Personal Bankruptcy Laws For Dummies

by James P. Caher, John M. Caher

With tips on understanding -- and surviving -- the new bankruptcy laws If you're considering bankruptcy, you need straightforward answers and reliable advice. This handy guide covers it all -- so you can get your finances in line and your life back on track. This updated new edition covers everything you need to know about the new bankruptcy law and includes even better resources. Don't get desperate -- get out of debt instead! Discover how to * Weigh the consequences of bankruptcy * Manage your spending * Find professional help you can trust * Decide on the right type of bankruptcy * Pass the means test * Keep more of your stuff

486 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 1, 2005

About the author

James P. Caher, a practicing attorney with 30 years of experience, is a nationally recognized expert on consumer bankruptcies and authority on the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005. Jim coauthored, with his brother John M. Caher, Debt Free! Your Guide to Personal Bankruptcy Without Shame (Henry Holt, 1996) and two highly regarded books for lawyers: Discharging Marital Obligations in Bankruptcy (LRP, 1997) and Discharging Credit Card Debts in Bankruptcy (LRP, 1998). In addition, Jim has published scores of articles for bankruptcy professionals and is frequently called upon to analyze and interpret the complicated provisions of the 2005 bankruptcy law. He was labeled the “online guru” by a national legal weekly because of his regular appearances on the Internet as an expert analyst on bankruptcy law. Jim also serves on the editorial board of the American Bankruptcy Institute. Jim graduated from Niagara University and then earned his law degree from Memphis State University Law School, where he was a member of the Law Review and recipient of the American Jurisprudence Award for Excellence in the field of debtor-creditor relations. He filed his first consumer bankruptcy case shortly after graduating in 1975. Jim lives and practices in Eugene, Oregon.

Reviews

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Extremely useful, informative, and easy to read.

[Martica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Godsend

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bankruptcy lawyer James P. Caher and legal journalist John M. Caher wrote Personal Bankruptcy Laws for Dummies to help the average person going through bankruptcy in the United States. The book was published right after the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005 was passed. The book has a humorous tone and is strangely readable. The first section is an introduction to bankruptcy. Chapter 5 is on the Means Test. The means test was introduced by the law in 2005 to see if the debtor was abusing Chapter 7 bankruptcy. Caher and Caher guide the reader through Chapter 7, Chapter 12, and Chapter 13. They provide an excellent introduction to the different bankruptcy filing chapters for the average person. They also cover a little bit of Chapter 11. The second section is about how a person should avoid bankruptcy. The third section is on how a person can keep their belongings. The fourth section is on strategies to go through bankruptcy successfully. The fifth section concerns how a person can successfully manage their post-bankruptcy financial life. The last part covers common errors people make in bankruptcy and ten ways to avoid financial trouble. The chapter also covers “ten common questions” about bankruptcy (Caher & Caher 337-342). The book has an index. The book was an oddly readable and entertaining introduction to personal bankruptcy.