Bankruptcy chapter 7 Ohio is called "straight bankruptcy". It involves liquidating all non-exempt property and having it sold by a trustee who has been appointed by the court. Most chapter 7 bankruptcies do not involve any non-exempt properties and are discharged quickly. There are basic forms which need to be filled out which you can get from your local bankruptcy attorney and sometimes online. These forms will ask for information regarding all income and expenditures as well as any assets and liabilities. The forms are very important because any creditor that you forget to list will not be a part of the bankruptcy proceedings. If all creditors are listed properly, once you have filed for bankruptcy, the creditors are not allowed to contact or harass you in any way. As far as what can be declared "exempt", that will depend on whether you choose the federal list of exemptions or the Ohio list of exemptions. An attorney will have all of that information as well, but some of the exemptions are medical aids, Jewelry (up to $1500), burial plot, and beds, bedding and clothing. This is only a partial list and you should obtain the entire list before deciding which to choose.