If you only pursue Chapter 13 bankruptcy, you can file a new case every couple of years. However, people who are only interested in Chapter 7 can file new cases every eight years. In the same way, if someone files a Chapter 7 case and then he discovers that he is more financially trouble, he can file a Chapter 13 case within four years of the termination of the Chapter 7 bankruptcy proceeding.
Furthermore, a person with a recent Chapter 13 case may be able to declare Chapter 7 bankruptcy right away if his or her situation has significantly changed. This is generally at the Supreme Court’s discretion. On the other hand, every Chapter 7 case stays on a credit report for a about a decade, while Chapter 13 filings are reported for several years.
