Information for existing clients
Chapter 13 Bankruptcy – Current Clients:
If you are a current client of our office and you are currently in a Chapter 13 bankruptcy, below are some links and information that will be helpful through your bankruptcy case. If the following information does not answer your questions, please contact our office directly and allow the staff a minimum of 48- hours to contact you directly with a solution to your concerns.
While you are in bankruptcy with us, you should always contact us first with changes or questions before contacting the trustee. The trustee is the administrator of your case during the time you are in bankruptcy, however, it is our job to ensure that the bankruptcy process is easy and non-stressful to our clients.
Just filed your bankruptcy and unsure what to expect?
Creditors
Once you have filed your case, creditors are no longer allowed to contact you directly or attempt to collect debt from you. Each creditor listed in your case will receive a notice to their office with the information concerning your bankruptcy case filing. In the event that a creditor continues to contact you, collect the following information and notify our office immediately and we will take the formal steps to coordinate with this creditor.
Creditor Information Needed:
Name and Address of Creditors;
Amount of debt owed and reason for debt (i.e. charge account, line of credit, utility default, etc.);
Contact information for creditor (email address, phone number, and/or fax number).
**The more information that you are able to collect, the smoother the process. However, if you are unable to collect all of the requested information, please contact our office so we can work promptly on your case. **
The 341 meeting of creditors
After your case filing, you will be provided with notice of your 341 “Meeting of Creditors.” Your 341 hearing and the Meeting of Creditors hearing is the same hearing and can be used interchangeably so don’t let this confuse you. YOU MUST attend this informal court hearing to verify the information provided and filed on your schedules with the Federal Bankruptcy Court. Don’t worry our office will be with you during this hearing to assist you.
Please note: Each debtor must bring your drivers license and social security card to your 341 hearing. A copy will not suffice.
An attorney from our office will contact you directly prior to this hearing to answer any questions and concerns that you may have.
Important information for debtor(s):
Chapter 13 Payments
If your Chapter 13 Trustee is James M. Wyman and you need to mail your trustee payments, you must use the following address:
JAMES M. Wyman, Chapter 13 Trustee
PO Box 110
Memphis, TN 38101-0110
**Please note, that while you are in a Chapter 13 bankruptcy, you should list your case number on all of your Chapter 13 payments if you are mailing the payments directly to your trustee. You will also want to ensure that you have copies of all payments made during the time of your case. This creates accuracy for the debtor, the debtor’s counsel, and the trustee if a situation was to arise. **
May not remember each month to make your plan payment on time.
As a Chapter 13 client, you can pay the trustee directly on time each month by scheduling automatic payments through the online TFS program. TFS is a third-party processor who handles the payments of bankruptcy clients like you everyday. Please follow the link below to create an account and schedule for your payment to be withdrawn from your bank account monthly. Keep in mind, your payment should be scheduled at least seven (7) days prior to your due date to ensure that payments are processed online.
https://www.tfsbillpay.com/
**If you require assistance with preparing a TFS account for you, please contact our office directly. **
Debtor’s Education Course (MANDATORY)
Under the Federal Bankruptcy Code, all bankruptcy clients must take one Credit Counseling course, which is taken prior to filing bankruptcy, and a Debtor’s Education course that must be taken after your bankruptcy is filed. This course is to assist debtor(s) with responsibly managing their finances after the completion of bankruptcy. We recommend that you take the Debtor’s Education course prior to the Meeting of Creditors hearing to ensure an effortless discharge at the end of you bankruptcy case. Failure to meet the requirements of completing the Debtor’s Education course, will result in your case closing without discharge.
If you have not completed this course, we recommend that you use Abacus Counseling. Click the link below to begin:
www.abacuscc.org
**If you are unsure if you have completed the Debtor’s Education course than please contact our office directly. Please note, if you choose to complete your Debtor’s Education with a different credit counseling agency, it is important to ensure that the provider has been approved by the U.S. Trustee’s Program. **