It provides a lender with added security when lending out money. The formula in calculating how to strip your lien is to calculate the market value of the collateral minus the payoff amount of the debt of any senior lien.When taking out a secured loan, you agree the purchased property will be collateral, creating a voluntary "lien. Section 506(a) specifies that a secured creditor is entitled to secured status only to the extent of actual collateral value. When you prepare your bankruptcy paperwork, you'll need to sort your bills into three categories: secured, unsecured, and priority debts. When taking out a secured loan, you agree the purchased property will be collateral, creating a voluntary "lien. In a Chapter 7, you must reaffirm the debt to the creditor if you want to keep it. If you want secured creditors to be paid in your Chapter 13 plan, they must file proofs of claim. Let's use the example of a vehicle loan. Once this process is complete, you will receive your bankruptcy discharge, which wipes out all debts that can be discharged in bankruptcy.