Student Loans

Student loans are, for the most part, not dischargeable in bankruptcy.  That means that if you have a student loan, in most cases you will not be able to eliminate the student loan debt in bankruptcy.  Student loans used to be dischargeable in bankruptcy.  However, in 2005, the bankruptcy law was rewritten to make student loans nondischargeable. 

Can I File Bankruptcy on Student Loans in San Diego?

If you are asking the question, can I file bankruptcy on student loans, in most cases the answer is no.  With the revisions to the bankruptcy code in 2005, and the Brunner Test, which is controlling law in San Diego bankruptcy cases, there is a very tough standard that you would need to meet in order to be able to wipe out student loans in bankruptcy.  In the bankruptcy court in San Diego, California, you would generally need to show that you are so physically or mentally disabled that you cannot engage in substantial gainful employment.

History of Student Loans in Bankruptcy

Prior to 1998, you could file bankruptcy on student loans if the student loan was in repayment status (not including any deferment period) for at least 7 years at the time of your bankruptcy filing. 

On October 7, 1998, the Bankruptcy Code was amended to make it more difficult to file bankruptcy on student loans.  The 1998 law made student loans nondischargeable if the student loan was made or guaranteed by the Federal Government unless you could show that nondischargeability would pose an “undue hardship” upon you and your dependents. Student loans still remained dischargeable if the student loans were not made or guaranteed by the Federal Government.

On October 17, 2005, the New Bankruptcy Law went into effect and drastically changed your ability to discharge student loans in bankruptcy.  The New Bankruptcy Law in effect treats privately funded student loans just like government backed student loans.  Since 2005, it is very difficult to file bankruptcy on student loans.

Under the law, all educational loans, whether government backed student loans or privately funded student loans, are nondischargeable in bankruptcy unless you can show that nondischargeability would post an “undue hardship” upon you and your dependents.

Undue Hardship – The Brunner Test

The Bankruptcy Code does not define what constitutes an “undue hardship.” To determine whether an undue hardship exists sufficiently to allow you to obtain a Hardship Discharge of your student loans in bankruptcy the Bankruptcy Court will apply the “Brunner Test.”

The Brunner Test is a 3-Part test first established in 1985 by the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. At the time the test was established it was not controlling in California.

On September 11, 1998, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, which is controlling over California Bankruptcy Courts, adopted the Brunner Test.  Since that time, the Brunner Test has been the controlling test that is applied by California Bankruptcy Judges in deciding whether to grant you Hardship Discharge of your student loans when you file for bankruptcy.

Under the Brunner Test, the Bankruptcy Judge applies a 3-Part test to determine whether an undue hardship exists sufficiently for the Bankruptcy Judge to grant you a Hardship Discharge when you file for bankruptcy:  (1) You must establish that you cannot maintain, based upon your current income and expenses, a minimal standard of living for yourself and your dependents if you are forced to repay your loans; (2) You must show that additional circumstances exist indicating that your current state of affairs is likely to persist for a significant part of the repayment period of your loans; and (3) You must have made good faith efforts to repay your loans.

In practice, it is very difficult to obtain a Hardship Discharge under the Brunner Test.  Once you pass the first part of the test- you establish that you cannot maintain a minimal standard of living if forced to repay your student loans- you must still show the Bankruptcy Court that your situation is not going to change for a significant part of your repayment period.

It will not be presumed by the Bankruptcy Court that your current state of affairs is not going to change for a significant part of your repayment period.  Rather, you must make an affirmative showing and prove to the Bankruptcy Court that you have an insurmountable barrier to financial recovery that is likely to remain with you for a substantial portion of your repayment period.

Technically, under the Brunner Test, your barrier to financial recovery does not necessarily need to be so extreme that it rises to the level of a physical disability, learning disability, mental illness, or other similar extreme circumstance. 

In reality, Bankruptcy Courts frequently reserve granting a Hardship Discharge to the extreme case- a case where you are physically unable to work and there is virtually no chance that you will recover and obtain gainful employment in the future. 

Even if you have an extreme case, you must further show that you have made good faith efforts to repay your student loans.  This means, for example, attempting to work out a repayment plan, consolidating your loans under the Federal Direct Loans consolidation program, and other similar good faith efforts to repay your educational loans prior to filing bankruptcy and requesting a Hardship Discharge.

Partial Discharge

Discharging student loans in bankruptcy is not always an all-or-nothing proposition. Bankruptcy Judges have equitable powers and may exercise their equitable powers to partially discharge a portion but not all of your student loans based upon your individual circumstances.

To obtain a partial discharge of your student loans you will still need to meet all 3 parts of the Brunner Test with respect to the portion of your educational loans that you are seeking to discharge.  If and only if you meet all 3 parts of the Brunner Test, then the Bankruptcy Judge may exercise his or her discretion to grant you a partial discharge of your student loan debt.

HEAL Loans

Health Education Assistance Loan (HEAL) Act loans are subject to an even stricter standard (stricter than the Brunner Test) and are harder to discharge than any other type of educational loan debt.  In particular, discharging a HEAL Loan in bankruptcy requires a finding by the Bankruptcy Court that, among other findings, it would be “unconscionable” not to discharge your HEAL Loan.  Unconscionability is a very difficult standard to meet.

Adversary Proceeding Required

If you can establish that your case meets the standard for granting a hardship discharge or partial discharge of your student loan debt, you will need to initiate an adversary proceeding in your Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy case and request that the Bankruptcy Court make a determination that your loans are discharged in your bankruptcy case.