In order to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy proceedings, debtors must now meet additional eligibility requirements. First, debtors must undergo a means test, which measures their household income and expenses against those of the average family of the same size, and living in the same location. If debtors have a certain level of household income, they will not be eligible for Chapter 7 bankruptcy relief. Next, debtors must undergo credit counseling both prior to filing for bankruptcy, as well as near the closure of bankruptcy proceedings, in order to qualify for Chapter 7 bankruptcy relief. These changes in federal bankruptcy laws are designed to ensure both that debtors with the ability to pay back at least a portion of their debts are kept from a Chapter 7 discharge of debts, as well as to ensure that debtors do not find themselves in a similarly precarious financial position in the future.