Bankruptcy is an established traditional remedy in which the government in effect declares that it's better for an individual or married couple to get a fresh start rather than to suffer incessantly in the destructive hold of overwhelming debt. Consistent with that policy, a filing for bankruptcy in a federal court in Ohio allows generally for the elimination of all unsecured debt, and for the reorganization of secured debt that has gone into arrears. A debtor with only unsecured debts such as credit cards and medical bills will usually want to file a Chapter 7. One requirement is that debtors must pass a 'means test' initially to prove that they cannot afford to pay their debts.
