Chapter 7 bankruptcy is a liquidation proceeding. The debtor turns over all non exempt property to the bankruptcy trustee, who then converts it to cash for distribution to the creditors. The debtor receives a discharge of all dischargeable debts.
To file a Chapter 7 bankruptcy:
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You must reside or have a domicile, a place of business, or property in the
United States or a municipality.
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You must not have been granted a Chapter 7 discharge within the last 6 years or
completed a Chapter 13 plan.
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You must not have had a bankruptcy filing dismissed for cause within the last
180 days.
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It must not be a "substantial abuse" of Chapter 7 to grant the debtor relief.
Generally speaking, if after you pay the monthly expenses for necessities there
is not enough money to pay the remaining monthly debts, then granting a
discharge would not be an abuse of Chapter 7.
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It would not be fundamentally unfair to grant the debtor relief under Chapter
7.
The most common reasons for consumer bankruptcy are:
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Unemployment
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Large medical expenses
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Seriously over extended credit
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Marital problems
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Large unexpected expenses