Many people mistakenly believe that filing bankruptcy will “wipe the slate clean” and absolve them of all their financial obligations, but that is not necessarily true all of the time. Even if you file for bankruptcy, you will still need to pay your child support, back taxes, federal student loans, or debts incurred as a result of fraud or theft (writing bad checks, for example). If you are not clear on which debts will and will not be discharged, speak with an attorney or reputable credit counselor before filing.