The guide series
The Bankruptcy Code was written for lawyers. This series translates it for everyone else: what each chapter does, what the deadlines mean, what you can keep, and how the decisions actually get made. No legal vocabulary required, and no judgment. Just clear information so you can think straight about your options.
142 guides and growing. General information, not legal advice about your situation.
Florida contractors facing debts from unlicensed or disputed work may find relief in bankruptcy. Learn how Chapter 7, 13, and Subchapter V apply to your situation.
Florida owner-operators drowning in fuel card and factoring debt have bankruptcy options. Learn how Chapter 7, 13, and Subchapter V may help.
South Florida restaurant owners facing PPP loan clawbacks have options. Learn how Chapter 11 Subchapter V and other paths may help your business get a fresh start.
South Florida salon booth renters and 1099 contractors face unique debt challenges. Learn how bankruptcy options may help you get a fresh start.
Took a 401(k) hardship withdrawal after a hurricane? Learn how Florida bankruptcy may help with the resulting tax debt and what to expect.
South Florida's seasonal tourism workers often struggle with the Chapter 7 means test. Learn how income averaging works and what your options may be.
Florida gig delivery drivers facing vehicle debt and uneven income can find real options in bankruptcy. Learn how Chapter 7 and 13 may help.
Hurricane damage can leave South Florida landlords buried in mortgage debt. Learn how Chapter 7, 13, and 11 bankruptcy may help.
South Florida condo owners facing post-hurricane special assessments may find relief in bankruptcy. Learn what can be discharged and what cannot.
Florida HOA liens can threaten your home. Learn how HOA super-lien priority works and how Chapter 13 bankruptcy may help South Florida homeowners catch up.
Learn how Chapter 7 discharge affects timeshare deficiency claims in Florida, what the automatic stay does, and what filers in South Florida should generally know.
Struggling with an SBA disaster loan after a Florida hurricane? Learn how repayment plans, Chapter 7, and Chapter 13 bankruptcy may help you move forward.
Learn how South Florida restaurant owners can reject equipment leases in bankruptcy, what the process involves, and what happens to the debt left behind.
Have an open general liability insurance claim and considering bankruptcy? Learn how Florida bankruptcy law treats pending claims, proceeds, and your duties.
Filing bankruptcy triggers the automatic stay, which can pause a condo association foreclosure in Florida. Learn how long the delay lasts under Chapter 7 and 13.
Learn what happens at a Chapter 13 confirmation hearing in South Florida's federal courts, from plan requirements to common objections and what filers can expect.
Learn where and how 341 meetings of creditors happen in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach divisions of the Southern District of Florida.
Worried bankruptcy will cost you your CDL or trucking authority in Florida? Learn how Chapter 7, 13, and Sub V actually affect professional drivers and carriers.
Florida booth-renting stylists face unique bankruptcy questions. Learn how Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 work for independent salon renters in South Florida.
Food truck owners in South Florida facing debt have real options. Learn how Chapter 7, Chapter 13, and Subchapter V bankruptcy can help.
Learn how Florida law and the Bankruptcy Code protect Roth IRA accounts from creditors, and what limits apply when you file Chapter 7 or Chapter 13.
Learn how Chapter 13 bankruptcy handles 401(k) loan repayments in South Florida, what the courts allow, and how your retirement savings may be protected.
A Chapter 7 discharge wipes out your personal timeshare debt, but the lien may survive. Learn how Florida timeshare foreclosure works after bankruptcy.
If a hurricane damaged your Florida home and you're considering bankruptcy, learn how insurance payouts are treated, what exemptions may apply, and what to expect.
Learn how HOA liens are treated in a Florida Chapter 13 repayment plan, including lien priority, arrears, and what homeowners in Miami need to know.
Florida physicians and medical practice owners have several bankruptcy paths available. Learn how Chapter 7, 13, and Subchapter V Chapter 11 may apply.
Inherited IRAs get different treatment in bankruptcy than your own retirement accounts. Learn how Florida law handles them and what filers should know.
Gig workers and seasonal earners in Florida can file Chapter 13 bankruptcy. Learn how courts calculate plan payments when income changes month to month.
Learn the local rules, key deadlines, and court procedures in the Southern District of Florida bankruptcy court to help your case move forward smoothly.
Learn how bankruptcy trustees differ across Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach divisions of the Southern District of Florida.
Find out who controls your homeowner insurance claim check during a Chapter 13 bankruptcy in Florida and what steps protect your home and your case.
Florida general contractors facing debt often wonder what bankruptcy does to mechanics liens. Learn how Chapter 7, 13, and Subchapter V affect lien rights.
Florida restaurant owners struggling with payroll tax debt have options in bankruptcy. Learn what can be discharged, what cannot, and which chapter may help.
Florida salon owners struggling with debt may find relief through Subchapter V Chapter 11. Learn how this streamlined process works, step by step.
Filing bankruptcy in Florida doesn't erase all HOA and condo dues. Learn which assessments survive discharge and who is responsible after filing.
Took an early 401(k) withdrawal and now owe the IRS? Learn how bankruptcy handles that tax debt in Florida and what filers in Miami need to know.
Struggling with SBA disaster loan debt from Hurricane Ian or Helene? Learn how Florida bankruptcy options may help you find a fresh start after the storm.
Learn how Florida Chapter 7 filers can surrender a timeshare and discharge ongoing maintenance fees. Plain-English guide for South Florida residents.
A bankruptcy discharge wipes out personal liability for HOA debt, but Florida law still lets your HOA foreclose on unpaid assessments. Learn what that means for you.
¿Tienes deudas en Florida y no sabes qué hacer? Esta guía básica en español explica los capítulos de bancarrota, las exenciones de Florida y cómo funciona el proceso.
If your income rises and falls with the seasons, the bankruptcy means test can feel confusing. Learn how Florida handles seasonal income in Chapter 7 and 13.
Florida landscaping and pool service owners facing debt can use Chapter 7, 13, or Subchapter V Chapter 11. Learn how each option works.
Florida Airbnb hosts facing debt have unique bankruptcy concerns. Learn how rental income, exemptions, and Chapter 7 or 13 apply to short-term rental hosts.
Wondering what happens to your boat or jet ski loan in a Florida bankruptcy? Learn how Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 handle watercraft debt in plain English.
Solar panels add value but also debt. Learn how Florida bankruptcy handles solar loans, leases, and liens on your home before you file.
Thinking about filing bankruptcy in West Palm Beach, FL? Learn about the 341 meeting, Florida exemptions, and how the Southern District court works.
Thinking about bankruptcy in Fort Lauderdale? Learn how the Southern District court works, what happens at the 341 meeting, and what Florida exemptions protect.
Learn what happens step by step when you file bankruptcy in Miami's Southern District of Florida, from the 341 meeting to discharge.
Learn how bankruptcy handles apartment leases in Florida, including how to reject a lease, what landlords can collect, and what happens to unpaid rent.
Struggling with an SBA or EIDL loan in Florida? Learn how bankruptcy may address these debts, including personal liability and the automatic stay.
Trapped by a high-interest car title loan in Florida? Learn how bankruptcy may help, what protections exist, and how the automatic stay works.
Credit union cross-collateral clauses can trap borrowers in Florida. Learn how these clauses work and what bankruptcy filers in Miami should know.
Florida homeowners struggling with PACE loan debt have options. Learn how bankruptcy may help manage PACE assessments and protect your home in South Florida.
Florida fishing charter and marine business owners facing debt have options. Learn how Chapter 7, 13, and Subchapter V can help rebuild your financial footing.
Florida contractors and tradespeople facing debt can use Chapter 7, 13, or Subchapter V. Learn how each option works and what exemptions protect your tools and home.
Florida salon and spa owners facing debt have real options. Learn how Chapter 7, 13, and Subchapter V bankruptcy work for small beauty businesses.
Florida trucking owner-operators facing crushing debt have real options. Learn how Chapter 7, 13, and Subchapter V bankruptcy can help protect your rig and restart.
Find out how Florida bankruptcy affects insurance claims, what proceeds may be exempt, and what filers in Miami and South Florida need to know.
Have a 401(k) loan and thinking about bankruptcy in Florida? Learn how these loans are treated in Chapter 7 and Chapter 13, and what happens to your retirement savings.
Struggling with timeshare debt in Florida? Learn how Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy may help you escape maintenance fees and loan obligations.
Florida storm damage can leave homeowners buried in repair debt. Learn how Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy may help you find a fresh start.
Struggling with a condo special assessment in South Florida? Learn how Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy may help you manage this debt.
When one business partner files personal bankruptcy, it affects the company and co-owners. Learn what happens to LLC interests and personally signed debts.
A side-by-side timeline of Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy in Florida: every major deadline from the day of filing to discharge, and what the difference in duration buys.
Debt relief scams target desperate people with assurances real help never makes. The warning signs, the rules legitimate companies follow, and how to verify.
Your bankruptcy discharge does not protect your cosigner. Learn how Chapter 7 exposes cosigners, how the Chapter 13 codebtor stay shields them, and options.
How often can you file bankruptcy? Learn the 8-year, 4-year, and 2-year waiting periods between chapters, and what filing without a discharge can still do.
A month-by-month plan to rebuild credit in the year after bankruptcy: report cleanup, secured card, credit builder loan, utilization, and score checkpoints.
How an emergency or skeleton bankruptcy filing works: the minimum documents that trigger the automatic stay, the 14-day deadline to complete the case, and the risks.
Gig workers for Uber, DoorDash, and Instacart can file bankruptcy. Learn how 1099 income works on the means test and how to protect the car that you drive.
Collection calls can be stopped, sometimes today. Your rights under the FDCPA and Florida law, how cease letters work, and what the automatic stay shuts down.
Credit card debt is fully dischargeable in bankruptcy, with narrow exceptions for fraud and recent splurges. See how the process works from filing to zero.
Court filing fees for Chapter 7, 13, and 11, paying in installments, who qualifies for a Chapter 7 fee waiver, and the other case costs to budget for.
A wholly unsecured second mortgage may be removed through a Chapter 13 lien strip in Florida. Learn the home value test, the steps involved, and the catch.
Card offers arrive surprisingly fast after discharge. Learn how secured cards rebuild credit, which fee-heavy offers to refuse, and how to use the first card.
How conversion works when a bankruptcy case changes chapters: Chapter 13 to 7 after a job loss, Chapter 7 to 13 to save a home, and the rules that govern the switch.
Medical bills are fully dischargeable unsecured debt with no dollar limit. Learn how bankruptcy clears hospital and doctor bills and what to time carefully.
Social Security is exempt in bankruptcy. Learn how Florida seniors can handle medical bills and credit cards while keeping benefits, homes, and retirement.
Walk into your first bankruptcy consultation prepared. The full document checklist: pay stubs, tax returns, debts, property records, and what to flag early.
Child support and alimony survive every bankruptcy, but filing can still help you afford them. See how each chapter treats support debts and back arrears.
A discharged bankruptcy erases qualifying debts. A dismissed one returns you to where you started, sometimes with fewer protections. The difference, and the refiling rules, explained.
Bankruptcy can stop lawsuits, wage garnishments, and judgment collection in Florida. Learn what the automatic stay covers and how judgment liens get handled.
How car loans work during and after bankruptcy: reaffirmation, redemption, when you can finance again, realistic rates, and the dealer traps to step around.
How redemption under 11 U.S.C. § 722 works in Chapter 7: pay the lender the property's current value in a lump sum, keep it lien-free, and discharge the rest.
Older income taxes can be discharged in bankruptcy if they pass the 3-year, 2-year, and 240-day tests. Learn which IRS debts qualify and which never do.
You do not need to be a US citizen to file bankruptcy in Florida. Learn what documents are required, how ITINs work, and what to discuss with counsel first.
What a reaffirmation agreement does in Chapter 7, the deadlines and court approval rules, the 60-day rescission right, and the alternatives before you sign one.
Married couples can file bankruptcy jointly or one spouse can file alone. How joint debts, Florida property rules, and the means test shape the decision.
Student loans can be discharged in bankruptcy only by proving undue hardship. See how the 2026 process works, the Brunner test, and what filers can expect.
Should you file bankruptcy before or after your divorce in Florida? Learn how timing affects court costs, the means test, support debts, and settlements.
What the bankruptcy discharge actually is, which debts it erases, which debts survive, when it arrives in Chapter 7 and Chapter 13, and the time bars between cases.
Homeownership after bankruptcy is a timeline, not a fantasy. FHA loans around 2 years after Chapter 7, conventional around 4. Here is the full roadmap.
Some debts outrank all others in bankruptcy. Learn which debts get priority status, why most survive discharge, and how Chapter 13 must pay them in full.
Florida opted out of federal bankruptcy exemptions, so Florida filers must use state exemptions. What that means for your home, car, wages, and savings.
An inheritance within 180 days of filing bankruptcy becomes estate property. Learn the disclosure rules, the Chapter 13 difference, and timing questions.
The roles of the Chapter 7 panel trustee, Chapter 13 standing trustee, Subchapter V trustee, and the U.S. Trustee, explained in plain English for Florida filers.
A practical step-by-step plan for rebuilding credit after bankruptcy discharge: report cleanup, secured cards, utilization, and the habits that move scores.
What the bankruptcy schedules and Statement of Financial Affairs actually ask, why they are due 14 days after the petition, and why accuracy decides how smooth your case goes.
Your bankruptcy discharge is the starting line, not the finish. A 90-day plan for paperwork, credit report cleanup, budgeting, and your first rebuild steps.
How HOA and condo dues work in Florida bankruptcy: which dues can be discharged, which keep accruing, and how Chapter 13 stops an association foreclosure.
Chapter 7 stays on credit reports for 10 years and Chapter 13 for 7 years, but scores often start recovering sooner. Here is what to expect, year by year.
You can legally file bankruptcy without a lawyer, but pro se cases fail far more often. Here are the specific mistakes that sink them and what they cost.
The post-filing debtor education course explained: the 60-day deadline after the 341 meeting, what the course covers, and what happens if you skip it.
Bankruptcy is powerful but not always the right move. Learn seven situations where waiting, negotiating, or doing nothing may serve you better than filing.
Every bankruptcy filer must complete credit counseling from an approved agency within 180 days before filing. What the course covers, what it costs, and the narrow exceptions.
Self-employed in Florida? Learn how the bankruptcy means test counts your income, what records you need, and how to document your earnings without pay stubs.
Surrendering a house or car in bankruptcy lets you walk away and discharge the leftover balance. Learn how surrender works in Florida and what to expect.
How the automatic stay under 11 U.S.C. § 362 works: what collection activity stops immediately, the exceptions, repeat-filer limits, and what happens if a creditor violates it.
Parent PLUS and cosigned student loans rarely vanish in bankruptcy. Learn the undue hardship test, the Chapter 13 codebtor stay, and the realistic options.
Bankruptcy is a public record, but almost nobody searches it. Here is who gets notified, who can look it up, and who realistically never learns you filed.
Most Florida filers keep their cars. Compare your four options in bankruptcy: reaffirmation, redemption, surrender, and Chapter 13 payment plans explained.
What to expect at the 341 meeting of creditors in a Florida bankruptcy: when it happens, who attends, the questions trustees ask, and how to prepare.
Crypto is property of your bankruptcy estate and must be disclosed. Learn how Bitcoin and other coins get valued, exempted, and what hiding them can risk.
A creditor froze your bank account in Florida? Learn which funds are exempt, how to claim them, and how filing bankruptcy stops levies and garnishments.
Facing repossession in Florida? Filing bankruptcy stops a repo the moment your case begins. Learn what happens if your car was already taken or sold at auction.
How to evaluate a Florida bankruptcy attorney: the questions to ask, fee structures explained, warning signs of volume mills, and what a good fit feels like.
How the Chapter 7 means test works in Florida: the median income figures effective April 1, 2026, the 6-month lookback, the expense step, and the business debt exception.
Secured debts have collateral, unsecured debts do not, and that single difference shapes everything in bankruptcy. Learn how each type is treated and why.
Bankruptcy can pause many Florida evictions, but timing decides everything. Learn the judgment-of-possession exception and what renters can and cannot stop.
401(k)s, pensions, and IRAs are generally protected in Florida bankruptcy. Learn how ERISA and state law shield retirement money and the mistakes to avoid.
Federal law bars employers from firing you solely for filing bankruptcy. Learn what 11 U.S.C. 525 protects, its limits, and whether your boss even finds out.
Chapter 7, 13, 11, or Subchapter V? A plain-English walkthrough of how the chapter decision actually gets made: income, assets, goals, and whether the debt is personal or business.
Florida's $4,000 wildcard exemption protects extra property in bankruptcy if you skip the homestead claim. Learn who qualifies and how filers stack it.
You can file bankruptcy without your spouse in Florida. Learn how household income, joint debts, and entireties property affect a case filed by one spouse.
Subchapter V of Chapter 11 explained: the $3,424,000 debt cap, the day 60 status conference, the day 90 plan deadline, and why small business owners keep control.
Debt consolidation rolls debts into one loan but does not shrink what you owe. See how it compares to bankruptcy on cost, risk, timing, and credit impact.
Your tax refund is part of the bankruptcy estate unless an exemption covers it. Learn how Florida filers protect refunds and why filing timing matters.
SSDI and SSI are protected in bankruptcy and excluded from the means test. Learn how Florida filers on disability can handle debt without risking benefits.
Chapter 11 bankruptcy explained in plain English: debtor in possession, first-day motions, the 120-day exclusivity period, disclosure statements, plan voting, and monthly operating reports.
Florida protects $1,000 of vehicle equity in bankruptcy, plus a possible $4,000 wildcard. See how the math works and what happens when equity runs higher.
Tax refunds, old tax debts, bonuses, and holiday spending all change bankruptcy outcomes. How the calendar affects your case and when timing beats speed.
Payday loans are usually dischargeable in bankruptcy. Learn how Florida filers stop the ACH withdrawals, end the rollover cycle, and handle recent advances.
Chapter 13 can stop a Florida foreclosure and spread missed mortgage payments over 3 to 5 years. See how the cure process works and what it takes to finish.
Florida bankruptcy costs explained: court filing fees, credit counseling courses, typical attorney fee ranges, payment plans, and what affects the price.
Chapter 13 bankruptcy in plain English: how the 3 to 5 year repayment plan works in Florida, who it fits, how it stops foreclosure, and what happens at the end.
Bankruptcy and debt settlement work very differently. Compare taxes on forgiven debt, lawsuit risk, credit impact, total cost, and timing in plain English.
Florida's homestead exemption can protect unlimited home value in bankruptcy. Learn the acreage limits, the 1,215-day rule, and how each chapter treats it.
Florida small business owners can use Chapter 7, Chapter 13, or Subchapter V to deal with crushing debt. Learn how each path works and which debts qualify.
Florida wage garnishment can take up to 25% of your pay, but filing bankruptcy stops it immediately. Learn the head-of-family exemption and how it works.
Filing bankruptcy in Florida triggers an automatic stay that stops a foreclosure sale right away. See how Chapter 13 lets you catch up on missed payments.
You will lose everything, ruin your credit forever, lose your job. None of it is true. Here are ten common bankruptcy myths corrected with the real facts.
Chapter 7 bankruptcy explained in plain English for Florida filers: how liquidation works, what the trustee does, the typical 4 to 6 month timeline, and what debts are wiped out.
Three minutes in the portal gives you a first read on which chapter could fit your situation. An attorney reviews everything before you pay a cent.
Free, confidential, no obligation. Se habla español. Court costs and filing fees may apply and are explained in writing before any case begins.