The Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005 was signed into law by President George W. Bush on April 20, 2005, and went into effect on October 17, 2005. The bill amends Title 11 of the U.S. Code and provides for stricter bankruptcy filing requirements. Under the new law, those who have the ability to do so may be required to pay back part of their debt rather than having the debt expunged. The law also makes it more difficult for "serial filers" to abuse bankruptcy protection and requires more disclosure to customers by credit card companies.

Parts of the new law will be enforced by the Department of Justice's United States Trustee Program. For more information on their responsibilities with regard to the law, please visit: http://www.usdoj.gov/ust/eo/bapcpa/ccde/index.htm

If you have questions about filing for bankruptcy, please consult with an attorney who specializes in bankruptcy law. While there is no Federal agency that provides private legal assistance, the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) does fund locally-based legal aid services to people in financial need. To find the nearest LSC program, please choose your state and county information at:
http://www.usdoj.gov/ust/eo/bapcpa/ccde/cc_approved.htm

To access the list of approved debtor education providers, visit:
http://www.usdoj.gov/ust/eo/bapcpa/ccde/de_approved.htm