Chapter 13 · Reorganization

Keep your home. Catch up on your own terms.

If you're behind on a mortgage, owe back taxes, or your income is too high for Chapter 7 — Chapter 13 reorganizes everything into a single court-supervised monthly payment over three to five years. Foreclosure stops the day we file.

Stop foreclosure — start here (717) 718-7127
What Chapter 13 Actually Does

Save what matters. Restructure the rest.

Chapter 13 isn't liquidation — it's a court-supervised repayment plan. You keep your assets, catch up on what you're behind on, and discharge the rest at the end of the plan.

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What you keep

  • Your house — even if behindArrears are paid through the plan over 3 – 5 years. How mortgage arrears are cured →
  • Your car — even if behindCramdown can reduce loan balance to vehicle value. How cramdown works →
  • Co-signer protectionCo-signers on consumer debt are protected during the plan
  • Non-exempt assetsYou don't lose property you couldn't keep in Chapter 7
  • Future incomeMoney earned after filing is yours; only the plan payment is committed
  • Tax refunds (often)Sometimes retained, sometimes paid into plan — case by case
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What gets discharged at the end

  • Most credit card debtDischarged at plan completion, often after partial payment
  • Medical billsTreated as unsecured; usually paid pennies on the dollar. Learn more →
  • Old judgmentsUnsecured judgments discharged on plan completion
  • Second mortgages (sometimes)If your home value is less than the first mortgage, the second mortgage could stripped off
  • Personal loansTreated as unsecured debt - dischargeable
  • Deficiency balancesFrom past repossessions or short sales. Learn more →
When Chapter 13 Is the Right Call

The four situations I see most often.

01

Behind on the mortgage

Lost a job, illness, divorce — fell six months behind. The bank set a sheriff sale date. Chapter 13 stops the sale and pays the arrears over 3 – 5 years while you resume regular payments.

02

Income too high for Ch. 7

You'd love a clean Chapter 7 discharge but you're above the PA median income levels. Chapter 13 still discharges debt at the end — you just pay what you can afford in between. The plan payment is set according to "mean test."

03

You owe back taxes

Taxes owed to the IRS or PA Department of Revenue debt that won't qualify for Chapter 7 discharge often becomes manageable in a Chapter 13 plan — paid over 60 months under the protection of the automatic stay.

04

Non-exempt assets to protect

Home Equity, Vehicles, Valuable Property — Chapter 13 lets you keep what Chapter 7 would force a trustee to sell.

The Process

What three to five years actually looks like.

Chapter 13 is a longer commitment than Chapter 7, but the rhythm is steady and predictable. You make one payment a month and stop thinking about the rest.

  1. 01

    Initial Consultation

    We map your debts, your goal and what your plan payment would realistically look like. You leave knowing whether Chapter 13 fits.

    Day 0
  2. 02

    Emergency filing if needed

    If a sheriff sale is scheduled, we can file within 24 – 48 hours. The automatic stay halts the sale the moment the petition lands on the docket.

    Same day if needed
  3. 03

    Draft the Chapter 13 plan

    I propose how arrears, secured debt, and unsecured debt are paid over 36 – 60 months. Your input shapes the proposal — this is your plan.

    Within 14 days of filing
  4. 04

    341 Meeting of Creditors

    Same as Chapter 7 — short virtual meeting with the trustee. I attend with you and you will be well-prepred

    ~30 days after filing
  5. 05

    Confirmation hearing

    The bankruptcy judge approves the plan. From here you make one monthly payment to the standing Chapter 13 trustee.

    Within 60 days
  6. 06

    Live the plan

    Single monthly payment for 36 – 60 months. I handle creditor disputes, plan modifications, and life changes (job loss, medical emergency, refinance opportunities) as they come up.

    3 – 5 years
  7. 07

    Discharge

    Plan completes. Remaining qualifying unsecured debt is wiped out. You're free, your home is yours, and you've rebuilt the foundation.

    End of plan
Sheriff Sale Coming Up?

We can file today.

If a sheriff sale or foreclosure sale is on the calendar, time matters. The automatic stay activates the moment we file — but only after we file. Call now for same-day evaluation.

Call (717) 718-7127 now Schedule consultation