Facing a financial quagmire? Chapter 13 can help you create a repayment plan

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Time for a new chapter.

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Bankruptcy can be a jarring experience for individuals as well as sole proprietors. But if you find yourself in a financial quagmire that you need help escaping—and you wish to avoid a full-scale liquidation of your assets—filing for chapter 13 bankruptcy might make sense.

Chapter 13 is like a “repayment plan” for those with less than $2.75 million in assets (as of 2023). Here’s what you need to know.

The U.S. bankruptcy courts refer to a chapter 13 filing as a wage earner’s plan. That’s because the process can help dig an individual out of a pile of debt by setting up a repayment plan, typically with the help of an approved credit counseling agency.

Chapter 13 allows you to propose a plan to pay off your debt in regular installments over a three- to five-year period. In general, the plan will call for a certain percentage of your income to be earmarked to debt payments. Consider it breathing room: During that repayment period, creditors are not allowed—by law—to begin or continue any kind of collection process, including lawsuits or wage garnishments. It’s called an “automatic stay,” and it also outlaws threatening telephone calls demanding payments.

Under your payment plan, you’ll be paying toward your secured debts (those backed by collateral, such as a house or car) and your unsecured debts (such as medical or credit card bills). You will repay at least the amount of the collateral on your secured debts, and in some cases the entire debt. Your unsecured debts might be discharged after your payback period. In other words, you might be required to pay only what the court feels you can afford, with the balance potentially written off by your creditors.

Know this, however: One or more creditors may not be on board with a repayment plan. If you are able to respond in a manner that meets creditors’ demands, the plan is likely to go through. If not, a judge may dismiss the plan, or worse, convert it to chapter 7, which requires asset liquidation.

Some debts are generally not discharged in a bankruptcy, which means that even after the bankruptcy period ends, you will likely be required to pay them in full:

From an individual standpoint, anyone whose combined total secured and unsecured debts don’t top $2.75 million is eligible, as of 2023. That might seem like a lot to those whose debts are in the five- to six-figure range or lower, but it allows for a wide swath of individuals—even those who are self-employed or operating an individual unincorporated business—to seek bankruptcy relief without losing everything, according to the U.S. bankruptcy courts.

A chapter 13 bankruptcy can save you from losing everything you own—as could be the case in a chapter 7 bankruptcy filing. A chapter 13 filing is about giving folks who are overwhelmed with debt a hand in getting back on a healthy financial path. For example, if you’ve fallen behind in mortgage payments, a chapter 13 filing can stop the foreclosure period to help you catch up on the payments over time. In other words, chapter 13 can stretch the payments. It won’t, however, forgive the debt.

Some other debt payments can be rescheduled, potentially lowering debt payments. In a way, chapter 13 is like a consolidation loan in which the debtor makes payments to a trustee, who then pays off creditors. “Individuals will have no direct contact with creditors while under chapter 13 protection,” according to the rules, meaning no collection agencies banging at the door or harassing you over the phone.

Court-appointed trustees conduct a means test to determine the level of an individual’s disposable income—meaning funds not used for everyday living needs, such as shelter, food, clothing, and basic transportation—and a payment plan is derived from that. What does a chapter 13 bankruptcy filing mean for you then? That your spending on anything outside of the bare necessities will be severely limited for the next few years.

Also on the downside, chapter 13—like any other bankruptcy filing—will mar your credit score for many years and is likely to steer creditors away in the process, meaning auto loans, mortgages, and even credit cards could be tough to get.

If you wish to contact a lawyer about your bankruptcy, you may be able to talk to one without a consultation fee. But at minimum, you’ll need to find a certified credit counselor. Chapter 13 requires individuals as well as companies to have a certificate of credit counseling filed with the court as well as a repayment proposal that was put together through the credit counseling.

You’ll also need a few “schedules,” which are basically detailed lists and explanations:

There’s more:

Oh, and you’ll need money, too. According to the U.S. bankruptcy courts, there’s a $235 case filing fee and a $75 miscellaneous administrative fee. In some cases, those fees can be paid in installments.

Whether a couple files jointly or one spouse files separately, the financial situation of the non-filing spouse—specifically, their income and expenses—must be part of the overall filing for the court to evaluate the household’s financial position.

If a bankruptcy petition was dismissed during the preceding 180 days because you didn’t show up for court or follow court orders, a second bankruptcy filing is a no-go. What’s more, another filing cannot be made if a petition was voluntarily dismissed during that preceding six-month period and creditors restarted the repossession or foreclosure processes. This goes for all filings under chapter 13, 11, and 7.

There are many hoops you and your bankruptcy trustees must jump through—court proceedings and hearings that typically take place in the first 45 days—so make no big plans until those are sorted out.

Once the plan is in place and given the go-ahead by the courts, the success of your chapter 13 bankruptcy depends on you. Regular payments must be made through the trustee or through payroll deductions, which, not surprisingly, are the preferred mode of payment. That means living on a tight, fixed budget for as long as it takes to clear the financial overhang. Remember, mortgage and car payments, for example, must continue to be made on time if you are to keep your house and vehicle. Failure to do so gives creditors an opportunity to grab them.

Also, you’re not going to be able to take on any new debt without trustee approval. Why? Because that may make it even tougher to juggle that tight, fixed budget.

Chapter 13 bankruptcy filings can be a financial lifesaver for many, but they’re not a get-out-of-jail-free card. Consider them a collection procedure. It’s forced austerity—a last chance to fulfill your financial obligations before you lose everything.

Chapter 13 bankruptcy is complicated and requires full compliance to work, and it’s likely to stay on your credit report for a long time. But it might be better than losing everything. And don’t think you can go it alone. A good bankruptcy lawyer is always a plus, and credit counselors are a must—judge’s orders.