Ask the attorney that is filing your Chapter 7 case.
Yes. If you voluntarily have a chapter 13 bankruptcy dismissed, your creditors will be notified of the dismissal.
No, it will remain for seven years.
When you either voluntarily give up the house or you stop making payments (foreclosure).
Yes.
Yes. In that order.
Yes. But in California, you can not have more than ~$330,000 of unsecured debt if you are going to file for Chapter 13. Check your local bankruptcy rules to see if you qualify for chapter 13 bankruptcy based on your debt.
Yes, temporarily. Filing for bankruptcy protects your from collection actions taken by your creditors, including foreclosure during the proceedings.
The exact procedures will vary by the rules of your local bankruptcy court, but a Chapter 13 debt can voluntarily dismiss a bankruptcy at almost anytime. Where I practice law, the debtor just needs to complete and sign a one page form and submit a proposed order. Both are forms you can get from the local bankruptcy court. The website for your local bankruptcy court should have the forms you need.
You will probably receive one more chance. You need to have your lawyer contact the bankruptcy trustee and see if it can be rescheduled.
Yes.
If you are referring to a Chapter 7 bankruptcy, you are stuck with debts incurred after filing the bankruptcy unless your case is dismissed without a discharge and later refiled. In a Chapter 13 case, sometimes post petition debts can be paid through plan or the debts can be covered if you voluntarily dismiss the case and refile or convert it to a Chapter 7. In the case of a conversion to a Chapter 7, it would cover all debts up to the date of the conversion. The reform laws that went into effect in October 2005 contain much stricter rules on cases where a bankruptcy has been dismissed and refiled to prevent "serial" filers. Before making a decison, you must consult a local bankruptcy attorney to decide if dismiss your case and refiling is a valid option for your circumstance. Finally, Chapter 7 cases are very difficult to dismiss voluntarily.
The amount of time a bankruptcy stays on your credit report after discharge differs between Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 Bankruptcy. With Chapter 7 bankruptcy, the Chapter 7 stays on your credit report for 10 years. Chapter 13 bankruptcy, after discharge, it shows for 7 years on your credit report.