Not everyone is eligible to file a chapter 7 bankruptcy. There are income requirements to filing a chapter 7 and those individuals that do not meet the income requirements, will not be able to file a chapter 7 bankruptcy. But, even those that do meet the eligibility requirements to file a chapter 7, may find the outcome of filing a chapter 7 disagreeable. While chapter 7 filings are effective vehicles for discharging unsecured debt and they are short in duration, there are times when even those eligible for a chapter 7 bankruptcy may choose to file a chapter 13 instead.