How does bankruptcy work Archives - Better Call Dave

January 8, 2024February 20, 2024

Top 7 Myths About Bankruptcy: Myth No. 2 – I Will Lose my House and my Car

By Dave Kelly, Minnesota Bankruptcy Attorney

Introduction

This is the second post in my series about what I consider to be the top seven bankruptcy myths. When a potential client calls me for the first time one of the most common questions I hear is “I’ll lose my house if I file bankruptcy won’t I?” OR “I’ll have to give up my car if I file bankruptcy, right?” The answer to both of these questions is almost always NO, but sometimes I have a hard time convincing the caller. This myth seems to be a very powerful one that many people have been hearing all their lives.

The Debt is Discharged but Not the Lien

In the vast majority of cases my clients get to keep their house, if they have one, and keep their car – unless for some reason they don’t want to keep these things. Please understand that bankruptcy makes the debt go away but in general it does not release the lien of a mortgage or car loan. If there is a mortgage on your house, the house will still have the mortgage when you are done with the bankruptcy. And if there is a loan against your car, properly filed with the state so that is is listed on the car title, the lien from that loan will also still be there after the bankruptcy. Unless the debt is reaffirmed, you will no longer owe personally on the car loan and mortgage. But it is very much like the car still owes the car loan and the house still owes the mortgage.

Protect Your Equity by Claiming it as Exempt

Now if there is equity in the car or house, and there usually is, that equity is an asset in the bankruptcy case. By equity I mean the difference between what is owed and what the asset is worth, assuming it is a positive number. When a straight Chapter 7 bankruptcy is filed, a trustee is appointed by the court. The trustee’s job is to find assets that can be seized and divided among the creditors. My job, however, is to prevent that from happening. With houses and cars it is usually fairly easy. The way to keep the trustee from taking an asset is to claim it as exempt. There is usually enough exemption to cover the equity in a car; and there is almost always enough Minnesota exemption to cover the equity in a house.

In Minnesota we get to choose between two exemption lists – either the state exemptions or the federal exemptions. Under the state exemptions a debtor is allowed an exemption of up to $480,000 of equity in a homestead and up to $5,200 or equity in a motor vehicle. The federal exemptions are not so good for protecting a homestead, but for a car they protect up to $4,450 of equity in a motor vehicle. The federal exemptions also contain a wile card of more than $15,000, under which anything not otherwise exempt can still be claimed as exempt. If there’s a lot of equity in a car, the wild card can be very handy to protect whatever is not covered by the automobile exemption.

Bottom Line

In the vast majority of cases, Minnesota residents who file bankruptcy are able to keep their vehicles and keep their homes. Those who tell you otherwise are perpetuating a common myth.

March 4, 2023March 4, 2023

Hearings Never Going Back to the Way They Were

By Dave Kelly, Minnesota Bankruptcy Lawyer

What Happens at the Meeting of Creditor Hearing

About a month after a personal bankruptcy is filed, whether it’s a Chapter 7 or a Chapter 13, there is a hearing they call the “First Meeting of Creditors.” Most of the time I just call it the “hearing”, although the official name is “First Meeting of Creditors.” I think “hearing” is a more accurate term because for one thing, in the vast majority of cases, the last thing you will ever see at one of these events is a creditor. The creditors are invited to appear, but they know it’s a waste of their time and almost never show up.

“Hearing” is also a good way to describe what happens. The process is presided over by either the bankruptcy Trustee or a lawyer on the staff of the bankruptcy Trustee. This Trustee is not a judge, but from my perspective he or she might was well be. Nobody has more power or influence over how the case goes than the Trustee. The person who filed the bankruptcy is put under oath and asked a series of questions. Depending on the answers, things can expand into even more questions. In a simple case it might only take ten minutes. But I have seen complicated cases where it has taken over an hour; and in those more complicated cases it can easily take more than one sitting.

Traditionally these hearings/Meetings of Creditors always took place at a federal courthouse or some other location like a federal courthouse, depending on the county in which the Debtor lived. I would put on my traditional lawyer outfit, including my lawyer shoes, and head for the designated location. I had it down to a science. I knew where I wanted to park and where I wanted to meet my clients before the hearing. It was usually kind of fun, because I would see my lawyer friends there. This was the norm. It was how things were done.

Covid Hit and Everything Changed

In early 2020 when Covid hit the whole process changed dramatically. The Trustees started conducting these hearings remotely by Zoom or some similar method. Everyone assumed this change was temporary and we’d be back to the courthouses when the virus passed. It never occurred to any of us that the change might become permanent. There may have been jokes about it becoming permanent, but nobody considered it a serious possibility – at first.

But I did start noticing that not going downtown saved time, and grief and parking money. People including the Trustees started to like doing it remotely, so did I. Many of my clients said they didn’t want to go downtown and expressed relief that we were not going to have to. My clients could stay home if they wanted to and do the hearing from there; but it has always been my preference to have them come to my office for the hearing. Even if we are not going down to a courthouse, I still think there is a tremendous benefit to being physically present in the same room with my clients when this hearing takes place. As I have always done, I like to meet early before the hearing with my clients and do preparation. I almost always know approximately what the Trustee will be asking. I want to go over the expected questions with my client and have my client as ready as possible.

When Are We Going Back to In-Person? Never!

Late last year as I usually do I attended the Bankruptcy Institute, a big series of classes and talks put on by Minnesota Continuing Legal Education. I was assuming that one of the things I would learn would be what the plans were for returning to in-person hearings for the Meetings of Creditors. In-person hearings were already taking place before the judges for the more complicated matters such as motions, adversary proceedings and reaffirmation agreements. Instead what I heard was that the switch to remote for the Meetings of Creditors was going to be made permanent. A nationwide protocol for doing it by Zoom on a permanent basis was going to be promulgated some time in 2023.

My Lawyer Shoes Continue to Gather Dust

Usually I manage to avoid those in-person hearings in front of the judges. Those tend to only be required if something has gone wrong with the case. If the case is put together well, we should be able to stay away from the judges. So these days I am only dressing like a lawyer from the waist up. It may be a long time if ever that I again have to wear the pants that come with my suit. The same goes for my lawyer wingtip shoes, which have been gathering dust in the corner of my bedroom. Maybe I’ll just have to wear the pants and the shoes some time for the heck of it.

Call Dave at 952-544-6356

September 11, 2018October 13, 2022

Recent Increases for the Minnesota State Exemptions

By David J. Kelly, Minnesota Bankruptcy Attorney

If you’ve been reading any of my musings, you know that when you file a Chapter 7 bankruptcy, ownership of all your stuff is temporarily and theoretically transferred to a trustee appointed by the court. I say “theoretically” because normally the trustee doesn’t get to keep any of it, or at least gets to keep very little. The reason why the trustee can’t keep your assets is that – with the help of somebody like me – you are going to claim all or most of your stuff as exempt. There are two sets of exemptions in Minnesota to choose from: the federal exemptions and the Minnesota state exemptions. The federal exemptions tend to be much better than the Minnesota state exemptions, except in one area: equity in a homestead. If you own your home and you have more than just a little equity in your home, the Minnesota state exemptions are for you.

Several of the Minnesota exemptions are indexed for inflation. The resulting increases are only applied every few years. 2018 was one of those years. The new indexed numbers went into effect on July 1st. For example: the household goods exemption increased from $10,300 to $10,800; for wedding rings the exemption increased from $2,817.50 to $2,940 in value; for life insurance proceeds it increased from $46,000 to $48,000; and the tools of the trade exemption went from $11,500 to $12,000. The most significant increase in my opinion was the homestead exemption which went from $390,000 of equity to $420,000 of equity.

For more info about exempting your property so the bankruptcy trustee can’t have it, look at my exemption page. For a rant about what’s wrong with the Minnesota state exemptions, please take a look at my post Minnesota State Exemptions Still Leaking Like a Sieve. You might also want to take a look at this video:

June 2, 2018October 19, 2020

Bankruptcy & Social Security Overpayment

By David J. Kelly, Minnesota Bankruptcy Lawyer

I want to say a few words about whether a debt owing to the Social Security Administration for overpayment of benefits can be discharged in a bankruptcy. Often it can be.

If you have received Social Security you know that several factors, many of them beyond your control, can affect whether you are eligible and for how much. This is especially true of disability benefits. A change in status can end your eligibility or reduce the amount. It’s all very complicated and hard to understand – especially if you are ill.

The Social Security Administration is a big and cumbersome organization that makes lots of mistakes. Lots of times they pay benefits when they are not supposed to. Often this happens because they can be very slow in processing information they receive from beneficiaries. The impression I have is that most beneficiaries are very careful about complying with requirements that they report any change in their circumstances. If you report the change and the benefits keep coming, most people would assume that the change didn’t make a difference. Later, however, you may be shocked to receive a nasty letter from the Social Security Administration. The letter claims that you have been overpaid and demands repayment.

Suddenly you have a very large debt to a federal government agency. Nobody is more powerful. They might start withholding from the benefits you are still eligible for; they might seize your tax refunds; or they might even start garnishing your wages. Most people assume that like the usual student loans and taxes, there is no way to make this go away. This is what I assumed too the first time someone came to my office with one of these letters.

I was surprised to learn when I did a little research that many if not most of these Social Security overpayment claims can be discharged in bankruptcy. When a debt like this is listed in a bankruptcy, it is going to be discharged unless the Social Security Administration successfully objects. In order to figure out whether to expect an objection, it is helpful to check Social Security policies as published in their on line Program Operations Manual. The guidelines as to when such an objection should be filed are in GN 02215.196 of the manual. They will object if they believe they can prove that the overpayment was a result of fraud or misrepresentation.

They use a three part test to define what they mean by misrepresentation. There must have been 1) an overpayment caused by false representation, 2) made with the intent to deceive and 3) upon which the Social Security Administration relied to it’s detriment.

The typical person I see in my office who with one of these overpayment letters isn’t anywhere close to satisfying the above test. This person hasn’t told any lies and certainly wan’t trying to deceive anybody. There was no intent to cheat the government out of anything. It was more a matter of just stumbling into the situation. If this is where you find yourself, you might want to give me a call. The chances that a bankruptcy can make the whole problem just go away are very good.

March 18, 2017September 21, 2020

Nothing is More Expensive Than A Cheap Bankruptcy Lawyer

By David J. Kelly, Minnesota Bankruptcy Lawyer since 1976

Recently I had a bankruptcy case where a seemingly small and innocent circumstance turned up after the case was filed. It seemed normal to my client at the time and certainly not dishonest in any way. It wasn’t illegal, immoral or fattening. It just happened, however, to be one of those things which can run afoul of some of the more nonsensical provisions of the bankruptcy code.

I could have just said well that’s too bad and let things land wherever. Fixing the situation was probably beyond the scope of what I had signed on for in my retainer agreement. Many of the larger law firms, particularly the mills that crank out large volumes of cases for cheap, would have just let it go. Lawyers don’t promise that everything will be perfect; we don’t promise that nothing will go wrong. Sometimes it’s just too bad, isn’t it?

But that kind of approach is just not how I do things. I really care about the outcome of my work and I really care about my clients. I just could not let it go. It would, and actually did, keep me awake at night. I started asking my client more questions, started asking for more documentation, more history. I explained that there was a problem, but I was aware of two or three exceptions, loopholes if you like, and I was determined to find one that fit.

I found what I was looking for and put it together for presentation to the bankruptcy trustee. When I was finished, the trustee agreed with me that the issue was settled in my client’s favor and the case should proceed in the usual boring way.

On a forum at AVVO.com, Las Vegas bankruptcy attorney Dorothy Bunce said it best in answer to a question about how to find a cheap bankruptcy lawyer:

“If you have $70,000 in debt, why do you care ‘how much does it cost?’ Talk about being penny wise and pound foolish. Whatever the bankruptcy attorney charges, if the attorney takes care of you and eliminates as many of your debts as legally possible, protects your assets, and answers your questions, price is immaterial. When “how much” is someone’s first question to me, I get rid of them as soon as I can because they are telling me they don’t value what I do and will have to learn the hard way that NOTHING IS MORE EXPENSIVE THAN A CHEAP LAWYER.” Quoted with Ms. Bunce’s permission.

That sure as heck says it all.

This response is for general purposes only, is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. I am a debt relief agency. I help people file for relief under the federal bankruptcy code.

February 4, 2017February 4, 2017

The Minnesota Bankruptcy Responsibility Forms

In fall of 2010 the bankruptcy judges in the Minnesota were getting upset. Their phones were ringing with calls from people who had questions that should have been answered by their lawyers; but these people were complaining that their lawyers would not return the calls.

At about the same time the judges started hearing complaints from the trustees about lawyers not showing up for the hearings (meeting of creditors). It didn’t take long for them to figure out that there were a large number of new lawyers on the scene who didn’t know what they were doing. Just out of law school, they were trying to pay their student loans by jumping into what was at that time a booming bankruptcy market. Worse than that, however, many of these lawyers had been hired by fly by night petition preparation mills who were asking them to just sign off on bankruptcy petitions which had been prepared in India or who knows where. So although there was a lawyer’s name on the bankruptcy case, it had actually been prepared by an automated service. This resulted in many cases being filed on behalf of clients who had never actually talked with or met the person who supposedly was their lawyer.

Lots of things were going wrong with these cases. This made it harder for everyone in the system. In an effort to remedy the situation, our judges created and began to require the use of the following “responsibility forms.” Although I was embarrassed for my profession – that it had come to this – when they first came out, I can now see that they have some value. I reproduce them here. Please note that the form for Chapter 7 is slightly different than the one for Chapter 13. Now that it’s been over six years since all that happened, it may be old news; but both the lawyer and the client are still required to sign these forms at the time a case is filed.

By the way, usually when I discuss these forms with my clients, I refer to them as “the dummy checklist.” If it weren’t for some real dummies, we would not need them.

NOTICE OF RESPONSIBILITIES OF
CHAPTER 7 DEBTORS AND THEIR ATTORNEYS
This Notice lists certain responsibilities of debtors and their attorneys. Nothing in this document changes, limits, or in any way alters the debtor’s or the debtor’s attorney’s obligations under the Bankruptcy Code, the local and national rules, or any rule of professional responsibility.

UNLESS THE COURT ORDERS OTHERWISE:

I. Before the case is filed, the attorney for the chapter 7 debtor shall, at a minimum:

A. Meet with the debtor to review and analyze the debtor’s real and personal property, debts, income, and expenses and advise the debtor on whether to file a bankruptcy petition;

B. Explain the various bankruptcy and non-bankruptcy options, the consequences of filing under chapters 7, 11 or 13 and answer the debtor’s questions;

C. Explain to the debtor how the attorney’s fees are paid;

D. Advise the debtor of the requirement to provide to the trustee the most recently filed tax return(s) at least seven days prior to the scheduled meeting of creditors. In addition, advise the debtor of the requirement to attend the meeting of creditors and identify the documents the debtor must bring to the meeting;

E. Advise the debtor that providing false information in the bankruptcy schedules or false testimony at the meeting of creditors or other hearing or trial may expose the debtor to criminal prosecution and denial of discharge;

F. Advise the debtor of the necessity of maintaining liability, collision, and comprehensive insurance on vehicles securing loans or leases;

G. Timely prepare and file the debtor’s petition, plan, schedules, statements, certificates, and other documents required to commence a case, and review them for accuracy contemporaneously with the filing.

II. After the case is filed, the attorney for the chapter 7 debtor shall, at a minimum:

A. Ensure that the debtor is adequately represented by an attorney at the meeting of creditors;

B. Prepare, file, and serve any necessary amendments to the petition, schedules, and statements;

C. Promptly respond to the debtor’s questions throughout the case;

D. Consider and advise the debtor concerning the debtor’s options to buy, sell or refinance real or personal property and assume or reject executory contracts or unexpired leases;

E. Prepare and file a proof of claim for a creditor when appropriate to protect the debtor’s interest;

F. Fully advise the debtor of the legal effect and consequences of proposed reaffirmation agreements and any defaults thereunder and, where appropriate, negotiate alternate terms with secured creditors, ensure that any agreement is fully and properly completed and filed and appear at any hearing, if required;

G. Advise the debtor in motions for relief from the automatic stay, file objections when appropriate, and appear, when required, at any hearing;

H. Prepare, file, and serve responses to motions for dismissal of the case;

I. Advise the debtor of the requirement to complete an instructional course in personal financial management and the consequences of not doing so;

J. Represent the debtor in connection with any audit request; and

K. Represent the debtor in bringing and defending any and all other matters or proceedings in the bankruptcy case as necessary for the proper administration of the case.

III. The attorney shall comply with Local Rule 9010-3 and represent the debtor in bringing and defending all matters in the bankruptcy case until a substitution of attorneys is filed or an order is entered allowing the attorney to withdraw.

Unless otherwise agreed, the attorney has no responsibility to represent the debtor in adversary proceedings. However, if an adversary proceeding is filed against the debtor, the attorney will explain to the debtor the estimated cost of providing representation in the adversary proceeding, the risks and consequences of an adverse judgment, and the risks and consequences of proceeding without counsel, as well as the sources, if any, of possible pro bono representation.

IV. Before the case is filed, the chapter 7 debtor shall:

A. Fully disclose, review and analyze with the attorney the debtor’s real and personal property, all debts, income, expenses and all other financial information needed to properly complete the schedules and statements;

B. Prior to and throughout the case respond promptly to all communications from the attorney;

C. Prior to and throughout the case, timely provide the attorney with full and accurate financial and other information and documentation the attorney requests, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO:

1. A Certificate of Credit Counseling and any debt repayment plan;

2. Proof of income received from all sources in the six-month period preceding filing, including pay stubs, social security statements, workers’ compensation payments, income from rental property, pensions, disability payments, child and spousal support, and income from self-employment;

3. The most recently filed federal and state income tax returns, or transcripts of returns, as well as any other returns requested by the attorney, the trustee, the court, or a party in interest;

4. A government-issued photo identification and proof of social security number, such as a social security card or W-2;

5. A record of interest, if any, in an educational individual retirement account or a qualified state tuition program;

6. The name, address, and telephone number of any person or state agency to whom the debtor owes back child or spousal support or makes current child or spousal support payments, and any and all supporting court orders, declarations of voluntary support payments, separation agreements, divorce decrees, or property settlement agreements;

7. Any insurance policies requested by the attorney;

8. Vehicle titles for all cars, trucks, motorcycles, boats, ATVs, and other vehicles titled in the debtor’s name;

9. Legal descriptions for all real property, wherever located, owned by the debtor or titled in the debtor’s name, or in which the debtor has any interest whatsoever, including but not limited to, a timeshare, remainder interest, or life estate;

10. Documents relating to any inheritance to which the debtor is entitled or may be entitled;

11. Information relating to any foreclosures, repossessions, seizures, wage garnishments, liens, or levies on assets which occurred in the preceding 12 months or continues after the filing of the case;

12. Information and documents relating to any prior bankruptcies filed by the debtor(s) or any related entity;

13. Any changes in income or financial condition, such as job loss, illness, injury, inheritance, or lottery winnings before or during the case;

14. Information and documents relating to any lawsuits in which the debtor is involved before or during the case or claims the debtor has or may have against third parties;

15. Information relating to any seizure of tax refunds by the IRS or Department of Revenue;

16. All information or documentation needed to respond to any motion or objection in the bankruptcy case;

17. Any tax returns, account statements, pay stubs, or other documentation necessary to timely comply with requests made by the United States Trustee or the Chapter 7 Trustee or any audit requests.

D. Cooperate with the attorney in preparing, reviewing, and signing the petition, schedules, statements, and all other documents required for filing a bankruptcy case.

V. After the case is filed, the chapter 7 debtor shall:

A. Timely and promptly comply with all applicable bankruptcy rules and procedures;

B. Appear punctually at the meeting of creditors with recent proof of income, a government-issued photo identification card, proof of social security number, and copies of all financial account statements covering the date the bankruptcy petition was filed;

C. Contact the attorney before buying, refinancing, or contracting to sell real property and before entering into any loan agreement until the debtor receives a discharge;

D. Keep the court, the trustee, and the attorney informed of the debtor’s current address and telephone number; and

E. Complete an approved debtor education course and provide the certificate of attendance to the attorney for filing.

VI. The chapter 7 debtor’s attorney shall, both before and after the case is filed, comply with all applicable professional and ethical rules and shall exercise civility in dealings with all entities with which the attorney comes in contact. The attorney shall also advise the chapter 7 debtor to likewise act in a civil and courteous manner, to dress in a manner appropriate for a federal proceeding and debtors shall do so.

Signatures. By signing this acknowledgment, the debtor and the attorney certify they have read it and understand what is required of the debtor and the attorney in this bankruptcy case.

A fully executed copy of this document must be filed with the petition commencing the bankruptcy case of the debtor(s).

NOTICE OF RESPONSIBILITIES OF
CHAPTER 13 DEBTORS AND THEIR ATTORNEYS

This Notice lists certain responsibilities of debtors and their attorneys. Nothing in this document changes, limits, or in any way alters the debtor’s or the debtor’s attorney’s obligations under the Bankruptcy Code, the local and national rules, or any rule of professional responsibility.

UNLESS THE COURT ORDERS OTHERWISE:

I. Before the case is filed, the attorney for the chapter 13 debtor shall, at a minimum:

A. Meet with the debtor to review and analyze the debtor’s real and personal property, debts, income, and expenses and advise the debtor on whether to file a bankruptcy petition;

B. Explain the various bankruptcy and non-bankruptcy options, the consequences of filing under chapters 7, 11 or 13 and answer the debtor’s questions;

C. Explain to the debtor how the attorney’s and trustee’s fees are paid;

D. Explain what payments will be made directly by the debtor and what payments will be made through the debtor’s chapter 13 plan, with particular attention to mortgage and vehicle loan payments, as well as any other claims with accrued interest;

E. Explain to the debtor how, when, and where to make the chapter 13 plan payments;

F. Explain to the debtor that the first plan payment must be made to the trustee within 30 days of filing the case;
G. Advise the debtor of the requirement to provide to the trustee the most recently filed tax return(s) at least seven days prior to the scheduled meeting of creditors. In addition, advise the debtor of the requirement to attend the meeting of creditors and identify the documents the debtor must bring to the meeting;

H. Advise the debtor that providing false information in the bankruptcy schedules or false testimony at the meeting of creditors or other hearing or trial may expose the debtor to criminal prosecution and denial of discharge;

I. Advise the debtor of the necessity of maintaining liability, collision, and comprehensive insurance on vehicles securing loans or leases;

J. Timely prepare and file the debtor’s petition, plan, schedules, statements, certificates, and other documents required to commence a case, and review them for accuracy contemporaneously with the filing.

II. After the case is filed, the attorney for the chapter 13 debtor shall, at a minimum:

A. Ensure that the debtor is adequately represented by an attorney at the meeting of creditors and make every effort to obtain confirmation of the plan;

B. Prepare, file, and serve any necessary amendments to the petition, schedules, and statements;

C. Respond to any objection to plan confirmation and, where necessary, prepare, file, and serve a modified plan, and appear, as required, at any hearing;

D. Prepare, file, and serve post-confirmation documents necessary to modify the plan;*

E. Promptly respond to the debtor’s questions throughout the case;

F. Prepare, file, and serve necessary motions to buy, sell, or refinance real or personal property;*

G. Prepare and file a proof of claim for a creditor when appropriate to protect the debtor’s interest;

H. Object to improper or invalid claims when appropriate to protect the debtor’s interest;*

I. Advise the debtor in motions for relief from the automatic stay, file objections when appropriate, and appear, when required, at any hearing;*

J. Consider and advise the debtor concerning lien avoidance and, if appropriate, prepare, file, and serve necessary motions to avoid liens on real or personal property;

K. Prepare, file, and serve responses to motions for dismissal of the case;*

L. Advise the debtor of the requirement to complete an instructional course in personal financial management and the consequences of not doing so;

M. Prepare, file, and serve the Chapter 13 Debtor’s Certifications Regarding Domestic Support Obligations and Section 522(q) and the Certificate of Debtor Education immediately after completion of plan payments;

N. Represent the debtor in connection with any audit request;* and

O. Represent the debtor in bringing and defending any and all other matters or proceedings in the bankruptcy case as necessary for the proper administration of the case.

IV. Before the case is filed, the chapter 13 debtor shall:

B. Prior to and throughout the case respond promptly to all communications from the attorney:

C. Prior to and throughout the case, timely provide the attorney with full and accurate financial and other information and documentation the attorney requests, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO:

1. A Certificate of Credit Counseling and any debt repayment plan;

3. The most recently filed federal and state income tax returns, or transcripts of returns, as well as any other returns requested by the attorney, the trustee, the court, or a party in interest;

4. A government-issued photo identification and proof of social security number, such as a social security card or W-2;

5. A record of interest, if any, in an educational individual retirement account or a qualified state tuition program;

7. Any insurance policies requested by the attorney;

8. Vehicle titles for all cars, trucks, motorcycles, boats, ATVs, and other vehicles titled in the debtor’s name;

10. Documents relating to any inheritance to which the debtor is entitled or may be entitled;

12. Information and documents relating to any prior bankruptcies filed by the debtor(s) or any related entity;

13. Any changes in income or financial condition, such as job loss, illness, injury, inheritance, or lottery winnings before or during the case;

14. Information and documents relating to any lawsuits in which the debtor is involved before or during the case or claims the debtor has or may have against third parties;

15. Information relating to any seizure of tax refunds by the IRS or Department of Revenue;

16. All information or documentation needed to respond to any motion or objection in the bankruptcy case;

17. Any tax returns, account statements, pay stubs, or other documentation necessary to timely comply with requests made by the United States Trustee or the Chapter 13 Trustee or any audit requests.

D. Cooperate with the attorney in preparing, reviewing, and signing the petition, schedules, statements, and all other documents required for filing a bankruptcy case.

V. After the case is filed, the chapter 13 debtor shall:

A. Timely and promptly comply with all applicable bankruptcy rules and procedures and with the terms of the chapter 13 plan;

C. Make all required payments to the Chapter 13 Trustee, and to such creditors as are being paid directly, and inform the attorney if required payments cannot be made;

D. Contact the attorney before buying, refinancing, or contracting to sell real property and before entering into any loan agreement;

E. Keep the court, the trustee, and the attorney informed of the debtor’s current address and telephone number;

F. Complete an approved debtor education course and provide the certificate of attendance to the attorney for filing;

G. Pay all required domestic support obligations;

H. Cooperate with the attorney to complete and sign the Chapter 13 Debtor’s Certifications Regarding Domestic Support Obligations and Section 522(q) immediately after making the final plan payment.

VI. The chapter 13 debtor’s attorney shall, both before and after the case is filed, comply with all applicable professional and ethical rules and shall exercise civility in dealings with all entities with which the attorney comes in contact. The attorney shall also advise the chapter 13 debtor to likewise act in a civil and courteous manner, to dress in a manner appropriate for a federal proceeding and debtors shall do so.

Signatures. By signing this acknowledgment, the debtor and the attorney certify they have read it and understand what is required of the debtor and the attorney in this bankruptcy case.A fully executed copy of this document must be filed with the petition commencing the bankruptcy case of the debtor(s).

* Local Rule 2016-1(d)(2) provides that an attorney who performs these services after confirmation of the plan may request additional attorney’s fees and expenses in connection with such services.

June 11, 2016June 11, 2016

Motorcycles, Boats or Horses Can be Toxic to your Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 Minnesota Bankruptcy

I recently posted on Google Plus about how certain things tend to be toxic to a possible bankruptcy. The most common one I see is a Harley Davidson. Other items in this category would include boats and horses, especially if they are fancy and not paid for. This statement resulted in questions being asked about exactly what I meant. If the problem is that a Harley, a boat or a horse are assets which would be lost in a Chapter 7 bankruptcy, then wouldn’t it be better for them to not be paid for. If they weren’t paid for, after all, they wouldn’t be much of an asset.

My answer was that such items make a bankruptcy difficult whether paid for or not. If they are paid for, they are assets that very likely would be lost in a Chapter 7 or would increase the required payments in a Chapter 13.

If they are not paid for, you have a situation where the Debtor will want to tell the bankruptcy trustee that he or she can’t afford to pay debts, except that somehow they CAN afford to keep paying for the Harley, the boat or the horses. This does not play well. The only thing to do if they really need the bankruptcy is to sell or surrender before filing, or state in the bankruptcy petition an intention to surrender the items after the case is filed.

Many have been the times when I have had a potential client disappear never to be heard from again when I said that the Harley has to go. There’s a whole subculture where any kind of misery is preferable to giving up the Harley. Boats are usually a bit easier to let go, but horses are also very hard to give up.

One exception might be a case with a 100% Chapter 13 plan. That would be a plan where 100% or the unsecured debts are to be paid. Since the bankruptcy trustee can’t ask for more than 100%, the Debtor would have more wiggle room when it came to something like keeping a motorcycle. Even then the trustee would not like it, but more than likely the trustee could not prevent it. I see very few cases where the payout is 100%. Most people who can afford to do that don’t need a bankruptcy.

This post is for general information purposes only, is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. I am a Debt Relief Agency. I help people file for relief under the federal bankruptcy code.

November 6, 2015November 11, 2015

Consumer Warning from NACBA

David Kelly - Minnesota Bankruptcy Lawyer

Here verbatim is a consumer warning I have been asked to post from the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Lawyers.

Telephone-Scam Soliciting Wire Transfers Prompts NACBA and Vermont Attorney General to Issue Consumer Warning

Across the country, consumers are falling prey to a new scam targeting people who have filed for bankruptcy and others just getting started with the process. Bankruptcy attorneys are joining forces with public officials to sound the alarm bell to unsuspecting consumers.

The con artists are using software that “spoofs” the Caller ID system so that the call appears to be originating from the phone line of the consumer’s bankruptcy attorney. Victims of the scam are being instructed to immediately wire money to satisfy a debt that supposedly is outside the bankruptcy proceeding. Some consumers have been threatened with arrest if they fail to wire money to pay the debt.

In some instances, the perpetrators are using personal information from public filings to identify consumers, assume the identity of their attorneys and sound more convincing by phone. These calls are typically placed during nonbusiness hours, making it difficult for clients to verify the call by getting in touch with their attorney to ask about it.

The National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys (NACBA) and its individual members want consumers to know that under no circumstance would a bankruptcy attorney or staff member telephone a client and ask for a wire transfer immediately to satisfy a debt. Nor would the bankruptcy attorney and staff ever threaten arrest if a debt isn’t paid.

Consumers should be advised that legitimate debt collectors and agencies cannot threaten arrest in order to satisfy. If you or a family member receive this kind of call, the best thing to do is to hang up and contact your bankruptcy attorney as soon as possible. Do NOT give out any personal or financial account information to the caller.

July 3, 2015

Why Everything Has to be Disclosed when Filing Bankruptcy

I recently noticed a familiar name and face in an article in the Star Tribune. The headline was “Minneapolis Bankruptcy Trustee Smelled a Rat and Got the Goods on Jewelry Store Owner,” an article by reporter Randy Furst. The article describes a situation where a gentleman, Daniel Rohricht, apparently closed his jewelry store, went out of business and filed Chapter 7 bankruptcy. This was about four years ago. The debts listed in the bankruptcy came to over $250,000.

Mr. Rohricht claimed that all the jewelry was gone, having all been sold. The bankruptcy seemed to go well. One of our local bankruptcy trustees, a lawyer named Nauni Manty, was appointed as the trustee handling the case. Ms. Manty knows a lot about jewelry and the jewelry business, but there was no evidence that anything was being hidden. It is the trustee’s job to find assets for the creditors. But after doing what investigation she could, she accepted a settlement of $17,500 from Mr. Rohricht. The settlement agreement stated, however, that if Ms. Manty became aware of any undisclosed assets, the deal was off and they were back to square one.

Years passed, but Ms. Manty did not forget Mr. Rohricht. Eventually she got wind that he had purchased a store in Wisconsin and had gone back into business. She was able to prove that the jewelry and precious stones that he was hauling into the new store were items he had hidden in 2009 prior to filing his bankruptcy. To make a long story short, he recently pled guilty to concealing assets and is now facing federal prison and a very large fine.

It’s not unusual that I will run into a person who has something he or she doesn’t want to disclose in their bankruptcy case. They tend to believe firmly that it is something nobody would ever find out about. That’s what Mr. Rohricht thought too. I get asked why whatever it is must be disclosed. Here’s why. My understanding is that every year in Minnesota on average two or three people are convicted of bankruptcy fraud. It’s never happened to any client of mine, and I really want to keep it that way.

This post is for general information purposes only, is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. I am a debt relief agency, helping people file for relief under the federal bankruptcy code.

February 24, 2015February 24, 2015

Bankruptcy is Legal – But is it Moral?

I usually don’t give much thought to the question of whether filing a bankruptcy is the moral or ethical thing for a person to do. I decided a long time ago that it is, at least for my clients in the kind of cases that I accept. For one thing, I don’t recommend bankruptcy unless it’s the last resort. In other words, if the client has other alternatives, I recommend against filing bankruptcy and suggest that other avenues be tried first. I have referred hundreds of people to Lutheran Social Services Financial Counseling and to Family Means financial counseling, my two favorite alternatives to bankruptcy. Lots of debt settlement companies are operated by crooks, and you really have to watch out for them; but these two are strictly legitimate.

Most of my clients are absolutely overwhelmed and buried in debt. If they are going to keep paying their unsecured debt, they don’t get to eat – and vice versa. I believe that a person’s first duty is to himself or herself and his or her family, and his or her second duty is to the community. Under both duties, it is your obligation to take care of yourself well enough that you and your family don’t become homeless wards of the state. If you can at least support yourself, you are saving the community the cost of supporting you. Your duty to continue paying your debts to a bunch of bankers is much lower on the hierarchy of values, and the value of self preservation will trump that every time. If you need to file a bankruptcy to be able to properly care for yourself and your family, it could even be a moral obligation that you do so.

In biblical times all debts were canceled every seven years. (Deuteronomy 15:1-2) Everyone was given a fresh start at the same time every seven years whether they were current with their debts or not. Even citizens who had sold themselves into slavery were set free in the year of jubilee, which occurred every fifty years. (Leviticus 25: 10-13) Selling oneself or one’s family into slavery was apparently one approach to raising money to pay debt. We no longer have slavery these days, but sometimes what I see my clients doing prior to filing bankruptcy seems to have similarities to slavery. Seems like slavery to me if you spend all your time and resources working in the service of Capitol One or Discover. It also seems to me that the sort of debt forgiveness practiced in Biblical times has similarities to bankruptcy today – except bankruptcy can usually be done only every eight years.

Here in the United States, bankruptcy is provided for in Article 1, Section 8, Clause 4 of the United States Constitution. This authorizes Congress to enact “uniform laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States.” Our founding fathers obviously thought that Congress should have the power to provide laws for the kind of safety net that is found in bankruptcy. Under those laws for most individuals the only way to get your debts canceled is to file a Chapter 7 bankruptcy or Chapter 13 bankruptcy. Even then some debts (most taxes, child support, alimony, most student loans, etc.) are not dischargeable.

If things have gotten so bad that the debtor really can’t pay, bankruptcy is a good thing for the debtor and the creditor too, since the creditor is now able to stop wasting resources trying to collect. Large debts can be like quick sand. The harder one tries to get out, the deeper one gets. Most bankruptcies seen in my office are filed long after they should have been.

This post is for general information purposes only, is not legal advice, and does not create an attorney-client relationship.