How long once I have filed either 7 or 13 do I have to remain in my house before I retain all of the equity.

Welcome to AMHD. The equity in you home is determined by your state of residence. If you file Chapter 13 and pay unsecured creditors 100%, you will not lose any equity. A Chapter 7 can be filed and discharged in three to four months. A Chapter 13 can last no longer than sixty months.

When you file bankruptcy you are allowed to keep a certain amount of various property from your states allowed exemptions. So as long as that amount of equity is within your exemption amount you keep it.

As notd when you file a chapter 7 it discharges all allowed debt, if your equity was within the exemption amount and you keep the house by paying your loan, the home is still yours.

So you will need to speak to your attorney as to what amount of equity is allowed to be keep in bankruptcy