Compare Mortgage Quotes

Refinance Rates for Today

Please enable JavaScript for the best experience.

In the mean time, check out our refinance rates!

Company Loan Type APR Est. Pmt.

Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention Consumer Protection Act 2005

Anonymous
Posted on: 28th Jul, 2005 11:39 pm
The congress has passed the "Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005" this spring. It will be effective from October 17th, 2005. It has been enacted so that people cannot avoid paying their debts when they can at least pay a part of it. The major changes to this law are:
  • Means Test:
    These are tests performed to identify the ability of the debtor to clear their debts. This is done to find out whether a family is earning above the average income in their state. It is also found if the family has sufficient extra income to pay a part or whole of their debts.

  • Proof of Income:
    Debtors intending to file bankruptcy must provide the government with the most recent tax returns.

  • State Exemptions:
    A minimum of 2 years residency is needed to take advantage of state exceptions.

  • Counseling:
    Debtors need to go through a federally approved credit counseling program within six months before filing the bankruptcy.

  • Child support and alimony:
    Payments regarding child support and alimony have been given top priority when dividing excess income.
Related Article
Related References:
bankruptcy abuse prevention and consumer protection act, 2005 - benefited to the lenders and creditors

the bankruptcy abuse prevention and protection act of 2005 will be of great help to creditors since it will check that they get back at least a part of what they have offered as credit. there has been the trend that debtors have filed bankruptcy even when they could have gone for credit counseling and paid back a portion of their credit. thus creditors have suffered huge losses by offering credit to such debtors.

the new law states that debtors having income below the median level may not have to repay their debts but those above that should try their level best to repay as much as they can. otherwise creditors will be suffering from huge losses. the new law will require any debtor to qualify through the means test before filing bankruptcy. moreover credit card holders will be informed by credit card companies as to what they should pay upfront and what can be the penalty for making late payments.

the law will help creditor by not allowing abusive debtors to file a bankruptcy unless 8 years have passed since their first filing. creditors will benefit since the law ensures that debtors must pay about 60% or more of their debts by credit counseling plans.
Posted on: 06th Aug, 2005 02:07 am
I am in heavy debt, not paid my bills in time and have to repay credit card bills as well as mortgage on my home. I am thinking of filing bankruptcy. But I have heard of a new law coming into effect. Will it affect me anyway?
Posted on: 08th Aug, 2005 09:22 pm
Hi Denny
Welcome to MortgageFit forum.

It seems that you are in serious debt but under the new law it will not be so easy to file bankruptcy. You will have to undergo Means Test to qualify for bankruptcy. If you had filed bankruptcy previously, you will have to wait for 8 years before you proceed to file again.

Moreover the new regulations will require a debtor having income higher than the median level and having an ability to pay at least $6000 over a period of 5 years($100 per month) to file under bankruptcy code for chapter 13. In case your income is less than the median level, you may not have to pay your debts.

Under the new law, a debtor will have to go through credit-counseling plan within 180 days before filing the application for bankruptcy. These credit counseling services see that debtors can pay at least 60% or more of their debts so that they don't have to file bankruptcy. A credit counseling plan will help you to repay debts within 3 to 5 years which is not possible with the original debt. So I would advise that you go for a credit counseling program but beware of unscrupulous credit counselors.

It is better that you look for a for a credit counselor who offers a variety of services like budget counseling savings- and debt-management classes. You should also avoid organizations that develop a debt management plan without any analysis of your financial status.

Hope this information will be helpful to you.

Please feel free to post further queries.

Regards,
Jessica.
Posted on: 08th Aug, 2005 10:34 pm
how to determine whether a debtor can file chapter 7 or chapter 13 bankruptcy?

the reformed bankruptcy abuse prevention and protection act, 2005 refers to a means test which helps to determine whether a debtor can get rid off some or all of his debts. it analyzes the debtor's income and necessary deductions as per the rules of internal revenue service. it further finds out whether a debtor should file for chapter 7 through which he can wipe out all unsecured debts and chapter 13 bankruptcy by which he should follow a repayment plan to clear off as much debt as possible. it is necessary that a debtor qualifies through the means test before filing bankruptcy.

according to the means test, if a debtor has more than $100 a month after paying approved expenses (no cell phones, no movies and no restaurant meals), he will have to file chapter 13 bankruptcy. even if he has less than $100, he may have to file chapter 13 bankruptcy provided he has paid 25% of his credit card balances over 5 years.

the internal revenue service has put forward some living expense standards which help to determine which bankruptcy a debtor should file.

under the means test, the current monthly income of a debtor includes income from any source whether or not taxable. the income also includes any amount paid by an individual other than the debtor (or his spouse in any joint case) for daily household expenses. it does not include benefits under the "social security act."

the means test calculates deductions from the current monthly income to find out the debtor's applicable monthly expenses as per the national and local standards and his actual monthly expenses for the categories as other necessary expenses issued by internal revenue service for the debtor's locality.
Posted on: 11th Aug, 2005 02:03 am
How does the reformed bankruptcy law affect retirement savings?

The reformed bankruptcy law places a limit on the amount of savings in an individual retirement account (IRA) or 401(k) plan account that can be protected from creditors in case a bankruptcy is filed. The current law allows one to protect the entire amount in a 401(k) plan account in such a case. Individual retirement accounts were treated in the same manner under the current law.

But the reformed bankruptcy law will not allow creditors to take hold of the first $1 million saved in an individual retirement account. Any amount over that limit is not protected from creditors. But if a debtor has recently changed jobs and rolled his 401(k) plan account into an IRA, then the creditors cannot access those funds.
Posted on: 15th Aug, 2005 01:53 am
What if a borrower cannot pay anything, then how this law comes into this situation.
Posted on: 16th Aug, 2005 11:24 pm
Posted on: 17th Aug, 2005 05:08 am
Deductions for housing expenses - utility and mortgage expenses

Under the reformed Bankruptcy Law, the Means Test calculates deductions that consider the applicable allowance provided by the IRS national Standards for food, clothing and household supplies which is offered with respect to their income and household size.

The IRS Local standards provide separate deductions for housing, utilities based on the family size. These deductions however vary from one state to another. There are two kinds of category used by the IRS Local standards for deductions related to housing and utilities. The first one separates the monthly expenses into two components - utilities/maintenance component and mortgage/rental expense component. The utilities component is a simple allowance whereas the mortgage expense component includes debt payment. Debtors are allowed to deduct from the allowance for mortgage expense the monthly mortgage payment with principal and interest up to the entire amount set by the Internal Revenue Service towards the mortgage/rental expense.

The second category involves a single allowance for the mortgage payments or rental expenses as well as expenses for utilities, insurance and maintenance of the housing. Since this allowance includes debt payment, therefore debtors are asked not to include their mortgage expenses to the limit covered by the IRS allowance. However these deductions are determined mainly by judicial decisions.
Posted on: 29th Aug, 2005 11:11 pm
need to know how much time I need
Posted on: 13th Jan, 2009 11:52 am
Hey Julianne,

Your question is not clear to me. Can you explain it?
Posted on: 13th Jan, 2009 11:07 pm
If my father in law files a BK and he wants to include the 2nd mortgage and keep the first, does he have to return belongings such as his means of transportation that he pays on? Or can he keep those but work out a pymt plan? My mother in law passed away and she was a chunk of income that contributed to some of the material items my father in law has that he is paying on and has put him behind on his mortgage. Can he include a 2nd mortgage in a Chapter 13 and repay on a first?
Posted on: 09th May, 2009 04:52 pm
Hi Erika!

Welcome to the forums!

As he is filing Chapter 13, he will be able to save the property. Once his bankruptcy is discharged, the lenders would give him a repayment plan depending upon his financial situation. He will have to repay the loan within 3-5 years.

Sussane
Posted on: 10th May, 2009 10:21 pm
Hi,

Under the new law, bankruptcy judges can write off some of the principal on troubled mortgages in addition to other loan modification measures. This move, according to President Barack Obama, is a crucial step towards the housing plan that the administration released last week.
Posted on: 11th May, 2009 12:58 am
can i file for bankrupcy after the auction date? i understand that after the auction date comes a sale date. how does deed-in-lieu-of option affect foreclosure and credit thereafter?
Posted on: 10th Jun, 2009 02:33 pm
Hi larenzo!

Welcome to forums!

You can file bankruptcy once the foreclosure has been declared. If you do not want to file bankruptcy, you can go for the deed in lieu option. A deed in lieu will remain in your credit report for 7 years and will reduce your credit score by 250 points. However, you will not be liable to pay the deficient amount resulting from the sale of the property. The deficient amount will be forgiven.

Feel free to ask if you have further queries.

Sussane
Posted on: 10th Jun, 2009 11:07 pm
Page loaded in 0.144 seconds.