How to File for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy

Can’t afford a Chapter 7 bankruptcy lawyer? Use this book instead.

Many people struggling with debt don’t need an attorney to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. This comprehensive guide explains everything you’ll need to know about filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in easy-to-understand language, including:

• qualifying for a Chapter 7 discharge

• erasing credit balances, medical and utility bills, and more

• stopping wage garnishments and lawsuits

• keeping important property from creditors

• meeting with the bankruptcy trustee, and

• rebuilding credit after bankruptcy

When you’re ready to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, follow the step-by-step instructions to complete and file the bankruptcy petition and schedules. You’ll find additional resources on the online companion page, including completed bankruptcy form samples, fillable financial worksheets, income and exemption charts, motions, and more.

ISBN-13: 9781413331059

Media Type: Paperback(Twentieth Third Edition)

Publisher: NOLO

Publication Date: 10-31-2023

Pages: 496

Product Dimensions: 7.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.00(d)

Cara O'Neill is a legal editor and writer at Nolo, focusing on bankruptcy and small claims. She has authored a variety of Nolo book titles, including The New Bankruptcy, Chapter 13 Bankruptcy, and Everybody’s Guide to Small Claims Court. Before joining Nolo, Cara practiced for over 20 years in civil litigation and bankruptcy. During that time, she served as an Administrative Law Judge mediating disputes in the automotive industry, taught undergraduate and graduate law courses, and served as house counsel for a large insurance company. She earned her law degree from the Universityof the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law, where she served as a law review editor and graduated a member of the Order of the Barristers—an honor society recognizing excellence in courtroom advocacy. Cara maintains a bankruptcy practice in Roseville, California at the Law Office of Cara O’Neill.

Table of Contents

Your Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Companion 1. Should You File for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy? 2. The Automatic Stay 3. Your Property and Bankruptcy 4. Your House 5. Secured Debts 6. Complete and File Your Bankruptcy Paperwork 7. Handling Your Case in Court 8. Life After Bankruptcy 9. Which Debts Are Discharged 10. Help Beyond the Book Glossary Appendixes . How to Use the Downloadable Forms . State and Federal Exemption Charts, Worksheets, Charts, and Forms Index