This paper argues that the U.S. bankruptcy reform of 2005 played an important role in the mortgage crisis and the … current recession. When debtors file for bankruptcy, credit card debt and other types of debt are discharged - thus loosening … debtors' budget constraints. Homeowners in financial distress can therefore use bankruptcy to avoid losing their homes, since …

mortgages to the current market value of the property for homeowners in Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy. Strip-down of … mortgages in bankruptcy was proposed as a means of reducing foreclosures during the recent mortgage crisis but was blocked by … lenders. Our goal is to determine whether allowing bankruptcy judges to modify mortgages would have a large adverse impact on …