After confirmation of a plan, circumstances may arise that prevent the debtor from completing the plan. In such situations, the debtor may ask the court to grant a "hardship discharge." 11 U.S.C. § 1328(b). Generally, such a discharge is available only if: (1) the debtor's failure to complete plan payments is due to circumstances beyond the debtor's control and through no fault of the debtor; (2) creditors have received at least as much as they would have received in a chapter 7 liquidation case; and (3) modification of the plan is not possible. Injury or illness that precludes employment sufficient to fund even a modified plan may serve as the basis for a hardship discharge. The hardship discharge is more limited than the discharge described above and does not apply to any debts that are nondischargeable in a chapter 7 case. 11 U.S.C. § 523.
Mohammad Faruqui is an attorney in Fort Lauderdale, FL, serving consumer and corporate bankruptcy clients throughout Florida, including the Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties. Mr. Faruqui is a member of the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys and a member of the South Florida Bankruptcy Bar Association. Mr. Faruqui has been licensed to practice law in Florida since 2006, and graduated from Nova-Southeastern University Shepard Broad Law Center in 2005.
For bankruptcy matters, Mr. Faruqui can be contacted at Mohammad@Faruquilawfirm.com or at (954) 769-0745.
