How Long Will the Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Process Take?

Northampton and Hampshire County Bankruptcy Lawyers

This page provides information about the Chapter 13 bankruptcy process, including the Chapter 13 bankruptcy time frame of events that will occur in most Chapter 13 bankruptcy cases. Please take the time to review it. First, some important terms:

• Filing or "petition" date: the date the Bankruptcy Court receives your documents and starts your case.
• Case or docket number: the number assigned to your bankruptcy case.
• Notice Of Commencement Of Case: the one page notice mailed by the Bankruptcy Court to you and your creditors providing information about your case, including the date for the Meeting Of Creditors.
• Meeting of creditors: the meeting you will attend with your attorney in Springfield; you will meet with the “Trustee” appointed in your case and any creditors that wish to attend (creditors rarely attend).
• Chapter 13 trustee: a person appointed to "administer" your case; he will conduct the Meeting Of Creditors during which he will ask questions of you to confirm the information in your bankruptcy documents.
• Chapter 13 repayment plan: A proposal to repay some or all of the debt over a period of time not to exceed five years.
• Discharge: Order from the bankruptcy court that eliminates your legal responsibility for debt.

1. No earlier than six months prior to filing your bankruptcy case, you will need to complete a credit counseling course. This is usually the first step in the bankruptcy process
2. After the final meeting with your attorney, the bankruptcy documents and repayment plan are electronically filed with the Bankruptcy Court starting your bankruptcy case and the formal part of the bankruptcy process.
3. We will mail you a complete copy of the bankruptcy documents once they are electronically filed with the Bankruptcy Court with a letter from our office advising you of the following information: a) the bankruptcy case number (a/k/a the docket number); b) the filing date; and c) the date, time and location for the Meeting Of Creditors.
4. About three weeks after the filing date, you and your creditors will receive the Notice Of Commencement Of Case from the Bankruptcy Court. Among other things, this notice should confirm the date and time for the Meeting Of Creditors. If it is different than what you were previously advised, please contact our office.
5. Soon after you receive the Notice of Commencement of Case, you will receive a letter from us confirming the information in the Notice. You will also receive a map and directions to locate the Sovereign Bank Building in downtown Springfield where the creditors' meetings are held.
6. About six to eight weeks after the filing date, the meeting Of creditors will be held. The actual meeting is usually brief, usually less than 30 minutes, but you should allow at least an hour as delays frequently occur.
7. Soon after the Meeting Of Creditors you will receive a letter from us confirming the results of the Meeting and the future steps in your case according to the Chapter 13 debt repayment plan and the bankruptcy process.
8. Upon completion of the debt repayment plan, you are eligible to receive a discharge of remaining qualifying debts.
9. You will receive a letter from your attorneys confirming that the case is over.

For answers to additional questions about the Chapter 13 bankruptcy process, contact the Northampton bankruptcy lawyers at Ostrander Law Office.

Ostrander Law Office serves clients throughout central and western Massachusetts, including Hampshire, Franklin, Hampden, Berkshire and Worcester.

We are a debt relief agency. We help people file for bankruptcy relief under the Bankruptcy Code.