Worked examples

Specific situations worked through end to end: the credit position, what a lender sees, what the deal costs at published tier averages, and what to do next. These are illustrations built from public rate data, not quotes.

Does Filing Bankruptcy Get a Repossessed Car Back?City of Chicago v. Fulton (2021) held 8-0 that keeping a car repossessed before filing isn't a §362(a)(3) violation; turnover needs a §542(a) motion.
A 1099-C After Surrendering a Car in BankruptcyA 1099-C after surrendering a car doesn't automatically mean tax is owed — 11 U.S.C. § 727(b) and IRC § 108(a)(1)(A) may already cover the deficiency.
Underwater on a Car Loan Inside the 910-Day WindowBeing underwater doesn't reopen § 506 cramdown on a purchase-money, personal-use car loan under 910 days old — the § 1325(a) hanging paragraph blocks it.
My Car Died During My Chapter 13 PlanA dead car mid-Chapter 13 plan generally goes through the trustee's own request process, and a payment change can require a § 1329 modification.
The Trustee Denied My Request to Incur DebtA Chapter 13 trustee's denial isn't final everywhere. In the 3 districts compared here, local rules — not the Bankruptcy Code — set what comes next.