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Posted by: Bk in Texas on 02/24/05:In Reply to: My 341a was today. Long but worth it lots of details inside!!
I used bridgeport bankruptcy. I realize I could have gotten the documents from the court site for free, but it was more convenient and easier for me online. When I submitted my forms to the clerk she never questioned anything. She went through the papers to be sure everything was there and that was it. The trustee didn't mind that I used a service. He asked everyone in the room if anyone helped them prepare the paperwork.
: : This is long but I want to be detailed. I know before my 341 I wanted to get a feel for how the 341 would be so I hope to help others who still have to go through the 341. For those who don't want to read it all here's a break down:
: : -Trustee did NOT ask for bank statements.
: : -Trustee did NOT ask for anything except photo ID, SS card and my petitions. (In fact it didn't have to be a DL or SS card but anything with your face on it and your SS number)
: : -It was short and sweet. About 5 minutes.
: : -I filed on pay day but it wasn't an issue.
: : -Trustee NEVER asked about my TAXES.
: : -None of my creditors showed
:
: : Since I went prepared and had read so much about 341 on this board and others, I wasn't very nervous at all. I believed things would go fine.: : I filed PRO SE. And I'm glad I did. My meeting was about 5 minutes tops, and a lawyer would have been a waste of time and money. In fact, I sat next to a lady in the waiting room who said her lawyer had not shown up. I'm not sure if he ever did. I don't have any assets so filing pro se was ok for me.
: : Here's what happened:
: : I walked in, there's a seating area (like at a doctor's office). My meeting was 11 am but I didn't go in until about 11:30. A list of names was on the wall. The 11 am group of people was called in (it was about 8 people total). We all sat down in a room that surrounded a table. The trustee called each of us up one at a time. You raise your hand and are sworn in. You also sign a paper to show that you showed up to the meeting.
: : There was one other Pro Se filer. She had to pause a lot after her questions as if she didn't know what the dollar amounts were she had on her petitions. None of my creditors showed but one couple had a lady from a furniture company show up. Another couple had a US Trustee show up, but they had a more complicated case.
: : My trustee was nice, actually smiled and was looking at his watch. I HAD DOCUMENTATION FOR EVERYTHING (bus pass, my lease, my tax info, receipts, pay stubs, bills, even the prescription bags my prescription came in). In no way did I intend to be asked for something and not have it. And after all of that, my TRUSTEE DID NOT ASK FOR ANYTHING other than a SS card and photo ID and my petitions. I was well prepared. The trustee asked some of the other debtors to send in documentation they did not bring and those people had lawyers!!
: : Here are questions he asked in no particular order:
: : 1. Are you an attorney?
: : 2. Do you understand the documents?
: : 3. Do you owe anyone money at the time of filing?
: : 4. Did you list all your creditors?
: : 5. Did anyone help you prepare your petition? (I said yes. I used an online document preparation place.)
: : 6. How much did the online preparer charge you?
: : 7. He asked me about where I amendment the dollar amount in my petition. I did that because I needed to change it to reflect my bank account the day I filed.: : I filed on pay day I didn't know at the time that it's recommended not to do that. The only thing the trustee said was that I can't claim state exemption on money in the bank, but federal instead. But he said that was ok. He wasn't going to have me amend over that. Never asked me for bank statements.
: : His final words was that he recommends my case be closed and that I should be discharged within 70 to 80 days.
: : Thanks to everyone's advice on the board. Please feel free to ask me any questions.
: Congrats. What Bank Prep did you use? I used EasyBKServices and they did a good job but since they claim that they prepared the documents on an online "out of country" server, they are not required to sign that they are bankruptcy petition preparers on the Petition etc. Did your BK prep service sign anything and did the trustee have info about them on your BK petition them? I did talk to a clerk. She seemed annoyed that I just did not download the forms off the Court web site. DMR
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