341 meeting:

[Spartan]

Went to my 341. In and out in less than 3 minutes. The trustee was totally bored. He was zipping throught the questions like he was running an auction.

Before it started, he asked my lawyer if her client knew what to do. They cracked a few inside jokes.

Getting into the building was more troublesome than getting by the meeting.


I think the whole experience is, paying a lawyer is worth it. She kept me from attempting harebrain ideas.

[Hopeless]

Good for you! Always glad to hear positive news.

Were you asked, "how did you get yourself into this debt?"

I've been told that is a question asked and wonder if it's a standard question or more rare.

Congrats on the smooth sailing there!

[BKTango]

Spartan - Congrats you have got through one of the most important steps....now comes the hardest part, the waiting game. I agree on the getting into the building part, I felt violated by all of the "security" checks by the time it was said and done.


Hopeless - That question is almost never asked, or to my knowledge it isn't. It certainly wasn't asked to us. I would think that is more of a rarity. Unless they see a HUGE massive amount of debt occured in a few months or so, they really don't give a rats behind how you got into debt, their only concern at that point is "do you have any assets/money/anything I can take?"

[Spartan]

Good for you! Always glad to hear positive news.

Were you asked, "how did you get yourself into this debt?"

I've been told that is a question asked and wonder if it's a standard question or more rare.

Congrats on the smooth sailing there!

Thanks.

Yes, he did ask that question at the end. I answered truthfully and he just said "Ok. You are excused." That was it.

[lrprn]

Went to my 341. In and out in less than 3 minutes.

Congratulations, Spartan!! Welcome to the 60-Day Club!

I think the whole experience is, paying a lawyer is worth it. She kept me from attempting harebrain ideas.

And it's hard to know the ideas are harebrain until you are staring at creditor and trustee objections when it's too late. Unless it's a no-asset Ch 7, the new BAPCPA law made filing pro se much harder. Right now the latest stats show that since Oct 2005, around 80% of the new Ch 7 cases that have been dismissed by the trustee or the court have been filed pro se.

[HHM]

I think the whole experience is, paying a lawyer is worth it. She kept me from attempting harebrain ideas.

That is probably the best insight to why most debtors NEED an attorney?

[Spartan]

What can I say? You folks have been right all along.

[yomama]

Spartan, Yes, the meeting was over pretty quickly, huh? Afterwards I asked myself, "And that was what you got yourself all worked up about?!" Honestly, ours didn't last more than 3 minutes either. I'm glad it's over with though, and my husband and I just finished our debtor education course and are waiting to receive our certificates and we'll give them to the lawyer to file. Last date for objections for our case is on March 4. I haven't been watching Pacer because I think it would get me worried more than anything.

Hopeless, We were asked how we got into our debt and we answered it honestly. The trustee didn't seem to have a problem with it. So yes, that question is asked at least sometimes. I'm so glad we hired an attorney to do our BK; otherwise, I'd have been more of a bundle of nerves than what I already was.

[SinkingFast]

Well CONGRATS Spartan!!

Now prop up your feet and wait for you 60 days to pass. Hopefully you'll be done before you even realize it!

[ChainSmokin]

Congrats Spartan! And thanks for helping me along my BK journey.

[freshstart2006]

Congratulations, Spartan!! Welcome to the 60-Day Club!
Right now the latest stats show that since Oct 2005, around 80% of the new Ch 7 cases that have been dismissed by the trustee or the court have been filed pro se.

That's a scary thought! I filed pro se, ch 7 no assets and I was just discharged today. I made sure to do an extremely thourough job researching everything though. I felt very confident in my ability to file pro se or else I would have gone to a lawyer. I'm just glad I didn't make any mistakes!

[Spartan]

Thanks everyone. Couldn't have come this far without your input and advice.

Now, I just hope the US trustees do not suddenly develop an urge to play Columbo, and delay my discharge/closing.