Is it for you?

A. Debt relief under Chapter 13 is designed for the person who cannot do a chapter 7 because  they might loose property in a chapter 7 bankruptcy. If you qualify for a chapter 13 bankruptcy you will not loose any of the property you wish to keep.   

In a chapter 7 bankruptcy your creditors receive a share of the cash the trustee may obtain from the sale of  property  which has too much equity.   In a chapter 13 bankruptcy you would be required to pay at least that equity to you creditors over a period of 3 to 5 years.   Since you are paying the equity to your creditors the trustee will not sell the property. You may fit the requirements of the law under Chapter 13 if you have a regular source of income, even if it is money from family, unemployment compensation or workmen’s compensation, just as long as such income is large enough to meet your regular living expenses and still leave enough to pay what is required under Chapter 13. Self-employed people also fit the regular income requirement. 

Only one spouse need have a regular income. 

A Chapter 13 Plan may be what you would need to take care of both your expenses and bills.