Eligibility for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy
In order to be eligible for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, you must meet several criteria. Your income cannot be over a certain amount, and if it is, you must pass the "means test." In addition, the court will dismiss your case if you have filed a previous bankruptcy within a certain period of time, or if the court believes you are cheating your creditors. This article explains the situations in which you won't be eligible to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy.
Prior to 2005, the bankruptcy judge had the power to dismiss a Chapter 7 bankruptcy case if he or she thought the debtor had sufficient disposable income to fund a Chapter 13 repayment plan. There were no hard and fast rules dictating when a judge should dismiss a case on these grounds -- it depended on the facts of the case and the attitude of the judge.
Now, however, there are clear criteria that dictate who will be allowed to stay in Chapter 7 bankruptcy -- and who will be forced to use Chapter 13 bankruptcy if they want to file. Disabled veterans whose debts were incurred during active duty and people whose debts come primarily from the operation of a business get a fast pass to Chapter 7 bankruptcy.
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