Chapter 7 bankruptcy and the means test: What does it mean?

Chapter 7 bankruptcy (or “straight liquidation”) is the most common form of bankruptcy filing in New York and around the U.S.

Thanks to the “means test,” however, it’s slightly less frequently used than it used to be. That’s because the means test for Chapter 7 bankruptcy was essentially put in place by the credit industry in the 2005 bankruptcy law to be a speed bump intended to reduce the ability of people to seek bankruptcy protection.

The purpose of the means test is to figure out if you could pay a sufficient amount back to your unsecured creditors after expenses, exemptions, etc. have been subtracted out. If the calculations show that you would be able to do so, then you “fail” the means test and are not eligible to file for Chapter 7.

Of course, the means test is not really just a matter of doing some simple calculations. The key, just like with tax accounting, is figuring out what gets counted and how it gets characterized. And that’s where a good New York Chapter 7 bankruptcy attorney comes in handy.

If you have questions about Chapter 7 bankruptcy, or questions about the means test for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, please feel free to contact Bruce Weiner, an experienced New York bankruptcy attorney in Brooklyn, for a free initial consultation.

Bankruptcy, Brooklyn Bankruptcy, Chapter 13, Chapter 7, Eastern District of New York, Means Test, New York Bankruptcy, New York Bankruptcy Lawyer, Southern District of New York

Rosenberg, Musso & Weiner, L.L.P
26 Court St # 2211
Brooklyn, NY 11242, USA
718-855-6840
http://nybankruptcy.net/

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