bankruptcy is a time tested responsible approach to debt and might be an option. Life throws curves and sometimes brings on unexpected events which could never have been imagined. The bankruptcy laws were designed to help people address their financial difficulties in an honest, forthright, and straightforward manner. Bankruptcy relief in the United States has been around since the 1800’s and millions have utilized it to responsibly address financial difficulty. Many people have taken honest hard working people have had to file bankruptcy including the 16th President of the United States Abraham Lincoln, who filed for bankruptcy twice. There have been other notable individuals who have filed for bankruptcy such as celebrity Anna Nicole Smith and country singer Willie Nelson. You have a constitutional right to a fresh financial start in bankruptcy.
- Do both me and my spouse both have to file Chapter 7 bankruptcy?
- No. In many cases when both the husband and wife have a lot of debt it makes sense and obviously saves money for them to both file. It is not however a requirement under the law.
- If I'm married but filing as an individual, do I have to give information about my spouse?
- Usually the on thing required for the petition is their income information.
- Will my bankruptcy affect my spouse's credit?
- Generally not. When one spouse files for bankruptcy, as long as none of the debts scheduled by you are joint debts with your spouse, your spouse's credit is generally not affected.
- Can I File Bankruptcy if I am in the middle of a Divorce?
- Yes you can. However there are a certain things to take into consideration as a Bankruptcy filing can delay the finalization of your divorce. Texas State Court Judges and other State Court Judges aren’t supposed to make a final ruling in a divorce case while your bankruptcy case is pending in Federal Court. Although this has happened before it is unusually rare. If you do not want to further delay the final hearing in your divorce wait until the final decree. If you must file during a divorce then a Motion to Lift Stay is the usual course but contact us to determine your particular circumstances. Also in a bankruptcy filing you have to list your future ex-spouse’s information ( both property and income) in your bankruptcy schedules, even though he or she is not filing bankruptcy with you. The reason is that, under Texas community property laws, half of “their” 401k, vehicles, real property, (etc..) is owned by you, and you as a debtor have to list all of your (community) property in the bankruptcy schedules.
- Will I lose my job if I file Chapter 7 bankruptcy?
- No. It is a violation of Federal Law for an employer to discriminate against an existing employee because they filed for bankruptcy.
- How long will bankruptcy stay on my credit record?
- 10 years. No one can legally remove a bankruptcy notation from a credit record if 10 years have not yet elapsed. You should be suspect of anyone who claims that bankruptcy notations less than 10 years old can be legally removed, especially if they want to charge a fee to do this.
- Can I eliminate income taxes through Chapter 7 bankruptcy?
- Generally you can eliminate income taxes more than 3 years old. Under the law...there are 3 or 4 qualifications that have to be met, but, once these are met these type of income taxes can usually be discharged. Tax debts are generally dischargeable only if you file bankruptcy more than three years after you file a truthful and timely tax return. If your return was filed late, the taxes are generally dischargeable only if you file bankruptcy more than two years after filing a truthful tax return. There are exceptions to these rules and it is important for you to contact us to determine if your taxes are dischargeable.
- Do I still have to make my car and house payment in Chapter 7 bankruptcy?
- It depends if you want to keep your car or house. In a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy, you will generally want to stay current with any secured debt for property you would like to keep such as your house or car. As such you must continue to make your regular house or car payments after the filing. If you have chosen to keep your house or car and do not make regular payments or fall behind on payments then the secured creditors can repossess or foreclose on the property. As long as the property is insured and you remain current on payments the law allows you to keep the property.
- If I file Chapter 7 can I still use my credit cards?
- You should stop using your credit cards immediately and not incur any additional debt once you know you are going to file for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy. Immediately after filing you cannot use the credit cards or incur any such debt. After the Chapter 7 discharge if you have elected to keep a particular credit card through a reaffirmation agreement and that particular credit card company has also agreed in writing via the reaffirmation agreement to allow you to do so then you may be able to use that particular card.
- Can I keep any of my credit cards after I file Chapter 7?
- After the Chapter 7 discharge if you have elected to keep a particular credit card through a reaffirmation agreement and that particular credit card company has also agreed in writing via the reaffirmation agreement to allow you to do so then you may be able to use that particular card. Keep in mind that It is up to each particular creditor, not you, as to whether they offer a reaffirmation agreement or not.
- What is a Reaffirmation Agreement?
Even if a debt can be discharged, you may have special reasons why you want to promise to pay it. For example, you may want to work out a plan with the bank to keep your car. To promise to pay that debt, you must sign and file a reaffirmation agreement with the court. Reaffirmation agreements are under special rules and are voluntary. They are not required by bankruptcy law or by any other law. Reaffirmation agreements–
- must be voluntary;
- must not place too heavy a burden on you or your family;
- must be in your best interest; and
- can be canceled anytime before the court issues your discharge or within 60 days after the agreement is filed with the court, whichever gives you the most time.
If you reaffirm a debt and then fail to pay it, you owe the debt the same as though there was no bankruptcy. The debt will not be discharged and the creditor can take action to recover any property on which it has a lien or mortgage. The creditor can also take legal action to recover a judgment against you.
- What’s the difference between a secured debt and an unsecured debt?
A secured debt is one where the creditor takes personal or real property as collateral. A creditor whose debt is secured has a right to take property to satisfy a debt in default. A secured debt (like a mortgage on a house or a car loan) gives the creditor the right to take back the security (car, house, furniture, etc..) if you fail to make your timely payments.
A debt is unsecured if you have simply promised to pay a creditor a sum of money at a particular time, and you have not put up any real or personal property as collateral. An unsecured debt (like a credit card, medical bill, utility bill, rent, etc..) does not give the creditor the right to repossess any property you have. All the creditor can do is to sue you for the money it is owed.
- Can I choose which debts and property to include in my Chapter 7 bankruptcy?
- No.When you file Chapter 7 bankruptcy the law requires you to list all your property and all your debts. Many people want to leave out a certain debts because it is their intent to keep paying on them. Others want to leave out certain property for fear that it will be taken and sold for the benefit of creditors. One of the most fundamental tenants of the Bankruptcy Code is to be forthright and list all of your debts and all of your property. All debts owing as of the time of a filing of a Chapter 7 bankruptcy petition must be listed on the schedules; no creditor can be left off. This applies to debts owed to friends and relatives. When a person signs a bankruptcy petition, he or she is certifying under penalty of perjury that all their assets (property) and all their liabilities (debts) are listed on the petition. And, when it comes time for the meeting of creditors, you will be asked under oath if all assets (property) and liabilities (debts) have been listed.
- Can Chapter 7 bankruptcy discharge or eliminate all my debts?
- A Chapter 7 discharge does not eliminate child support & spousal maintenance (alimony),student loans(unless repayment would likely cause undue hardship), it does not eliminate debts resulting from DUI or DWI; nor debts not dischargeable in a previous bankruptcy because of fraud, certain federal, state, and local taxes, restitution, fines, or penalties. Also debts not listed or omitted from the petition can remain in force after discharge.
- Do I have to list my back child support in my Chapter 7 bankruptcy even if cannot be discharged?
- Yes. The law requires that you must list all your debts so back child support must be listed in the schedules, however child support and/or alimony cannot be discharged. And, A Chapter 7 discharge does not affect future child or spousal support obligations.
- Can I discharge payday loans in Chapter 7 bankruptcy?
- Yes. Payday loans are dischargeable in bankruptcy.
- Can I get rid of student loans in Chapter 7 Bankruptcy?
- Generally Not. Student loans can only be discharged if Repayment would cause undue hardship which is extremely difficult to show and highly unusual for a Bankruptcy Court to grant.
- How long does the Chapter 7 bankruptcy process take?
- A Chapter 7 bankruptcy typically takes 3-4 months from the time the petition is filed.
- Can the trustee take my tax refund after filing Chapter 7?
- It depends on the particular situation. If you haven’t received the refund and spent it down prior to filing, the trustee would certainly be within their rights to take it. Each situation is unique.
- I am listed on a bank account that's not mine; do I have to list it as an asset?
- Generally yes, but you should contact us attorney for specifics as each situation is unique.
- I co-signed for another person, do I have to include that debt in Chapter 7?
- All debts you owe must be listed on the schedules.
- Do I have to file my income taxes while in Bankruptcy?
- Yes.
- I have a vehicle that I own outright. Can I sign it over to a relative and then file bankruptcy so that the bankruptcy trustee does not take it?
- No. The transfer would be considered fraudulent, and the trustee would likely take the car. You could then be charged with bankruptcy fraud.
- Can I repay debts owed to relatives before filing Chapter 7 Bankruptcy so that I do not have to list them on my bankruptcy petition?
- No. Payments made to relatives within 12 months (one year) before filing bankruptcy are considered “preferences”. The trustee may have the right to pursue the relative to recover the preference, and then divide the money equally among all creditors. You could then be charged with bankruptcy fraud.
- What if I forget to list a creditor?
- Even after filing you may add a creditor post-petition within the time parameters to do so and there are usually additional fees associated with doing so.
- After I file can creditors still harass me?
- Not legally. The moment you file for bankruptcy protection, the Bankruptcy Court issues an order which is a stay against your creditors actions to collect or attempt to collect debts you may owe. By law they must leave you alone. That means no more phone calls, no more collection letters, no more lawsuits, no repossessions, no foreclosures. The Court’s Order or "automatic stay" is issued pursuant to 11 United States Code, Section 362. The automatic stay prohibits any and all collections actions. After you file for bankruptcy, a creditor is not even allowed to talk to you. All creditors must stop any and all collection attempts they have already initiated. The automatic stay is very powerful law and if a creditor violates the automatic stay, you have the right to bring action against the creditor before the Court for Contempt of Court, as well as to be compensated accordingly. Once you file for bankruptcy, all creditors are required by law to leave you alone or face the legal consequences which include fines and potential criminal penalties for willful violations.
- What is disposable income?
- This is the amount of money left after deducting your cost of living from all sources of income or all income not necessary for the maintenance or support of the debtor or a dependent of the debtor.
- What is a section 341(a) meeting of creditors?
- Section 341(a) of the Bankruptcy Code requires every debtor to personally attend a meeting of creditors and to submit to an examination under oath. The United States Trustee, their designee, or a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Trustee, presides at the meeting. Creditors may ask questions of the debtor under oath, and may elect a trustee other then the one assigned, or conduct such other business as may be appropriate. Although creditors are not required to attend the meeting this is usually the only opportunity creditors will have to directly examine the debtor while under oath without seeking further permission of the court. In most Chapter 7 consumer bankruptcy cases the creditors rarely if ever appear.
- What will happen at the meeting of creditors?
- At the meeting of creditors, the trustee will ask a series of questions almost identical to those on the schedules and statement of financial affairs. The trustee is generally attempting to find non-exempt assets or determine whether the income and expenses you have attested to under penalty of perjury are correct. Also that you qualify for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy and have complied with the requirements under the Bankruptcy Code. In virtually every case, these issues will have long since been addressed with you by your attorney. Creditors are permitted to attend these meetings and ask questions if they wish, but in most Chapter 7 consumer bankruptcy cases the creditors rarely if ever appear.
- Will an attorney be present with me at the meeting of creditors?
- Yes.
- Do I need to bring anything to the meeting of creditors?
- In every bankruptcy case, the debtor is required to provide two pieces of proof of identity at the creditors’ meeting, one of which verifies the social security number. The preferred proof is a driver’s license and social security card. Other acceptable proof includes: (1) government ID, (2) a state picture ID, (3) a U.S. passport, (4) a military ID, (5) a resident alien card, (6) a medical insurance card, (7) a pay stub, (8) a W-2 form, (9) an IRS Form 1099, or (10) a Social Security Administration report.
- What is a Bankruptcy Discharge and how does it operate?
One of the reasons people file bankruptcy is to get a “discharge.” A discharge is a court order which states that you do not have to pay most of your debts. Some debts cannot be discharged. For example, you cannot discharge debts for–
- most taxes;
- child support;
- alimony;
- most student loans;
- court fines and criminal restitution; and
- personal injury caused by driving drunk or under the influence of drugs.
The discharge only applies to debts that arose before the date you filed. Also, if the judge finds that you received money or property by fraud, that debt may not be discharged.
You can only receive a chapter 7 discharge once every eight years. Other rules may apply if you previously received a discharge in a chapter 13 case. No one can make you pay a debt that has been discharged, but you can voluntarily pay any debt you wish to pay. Some creditors hold a secured claim (for example, the bank that holds the mortgage on your house or the loan company that has a lien on your car). You do not have to pay a secured claim if the debt is discharged, but the creditor can still take the property.
- What can I do if a creditor keeps trying to collect money after I have filed bankruptcy?
- If a creditor continues to attempt to collect a debt after the bankruptcy case is filed they are likely in violation of the automatic stay. You should immediately notify the creditor in writing that you have filed bankruptcy, and provide them with either the case number and filing date or a copy of the petition that shows it was filed. If the creditor still continues to try to collect, you may be entitled to take legal action against the creditor to obtain a specific order from the court prohibiting the creditor from taking further collection action and, if the creditor is willfully violating the automatic stay, the court can hold the creditor in contempt of court and punish the creditor by fine or incarceration. Any such legal action brought against the creditor will be complex and will normally require representation by an experienced attorney.
- Will my immigration Status Be Affected By filing Chapter 7 Bankruptcy?
- No. Many people worry unnecessarily that they will somehow jeopardize their immigration status if they file for bankruptcy. This is incorrect. Immigration status is not affected in any way by filing for bankruptcy.
- Do I Need an Attorney to file Chapter 7 Bankruptcy?
- Because the one thing that is in common with almost all bankruptcy debtors is a lack of available money. As such many people consider filing bankruptcy without a lawyer. This option known as “Pro Se” is available to all consumer debtors. Lawyers are required to make certain you understand that you are not required to hire a lawyer to file your bankruptcy. That being said the new bankruptcy law is more rigid in its requirements and the process is not as simple as filling in the blanks. In the past, if a debtor failed to follow through on a documentation requirement or filed incorrect paperwork, there was usually an opportunity to correct the problem. This is not the case anymore. Under the current bankruptcy law, there are various timelines or deadlines for certain actions, and the failure to perform these tasks timely will result in a dismissal of your case. You need an experienced attorney to make sure you meet these timelines. Keep in mind that everyone involved in the bankruptcy process is a lawyer or has an attorney representing them. The Judge is a lawyer and the Court has the US Trustee who is a lawyer, the Chapter 7 Trustee is a lawyer or has a lawyer, and most all creditors have lawyers representing their interests. If you are the only one without legal assistance, you are likely at a grave disadvantage. You can be compelled by the other side into making bad decisions, loose property, or even become subject to further legal proceedings if you do not know your legal rights. Remember, its always more expensive to hire a lawyer to fix problems than it is to assist you from start to finish.
If you have questions about filing for Chapter 7 personal bankruptcy please contact The Law Offices of R.J.Atkinson,LLC at 512-617-2899 for a free initial consultation to discuss your legal options. With locations in Houston, San Antonio, Austin, and Dallas we are a Texas Debt Relief Agency and help people file for Bankruptcy under the Bankruptcy Code.
