[As personal bankruptcies have mushroomed [NYT]](http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/09/weekinreview/09fess.html?pagewanted=print) over the past five years, a new bankruptcy law will make it more difficult to wipe the slate clean.

As home prices rise, bankruptcies tend to fall as homeowners are able to draw on their homequity loans to stay out of trouble.

A weakening real estate market may create problems if home equity does not expand as it has in recent years and economic conditions weaken.

[[Map Of Changes in Bankruptcy Rates by County, 2000 to 2005]](http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2005/10/08/weekinreview/20051009_BANKRUPT_MAP.html)