About Manny Frishberg

A Clean Start Isn't So Clean Anymore in Washington

A family member has an illness that requires a lengthy hospital stay. She recovers nicely, but with whopping medical bills and meager health insurance, your chances of financial recuperation look slim. A year ago, you might have been able to file for bankruptcy and get a fresh start. Now it’s not so easy. If you make more than the median income (in Washington state, that comes to about $71,000 a year for a family of four), you will now find it much harder to file a Chapter 7—which wipes out …