If a creditor or the trustee objects, a debtor may be denied a discharge and continue to owe the debts as if the bankruptcy had never been filed. Some of the reasons for being denied a discharge are fraudulent transfer of an asset to keep it away from creditors or the bankruptcy trustee, concealment of assets, or disobeying or making a false statement to the court. Such acts may also constitute federal crimes for which the debtor can be fined or imprisoned.

Certain types of debts, such as child support, alimony, some federal income taxes and all employer withholding taxes are not discharged in bankruptcy. Generally, student loans cannot be discharged, unless the first loan payment was due more than seven years before filing bankruptcy. The debtor’s wrongful conduct may make some debts nondischargeable in a liquidation bankruptcy, such as incurring credit card charges when the debtor had no intent or the ability to repay or obtaining loans using false financial information.