Personal Bankruptcy Laws For Dummies, 2nd Edition

Part I: Bankruptcy: The Big Picture 7

Chapter 1: Considering Bankruptcy 9

Chapter 2: Stopping the Bleeding 27

Chapter 3: Meeting the Players 47

Chapter 4: Deciding Which Type of Bankruptcy Is Best for You 57

Chapter 5: Confronting the Means Test 69

Chapter 6: Getting from Here to There: The Bankruptcy Process 91

Part II: Avoiding Bankruptcy 115

Chapter 7: Considering Alternatives to Bankruptcy 117

Chapter 8: Handling Bill Collectors 135

Chapter 9: Negotiating with the IRS 145

Part III: Keeping Your Stuff 153

Chapter 10: Understanding Which Assets Are Off Limits to Creditors 155

Chapter 11: Dealing with Secured Debts 173

Chapter 12: Saving Your Home 183

Part IV: Getting Rid of (Most of) Your Debt 199

Chapter 13: Lingering Obligations 201

Chapter 14: A House of Cards: Wiping Out Credit-Card Debts 215

Chapter 15: Give unto Caesar: Using Bankruptcy to Deal with Tax Debts 223

Chapter 16: The Devil Made Me Do It: Fines, Fraud, and Other Foibles 237

Chapter 17: Till Debt Due Us Part: Bankruptcy and Divorce 247

Chapter 18: Student Loans and Other Mind Games 257

Part V: Strategies for a Successful Bankruptcy 271

Chapter 19: Avoiding Troubles with Your Trustee 273

Chapter 20: Living on the Edge in Chapter 13 Bankruptcy 283

Part VI: Enjoying Your Fresh Start 305

Chapter 21: Repairing Your Credit 307

Chapter 22: Staying Out of Financial Trouble 319

Part VII: The Part of Tens 327

Chapter 23: Ten Common Bankruptcy Mistakes 329

Chapter 24: Ten Things You Can Do Right Now to Ease Your Financial Woes 333

Chapter 25: Ten Common Questions about Bankruptcy 337

Appendix: Homestead Exemption Laws 343

Index 347