Personal bankruptcy filings continue at record levels, due in large part to soaring medical costs, increasing numbers of uninsured Americans, an unstable job market, and unprecedented credit-card marketing. Drawing on eighteen years of experience as a bankruptcy attorney, Nora Raum has created a unique lifeline for those facing the challenge of insurmountable debt. Counseling readers on the emotional as well as the practical aspects of regaining their financial footing, Surviving Personal Bankruptcy provides:
o Up-to-date, jargon-free information about the new bankruptcy laws passed in 2005
o An eye-opening process for weighing all the options, including alternatives to bankruptcy and descriptions of Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy
o Easy-to-use worksheets to help readers analyze their finances rationally
o Worksheets for tabulating debt and preparing to file
o Advice for hiring a great lawyer and preparing for the hearing
o Sample letters to credit-reporting agencies and creditors
o A plan for life after bankruptcy, including how to avoid scammers who prey on those who have declared bankruptcy
o A question-and-answer chapter, with candid advice for real-life situations
o True stories of well-known people who’ve filed for bankruptcy—heartening proof that it can happen to anyone

Filing for personal bankruptcy is not a dead end; it’s merely a turning point in the road to financial recovery. By removing the stigma and confusion, Nora Raum will make that road much smoother.