Chapter 13 Success Rate Greater Than Credit Counseling Plans (2024)

Chapter 13 Success Rate Greater Than Credit Counseling Plans (1)

Do Chapter 13 payment plans really work? How many customers actually finish the plan and become debt free? How does it stack up to other options like consumer credit repayment plans? If you don’t know how likely a plan of action will succeed, how do you know what to do?

Historically, only one in three chapter 13 cases are completed nationwide. That is a pretty bad success rate in my opinion. Law professor Katherine Porter (@bankruptprof) wrote a provoking article about chapter 13 success rates in 2011 that basically called for an elimination of chapter 13 cases. Her study confirmed the dismal success rate of these cases.

Chapter 13 is a pretend solution. I use this term to mean a social program that does not work as intended but is not critiqued or reformed because its flaws are hidden.

That study always struck me as wrong. It seemed wrong because we were achieving a much higher success rate in Nebraska and in our firm’s cases. It seemed wrong because chapter 13 has so many advantages over chapter 7 that allow debtors to stop foreclosures, retain work vehicles and basically even the playing field against bigbill collectors.

So I began to review success rates of bankruptcy cases and other debt solutions. In reviewing the 283 Chapter 13 cases our firm filed in 2011, our clients obtained chapter 13 discharges in 198 of those cases. That is a 70% success rate! Chapter 7 success rates are even higher. Of the 321 chapter 7 cases our firm filed in 2011, clients received discharges in 320 cases. That is a 99% success rate.

Bankruptcy Judge Brian D. Lynch reports a similar success rate for cases filed in the bankruptcy court for thethe Western District of Washington. (See Measuring Success in Chapter 13) Another study by Ed Flynn of the American Bankruptcy Institute (Chapter 13 Revisited) revealed a nationwide chapter 13 completion rate of 50% for confirmed cases.

HOW DOES CHAPTER 13 STACK UP TO OTHER DEBT SOLUTIONS?

It is important to know the average success rate before starting a debt program. Here is what our studies indicate:

  • Chapter 7. Nationally, about 95% of chapter 7 cases complete successfully.
  • Chapter 13. It varies a lot from state to state and from law firm to law firm. Success rates vary from 40% to 70%.
  • Credit Counseling Payment Programs. This is a hard figure to track since the credit counseling industry does not publicly report their success rate. But industry insiders report success rates of 20% to 25%. (See this article: Does Credit Counseling Work?)
  • Debt Settlement. The “save-up-and-settle” programs are basically a scam with success rates well under 10%.
  • Dave Ramsey Debt SnowballPlan. There is absolutely no reliable information about the success rate of these programs. I would estimate that only about 1 in 3 of those folks who begin this program become debt free.

WHY DO SOME BANKRUPTCY FIRMS HAVE HIGHER SUCCESS RATES?

Success is no accident. Some attorneys just work harder at it and have a higher commitment rate to clients. In every chapter 13 case there comes a time when a client needs help. Clients get injured and they lose jobs or go through divorce and they face many other problems that can cause a payment plan to fail. Successful chapter 13 attorneys have many tools to help clients through temporary problems:

  • Motion to Suspend Payment. From time to time a debtor may ask the court to stop or reduce the bankruptcy payment if good cause exists.
  • Amended Plans. When income decreases due to lower paying jobs or expenses increase due to medical problems, the original plan may be amended to make the payment affordable. Skilled attorneys know how to adjust payments when circ*mstances change.
  • Home Loan Modifications.Chapter 13 can stop a home foreclosure and give a homeowner extra time to modify their home loan. When home loans are modified the monthly bankruptcy payment can belowered typically.
  • Referrals to Tax and other professionals. A good chapter 13 attorney can refer clients to other skilled professionals. Perhaps a client needs great accountant to prepare tax returns. Perhaps a good real estate agent is needed. Getting clients to the right professional help is key.
  • Understanding the Real Cause of Financial Problems. Money problems are often secondary. Listening to your client and helping guide them through difficult times can make a real difference.

Does chapter 13 work? The evidence is overwhelming. In the hands of a skilled attorney, chapter 13 is a very real debt solution.

Chapter 13 Success Rate Greater Than Credit Counseling Plans (2024)

FAQs

Chapter 13 Success Rate Greater Than Credit Counseling Plans? ›

A report from the American Bankruptcy Institute, shows that filing Chapter 13 bankruptcy with the help of an attorney has a more successful outcome than pursuing credit counseling. While results vary somewhat from state to state, between 40 percent to 70 percent of Chapter 13 cases complete repayment successfully.

What percentage of Chapter 13 plans fail? ›

Chapter 13 Has a Failure Rate of 67%

Well, to get a discharge of your debts, you need to complete a 3-5 year repayment plan. And most plans are 5 years long. Only at the end of the plan will the remainder of some debts be forgiven.

What is the success rate of credit counseling? ›

Credit counseling success rate

According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), only 21% of consumers successfully complete their debt management plans. This is because a slight interest rate reduction plus waiving over-limit fees and late charges won't help if the debt is overwhelming.

Why do most Chapter 13 bankruptcies fail? ›

In summary, a Chapter 13 bankruptcy can fail for lots of reasons. These could be inadequate repayment plans, failure to make plan payments, changes in your financial circ*mstances, failure to do those required courses, filing too soon after previous bankruptcy, and filing without legal representation.

What is the average credit score after Chapter 13 discharge? ›

The truth is that bankruptcy can definitely tank people's credit scores. But in most cases, these people already have a bad credit score because of how much debt they have. In fact, the average credit score after a bankruptcy discharge can vary between 400 and 530.

What is Chapter 13 success rate? ›

A report from the American Bankruptcy Institute, shows that filing Chapter 13 bankruptcy with the help of an attorney has a more successful outcome than pursuing credit counseling. While results vary somewhat from state to state, between 40 percent to 70 percent of Chapter 13 cases complete repayment successfully.

Is Chapter 13 ever denied? ›

The court may deny an individual debtor's discharge in a chapter 7 or 13 case if the debtor fails to complete "an instructional course concerning financial management." The Bankruptcy Code provides limited exceptions to the "financial management" requirement if the U.S. trustee or bankruptcy administrator determines ...

What is the average monthly payment for Chapter 13? ›

A Chapter 13 petition for bankruptcy will likely necessitate a $500 to $600 monthly payment, especially for debtors paying at least one automobile through the payment plan. However, since the bankruptcy court will consider a large number of factors, this estimate could vary greatly.

Does credit counseling actually help? ›

Under debt management plans credit counselors usually do not negotiate any reduction in the amounts you owe - instead, they can lower your overall monthly payment. They may do so by getting the creditor to increase the time period over which you can repay a loan. They may also get creditors to lower the interest rates.

What if my Chapter 13 payments are too high? ›

Typically, you'd file a modification motion with the court and serve it on the bankruptcy trustee and your creditors. In most cases, you'll obtain a hearing date, provide a written declaration as to why your plan payment should be reduced, and propose an amended Chapter 13 plan.

What would disqualify me from Chapter 13? ›

You may be disqualified if your payment is insufficient to meet the repayment requirements or demonstrate a reliable ability to repay. Our attorneys can assess your financial situation and recommend suitable alternatives.

What percentage of people complete Chapter 13? ›

Chapter 13. It varies a lot from state to state and from law firm to law firm. Success rates vary from 40% to 70%. Credit Counseling Payment Programs.

How far back does a trustee look at bank statements? ›

Trustees can look back at any transaction made within 90 days of a bankruptcy filing to see if it applies. Trustees can also look back at certain property transactions and payments to family or friends, a year before the filing.

How fast can you recover from Chapter 13? ›

The completed Chapter 13 bankruptcy, along with the accounts that were included in the program, should disappear from your credit reports about seven years after the filing date. Before the filing of this bankruptcy, the ineligible accounts would also be removed from the report at a sooner interval.

How much debt is too much for Chapter 13? ›

Any individual, even if self-employed or operating an unincorporated business, is eligible for chapter 13 relief as long as the individual's combined total secured and unsecured debts are less than $2,750,000 as of the date of filing for bankruptcy relief. 11 U.S.C. § 109(e).

How long after Chapter 13 will credit score increase? ›

In most instances after you file for Chapter 13 Bankruptcy your credit score will see impacts for up to 5 years. After your discharge from the Chapter 13 Bankruptcy, there will remain accounts. These accounts were current prior to the bankruptcy filing, for a period of up to 7 years.

What percentage of debt do you have to pay back in Chapter 13? ›

The Minimum Percentage of Debt Repayments In A Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Is 8 To 10 Percent.

What is the average Chapter 13 payment? ›

A Chapter 13 petition for bankruptcy will likely necessitate a $500 to $600 monthly payment, especially for debtors paying at least one automobile through the payment plan. However, since the bankruptcy court will consider a large number of factors, this estimate could vary greatly.

What happens after a Chapter 13 plan is confirmed? ›

After a Chapter 13 repayment plan is confirmed by the Court, you and your creditors are bound to the terms of the plan. You will continue making payments pursuant to the Chapter 13 repayment plan for the remainder of your Chapter 13 bankruptcy case (36 to 60 months).

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