Before BAPCPA (Pre-2005)
Chapter 13 historically offered a broader discharge than Chapter 7. Certain debts that survived Chapter 7 -- including debts from fraud (523(a)(2)), fiduciary fraud (523(a)(4)), and willful injury (523(a)(6)) -- could be discharged through a completed Chapter 13 plan. This was the "superdischarge."
After BAPCPA (2005-Present)
BAPCPA added these exceptions to the Chapter 13 discharge, significantly narrowing the superdischarge. Today, debts from fraud, fiduciary fraud, and willful injury survive both Chapter 7 and Chapter 13.
What remains of the superdischarge is limited. Chapter 13 can still discharge certain debts that Chapter 7 cannot, including some property settlement obligations from divorce (523(a)(15) debts). But the practical advantage is much smaller than it was before 2005.
Practical Impact
The narrowing of the superdischarge means there are fewer situations where Chapter 13 offers a discharge advantage over Chapter 7 based purely on scope. The main reasons to choose Chapter 13 today are: saving your home from foreclosure, cramming down vehicle loans, protecting cosigners, and repaying priority debts over time.
Compare Chapter 13 and Chapter 7
Chapter 7 Guide