Chapter 13 Bankruptcy is Also Known as a "wage earner" Chapter
Chapter 13 Bankruptcy
Chapter 13 of the United States Bankruptcy Code is frequently referred to as a “wage earner” chapter, although it is available to individuals with regular income from any source, not just wages.
Chapter 13 Bankruptcy, entitled Adjustment of Debts of an Individual With Regular Income, 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. It is also favored because it allows the debtor to propose a “plan” to repay creditors over time—usually three to five years. At a confirmation hearing, the court either approves or disapproves the plan, depending on whether the plan 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 action while the plan is in effect.
From an individual debtor’s standpoint, one of the primary goals of filing a bankruptcy case is to obtain relief from burdensome debt. Relief is attained through the bankruptcy discharge, the purpose of which is to provide a “fresh start” to the honest debtor. The discharge is also considerably broader (i.e., more debts are eliminated) under chapter 13 than the discharge under chapter 7. Our site does provide more specific information on discharging bankruptcy.
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