341 meeting--what if I lose it?!

[Tabbygirl]

AAAAAggghhhhhh. I am probably filing tomorrow, and had to call the clerk's office and got a rudish employee who accused me "of calling yesterday" and treated me like I was trying to manipulate the system. Good heavens, I am just trying to make sure that I understand everything and not abuse the system. I started crying on the phone and basically told her that this is very stressful and I don't take the situation lightly.

Anyone ever cry or see anyone cry in a 341 meeting?! I know the paperwork part is fine, the pro se part is fine, but I just worry that my emotions and stress will get the best of me at the 341. An attorney wouldn't fix that for me; I'd still have to go tot he meeting.

*sigh*

[PoorGrammyinBK7]

I've cried a couple of times in my lawyer's office. Hope I can hold it together for the 341.

[woeisme]

I'm sure they've seen it all, and as long as you are able to answer their questions throughout the tears, it will be all-right. I've gotten out of traffic tickets by crying (not on purpose, just worked out that way) so who knows, maybe they will even be nicer to you and less likely to be rude if you cry. (I'm sure it won't affect the outcome though.)

[AngelinaCat]

Hi Tabbygirl: You will do fine. We cried in our lawyer's office too, but we were fine, though nervous at the 341.

Be sure you have your DL and SS card with you.

[Tabbygirl]

Well, at least when I called the clerk's office I found out that I can't take my cell phone and will have to leave it in the car. I had no idea that would be an issue, but I guess since it's a federal building they don't want people taking pictures or recording stuff. Wow.

I just need to get done and move on.

[soleprop]

i cried at the bk court on monday. the clerk was this bored disinterested unhelpful zombie, and i had just worked up 6 blocks of blisters walking 6 city blocks the wrong way with a big file box thanks to bad info from cops (sigh), so i just couldn't help a tear slipping down my cheek. she softened up a ton after that, which of course meant about 5 more tears slipped out. ended up not having to pay $20 for a copy of my filed bk, and she was friendly and open and talkative when i left.

tears are weird. honesty is powerful. emotions that you are really trying to control help people trust you (my opinions, all).

i cry under extreme stress; no doubt i'll have a kleenex handy at the 341 and a good case of the shakes. personally i think they'd rather see that than some disaffected bored zombie that could care less that they are walking away from financial obligations.

just my $.02

[BKwhopperJr]

The 341 will be a piece of cake....really....

Additional suggestions to avoid more stress that day:

1) Show up EARLY, EARLY, EARLY. Give yourself time for traffic, parking, getting thru security, finding the right floor/room. You may end up waiting around bored, but it is FAR BETTER than the stress of running late.

2) You will go thru a metal detector at the building entrance. So don't wear jewelery, piercings, etc. and wear easy-on/off shoes.

3) As suggested above, DEFINITELY don't forget your Driver's licence and Social Security Card.

On my 341 day...there were 6 other people that didn't bring these...and there's no meeting without them....what happens is the trustee has to re-schedule your 341...which can be a whole month or two later!!!

3) Just my opinion here, but dress the part of being broke. Dress down, in comfortable casual clothes, little or no make-up, no jewelry or fancy bag, and yes...no cell phone.

4) Don't bring anything with you that the trustee hasn't asked for.

I was going to be SUPER prepared for my 341....I brought a whole briefcase with me will all kinds backup papers, copies of eveything already filed, a years worth of back credit card statements, copies of bank statements, copies of tax returns, two notebooks, 6 pens, etc etc etc. As I waited my turn, I fumbled and checked and rearranged...worrying that I may have forgot something......

Of course, NONE of it was needed. You just hand the trustee your DL and SS cards, sit, and answer a few easy questions.

5) Do be prepared - know all the things you submitted in your filing. You may get questions on your budget, or your assets. Things like "how did you come up with the value of your house", or "don't you think your $2000/month food budget is a little too high!"

Remember, your meeting is not private, you will be in a group with a dozen or more others, each taking their turn (just like in traffic court). If you're not the first person in the group, you will get to see the process with others, and see the types of questions that are asked. This will definately put you at ease, once you see how simple it is.

You're not going to get upset-able questions like "How on earth did you get yourself in this situation", or "What were you thinking, why didn't you pay your bills!".

The questions are simple, and relate to the information you provided in your filing.

And best of all...it's over before you know it. The feeling of exhileration after that meeting is only surpassed by the day you get your discharge!

[liz417]

The 341 will be a piece of cake....really....

Additional suggestions to avoid more stress that day:

1) Show up EARLY, EARLY, EARLY. Give yourself time for traffic, parking, getting thru security, finding the right floor/room. You may end up waiting around bored, but it is FAR BETTER than the stress of running late.

2) You will go thru a metal detector at the building entrance. So don't wear jewelery, piercings, etc. and wear easy-on/off shoes.

3) As suggested above, DEFINITELY don't forget your Driver's licence and Social Security Card.

On my 341 day...there were 6 other people that didn't bring these...and there's no meeting without them....what happens is the trustee has to re-schedule your 341...which can be a whole month or two later!!!

3) Just my opinion here, but dress the part of being broke. Dress down, in comfortable casual clothes, little or no make-up, no jewelry or fancy bag, and yes...no cell phone.

4) Don't bring anything with you that the trustee hasn't asked for.

I was going to be SUPER prepared for my 341....I brought a whole briefcase with me will all kinds backup papers, copies of eveything already filed, a years worth of back credit card statements, copies of bank statements, copies of tax returns, two notebooks, 6 pens, etc etc etc. As I waited my turn, I fumbled and checked and rearranged...worrying that I may have forgot something......

Of course, NONE of it was needed. You just hand the trustee your DL and SS cards, sit, and answer a few easy questions.

5) Do be prepared - know all the things you submitted in your filing. You may get questions on your budget, or your assets. Things like "how did you come up with the value of your house", or "don't you think your $2000/month food budget is a little too high!"

Remember, your meeting is not private, you will be in a group with a dozen or more others, each taking their turn (just like in traffic court). If you're not the first person in the group, you will get to see the process with others, and see the types of questions that are asked. This will definately put you at ease, once you see how simple it is.

You're not going to get upset-able questions like "How on earth did you get yourself in this situation", or "What were you thinking, why didn't you pay your bills!".

The questions are simple, and relate to the information you provided in your filing.

And best of all...it's over before you know it. The feeling of exhileration after that meeting is only surpassed by the day you get your discharge!

Thanks for the detailed tips. For us "newbies" who haven't been to a 341, it's a scary thing...I think I'll need a whole box of tissue!

Liz

[AngelinaCat]

Hi BKwhopperjr: That was an excellent and very helpful post. Perhaps one of the Moderators will make it a 'sticky'.

I'll add one more piece of advice: If you are married and filing jointly, but use different surnames like 'Hub and I do, you will need to bring a copy of your marriage license with you along with your DL and SS card.

[Greenie]

Tabbygirl,

I totally understand your stress. I was so worried about traffic that I got to the building 3 hours early and waited in my car. I spent the time writing out this long explanation of how I got into my situation just in case the trustee asked. By the time the 341 started I was so nervous that I thought I was going to pass out.

There were only two or three cases before me and one was continued because someone forgot their SS card. When it was my turn I could barely talk, but she only asked a few questions (none of which had anything to do with how I got into my situation) and then it was over. I was so relieved, I almost started crying AFTER it was over. You'll do great! Congrats on getting your paperwork turned in!

[Tabbygirl]

BK, thanks for the ideas and good thoughts. The only bad part about the day of the 341 is that if it's scheduled when I think it will be (8/28), if it's in the afternoon, I'll have to go to work then leave. I'm a teacher, and that would be the 3rd or 4th day of school and that's sort of *not* a good time to request leave, but I never take off (like, I carryover almost all my leave every year to the next), so I guess they will have to deal with it. Then again, a couple of years ago one of our teachers had all 4 of her kids get chicken pox and she missed like the first 4 days or something. Stuff happens.

[ThreadsSnapping]

I'll add one more piece of advice: If you are married and filing jointly, but use different surnames like 'Hub and I do, you will need to bring a copy of your marriage license with you along with your DL and SS card.

Oh crap! I don't have a copy of my marriage license. I used the last copy at the DMV and forgot to order more copies after that. I lost my DL and figured while I was there I would just go ahead and change the name on it. I wonder if it will be a big deal if my DL has my first maiden and married name on it and my SS card and filing are in my maiden name only.

TS

[AngelinaCat]

TS, you need to get working on that. At our 341, there was a lady interviewed ahead of us, that was doing her C7 pro se. She had been through a divorce and her DL and SS did not have the name she was currently using. I don't remember whether she had reverted back to her maiden name or not, but her ID did not match her name and the Trustee continued her 341 because of it. He was very patient with her and explained what she needed to do, and that she really needed to hire a lawyer, but she really had to correct that ID problem. She tried to use her birth certificate, but the Trustee wouldn't accept that.

Now if you use a hypehnated name on the DL, that *might* work....

Good luck to you.

[ThreadsSnapping]

Well, as our 341 is on Monday and we got married out in Vegas there is no way to get a copy of it in time. But I do have my maiden name listed as my middle name on my DL so hopefully that will work. Of course, my lawyer didn't bat an eyelash when I told him that I hadn't changed my name yet so maybe it isn't an issue around here.

TS

[Cali]

I didn't cry and no one at my 341 did either.

Everyone handles this different ways.

You will be fine.