When the payments are all made, then what happens?

[jabkitts]

I am almost half way thru a 36 month plan and keep seeing posts about the discharge after that. What happens after the final payment is paid? Does it take a long time for it to be considered complete?

[kornellred]

It seems as though a lot of Chapter 13 debtors ask that question. From what I have gathered, near the end of your payment plan, the trustee will send you a notice of pending completion of your plan. Make sure that you have completed and submitted the required debt counseling course to your attorney or trustee. If you are on a wage order payment plan, the trustee will notify your employer to stop the wage deduction.
Then you wait for further instructions. The automatic stay is in effect until the court issues your discharge document. It can often take more time than you figure is necessary, and you might feel somewhat abused, but that is not the case. Patience is indeed a virtue.

[Flamingo]

When you make your last payment, inform your attorney. You should hear shortly from the trustee as to the receipt of your last payment and the trustee may or should explain in his/her letter what is going to happen now that your last payment has been made. Your plan will be audited, final payments made to creditors and documents sent to all creditors for them to sign that all is completed as to the Plan. When all that is received back by the Trustee, you should receive your discharge. It takes about 2 1/2 to 3 months if there are no problems.