Today is officially day 1 of filing! What next?

[Jeffymac]

Ok, everyone this is my first post on here and I am not sure if I will keep going. Today is the first day of....i dont know the rest of our financial life??? Well, ok that is dramatic! Today we officially have filed for Ch13 BK in CA. We have been reading through the forum and have picked up quite a bit of advice from everyone's posts so thought we could participate in our own way.

So, i guess my question is what is next? Yes, I know we have the 341 to "look forward" to but all we have right now is a document from our attorney that was emailed to us tonight at 6 pm saying we have filed BK and it is from the court.

Should we reach out to our creditors proactively? or, should we wait for the court process to take hold and notify? I really cant wait for the calls to stop!!!!

Until next time....

Day 1 Filed for BK CH13 in CA - 7/1/11

[newbie2]

On the document you received from your attorney should be your case number. When you receive a phone call from a creditor give them that case number. If you want to call them all and give it to them you can, but there is no need. Within a few days they should all stop. Good luck to you.

[AngelinaCatHub]

As in any journey, you have made the first step. That is the hardest part. The rest will fall into place. I suggest the C13 book from Nolo Press. About 25 bucks and downloadable to pdf file. It will give you all you need to know plus more. 'Hub

[catleg]

No need to concern yourself with calling anyone. National creditors get an electronic feed so they will be notified within a day or two. The phones will go quiet pretty fast. Next you will probably get a welcome letter from your local ch13 trustee with instructions.

[lillymarlene]

I was so happy when I received my "official welcome letter" late last Fall. Creditors still called for about a week, and I was finally able to give out my case number and attorney contact info. :-)

[fileda13]

What's next after Day 1? Day 2.

All joking aside, I'm into my 3rd week after filing and the 341 meeting (next major step) is Aug 3rd. Once I filed I answered every creditor call that came in, told them I filed C13, gave them my case #, and gave them my attorney's name and #. All of the phone calls have stopped. I've come to this forum to research and understand (or not understand) some of the complexities of filing.

Now I am working on 2 things. One is finalizing my budget for the next five years so I don't become another statistic of a failed C13 becoming a C7. The most important thing I am working on is self training in how to approach each day economically. I know (obviously) that what I did to the point 3 weeks ago didn't quite work out according to plan. I truly now am and must live paycheck to paycheck, and I must teach myself that because I've never experienced living that way before.

[IamOld]

Thank you fileda13....the thing for us was, that since...Nov/Dec and really for years, we've been living already paycheck to paycheck..

[lillymarlene]

I am 9/48 months into my 13. I'm self-employed and I've lived "hand to mouth" for years. The biggest difference is that there are no longer any credit cards.

[randy5724]

Thank you fileda13....the thing for us was, that since...Nov/Dec and really for years, we've been living already paycheck to paycheck..

Filed in April, 341 meeting first part of May confirmed week later, 3 payments down and 57 to go. No need to let creditors know they will know soon, and phone calls will stop. Not ready to say it was the best decision we ever made but, it is easier living under a 13 than it was trying to pay the charge cards before. First time in our 30 year marriage we have actually drew up and stayed on a budget, and we have money at the end of month.

[fileda13]

Thank you fileda13....the thing for us was, that since...Nov/Dec and really for years, we've been living already paycheck to paycheck..

If I really think about it, I've been living paycheck to paycheck for years. The only difference now is that by filing for C13 I took away the one thing that prevented me from learning how to truly live from paycheck to paycheck - credit.

[jange]

18/60 payments done, and I feel like we still live paycheck to paycheck. Difference is I have money left over at the end of the month, money in the saving account and my 401k is growing. That is a good feeling!

[fslady]

I wasn't living paycheck to paycheck - I was living paycheck to cash advanced to cc payments. Now I have 7/60 payments left, money in a savings account, and a much better attitude toward spending. Chapter 13 saved my sanity and my future!