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These informative sessions are led by industry experts and cover a range of consumer bankruptcy topics.

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Industry News

The Academy is the go-to source for the latest news and analysis in the Chapter 13 bankruptcy industry.

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Curated (Free) Selections

Debt and the Economy

Credit Card Debt Crisis Deepens as Millions Fall Behind

Nearly 1 in 3 Car Buyers Are Underwater on Trade-Ins — Analyst Calls Dollar Amount ‘Troubling’

Of Interest

A Cold Shoulder for MCA Vendors in Bankruptcy Court (Not a Chpt 13 but an interesting decision regarding the distinction between a Merchant Cash Advance and a loan.)

Is Ohio Becoming a Foreclosure Hot Spot? 5 States with Worst Rates

Sleep Number Seeks Rescue Financing to Avoid Bankruptcy

Arbitration and Bankruptcy: Can a Debtor that is Party to an Arbitration Agreement Lack Authority to Arbitrate Core Bankruptcy Claims? (Based on a Chpt 11 case)

Sanctions and Irony and Fraud, Oh My!

Fraudster Sentenced to Federal Prison for Covid & Bankruptcy Schemes

Former Dolton Administrator Keith Freeman Pleads Guilty to Bankruptcy Fraud, Filing False Tax Return (Free article but you will have to provide an email address)

Student Loan Chronicles

Student Loans Chronicles

Student Loan Borrowers Face Deadline to Leave SAVE: What’s Next?

For Your Blog

Don’t Leave a Potential Refund on the Table

4 Million Children Have Been Signed Up for Trump Accounts with 1 Million Claiming $1,000 Pilot Program Contribution

For Your Health

American College of Sports Medicine Updated Strength Training Guidelines for the First Time in 17 Years – The key takeaway: Consistency Beats Complexity

More Selections

From the CFPB

Paper on How Consumer Protection Enforcement Is Going Away

Trump Administration Proposes Cutting CFPB Staff by Two-Thirds

Veterans Matter

Trump's VA Killed a Home Loan Program - Vets Now Losing Homes. . . . “90,000 vets are heading toward foreclosure.”

By The Numbers

Tariffs are Driving Americans to Bankruptcy (Somewhat misleading title – article is based on a JG Wentworth 2/26 poll. Numbers indicated are interesting.)

March Decline in Rents Is Largest Since Before Pandemic - Most Dramatically in Arizona, Colorado and Texas

From the Supreme Court

SCOTUSblog: Justices Dubious About “Harsh” Rules for Omissions by Bankrupt Debtors

Mediatbanky: Oral Arguments at U.S. Supreme Court on Judicial Estoppel and Bankruptcy (Keathley v. Buddy Ayers)

Sixth Circuit Sanctions Attorneys for Fake Citations – What Does This Mean for Use of AI? (Not bankruptcy related but worth a look.)

This Week's Featured Articles

Final Boot Camp Farewell

Max Gardner

April 5, 2026

A very special letter from Max himself, “To all my Boot Camp Grads and fellow bankruptcy attorneys.” And we adore you, Max.

PSLF and the Chapter 13 Trustee: A View from the Inside After Ramos-Cardona v. Department of Education

Scott Waterman

April 5, 2026

“This article offers both a summary of the decision and some practical observations from the perspective of a standing trustee.” We believe this article will be of interest to non-trustees as it provides a framework for establishing the record early when dealing with the Department of Education.

Members

An LLC Is Not You

Henry E. Hildebrand, III

April 5, 2026

A bankruptcy filing by a guarantor of a note secured by property titled in the debtor’s LLC is not protected by the automatic stay.

Members

A Story of a Vermont Farm Community and a Chapter 12 Reorganization

Jan M. Sensenich

April 5, 2026

The tenacity of a community and the resilience of generational family farmers equals a successful Chapter 12.

Other Recent Articles

Up, Up and Away – Chapter 13 Plan Balloon Payments: Permissibility And Feasibility

Michael B. Joseph

March 29, 2026

When the math does not work, sometimes creative consumer attorneys try to make the balloon fly.

Members

Plan Payments Current But Patience Exhausted

Henry E. Hildebrand, III

March 29, 2026

Pro se Chapter 13 debtor’s case would be dismissed with a bar on refiling even though debtor was current on her confirmed plan payments due to her abuse of the bankruptcy process, including litigious but pointless pleadings, and continuing effort to relitigate matters already decided by the court.

Members

Passing of Our Friend

The Academy

March 29, 2026

It is with great sadness that we report the passing of Larry Ahern. He was a frequent contributor to ConsiderChapter13.org for many years but more importantly he was our friend. We already miss you, Larry.

Getting Paid for All Your Work Even Post Discharge

Cathy Moran

March 29, 2026

Tired of eating fees at the end of a Chapter 13 when the debtor/client gets a discharge and you get to write off the time you spent in excess of the approved fee? Meet the Bingham Provision!

Members

Congratulations to the 37th Class of The American College of Bankruptcy

The Academy

March 29, 2026

Special congratulations to Michael B. Baker*, Edward C. Boltz*, Hon. D. Sims Crawford, Melissa J. Davey, Kara K. Gendron*, and Hon. Michael E. Romero*.

In re King, 460 B.R. 708 (N.D. Tex. Sept. 23, 2011)

March 22, 2026

Chapter 13 plan did not discriminate unfairly against unsecured creditors that were not student loan creditors even though, under the plan, debtors were to pay student loan debt directly because all of debtors’ projected disposable income was devoted to unsecured creditors pool, allowing non-student-loan creditors, to which entire UCP would be devoted, to receive pro rata share equal to or...

Payment Reminders Drive Success

Tara Casey

March 22, 2026

By Tara Casey, Attorney Success Team TFS Bill Pay Anyone can miss a payment – forgetting is part of being human. It can happen because of stress, lack of sleep, too much multitasking or just a simple lapse in attention. Many companies send out payment reminders, but often those come after the due date when it’s too late to fix...

Borrowing Time from Rule 4004

Cathy Moran

March 22, 2026

Some of Attorney Moran’s very best practice tips come right off the corner of her desk - that case which required extra creativity or, perhaps, extra time before discharge. But do debtors have any power over that timing?

Members

Timing Is Everything

Henry E. Hildebrand, III

March 22, 2026

Where state law provides a homestead exemption to proceeds generated from the sale of a debtor’s homestead for a period of one year following the sale, the exemption would be allowed even if the debtors do not intend to devote these proceeds to obtain a substitute home.

Members

W.D. of Texas Selects New Judge

The Academy

March 22, 2026

The Fifth Circuit has selected Aubrey L. Thomas as the next bankruptcy judge for the Western District of Texas, San Antonio division.

Coney Island Auto Parts v. Burton

Edward C. Boltz

March 22, 2026

Why this boring case isn’t boring at all.

NDC Small Sponsorship Program

The Academy

March 22, 2026

The National Data Center provides small sponsorships of up to $2,000 for educational consumer bankruptcy seminars, when approved pursuant to its guidelines and when funds are available.