| Chapter 12 Discharge |
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| Upon successful completion of all payments under a chapter 12 plan, the debtor will receive a "discharge" which extinguishes the debtor's obligation to pay any unsecured debts that were included in the plan, even though they may not have been paid in full. After the discharge has been granted, those creditors whose claims were provided for in full or in part under the plan may no longer initiate or continue any legal or other action against the debtor to collect the discharged obligations. More... |
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| Introduction to Chapter 11 Bankruptcy |
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| The Bankruptcy Code is a collection of federal laws that apply in bankruptcy cases or proceedings. The Code is made up of various "Chapters" that each apply to a different type of debtor or bankruptcy. One purpose of Chapter 11 is to "rehabilitate" or "reorganize" a business so that it can continue without folding or closing. More... |
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| Converting a Chapter 13 to Chapter 7 |
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| A Chapter 13 bankruptcy filing may be converted into a Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing. One common reason for converting from Chapter 13 to Chapter 7 is a petitioner's inability to stay current in the Chapter 13 repayment plan. A petitioner may not convert a Chapter 13 to a Chapter 7 if the petitioner has already received a Chapter 7 discharge within the previous 6 years. More... |
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| IRA Protection in Bankruptcy |
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| Social Security benefits, company pensions, and 401(k) plans are all shielded by law and are, therefore, not lost to creditors in bankruptcy. Whether that same protection extends to an individual retirement account (IRA) is not clear. The bankruptcy law, which was drafted in the 1970's before IRAs became such an important vehicle for retirement savings, is ambiguous. This has led to contradictory rulings in federal courts around the country. More... |
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| Contested Matters |
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| Whenever there is an actual dispute, other than an adversary proceeding, before the bankruptcy court, the litigation to resolve that dispute is a contested matter. For example, the filing of an objection to a proof of claim, to a claim of exemption, or to a disclosure statement creates a dispute that is a contested matter. Even when an objection is not formally required, there may be a dispute. If a party in interest opposes the amount of compensation sought by a professional, there is a dispute that is a contested matter. More... |
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