When you file for Chapter 13 bankruptcy, your debts will be restructured into a three to five-year repayment plan that fits your income and financial situation. For those with incomes too high to pass the Means Test or who wish to hold on to most of their nonexempt properties, Chapter 13 is a highly effective way to resolve debts and get a fresh financial start. Organizing your documents, files, forms, and information into a structured repayment plan proposal that the court will accept is a difficult task to manage without the help of a trained bankruptcy professional. Behm Law Group, Ltd. offers the legal support and assistance you need to file a strong case for Chapter 13 bankruptcy in Luverne, MN.
After you propose a Chapter 13 repayment plan that’s accepted by the court, the bankruptcy trustee administering your case will collect monthly payments that may vary based on the disposable income information you provide. The amount you’ll be required to repay in your plan depends on your creditors and your disposable income. For example, you must fully repay your priority unsecured creditors, such as certain tax debts, child support debts, alimony and court fines, while your unsecured creditors only need to be paid much less as determined by several factors. Changes may be made to your plan depending on other claims, income, and financial gains or losses. To prevent your case from being dismissed within your three to five-year repayment period, continued communication with your attorney and the bankruptcy trustee is key.
You may also find yourself facing unforeseen circumstances that make it impossible for you to complete your Chapter 13 repayment plan.
If you find yourself in these circumstances, you may be eligible for the Hardship Discharge. This discharge works similarly to a discharge granted in a Chapter 7 bankruptcy case. You will no longer have to make a plan payment. Like in a Chapter 7 case, certain debts, including unsecured debts like medical bills, credit card debts, and more, are discharged. However, priority debts like tax debts, child support debts and alimony are not subject to the Hardship Discharge.
Eligibility: To be eligible for the Hardship Discharge, you have to prove your conditions render you unable to continue with your repayment plan. If you’ve failed to meet repayment requirements for more than a month due to burdens that are out of your control (“for which you should not justly be held accountable”), you have the chance to make your case for a hardship discharge. You improve your chances of the court granting you a Hardship Discharge if you can prove your circumstances are permanent (physical disability, for example) and if you’ve already repaid to your unsecured creditors what they would have received if you’d filed for Chapter 7.
For more information about the Hardship Discharge and filing for Chapter 13 bankruptcy in Luverne, MN, contact Behm Law Group, Ltd. at
