The Consumer Bankruptcy Project (CBP) is an on-going, long-term research project studying persons who file bankruptcy. The CBP is led by an interdisciplinary team of professors who serve as co-investigators. We regularly collect demographic and other information about bankruptcy filers using a nationally random sample.
If you received a survey from the CBP, that means that your name was randomly drawn from the thousands of Americans who filed bankruptcy in the past three months. Over the past decade, thousands of households have participated in our research. Your responses are confidential. We appreciate your participation. Please follow the instructions in the materials you received. If you are considering filing bankruptcy and are searching for more information about filing, you can find a list of helpful websites at the bottom of this page.
The current co-investigators on the CBP are Professors Pamela Foohey, Robert M. Lawless, and Deborah Thorne. For more details about the co-investigators, the students serving as CBP Fellows, and the project’s history, visit our CBP People page.
Our new book, Debt’s Grip: Risk and Consumer Bankruptcy, University of California Press, August 2025, is available now.
Searching for Information about Filing Bankruptcy?
The co-investigators on the CBP do not provide legal advice, and nothing on this site should be construed as legal advice. That said, we fully understand that being in debt can be very stressful, and we understand the desire to reach out for help. These resources may prove helpful:
- Bankruptcy Basics, Administrative Office of the United States Courts
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) – Consumer Information, United States Trustee Program
- Consumer Bankruptcy Guide, National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys
- Resources for Consumers, National Consumer Law Center
If you are seeking crisis support for yourself, a loved one, or a friend, these resources also may prove helpful:
- Talk to Someone Now – Suicide Prevention Lifeline
- Crisis Text Line
- National DV Hotline
- Free Online Counseling
If you are looking for the City Bar Justice Center’s Consumer Bankruptcy Project, which provides legal assistance to low-income consumers in New York City, you can find that same-named project here. We are not affiliated with the City Bar Justice Center.
Thank you for visiting the CBP website. If you have questions about this website, please contact Pamela Foohey (website admin).