YIPPEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My hearing was scheduled for 1:30, and I arrived 45 minutes early hoping to hear some other people go through. When I arrived there was only one person there, and so I explained why I was there/what time my appointment was, assuming he was the Trustee or other 'official'.
I tell you, God was smiling down on me today...turns out he was a lawyer, and a friendly talkative one at that. After a bit of chit chat he offered to look at my paperwork, which I obliged happily...free legal advice WOOHOO. He looked it over and said I did a really good job, and it was better than many lawyers do
He found a few errors...nothing big, just pointed out a few things the Trustee might question...and gave me advice on how to answer. Then he explained how the meeting would go, which is pretty much what I'd read here and elsewhere. He was SO nice...he REALLY calmed me down...and then we chatted a bit about the new laws which I may post in another thread.
There were supposed to be two people before me, but their attorneys weren't there yet so I got called first. The Trustee swore me in, asked for my driver's license and SS Card, and asked me the following questions (it's a blur, but this is what I remember):
Did you fill everything out accurately?
Did you list all of your creditors?
Is your income stated accurately?
Did you list the value of your assets accurately?
Do you have any assets not listed?
Has there been any change to your income since you filed?
I see you have medical bills listed, are they the result of an accident or injury where you would have a claim?
Do you have any claims or potential lawsuits against someone else?
Does anyone owe you money?
Is anyone holding money/property for you?
Are you single/divorced/married? Divorced~are you still owed any property settlement from the marriage?
Have you sold any assets in the past 6 months?
Have you taken any cash advances or made transfers on your credit cards?
Do you owe any money in Federal/State income taxes?
Do you owe any money for criminal fines or lawsuits?
Do you any any money in child support?
Have you filed any insurance claims in the past 24 months (this one threw me...I had filed a claim about two years ago for damage to my car in a windstorm, and don't know if it's been 24 months or not, so I told him that. He asked how much the claim was (around $500) and moved on).
Do you understand that if you inherit any money in the next 6 months you have to inform me?
He asked a couple of questions on my self employment/business assets and asked if I felt my assement of the value was accurate, etc.
He asked me to read a form about Chapter 7 which basically stated what can not be discharged, etc., and then said that I made some errors on my exemptions (momentary scare) but that it was "close enough" and he wouldn't make me amend it. He said there are no creditors appearing, and I didn't quite catch what else he said...something like "this is a discharge case" to his secretary, and the thanked me and told me we were finished.
And that was it. I thanked him, and when I turned around the lawyer I had talked to gave me a thumbs up. I thanked him quietly, and with the biggest grin in the world walked out of the room.
I can't tell you how GREAT it feels to have this over with. And many thanks to the board...I would not have known to bring my SS Card, which was asked for straight away. A couple of the things the friendly lawyer pointed out might be questioned were not, and there were a few unexpected questions (the insurance thing was one). But all in all a very similar experience to those posted on the board.
Thanks again to all of you who have answered my questions, or who have posted info that is useful to so many. I'm going to crack open a bottle of wine tonight and will toast you all!
My hearing was scheduled for 1:30, and I arrived 45 minutes early hoping to hear some other people go through. When I arrived there was only one person there, and so I explained why I was there/what time my appointment was, assuming he was the Trustee or other 'official'.
I tell you, God was smiling down on me today...turns out he was a lawyer, and a friendly talkative one at that. After a bit of chit chat he offered to look at my paperwork, which I obliged happily...free legal advice WOOHOO. He looked it over and said I did a really good job, and it was better than many lawyers do
He found a few errors...nothing big, just pointed out a few things the Trustee might question...and gave me advice on how to answer. Then he explained how the meeting would go, which is pretty much what I'd read here and elsewhere. He was SO nice...he REALLY calmed me down...and then we chatted a bit about the new laws which I may post in another thread.There were supposed to be two people before me, but their attorneys weren't there yet so I got called first. The Trustee swore me in, asked for my driver's license and SS Card, and asked me the following questions (it's a blur, but this is what I remember):
Did you fill everything out accurately?
Did you list all of your creditors?
Is your income stated accurately?
Did you list the value of your assets accurately?
Do you have any assets not listed?
Has there been any change to your income since you filed?
I see you have medical bills listed, are they the result of an accident or injury where you would have a claim?
Do you have any claims or potential lawsuits against someone else?
Does anyone owe you money?
Is anyone holding money/property for you?
Are you single/divorced/married? Divorced~are you still owed any property settlement from the marriage?
Have you sold any assets in the past 6 months?
Have you taken any cash advances or made transfers on your credit cards?
Do you owe any money in Federal/State income taxes?
Do you owe any money for criminal fines or lawsuits?
Do you any any money in child support?
Have you filed any insurance claims in the past 24 months (this one threw me...I had filed a claim about two years ago for damage to my car in a windstorm, and don't know if it's been 24 months or not, so I told him that. He asked how much the claim was (around $500) and moved on).
Do you understand that if you inherit any money in the next 6 months you have to inform me?
He asked a couple of questions on my self employment/business assets and asked if I felt my assement of the value was accurate, etc.
He asked me to read a form about Chapter 7 which basically stated what can not be discharged, etc., and then said that I made some errors on my exemptions (momentary scare) but that it was "close enough" and he wouldn't make me amend it. He said there are no creditors appearing, and I didn't quite catch what else he said...something like "this is a discharge case" to his secretary, and the thanked me and told me we were finished.
And that was it. I thanked him, and when I turned around the lawyer I had talked to gave me a thumbs up. I thanked him quietly, and with the biggest grin in the world walked out of the room.
I can't tell you how GREAT it feels to have this over with. And many thanks to the board...I would not have known to bring my SS Card, which was asked for straight away. A couple of the things the friendly lawyer pointed out might be questioned were not, and there were a few unexpected questions (the insurance thing was one). But all in all a very similar experience to those posted on the board.
Thanks again to all of you who have answered my questions, or who have posted info that is useful to so many. I'm going to crack open a bottle of wine tonight and will toast you all!
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