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What Is Bankruptcy?

Bankruptcy is a set of federal laws and rules in place to help individuals and businesses who owe more debt than they can pay. The primary purpose of Bankruptcy laws is to help people and businesses who can no longer pay their creditors get a fresh start by liquidating their assets to pay their debts, or by creating a repayment plan. The procedures for bankruptcies are covered under Title 11 of the United States Code (the Bankruptcy Code).

Bankruptcy cases are filed in federal court. Each federal judicial district has a bankruptcy court. There are six (6) basic types of bankruptcies. Each type of case is referred to by the number of the chapter of the Bankruptcy Code that covers them. The vast majority of cases; however, are filed under the three main chapters of the Bankruptcy Code, which are Chapter 7, Chapter 11 and Chapter 13. Included below is a brief description of each type of bankruptcy:

Chapter 7 – Liquidation

A case file under Chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code contemplates an orderly, court-supervised procedure by which a trustee takes over the assets of the debtor’s estate, reduces them to cash and makes distributions to creditors, subject to the debtor’s right to retain certain exempt property and the rights of secured creditors. Because there is usually little or no nonexempt property in most Chapter 7 cases, there may not be an actual liquidation of the debtor’s assets.

These cases are called “no-asset cases.” A creditor holding an unsecured claim will get a distribution from the bankruptcy estate only if the case is an asset case and the creditor files a proof of claim with the bankruptcy court. In most Chapter 7 cases, if the debtor is an individual, he or she receives a discharge that releases him or her from personal liability for certain dischargeable debts. The debtor normally receives a discharge just a few months after the petition is filed. A “means test” is used to determine whether individual consumer debtors qualify for relief under Chapter 7. If such a debtor’s income is in excess of certain thresholds, the debtor may not be eligible for Chapter 7 relief.

Chapter 13 – Adjustment Of Debts Of An Individual With Regular Income

A Chapter 13 case is designed for an individual debtor who has a regular source of income. Chapter 13 is often preferable to Chapter 7 because it enables the debtor to keep a valuable asset, such as a house, and because it allows the debtor to propose a “plan” to repay creditors over time – usually three to five years. Chapter 13 is also used by consumer debtors who do not qualify for Chapter 7 relief under the means test.

At a confirmation hearing, the court either approves or disapproves the debtor’s repayment plan, depending on whether it meets the Bankruptcy Code’s requirements for confirmation. Chapter 13 is very different from Chapter 7 since the Chapter 13 debtor usually remains in possession of the property of the estate and makes payments to creditors, through the trustee, based on the debtor’s anticipated income over the life of the plan. Unlike Chapter 7, the debtor does not receive an immediate discharge of debts. The debtor must complete the payments required under the plan before the discharge is received. The debtor is protected from lawsuits, garnishments and other creditor actions while the plan is in effect.

Chapter 11 – Reorganization

A Chapter 11 bankruptcy is ordinarily used by commercial enterprises that desire to continue operating a business and repay creditors concurrently through a court-approved plan of reorganization. The Chapter 11 debtor usually has the exclusive right to file a plan of reorganization for the first 120 days after it files the case and must provide creditors with a disclosure statement containing information adequate to enable creditors to evaluate the plan.

Eligible creditors will receive a ballot and have the opportunity to vote on the plan. The court ultimately confirms or disapproves the plan of reorganization. Under the confirmed plan, the debtor can reduce its debts by repaying a portion of its obligations and discharging others. The debtor can also terminate burdensome contracts and leases, recover assets and rescale its operations in order to return to profitability. Under Chapter 11, the debtor normally goes through a period of consolidation and emerges with a reduced debt load and a reorganized business.

Our experienced legal team also handles other types of business legal matters cases, including:

If you need assistance from our Clarksville bankruptcy lawyers, don’t hesitate to give Batson Nolan PLC a call today at 931-650-5484 or email us here.

 

We are a debt relief agency. We help people file for bankruptcy relief under the Bankruptcy Code.