The new bankruptcy laws play an important role in how bankruptcy in the United States occurs. Under the new laws, individuals must first pass a means test to qualify for straight Chapter 7 bankruptcy. Most people will need to work through consumer credit counseling before being able to file Chapter 7 bankruptcy. They will also need to obtain a debtors education certificate showing they attended this mandatory class, before the debt may be discharged. Many people will spend months working through a repayment play with the credit counseling service prior to qualifying for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. More so, there are limitations on how often you can file bankruptcy. These new bankruptcy laws have a design to make it less appealing and more difficult to file bankruptcy in an effort to dissuade more people from filing bankruptcy.