What are the differences between Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 Bankruptcy?

Bankruptcy laws help people who can no longer pay their creditors to get a fresh start. This is done in several ways, either by liquidating assets to pay personal debts or by creating a repayment plan. In one you discharge your debts and start over. In the other you repay your debts. These two remedies are known by various names- either a Chapter 7 or a Chapter 13. Besides being to separate remedies under the bankruptcy act they additionally have multiple names. This often very confusing to the average person. But their general names stem from the remedies available under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code which are found in Chapter 13 and Chapter 7 of the United States Bankruptcy Code under which they are prescribed. Each of the following sections will give you a very general idea of how they work.