Yes, and a pending lawsuit is one of the best reasons to file. Chapter 7 can stop a collection suit or a garnishment immediately.
Author Archives: David M. Siegel
Yes. The automatic stay ends collection calls the moment you file, and under federal law they should stop even earlier, once you hire an attorney.
Medical bills are the easiest debt of all to discharge. A Chicago bankruptcy attorney explains how they are handled in Chapter 7 and Chapter 13.
Yes. Credit card debt is the most common debt discharged in Chapter 7 and one of the easiest. A Chicago bankruptcy attorney on how it works and what it costs.
Most of what people owe can be wiped out: credit cards, medical bills, personal loans, utilities, repossession and foreclosure deficiencies. A Chicago attorney on what survives.
Bankruptcy is an economic tool written into the Constitution, not a personal failing. A Chicago bankruptcy attorney on why the shame is the biggest obstacle.
Chapter 7 eliminates debt fast. Chapter 13 repays it over three to five years to save a home or car. A Chicago bankruptcy attorney explains which fits which situation.
Most gainfully employed people with no money left at month end qualify for Chapter 7. How the Illinois median income test works, from a Chicago bankruptcy attorney.
In most cases, no. How the Illinois homestead exemption — now $50,000 per owner as of 2026 — decides whether Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 protects your home.
In most cases you keep the car and keep paying. How reaffirmation works and how the Illinois motor vehicle exemption applies to a paid-off vehicle.