An exceptional resour
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments xi
Preface xiii
Introduction 1
Part I A Road Map to Debt Relief
Chapter 1 Getting Started 13
Chapter 2 Negotiating Your Way Out of Debt 23
Chapter 3 Fighting Back 33
Chapter 4 Budgeting Your Way Out of Debt 47
Chapter 5 The Danger of Quick Fixes 65
Chapter 6 Debt Counselors: How to Tell the Bad from the Good 85
Part II Finding Your Way Using Nonbankruptcy Solutions
Chapter 7 The Way Out of Credit Card, Medical, and Student Loan Debt 103
Chapter 8 Foreclosure Basics and Rescue Scams 123
Chapter 9 Sizing Up Your Mortgage Debt 139
Chapter 10 The Way Out of Mortgage Debt 153
Chapter 11 The Way Out of Auto Debt 167
Chapter 12 The Way Out of Tax Debt 185
Part III When to Take the Bankruptcy Route
Chapter 13 Is Bankruptcy Right for You? 209
Chapter 14 21 Bankruptcy Myths 217
Chapter 15 Overview of Bankruptcy Types 229
Chapter 16 Understanding the Bankruptcy Process 237
Part IV Road Trips: Six Case Studies In Bankruptcy
Chapter 17 Two Trips through Chapter 7 Bankruptcy 253
Chapter 18 Two Trips through Chapter 13 Bankruptcy 277
Chapter 19 A Trip through Chapter 11 Bankruptcy 301
Chapter 20 A Trip through Chapter 12 Bankruptcy 317
Conclusion: The Road Worth Taking 325
Appendix A Helpful Resources 327
Appendix B Bankruptcy FAQs 337
Notes 347
Glossary 349
About the Authors 369
Index 371
