People often opt for bankruptcy to get control over the spiraling debts they have accumulated over a period. While in case of Chapter 7, your non-exempt property is liquidated to pay off your creditors and any remaining unsecured debts are discharged; Chapter 13 helps you to reorganize your debts and make payments towards them over a period of 3 to 5-years’ time. Your unsecured nonpriority debts are paid off through the repayment plan and any subsequent debts are discharged at the end of the period. Los Angeles based bankruptcy law firm Recovery Law Group, lawyers inform that there are certain nonpriority, unsecured debts which are not discharged even after bankruptcy. To know more about your case, and debts remaining after bankruptcy call 888-297-6023.
Some of the debts which can survive Chapter 13 bankruptcy include:
Domestic support obligations
This debt is compulsory and cannot be discharged, neither in Chapter 7 not in Chapter 13 bankruptcy. You must ensure that you make 100% repayment on child and ex-spouse support during the course of your repayment plan and even after that.
Criminal penalties
Any fines you owe due to any convictions for crimes you committed (including traffic ticket) cannot be discharged, even in case of Chapter 13 bankruptcy.
Fines owed to government agencies
Any fines that you owe the government, or you have been subjected to penalty, such debts are not discharged. However, in case the government agency calculates the fine due to you being overpaid benefits or your failure to inform about the income, then the amount overpaid is dischargeable like unsecured debts. The fine itself is not dischargeable.
Certain taxes
Income tax debts which were due within the 3-year period prior to bankruptcy filing date are priority debts which do not get discharged even if your bankruptcy ends abruptly. Any tax debts which remain post ending of your bankruptcy need to be paid outside of bankruptcy. Alternately, you could get your Chapter 13 bankruptcy converted to Chapter 7.
Debts due to DUI
DUI is a punishable offense. In case you injure or cause the death of any person while driving under influence, the debts so arising are not dischargeable. It is important to remember that any debts arising due to personal injuries caused due to drunk driving are not dischargeable, but any property damage caused due to driving under influence is dischargeable.
Debts due to willful or malicious intent
Debts arising due to any willful and malicious act which results in personal injury are non-dischargeable. In case a creditor obtains a judgment in civil court against you, the debts won’t be discharged. Unlike Chapter 7 bankruptcy, which discharges reckless driving debts, Chapter 13 does not allow this. However, Chapter 13 includes debts arising due to personal injury or death only, and not damage to personal property, as is the case with Chapter 7.
Student loan
Unless you can prove substantial hardship, student loans do not get discharged during bankruptcy. However, you might get a discharge on the interest on student loans in some cases but not on the principal amount.
Fraudulent loan
Any debt obtained due to theft or fraud cannot be discharged during Chapter 13 bankruptcy California. Such debts are only discharged if the creditor is unable to establish the fraud in bankruptcy court.
Creditors you forgot to list
When you file for bankruptcy, you are required to list all your debts and creditors on the papers. The court then uses this comprehensive list to contact your creditors to inform them of your bankruptcy. If the creditor is aware of your debts and the debt is dischargeable, then the debt will be discharged. However, in case any creditor is not listed on bankruptcy papers or has shifted residence and gets no notice of your bankruptcy, those debts will survive bankruptcy.