Manual para situaciones de catástrofe: sección 11, cuestiones sobre quiebra personal

The damages and dislocation caused by a disaster are expected to make some individuals think about filing bankruptcy. Below is a summary of certain applicable sections of the Bankruptcy Code and answers to common questions asked about bankruptcy. This outline is meant to only be a bankruptcy primer. It is not a substitute for seeking legal counsel.

El Código de Quiebras actual se promulgó en 1978 y se ha modificado periódicamente desde entonces. The most significant amendments to the Bankruptcy Code were implemented in 2005 by the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act (the BAPCPA). Any storm victim considering bankruptcy is advised to consult a qualified bankruptcy attorney. To the extent that state law is relevant, the emphasis is on Texas law.

• El proceso de quiebra y la decisión de declarar
• Requisitos previos u otros requisitos para la presentación
• El distrito federal para presentar
• Tipos de deudas que derivan en quiebra
• Tipos de bienes exentos en la quiebra
• Cómo el matrimonio, el divorcio y la manutención de niños afectan la quiebra
• La estancia automática

Hay cuatro capítulos diferentes del Código de Concursos y Quiebras de los Estados Unidos que afectan a las personas: Capítulo 7, Capítulo 11, Capítulo 12 y Capítulo 13. De estos, los Capítulos 7 y 13 son generalmente los más relevantes para las personas. El Subcapítulo V del Capítulo 11 es el más relevante para las personas que son propietarias de pequeñas empresas.

A. Capítulo 7

Un caso del Capítulo 7 a veces se denomina "liquidación". In any individual bankruptcy case, certain types of property that the debtor owns are exempt from creditors and will not be liquidated. En un caso del Capítulo 7, todos los bienes del deudor por los cuales el deudor no reclama o no puede reclamar una exención están sujetos a ser liquidados por el fiduciario del Capítulo 7, con las ganancias netas distribuidas para pagar los créditos de los acreedores. Sin embargo, en la mayoría de las presentaciones individuales, debido a las exenciones, el deudor conservará la mayor parte o la totalidad de sus bienes, y una vez que se complete el caso, la mayoría (y a veces todas) las deudas del deudor que existían antes de presentar la petición (ver el primer párrafo de la respuesta a la P. 11-1 a continuación) se "cancelan" (lo que hace ilegal que un acreedor las cobre).

Como se explica a continuación, la elegibilidad para el Capítulo 7 está sujeta a una “estimación de ingresos”, que requiere que los deudores que obtienen ingresos por encima de ciertos niveles presenten un caso del Capítulo 13. Esta sección de estos materiales contempla a los deudores que presentan solicitudes de quiebra voluntaria. However, Chapter 7 cases may also be involuntarily instituted by a debtor’s creditors. There are no limits on the amount of debt that an individual may have and still file a Chapter 7.

B. Capítulo 13

A Chapter 13 case is sometimes called a “reorganization.” In Chapter 13, a debtor who has regular income is required to follow a “plan” that obligates the debtor to pay some or all of their debts over a three to five year period. Chapter 13 is available only to an individual with regular income that owes, on the date of the filing of the petition, noncontingent, liquidated debts of less than $2,106,825 or an individual with regular income and such individual’s spouse (except a stockbroker or a commodity broker) that owe, on the date of the filing of the petition, noncontingent, liquidated debts that aggregate less than $2,106,825. 11 U.S.C. § 109(e)(1). (Under 11 U.S.C. § 104, the foregoing dollar figures are adjusted periodically; the figures provided throughout this section are current as of April 1, 2025.) A Chapter 13 case must be voluntary.

Como se indicó anteriormente, los deudores con ingresos por encima de cierto umbral (pero por debajo de los umbrales de deuda mencionados en el párrafo anterior) no pueden presentar casos del Capítulo 7 y, en su lugar, deben acogerse a las disposiciones del Capítulo 13.

Aunque un caso del Capítulo 13 requiere un plan de pago que dura varios años, el Capítulo 13 ofrece ciertos beneficios en comparación con el Capítulo 7. Por ejemplo, algunos propietarios que perderían su casa en un caso del Capítulo 7 podrían conservarla en un caso del Capítulo 13. (With respect to Chapter 7 filings and home ownership, the “homestead” exemption is discussed in the answer to Q. 11-19 below.) In addition, when the debtor is facing foreclosure of a mortgage, a mortgage lender cannot foreclose on a home during the automatic stay that goes into effect after the filing of a petition (the automatic stay is discussed below), and, in a Chapter 13 case, missed payments can be cured over the term of the plan, thereby reinstating the mortgage.

Under both Chapters 7 and 13, certain debts cannot be discharged (these include alimony and child support, private student loans under some circumstances, or debts relating to death or injury due to the debtor’s drunk driving), but Chapter 13 contains a “super discharge” that allows for discharge of some debts, upon completion of the plan, that would not be dischargeable in a Chapter 7 case (explained below). Chapter 13 also allows the debtor to retain possession of their property, even some non-exempt property, while making payments under a repayment plan. Sin embargo, el Capítulo 13 requiere que a los acreedores se les pague al menos tanto como recibirían bajo el Capítulo 7, lo que significa que el monto reembolsado según el plan debe ser igual o superior al valor de la propiedad retenida no exenta.

C. Subcapítulo V

Subchapter V differs from a Chapter 11 reorganization in a number of ways. In subchapter V, only a debtor may propose a plan of reorganization, and it must be filed within ninety days of the petition date. 11 U.S.C.

§ 1189. The debtor also does not need approval from the debtor’s creditors to confirm the plan if the court finds the plan to be fair. 11 U.S.C. § 1191 (b). The debtor must pay all projected disposable income to its creditors for three to five years. 11 U.S.C. § 1191(c)(2). Debtors also do not need to file a disclosure statement describing how they will pay creditors. En resumen, estos cambios hacen que el subcapítulo V sea un proceso más expedito y rentable para las pequeñas empresas.

D. Capítulo 11

El Capítulo 11 se utiliza principalmente por empresas que necesitan reorganizarse para salir de la deuda, aunque las personas también pueden presentar el Capítulo 11 si no califican bajo los límites de deuda del Capítulo 13. In Chapter 11, the debtor proposes a plan for paying some or all of their debts, and their creditors get a chance to vote on whether to accept or reject that plan. Chapter 11 may be the only recourse for a consumer debtor with an extremely large mortgage that causes the debtor’s secured debt to exceed the limit for Chapter 13. Its procedures and requirements are significantly more expansive than in Chapter 13.

E. Capítulo 12

El Capítulo 12 es para “agricultores familiares” y “pescadores familiares”. The Code defines this to be someone who earned more than 50 percent of their gross income from farming or fishing during the year immediately preceding the year of filing for bankruptcy. 11 U.S.C. § 101(18)(A), (19A). There are special provisions for Chapter 12 debtors, and this will include filing a plan as well and devoting income in the future to pay creditors.

F. Beneficios y consultas sobre la presentación

In general, a major benefit of bankruptcy is that an automatic stay is implemented which prevents further collection actions by creditors once the bankruptcy case is filed. 11 U.S.C. § 362. There are several requirements on debtors, including (1) increased filing and disclosure requirements, (2) a requirement to complete credit counseling before filing for bankruptcy, and (3) a requirement to complete a personal financial management course before receiving a discharge of debts.

Filing bankruptcy will be reported on credit reports and may affect future credit applications. In addition, a bankruptcy filing could affect a debtor’s eligibility to benefit from the protections of certain provisions under the Bankruptcy Code in the event of a future filing. Por lo tanto, es importante evaluar cómo esto puede afectar a un individuo antes de continuar.

Finally, a note about the dollar figures in this section. Every three years on April 1st, certain dollar amounts in the Bankruptcy Code (such as figures used in the means test) are adjusted. 11 U.S.C. § 104(a). Therefore, if you are looking at the Bankruptcy Code in a printed source or even online, be careful to note that the dollar figures you see might not be up to date, even if the source otherwise contains the current law. The April 1, 2025 adjustments are contained here.

• Distrito Sur de Texas
• Distrito Norte de Texas
• Distrito Oeste de Texas
• Distrito Este de Texas

Hay una serie de formularios que los deudores deben presentar como parte del proceso de quiebra. The forms can be found here.

A particularly useful link which provides a good summary of the bankruptcy process under BAPCPA can be found here.

Una vez más, aunque los deudores tienen esta información disponible, si es posible no deben declararse en bancarrota sin un abogado. Bankruptcy is highly specialized and filled with traps and pitfalls for attorneys, let alone a pro se debtor. It may be difficult for a debtor to fix any mistakes they make when filing for bankruptcy pro se, and it may be harder for an attorney to correct those mistakes if the case is dismissed.

P. 11-1 ¿Qué implica el proceso de quiebra?

In all consumer bankruptcy cases, the debtor must attend a credit counseling class before filing the case and a financial management class before a discharge will be granted. 11 U.S.C. § 109(h)(1), 727(a)(11), 1328(g). Estas clases generalmente se llevan a cabo en línea o por teléfono y deben ser realizadas por un proveedor aprobado. See this website for a list.

The federal government does have the authority to waive this counseling requirement for a district if it determines that “the approved nonprofit budget and credit counseling agencies for such district are not reasonably able to provide adequate services to the additional individuals who would otherwise seek credit counseling.” 11 U.S.C. § 109(h)(2)(A). The Justice Department exercised this authority in Louisiana and in the Southern District of Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina, but there is no guarantee that any such waiver authority will be exercised in the future.

Un caso del Capítulo 13 (salario asalariado) comienza con la presentación de documentos similares en virtud de un Capítulo 7. A diferencia del Capítulo 7, donde todos los bienes que no son exento están sujetos a ser vendidos por un fiduciario, en el Capítulo 13 el deudor testamento presentar un plan de pago. The debtor makes payments under this plan from future income each month directly to the Chapter 13 trustee, who is an administrator for the benefit of the creditors. It is extremely important that you check your local rules for any special procedures regarding mortgage payments. Once the plan is approved (“confirmed”) by the court, the trustee pays creditors according to the terms of the plan. El plan generalmente tiene un plazo de entre tres y cinco años. The plan may provide for the cure of arrearages on a home mortgage, property taxes, and automobile loans and, in certain instances, permit a write down of the debt to the value of the automobile, as well as a reduction in interest rate if the vehicle has been owned long enough by the debtor. The plan may also strip off a wholly-unsecured second lien on a debtor’s homestead or reduce the amount owed on other secured items that the debtor has owned longer than one year. When the debtor has repaid creditors according to the plan, the debtor will be discharged of all dischargeable debts (some debts are non-dischargeable; see Q. 11-5 below), even if the plan did not pay them in full. The percentage paid to unsecured creditors will be dependent on the disposable income a debtor has, the amount of nonexempt property, and an amount calculated by the disposable income test. The amount of personal expenses will be potentially subject to adjustment by the court, if excessive, in order to permit disposable income to be allocated to creditors under the plan. Use the IRS standards located here as a guide for household expenses. The requirements for the plan can be found at 11 U.S.C. § 1321 et seq.

P. 11-2 ¿Debo declararme en quiebra?

Filing bankruptcy is a strictly personal decision. The ratio of a debtor’s assets to liabilities is an important factor. El tipo de deuda que tiene un deudor es otro factor. Un deudor no puede liberarse de todas las deudas. So, it is very important to determine before any filing whether certain types of your debts may be “nondischargeable” in a bankruptcy proceeding (see Q. 11-5 below). El efecto que podría tener la quiebra en su calificación crediticia, la capacidad de pedir un préstamo en el futuro y la reputación pueden ser importantes. El impacto que la quiebra podría tener en las transferencias anteriores de dinero o propiedad puede ser un factor. The need to cure mortgage debt arrearages might be important. The desire to retain nonexempt property might also be a factor. The decision as to whether and when to file a bankruptcy petition should be based upon the facts of each debtor’s individual case. La fuente de ingresos del deudor también es importante. Consider whether the debtor is judgment proof – is their only income source protected from garnishment or seizure (VA benefits or Social Security)? ¿Están todos sus bienes exentos bajo la ley estatal de tal manera que un acreedor no pueda embargar ninguna pertenencia?

P. 11-3 ¿Hay algún requisito previo para declararse en quiebra?

Before an individual debtor can file a bankruptcy petition, they (or if filing as spouses, both) must complete an approved credit counseling course within 180 days before filing. 11 U.S.C. § 109(h)(1). Dicho curso debe delinear oportunidades para el asesoramiento crediticio y brindar asistencia en el análisis presupuestario. These courses can be taken online. The debtor must file a certificate of compliance. 11 U.S.C. § 521(b)(1). However, the law provides for a temporary waiver (thirty days) of this requirement if a debtor can show “exigent circumstances” and that they requested credit counseling but were unable to receive it within seven days of the request. 11 U.S.C. § 109(h)(3)(A)(i), (ii). This is rarely allowed. Case law has consistently held that a pending foreclosure IS NOT an exigent circumstance. The law also provides an exemption if such services are not available in the area where the debtor resides or if the debtor is incapacitated, disabled, or on active military duty. 11 U.S.C. § 109(h)(2), (4). This would only be applicable in very rare circumstances, particularly given the access to online courses. As mentioned above, the Justice Department temporarily exercised authority to suspend the counseling requirement in Louisiana and in the Southern District of Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina, but there is no guarantee that any such waiver authority will be exercised in the future.

P. 11-4 ¿Cómo funciona la "prueba de ingresos"?

If, however, the debtor’s current monthly income exceeds the state median, the “means test” applies and the debtor must calculate certain expense amounts based on IRS standards in order to determine if the debtor is eligible for a Chapter 7 bankruptcy. These allowed expenses are deducted from the current monthly income and then multiplied by sixty (in other words, the total amount over five years) to arrive at “disposable income.” Disposable income excludes benefits received under the CARES Act, child support payments, foster care payments, and disability payments for a dependent child. If disposable income is greater than (1) 25 percent of the debtor’s nonpriority unsecured debt or $6,000, whichever is greater, or

(2) $10,000, a presumption of abuse arises. 11 U.S.C. § 707(b)(2)(A). (Los reclamos no prioritarios no garantizados incluyen obligaciones tales como deudas relacionadas con tarjetas de crédito y médicas). A menos que se refute esta presunción, el caso puede desestimarse o convertirse en un caso del Capítulo 13.

It is worth noting that the concept of “current monthly income” also impacts certain calculations for Chapter 13 repayment plans. 11 U.S.C. § 1325(b). For debtors whose annualized “current monthly income” is less than the applicable state median but who nevertheless file a Chapter 13 bankruptcy, the repayment plan must be no longer than three years (unless there is court approval for cause for a period of up to five years). 11 U.S.C. § 1322(d)(2), §1329(d)(2). If the debtor’s “current monthly income” is equal to or greater than the applicable state median, the plan generally must be for no longer than five years. 11 U.S.C. § 1322(d)(1).

As discussed above, median incomes and expense deductions used to calculate the “means test,” as well as other dollar amounts under the Bankruptcy Code, are adjusted periodically. 11 U.S.C. § 104(a).

P. 11-5 ¿Qué deudas no se liberan en la quiebra?

P. 11-6 ¿Qué sucede si omito una deuda en mi petición?

Generally, if the debt is not listed on your schedules, then you may not get the benefit of the discharge and will have to repay that debt. 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(3). Sin embargo, existe cierta jurisprudencia que sugiere que el deudor aún puede obtener la liberación en un caso del Capítulo 7 sin activos, en ausencia de fraude o intención de obstaculizar a un acreedor. Si no menciona la deuda con la intención de ocultar y defraudar, entonces puede perder su liberación en su totalidad.

Find more information about listing debts on a bankruptcy petition here(note that this is a private, third- party resource, and its content has not been reviewed for accuracy in preparing these materials).

P. 11-7 ¿Una declaración de quiebra detiene un embargo de salario?

Sí. Este es el resultado de la suspensión automática que ocurre cuando presenta una petición de quiebra. However, the stay only applies to debts incurred before you filed the bankruptcy petition. The automatic stay also does not apply to payments for child support or alimony.

P. 11-8 ¿Qué es una liberación en la quiebra?

Una “liberación” en la quiebra significa que el deudor está legalmente liberado y libre de cualquier obligación de pagar ciertas deudas. El acreedor ya no tiene ningún derecho a exigir o cobrar esa deuda. The debtor no longer has any obligation to repay it. 11 U.S.C. § 727 & 11 U.S.C. § 1328.

Find more information on discharge in bankruptcy here (note that this is a private, third-party resource, and its content has not been reviewed for accuracy in preparing these materials).

P. 11-9 ¿Cómo puedo escapar de la deuda de mi préstamo estudiantil?

Student loans are dischargeable only on a showing of “undue hardship.” 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(8). The undue hardship standard is very hard to meet. Unlike practically every other legal liability, student loans never go away—there is currently no statute of limitations for student loan debt. The definition of student loans to encompass all types of lenders, including nongovernmental lenders. 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(8). Recent federal legislation has impacted student loan debt repayment and should be reviewed in detail before action is taken.

P. 11-10 ¿Puedo pagarle a un acreedor si quiero, incluso después de la quiebra?

See this resource (note that this is a private, third-party resource, and its content has not been reviewed for accuracy in preparing these materials).

P. 11-11 ¿Qué es la suspensión automática?

The “automatic stay” prevents a creditor from continuing to enforce a claim against a debtor during the pendency of the bankruptcy case. Some examples of actions by a creditor that would violate the stay are

(1) filing a new lawsuit or continuing to prosecute a lawsuit that had already been filed, (2) sending collection letters, (3) filing a “financing statement” to perfect a security interest, (4) refusing to issue a transcript of school records, or (5) seeking to foreclose on property.

There are several exceptions to the automatic stay, however. The automatic stay does not apply to certain proceedings involving certain domestic matters (i.e., paternity, domestic violence, and dissolution of marriage matters), the withholding of income to pay domestic support obligations (i.e., child support, alimony), the restriction or suspension of a driver’s license, and certain pre-existing eviction actions. 11

U.S.C. § 362(b). In addition, the stay now automatically terminates after thirty days if the case is filed by a debtor within one year after they had another bankruptcy case dismissed, unless the court finds that the new filing is in good faith and signs an order extending the stay within thirty days of filing. 11 U.S.C.

§ 362(c)(3). If the debtor files a third bankruptcy within one year after two previous bankruptcy cases were dismissed, the automatic stay does not go into effect when the third case is filed, and the debtor must ask the court to impose a stay. 11 U.S.C. § 362(c)(4). The automatic stay also automatically terminates with regard to secured debt if a statement of intention is not filed timely (within thirty days after the filing of the petition or by the date of the Section 341 meeting, whichever is earlier). 11 U.S.C. § 521(a)(2) & 362(h).

P. 11-12 Estoy casado. ¿Puedo presentar la solicitud por mi cuenta?

Yes, but your spouse will still be liable for any joint debts, and all community property not in the non-filing spouse’s exclusive/separate control will be included in the debtor’s bankruptcy schedules. If you file together, you will be able to double your exemptions. In some cases where only one spouse has debts, or one spouse has debts that are not dischargeable, then it might be advisable to have only one spouse file. Si los cónyuges tienen deudas conjuntas, el hecho de que uno de los cónyuges haya pagado la deuda puede aparecer en el informe crediticio del otro cónyuge.

Find more information here(note that this is a private, third-party resource, and its content has not been reviewed for accuracy in preparing these materials).

P. 11-13 ¿Dónde presento mi solicitud si no he vivido en el mismo estado o distrito durante los últimos seis meses?

Para recibir ciertas exenciones estatales en la quiebra, como una exención de vivienda, el deudor debe haber vivido en Texas por más tiempo (consulte la P. 11-19 para obtener más detalles).

P. 11-14 ¿Cómo afectará la declaración de quiebra de mi ex cónyuge a nuestro decreto o acuerdo de divorcio?

Las obligaciones de pensión alimenticia, manutención y/o manutención están protegidas contra la liberación. The exceptions to discharge broadly include “domestic support obligations” as well as property settlements not otherwise covered as “domestic support obligation[s],” including attorney’s fees. 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(5), (15). In addition, domestic support obligations are now given the first priority for payment of unsecured debt. 11

U.S.C. § 507(a)(1)(A). If the debtor is filing a Chapter 13 case, the debtor cannot receive confirmation of a repayment plan or discharge under Chapter 13 unless the debtor has paid all domestic support obligations coming due after the bankruptcy filing. 11 U.S.C. § 1325(a)(8).

P. 11-15 ¿Mi plan de jubilación o IRA estará protegido?

Generalmente, sí, si los fondos están en una cuenta calificada. Retirement plans that are ERISA-qualified are protected under current state and federal laws in all jurisdictions and are not included as property of the bankruptcy estate.

However, the exempted assets in an individual retirement account (IRA), except for a simple employee pension or a simple retirement account, may not exceed $1,711,975 in a case filed by a debtor who is an individual, except that such amount may be increased if the interest of justice so requires. 11 U.S.C.

§ 522(n).

P. 11-16 ¿Qué efecto tiene la quiebra en la manutención de niños?

Bankruptcy does not allow an ex-spouse to discharge past-due child support obligations. Any back payments owed for child support cannot be discharged in a bankruptcy proceeding. As noted above, the automatic stay no longer applies to proceedings to establish or modify domestic support obligations or to withholding of income for payment of domestic support. 11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(5), (15) & § 362(b)(2).

P. 11-17 ¿Qué pasa con los codeudores de préstamos?

If someone has co-signed a loan with you and you file for bankruptcy, the co-signer may have to pay your debt. Chapter 13 extends the automatic stay to co-debtors for consumer debt in most cases pending confirmation of a plan. 11 U.S.C. § 1301. Nevertheless, if the co-signed debt is not fully repaid by a debtor, the co-signer is still liable for the balance. Additionally, there is a chance that the co-signer/guarantor’s credit report will reflect a bankruptcy filing for this specific debt.

P. 11-18 ¿Mi declaración de quiebra detendrá una ejecución hipotecaria?

P. 11-19 ¿Qué propiedad está exenta del fiduciario en un caso del Capítulo 7?

En una presentación del Capítulo 7, cierta propiedad está exenta del patrimonio del deudor, lo que significa que el fiduciario y los acreedores del deudor no pueden liquidar la propiedad para recuperar los bienes del deudor. In Texas, a debtor can elect either federal or state property exemptions, 11 U.S.C. § 522(b), assuming the debtor can meet the residency provisions discussed below for relying on state law (see also Q. 11-13). The federal exemptions are listed at 11 U.S.C. § 522(d). Sin embargo, debido a que Texas generalmente tiene exenciones más generosas para la propiedad de familia que las provistas por la ley federal, la mayoría de los deudores optarán por tomar las exenciones de la ley estatal.

Para reclamar las exenciones de un estado, el deudor debe haber vivido en el estado durante al menos 730 días (dos años). Otherwise, the debtor can only claim the exemptions of the state in which they resided for the largest portion of the 180-day period preceding the last two years. 11 U.S.C. § 522(b)(3)(A). Esto tiene como objetivo evitar que un deudor se mude al estado para aprovechar sus leyes de propiedad de familia más generosas y luego se declare en quiebra de inmediato. Tenga cuidado si su residente se ha mudado. Usted no quiere estar en una situación en la que su deudor viva en Texas, pero se vea obligado a aceptar exenciones por bancarrota en California.

Certain Southern and Western states, including Texas, historically have had generous exemptions for a debtor’s personal residence, known as the “homestead exemption.” BAPCPA imposes a $189,050 cap on filers for any equity interest in a homestead purchased during the approximately forty months (1,215 days) prior to the bankruptcy filing. 11 U.S.C. § 522(p)(1). Clearly, this has a significant impact on residents who recently moved to Texas. There is no cap on the homestead exemption for property owned for more than 1,215 days. The cap also does not apply to equity rolled over from a prior residence located in the same state if the prior residence was acquired before the 1,215-day period. 11 U.S.C. § 522(p)(2).

The following exemptions are allowed under Texas state law (again, these are available to individuals who meets the residency requirements):

P. 11-20 ¿Qué sucede si no puedo permitirme contratar a un abogado para presentar un caso de quiebra?

La quiebra es un proceso complejo, y hay muchos asuntos legales y fácticos a considerar al decidir si se debe presentar un caso de quiebra. While a person can file an individual case pro se, the procedural rules and requirements and the substantive legal issues make any such case extremely hard to complete and to obtain a discharge. If you cannot afford to hire an attorney, you may be able to obtain assistance in certain circumstances, if you qualify, by contacting one of the entities listed below. Use this convenient tool to find which legal aid provider serves your county or zip code.

Área de Houston:

• Houston Volunteer Lawyers (principalmente en el condado de Harris)
  1111 Bagby, Suite FLB300
  Houston, TX 77002
  1-713-228-0735

  Herramienta de detección en línea HVL

• Lone Star Legal Aid (Houston y Gran Sudeste de Texas)
  1415 Fannin St.
  Houston, TX 77002
  1-800-733-8394

  Admisión en línea de LSLA

Dallas/Fort Worth:

• Programa de Abogados Voluntarios de Dallas
  1515 Main St.
  Dallas, TX 75201
  1-214-243-2236

• Asistencia Legal del Noroeste de Texas (Dallas y Gran Noroeste de Texas)
  600 East Weatherford St.
  Fort Worth, 76102
  1-817-336-3943

  Solicitud de LANWT en línea

Austin/San Antonio:

• Texas RioGrande Legal Aid (Austin/San Antonio y Gran Oeste de Texas)
  301 South Texas Avenue
  Mercedes, TX 78570
  1-833-329-8752

La persona debe hacer referencia al programa de "Asistencia por quiebra" cuando llame.

P. 11-21 ¿Qué pasa con obtener el pago de mi compañía o de alguien con quien hice negocios antes del desastre que ahora está fuera del negocio?

If you have a claim for payment (somebody owes you money), you might contact a lawyer for assistance in collecting the debt. For debts less than $20,000, seek relief in a justice of the peace small claims court. How to Sue in Justice Court (Small Claims Court) (note that this is a private, third-party resource, and its content has not been reviewed for accuracy in preparing these materials). If you decide to file for bankruptcy and have not collected on this payment, you will need to list this amount you are owed as an asset.

P. 11-22 Prácticamente toda mi propiedad y mi apartamento fueron destruidos en el desastre. ¿Debo declararme en quiebra?

If you only have property that is exempt from creditors, then there would appear to be no immediate need to file a bankruptcy case. As a general matter, exempt property cannot be taken from debtors except by creditors that have obtained a lien on the property when it was bought, or for unpaid taxes. However, the decision whether to file is something an individual debtor should evaluate, looking at all the facts and circumstances of their situation and future. If a creditor obtains a judgment against a debtor, the creditor may later garnish or get a turnover order for the debtor’s bank account.

P. 11-23 Mi negocio se vio afectado por la catástrofe. ¿Puede declararse en quiebra?

P. 11-24 ¿Puedo quedarme con mi artículo asegurado?

In a Chapter 7 bankruptcy, you have three options. Puedes intentar canjear el artículo (paga el valor de mercado, dependiendo de cuánto tiempo hayas tenido el artículo). Puede entregar (devolver) el artículo. Finally, you can reaffirm the item. To reaffirm, you must file a reaffirmation agreement with the court, and the judge must sign an order approving the agreement. El deudor debe indicar cómo puede pagar esta deuda. “A reaffirmed debt remains your personal legal obligation to pay. Su deuda reafirmada no se libera en su caso de quiebra. Eso significa que si no paga su deuda reafirmada después de que termine su caso de bancarrota, su acreedor puede tomar su propiedad o su salario. Your obligations will be determined by the reaffirmation agreement, which may have changed the terms of the original agreement. Si usted reafirma un contrato de crédito abierto, ese acuerdo o la ley aplicable pueden permitir al acreedor cambiar los términos de ese acuerdo en el futuro bajo ciertas condiciones.

In a Chapter 13 bankruptcy, you have the same options as listed above. La diferencia muy significativa es que usted puede pagar la deuda reafirmada o redimida en su plan del capítulo 13.

Note that the “ride through” no longer exists. If you do not redeem/reaffirm/or surrender your item, your secured creditor has the right to repossess the item as soon as the automatic stay is lifted or if your case is dismissed.