Expectations from the Bankruptcy Process

Bankruptcy is a powerful tool for eliminating debt, but this does not mean that filing will discharge all of your debt obligations. For example, filing a Chapter 7 or a Chapter 13 bankruptcy petition will not alleviate your child support, alimony, or student loan obligations. The best way to know how your debt obligations will be treated is by consulting with a bankruptcy attorney.

Unless you have taken out secured credit cards, your credit card debt is likely dischargeable through bankruptcy. However, if you file a Chapter 13 petition instead of a Chapter 7 petition, you will need to pay back a portion of your unsecured debt in a payment plan. Once the Chapter 13 repayment period is over, your remaining debt balance will be discharged. If you have secured debt obligations, meaning that you pledged a certain asset against the loan, bankruptcy cannot prevent your lender from repossessing that asset.