Owning a Home While Repaying Debt: Your Rights as an Illinois Chapter 13 Filer Key Takeaways: Yes, a Chapter 13 debtor in Illinois can often buy a house before discharge, but only with proper court or trustee involvement and a feasible repayment plan. Because Chapter 13 plans run three to five years under 11 U.S.C. […]
Protecting Your Home: How Chapter 13 Can Stop Foreclosure in Cook County If you are a Cook County homeowner facing foreclosure, Chapter 13 bankruptcy may offer a powerful legal tool to stop the process and keep your home. Illinois is a judicial foreclosure state, meaning your lender must file a lawsuit and obtain a court […]
Bankruptcy Filings Are Surging: What Chicago Residents Need to Know The numbers tell a striking story. Annual bankruptcy filings totaled 574,314 in the year ending December 2025, compared with 517,308 cases the previous year, representing an 11 percent increase, with non-business filings driving most growth. This marks a roughly 27% increase from 2023 levels. For […]
If you are filing for Chapter 13 bankruptcy in Cook County, understanding the meeting of creditors (341 meeting) is crucial. This mandatory hearing is not a courtroom trial but a brief proceeding where the assigned Chapter 13 trustee asks you questions under oath about your finances, debts, and proposed repayment plan. For filers in Cook […]
When you file a Chapter 13 bankruptcy petition in Chicago, a powerful legal protection called the automatic stay kicks in immediately. Under 11 U.S.C. §362(a), the moment your petition reaches the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Illinois, creditors must stop collection calls, wage garnishments, lawsuits, and foreclosure actions. For Chicago residents struggling […]
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