What Bankruptcy Can and Cannot Do for You.

What Can Bankruptcy Do for Me?

Bankruptcy may make it possible for you to:

· Eliminate the legal obligation to pay most or all of your debts. This called a "discharge" of debts. It is designed to give you a fresh financial start.

· Stop foreclosure on your house or mobile home and allow you an opportunity to catch up on missed payments. (Bankruptcy does not, however, automatically eliminate mortgages or other liens on your property without payment.)

· Prevent repossession of a car or other property, or force the creditor to return property even after it has been repossessed.

· Stop wage garnishment, debt collection harassment, and similar creditor actions to collect a debt.

· Restore or prevent termination of utility service.

· Allow you to challenge the claims of creditors who have committed fraud or who are otherwise trying to collect more than you really owe.

What Bankruptcy Cannot Do.

Bankruptcy cannot, however, cure every financial problem. Nor is it the right step for every individual. In bankruptcy, it is usually not possible to:

· Eliminate certain rights of "secured" creditors. A "secured" creditor has taken a mortgage or other lien on property as collateral for the loan.

Common examples are car loans and home mortgages. You can force secured creditors to take payments over time in the bankruptcy process and bankruptcy can eliminate your obligation to pay any additional money if your property is taken. Nevertheless, you generally cannot keep the collateral unless you continue to pay the debt.

· Discharge types of debts singled out by the bankruptcy law for special treatment, such as child support, alimony, and certain other debts related to divorce, some student loans, court restitution orders, criminal fines and some taxes.

· Protect cosigners on your debts. When a relative or friend has cosigned a loan, and the consumer discharges the loan in bankruptcy, the cosigner may still have to repay all or part of the loan.

· Discharge debts that arise after bankruptcy has been filed.