There are two common forms of bankruptcy: liquidation and reorganization. In the United States the law provides for one liquidation chapter (chapter 7); all other chapters are for reorganization (chapter 9- municipalities, chapter 11- businesses or individuals, chapter 12- family farmers, chapter 13- individual "wage earners".) Upon the filing of the bankruptcy petition, the Debtor's assets constitute the bankruptcy "estate". With the notable exception of a case under chapter 11, a Trustee is appointed to oversee the
Debtor's estate, to evaluate claims and perform other functions. In certain instances a Trustee can be appointed to a chapter 11 case. In a liquidation bankruptcy, the Debtor's nonexempt (i.e., legally unprotected) assets are sold off to satisfy creditor claims. This is referred to as "administering" the Debtor's estate. The Creditors with timely filed and valid claims participate in a pro-rata distribution of the proceeds obtained through the liquidation. The distribution is based on a system of priorities, in which certain classes of claimants are given priority over others. A liquidation case in which no liquidation occurs, and thus no assets are administered for the benefit of creditors, is generally referred to as a "no asset" case. A reorganization bankruptcy is a bankruptcy in which a debtor reorganizes/restructures assets and debts. Individuals may initiate a reorganization bankruptcy in order to retain assets and pay creditor claims out of the individual's income. However, reorganization bankruptcies can involve an "orderly liquidation" of some or all of the Debtor's assets. A reorganization bankruptcy usually allows the Debtor to carry on while satisfying creditor claims (in whole or part).
Businesses may enter a reorganization bankruptcy in order to survive insolvency due to creditor claims exceeding the ability of the business to satisfy them. The basic process involves a business reducing each creditor's claims to allow partial payment in order for the business to carry on with its daily
commercial activity. During the pendency of bankruptcy proceedings the debtor is protected from most non-bankruptcy legal action by creditors through a legally imposed stay. Creditors cannot pursue most
types of lawsuits, garnish wages, or attempt to compell payment.