Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Laws are Designed to Stop Foreclosure
Personal bankruptcy can be a powerful mechanism to possibly save your home if you want to stop foreclosure.
Chapter 13 bankruptcy was designed to stop foreclosure and may provide you with the protection and relief you need to stay in your home and catch up on your past-due debts.
Can Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Stop Foreclosure?
Many people file for Chapter 13 bankruptcy specifically to stop foreclosure.
In most cases, an automatic stay is entered as soon as a Chapter 13 bankruptcy petition is filed. The automatic stay should temporarily stop foreclosure, along with all other collection action, regardless of the stage of the foreclosure proceedings.
With the automatic stay in place, the debtor and his attorney have the breathing room to work out a Chapter 13 repayment plan.
What is Chapter 13 Bankruptcy?
Chapter 13 bankruptcy is a reorganization of debts that allows a debtor to make payments to creditors over a period of three to five years. Chapter 13 is sometimes called a “wage earner’s bankruptcy” because it requires that the debtor have a steady source of income for the duration of the repayment plan.
Chapter 13 bankruptcy is an option for those who do not qualify to file Chapter 7 bankruptcy due to the means test. However, many people choose Chapter 13 when filing bankruptcy because it may allow debtors to keep their home, car, and other types of secured debts.
How Does Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Work?
Within 15 days after filing a Chapter 13 bankruptcy petition, the debtor must file a proposed plan, setting forth his income, allowable living expenses, and proposed payments to the trustee for the benefit of creditors. Current payments must be kept current after the Chapter 13 bankruptcy petition is filed.
Homeowners must make all mortgage payments that come due during the Chapter 13 bankruptcy repayment plan, and failure to make current payments on time may mean that the bankruptcy court lifts the automatic stay and allows the mortgage company to resume foreclosure proceedings.
Assuming that all plan payments are made in a timely manner, the homeowner may catch up the past due mortgage payments over the 3-5 years of the repayment plan, or may discover that he is eligible to refinance the property after a period of repayment.
Filing Chapter 13 Bankruptcy
Generally, a homeowner can file a Chapter 13 bankruptcy to stop a mortgage foreclosure if the homeowner:
- Is employed or has another regular source of income
- Has sufficient income to make Chapter 13 plan payments as well as all current mortgage payments and living expenses
- Does not have debts in excess of the statutory caps for Chapter 13 bankruptcy
A local bankruptcy lawyer in your area can help you assess whether Chapter 13 bankruptcy is the right option for you, and can help you structure a repayment plan that works for you and your creditors.
