Advantages and Disadvantages of Chapter 7 Bankruptcy
By FindLaw Staff | Legally reviewed by Maddy Teka, Esq. | Last reviewed April 27, 2021
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There's no question that deciding whether to declare bankruptcy is very difficult. It affects your future credit, your reputation, and your self-image.
It can also improve your short-term quality of life considerably, as the calls and letters stop. Taken as a whole, it's a difficult process with both advantages and disadvantages.
Chapter 7 bankruptcy, in particular, will damage your credit for a little while but also may provide much-needed relief and a roadmap for getting your financial house back in order.
Pros and Cons of Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Protection
The following list of Chapter 7 bankruptcy advantages and disadvantages will help you decide the best option for your needs.
Disadvantages of Chapter 7 |
Advantages of Chapter 7 |
| A Chapter 7 bankruptcy can remain on your credit report for up to 10 years | Although a bankruptcy stays on your record for years, the time to complete the bankruptcy process under Chapter 7, from filing to relief from debt, takes only about 3-6 months. If you decide against Chapter 7 when it may be the right decision for you, your missed debt payments, defaults, repossessions, and lawsuits will also hurt your credit and may be more complicated to explain to a future lender than bankruptcy. |
| You'll lose property that you own that is not exempt from sale by the bankruptcy trustee. You may lose some of your luxury possessions. | Most state exemptions allow you enough so that most things you own will be exempt from bankruptcy, sometimes allowing more coverage to keep your property than you need. Additionally, you'll get to keep the salary or wages you earn and the property you buy after you file for Chapter 7. |
| You'll lose all your credit cards | You may also be able to obtain new lines of credit within one to three years of filing bankruptcy, although at a much higher interest rate. |
| Bankruptcy will make it nearly impossible to get a mortgage if you don't already have one | Some lenders specialize in lending and home buying for people after bankruptcy |
| Declaring bankruptcy now might make it harder to do later if something worse comes along. For instance, if you complete the bankruptcy process under Chapter 7, you can't file for another Chapter 7 bankruptcy for six years. The six years is counted from the date you last filed for bankruptcy. | You can only file under Chapter 7 once every six years, but you can always get a Chapter 13 plan if there's another disaster before you're entitled to file for Chapter 7 again. You may file for a Chapter 13 plan repeatedly, although each filing appears on your credit record. |
| Bankruptcy won't relieve you of your obligations to pay alimony and/or child support | Bankruptcy will alleviate many of your other financial obligations, but only a family court order can suspend alimony and child support obligations. |
| Bankruptcy won't get rid of your student loan debt | Bankruptcy will prevent your lenders from aggressive collection action |
| You can't file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy if you previously went through bankruptcy proceedings under Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 within the last six years. | If you obtained a Chapter 13 discharge in good faith after paying at least 70% of your unsecured debts, the six-year bar does not apply. |
You could not file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy if a previous Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 case was dismissed within the past 180 days because:
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You can avoid these harsh limitations against refiling for bankruptcy by observing all court orders and court rules and not asking to have your case dismissed when a creditor asks for relief from the stay. Even if these limitations apply to you, they don't last forever. You're only prevented from refiling for six months. |
| You may still be obligated to pay some of your debts, such as a mortgage lien, even after completing bankruptcy proceedings. | If you don't owe money on the type of debts that survive bankruptcy, the amount and number of debts that a bankruptcy court can relieve you from paying are potentially unlimited. |
| If you file for Chapter 7 relief, but you have a certain amount of disposable income, the bankruptcy court could convert your Chapter 7 case to a Chapter 13, thus changing your plan to be free from most debts within four to six months, to a plan requiring you to repay your debts over the course of three to five years. | Chapter 7 doesn't require that you have debts of any particular amount to file for relief. However, even if your case gets converted to Chapter 13, it can still improve your financial situation by obtaining more favorable terms to pay off your debts. With Chapter 13, you get to keep all of your property as well. |
Have an Attorney Guide You Through the Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Process
The choice to seek bankruptcy involves many complicated considerations, while there are advantages and disadvantages of Chapter 7.
You'll want to consider whether you can avoid bankruptcy altogether or how to preserve valuable assets if a bankruptcy is essential.
Contact a local bankruptcy attorney who can discuss ways the law can help you address your financial troubles.