One of the most critical components of bankruptcy law is the “automatic stay,” which is written into law at 11 U.S.C. § 362, and applicable to all bankruptcy cases under Title 11. It is considered “automatic” because it immediately takes effect upon filing of a bankruptcy petition (unless you have filed multiple frequent cases).

Once your bankruptcy case is filed, it is required that you give testimony at what is called a “341 Meeting.” It is called 341 meeting, because it is required by law at 11 U.S.C. § 341.

The 341 meeting is intended to be a time where any interested parties may appear and ask you questions about your bankruptcy petition and intentions. The meeting is ran by a Trustee, and while creditors are all given notice of the hearing time, it is VERY rare that they show up at the 341 meeting.

When I meet with clients who own their home, protecting their loved ones and their family home are the number one concerns. As far as protecting your home in bankruptcy goes, Minnesota is one of the best states in the country as far as protecting your equity. Currently, you can have up to $450,000.00 worth of home equity and not lose any of it in filing for bankruptcy relief.

On July 8, 2021, the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Minnesota issued a ruling upholding the rights for bankruptcy debtors who receive benefits under the Federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988, 25 U.S.C. §§ 2701, et seq. (“IGRA”).

The 18 page opinion ends with a clear admonishment: “even outside of the Pokagon Band’s sovereign authority to create and define property rights, the per capita payments are not property of the estate in policy, logic, or equity.”

A fundamental part of the bankruptcy process, is that the person(s) filing for bankruptcy relief must file schedules, statements and related documents, which are true, complete, and correct to the best of their knowledge, information and belief.

When disclosing the bankruptcy filer’s assets, it is important that all interests in property or assets (even if contingent) are disclosed. However, it is inevitable that from time to time, things may be overlooked or forgotten about.

A common question I get from Minnesotans who are suffering from debt and considering filing for bankruptcy relief is: “how does the court know how much stuff I have and what it is worth?” The answer is very simple. We tell them.

When I meet with clients who own their home, protecting their loved ones and their family home are the number one concerns. As far as protecting your home in bankruptcy goes, Minnesota is one of the best states in the country as far as protecting your equity. Currently, you can have up to $450,000.00 worth of home equity and not lose any of it in filing for bankruptcy relief.

For most people, considering “when” you should file bankruptcy can be as important as the decision of “if” you should file for bankruptcy.

A debt reorganization bankruptcy, also known as chapter 13 bankruptcy, allows people in debt to restructure their finances and dedicate their future “disposable income” towards repaying past debts. In bankruptcy payment plans, the debtor(s) has the ability to restructure their debts, prioritize what is important, and make a single monthly payment which then gets divided up to prescribed parties by a bankruptcy trustee.

“What effect will filing bankruptcy have on my credit score?” is probably the most common question I get during my first consultations with Minnesotans. My response starts with: “what is your current credit score now?”

11 U.S.C. § 341 provides: “Within a reasonable time after the order for relief in a case under this title, the United States trustee shall convene and preside at a meeting of creditors.” It further provides: “The court may not preside at, and may not attend, any meeting under this section including any final meeting of creditors.”

The Office is one of my favorite TV shows of all time. In one of the more memorable episodes, Michael Scott tries to “declare bankruptcy” simply by shouting it for everyone in the office to hear. Bankruptcy law dates back to 1542 in England, but even back then, I don’t think shouting that you declare bankruptcy would be enough to put your creditors on notice.

While we are still learning all the effects of the COVID-19 coronavirus, the far-reaching impact of this pandemic and related government shutdowns will continue to be discovered for years. Many people have been directly impacted and been laid off, furloughed, or otherwise had their hours and compensation cut. But the even wider reaching are the effects will be felt for years and across nearly every industry.

Relationship break-up is one of the most common reasons why people end up filing for bankruptcy, and it is easy to put your personal finances on the back-burner while coping with the stress of losing your partner in life. The problem is, that bills still keep coming due, and your creditors are not very sympathetic and understanding when your finances (and life in general) are in flux.