How can Chapter 12 help family farmers and fishermen?
One primary advantage of Chapter 12 is that it offers higher debt limits and more freedom than Chapter 13, without the time and expense associated with a Chapter 11 reorganization. The higher debt limit is responsive to the fact that farming and fishing operations tend to incur much higher debts than the average individual. Chapter 11 is tailored more for corporations. Chapter 11 has no debt limits, but it is far more costly and complex than Chapter 12. Another advantage over both Chapter 13 and Chapter 11 is that Chapter 12 makes it much easier for farmers and fishermen to restructure loans secured by their primary residence.