Broke and unable to make it to 341 for chapter 7... ideas?

[electricbob]

Hello everyone,

I am in a little more than $25,000 in debt and another $30,000 in student loan debt. I do freelance video work and I had a little bit of money coming in from a freelance job but work has been so infrequent that I wasn't sure when my next job was going to come in. I wasn't able to pay for my rent, my car or any thing else after this money came in. It was really wearing on me and I was really depressed about it and felt like a total failure. So I did the only thing I could think of doing to get me out of this crises. Not spend a dime on anything. Become homeless. I sold all of my possessions including my car and only kept a few clothes and my computer. I took that money and paid a few debts off (like a business loan) and bought a one way plane ticket to Europe. Without knowing anyone or knowing where I was going to go I set off on my new life and adventure.

Very romantic and all but now I would like to take care of my debts and file for BK. The problem is that while I have enough money (I got some small work here and there) to eat for a few months and sleep with new friends or on the street, I can't buy a plane ticket back to the states. I will get enough money from my tax returns this year to pay for the lawyer but I will not be able to make it to the 341 meeting. Is there any way around physically being at the meeting? Will the judge be ok with knowing that I'm stranded in Europe with no way home?

I can just ignore the CC companies for another couple of months but they are hounding my parents now. My parents cant buy me a ticket back either, they are almost as bad off financially as I am.

So this is my problem. I know that someday I will have to deal with this and someday I will have money but I want to take care of this soon and this 341 meeting is one of the only things stopping me.

I have a camera on my computer and I can do a skype type of video chat thing... has anyone heard of this working?

thanks in advance!

[backtoschool]

Your case will be dismissed if you do not attend the 341 meeting in person. The 341 meeting is mandatory.

[AngelinaCatHub]

You implied you have not filed yet. You best pick up several jobs and save for that ticket. Get home before you worry about bk. Go pro se if you have to. There are other things you can do beside what you just "like" to do.

You must prove you exist and take an oaut in person. Maybe you could move in, pick up aluminum can and help your poor folks as well.

You do not sound sickly so it was your choice to sell all and go to Eorope. It sounds like you could have been motivated a bit more. Homeless and on the Internet with your own computer? Friend, your story sounds a bit fishy to me, but I don't know all your situation, but working on a tramp steamer is also been done.

There is just something here that feels too off base. A little (Swampwhizzed) In my mind.

[BrokeMike]

If you moved to Europe why do you care about your CC debts here in US? They can not do anything to you over there.

[AngelinaCatHub]

If you moved to Europe why do you care about your CC debts here in US? They can not do anything to you over there.

Yes. I'm interested in hearing these answers. I hope I'm wrong (been before) but my gut instinct here is making me skeptical about this poster.

[music12]

i don't think your story is necessarily fishy ('Hub, you sound a little harsh to me!), though if your parents do have a roof over their heads and it is possible for you to join them, then that would probably have been my first choice, but we obviously don't know a thing about what's going on.

i don't know whether a 341 on skype has ever been done. it seems to me that at this day and age it should be possible. only problem with that would be that you'd need to hand your ID documents, and they might not trust just seeing it on video. in my opinion, even if a skype-341 has not been done yet, it will be over the next few years. since you are in europe there really is no rush (your parents can tell them to stop calling them; or change their phone number).

[ForumReader]

At my 341, there was a case in which the absent debtor was not there (apparently it was a couple, one of the spouses was there) and a telephone conference call along with a translator was broadcasted with the trustee asking questions. They sounded like they were not from overseas though. I don't know how these 341s work with US debtors filing for BK overseas however. I would imagine telephonic or video conferences with the trustees such as this case I witnessed would work? Also I wonder how European courthouses work with US courthouses for these US debtors who just can't go back to the USA for their 341s. Do that actually happen?

[AngelinaCatHub]

('Hub, you sound a little harsh to me!)

I pre-apologize and do hope I'm wrong. I'm the last person here to be judgmental, but, during some experience with being fleeced by a 'debtmonster' and a 'swampwhiz' and several others, something just does not ring true to me. It is only an opinion, and if I am proved wrong, I will make a seperate thread in General forum and Publicly apologize to this Op.

Sorry to offend anyone. Maybe I should not have taken Mrs. PMS meds for my headache last night. LOL.

'Hub

[backtoschool]

Right now, the 341 needs to be attended in person. If a person does not attend the 341 in person, the case is dismissed.

In the future that may not be the case, but right now it is.

[keepmine]

Right now, the 341 needs to be attended in person. If a person does not attend the 341 in person, the case is dismissed.

In the future that may not be the case, but right now it is.

Nothing is absolute. Over the past year or two, we've had a lady {on this site} who was ordered to bed for the duration of her pregancy. She was allowed to appear by telephone conference call with her attorney at her bedside. We had another filer from a remote island in Ak. that was allowed to appear by phone.
I personally am aware of a soldier who was suddendly ordered deployed ahead of schedule and prior to his 341. He was allowed to appear by phone from a military base in Ger.

In all these instances, the filer had a legimate reason for not being able to attend. I don't see this in the OP's post.

[backtoschool]

Nothing is absolute. Over the past year or two, we've had a lady {on this site} who was ordered to bed for the duration of her pregancy. She was allowed to appear by telephone conference call with her attorney at her bedside. We had another filer from a remote island in Ak. that was allowed to appear by phone.
I personally am aware of a soldier who was suddendly ordered deployed ahead of schedule and prior to his 341. He was allowed to appear by phone from a military base in Ger.

In all these instances, the filer had a legimate reason for not being able to attend. I don't see this in the OP's post.

I agree keepmine, that there are exceptions. I don't think backpacking around Europe is one of them though.

[music12]

I pre-apologize and do hope I'm wrong. I'm the last person here to be judgmental, but, during some experience with being fleeced by a 'debtmonster' and a 'swampwhiz' and several others, something just does not ring true to me. It is only an opinion, and if I am proved wrong, I will make a seperate thread in General forum and Publicly apologize to this Op.

Sorry to offend anyone. Maybe I should not have taken Mrs. PMS meds for my headache last night. LOL.

'Hub

hey 'Hub, you are indeed last to be judgmental here... i myself sometimes disbelieve someone just because my gut tells me something. somehow, different people's guts say different things! isn't that interesting? and yes, it must be the pms!

[Dst1]

When I was much younger I was in the OP's position although I was not BK at the time. In fact, for 25 years I never missed a payment (a lotta good that does me now!) So I don't think his story is fishy so much as it is simply unrealistic. Backpacking around Europe is an awesome thing to do and I actually wish more young people had the courage to do it. We Americans are too insular.

Here's the way I dealt with it young man. Unless you can marry her (wink), you are gonna have to come back some day, sooner or later. So you might as well bite the bullet and do it now. Delaying doesn't get you anywhere.

[OhioFiler]

When I was much younger I was in the OP's position although I was not BK at the time. In fact, for 25 years I never missed a payment (a lotta good that does me now!) So I don't think his story is fishy so much as it is simply unrealistic. Backpacking around Europe is an awesome thing to do and I actually wish more young people had the courage to do it. We Americans are too insular.

Here's the way I dealt with it young man. Unless you can marry her (wink), you are gonna have to come back some day, sooner or later. So you might as well bite the bullet and do it now. Delaying doesn't get you anywhere.

I believe backpacking around the USA would be much more fun.

[NHC]

My suggestion ...and we'll see how good of judgement I have....is that he should get back here....settle cheaply (I've known people who have lived in KOA campgrounds before!!) for 180 days and then file.....

Anyone??