Articles from Tucson Bankruptcy Attorneys Trezza & Associates

After your bankruptcy papers are filed, the court will send a Notice of the Appointment of a Trustee and Notice of the Section 341(a) Meeting of Creditors. Your next step is to make sure you keep any paycheck stubs, direct deposit stubs, bank statements, etc. We will let you know about any other payments that need to be paid within a month or two after your case is filed. Your actual chapter 13 plan payments generally begin within 30 days after you file your petition.

The Statement of Current Monthly Income is used by judges to determine if your income level raises the question of abuse of the bankruptcy laws. Part of the responsibility of the judge in a bankruptcy case is to ensure that debtors do not abuse the bankruptcy laws and avoid paying debts by filing bankruptcy when they have the means to pay. Prior to 2005, this determination was made at the discretion of judges. After new bankruptcy laws were passed in 2005, judges are no longer able to use their discretion, but instead follow the formulas outlined in the law to determine if there is abuse.

Once you file for bankruptcy, there are two things that automatically occur: the automatic stay springs into effect to prevent your creditors from collecting, and the bankruptcy estate is created. The bankruptcy estate defines the nature of your assets by the date and time that you filed for bankruptcy.

Understanding Your Bankruptcy Filing: Schedules G, H, I, and J
In our last several blog posts, we have covered the types of information that are needed when you file your bankruptcy petition. We discuss the final schedules included in your petition in this article.