You file bankruptcy by either hiring an attorney, or preparing and filing the bankruptcy petition and schedules yourself. As for what assets you can or can't keep, that depends on which chapter you file, the value of your assets and the amount of exemptions you have available under applicable law to protect those assets.

Exemptions are "protections" for value you have in certain assets such that they are "exempt" from collections. Every state has different exemptions amounts available. Exemption laws are based on the state where you resided for the 2 years prior to filing your bankruptcy case or, if you lived in more than 1 state during that period, in the state where you resided for the greater part of the 180 days prior to that 2 year period.

For more information on exemptions, see http://www.bklaw.com/exemptions.html

Mark J. Markus, Attorney at Law

Handling exclusively bankruptcy law cases in California since 1991.

http://www.bklaw.com/

bankruptcy blog: http://www.bklaw.com/bankruptcy-blog/

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