Bankruptcy Reform Criticized

A study conducted by the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys claims that 97% of consumers seeking relief under the new law are unable to repay debts.The NACBA says the reforms enacted last October "are not working as intended." According to NACBA, 61,355 consumers have been seen by credit counseling firms since the new law took effect, and almost all of them were unable to repay any of their debts. The analysis also claims that four out of five would-be filers were forced into financial difficulty by "circumstances beyond their control," such as a job loss, divorce or the death of a spouse, or catastrophic medical expenses. Brad Botes, executive director of NACBA, said the new law has "put new hurdles in the path of people who are already flat on their back."