A Chapter 7 bankruptcy provides debtors with a new and fresh financial start. It is a remedy that allows debtors to wipe out unsecured debt in approximately 3-4 months. Unsecured debt includes credit card debt, medical debt, and personal loans. A debtor filing a Chapter 7 bankruptcy must list and disclose all known debts in their bankruptcy petition and schedules.

A debtor filing for bankruptcy may choose to keep a credit card. When filing for bankruptcy, all of the debtor’s creditors must be listed in the schedules. A creditor is an entity that has a claim against the debtor that arose at the time of or before the order for relief concerning the debtor. § 1010(10). Once a debtor’s bankruptcy case is filed, a notice gets sent out to all of the debtor’s creditors listed in the schedules. Usually, upon receipt of the bankruptcy notice, a credit card company as a creditor, will close the debtor’s credit card. However, there are certain situations and circumstances in which a debtor may keep a credit card during a bankruptcy.