Massachusetts Bankruptcy Hearing

Published June 9, 2021 | By Robert S. Simonian

You most likely will be asked the following questions by the Bankruptcy Trustee at your Massachusetts Bankruptcy Hearing creditors’ meeting:

State your name
Address where you reside
If you own or rent the property where you reside
You will be shown a document you have signed and you will be asked whether the signature is yours.
You will be asked for a photo ID such as a driver’s license or passport or any government identification and another with your name and social security number on it, such as a medicare card, social security card or W-2 form. You may not use a tax return to prove your social security number.
Have you read the bankruptcy petition and schedules and is everything contained in it true and accurate?
Have you owned any real estate in the past 4 years?
Why did you file bankruptcy? You may be asked why or how you accumulated the debt. The must usual answers are medical issues, loss of a job, loss of income, birth of a child, divorce, or simply an accumulation of debt that you simply can not pay anymore.
Do you presently own any real estate? Has anybody put your name on their home like a parent or child or relative?
You will be shown Schedule B of your petition and asked if the items listed represent all your assets, and if you have any other assets you forgot to list or would like to add.
Does anyone owe you money?
Do you have any personal injury claims or other claims that you could bring against anyone?
Have you injured yourself in an accident in the past 3 years or have you consulted an attorney for any other reason other than bankruptcy in the last 3 years?
Where do you work and do you have income from other sources?
How much do you take home from your job every pay period?
You will be asked about your income whether you receive Disability, Social Security, Workman’s’ compensation and how much.
Will you receive and inheritance from a will or trust in the next 6 months or have you inherited anything in the recent past?
If you have listed any secured debt such as a car loan or a mortgage you may be asked if you are going to keep the car or house.
Did you receive an income tax refund? How much did you receive or will you receive?
Have you given away anything worth $1,000.00 or more to anyone in the past 2 years?
Have you given any money to family members or friends in the last year or repaid any loans to family or friends?

The above is a list of the most common but not necessarily all the questions that will be asked at Massachusetts Bankruptcy Hearing. The most important advice is to answer all questions truthfully, honestly, completely and briefly.

The hearing will be conducted by a lawyer acting as a Trustee on behalf of your creditors. As your bankruptcy attorney, I will be in sitting with you and you will not be alone as it is usually the most important step in the process. There are some very informative videos about the entire bankruptcy process.

There usually are no creditors present and the entire matter will take no longer than 5 minutes or so. We try to send any and all information that would be needed ahead of time so that your hearing goes quickly and smoothly.

Here is a video of a typical bankruptcy hearing:

BANKRUPTCY – UNDECIDED OR UNSURE WHAT TO DO?

Talk To Us About Your Options:

We always tell potential clients to talk to us first to see if bankruptcy is in their best interest. The consultation is always free. Talk with Attorney Robert Simonian or Attorney Anthony Bucacci in private and in total confidentiality to see if filing bankruptcy in Massachusetts is right for you.

We can almost always come up with a solution to your financial problem. We have filed over 10,000 cases in the past 26 years and there are very few scenarios that we have not seen. We are known for our hard work, diligence, creativity and problem solving abilities. Often we are the bankruptcy attorneys other attorneys come to with difficult cases. Call today to see what we can do for you and what options are available. Often people believe they are the only ones with financial problems and are embarrassed of their situation. This is simply not true and many famous people have had to file for bankruptcy to get a fresh start.

Why Call Bucacci & Simonian:

We are known as one of the best bankruptcy attorneys in Southeastern Massachusetts serving the Bristol County and Plymouth County areas. Please inquire with anyone as to our reputation. Reputation is everything and we are very proud of ours. We have received numerous awards from various agencies and courts including the Bankruptcy Court in Boston, Massachusetts. We can prepare you for your Massachusetts bankruptcy hearing

Using our knowledge and skill we have had several clients complete their five year Chapter 13 bankruptcy plans where they own their home FREE & CLEAR OF MORTGAGES. We understand how important it is to save clients’ homes from foreclosure, keep their cars from being repossessed and stop creditors from suing them and attaching their wages or attempting to seize their assets. This can be stopped almost instantly and we make every effort to be very available to your clients and can accommodate emergency situations. One of our most famous cases involved saving a clients’s multi-family home. https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/1863802/in-re-brizida/

What to Avoid:

Do not attempt to file for bankruptcy on your own. You can make your situation much, much worse. If the bankruptcy petition is not correct you could lose your home, your car or possessions or you could be asked to file a different kind of bankruptcy where you have to make monthly payments when it could have been avoided. If you are not properly represented at you Massachusetts bankruptcy hearing a bankruptcy trustee may foreclose on your house, allow your car to be repossessed, seize a tax refund or other assets. You could file under the wrong chapter, apply the wrong exemptions, fail to file all of the necessary forms or not understand the significance of important forms.

Protect Yourself:

Call us today for a free and complete bankruptcy consultation. We can protect you from your creditors and protect your home, cars, jewelry and other assets. Creditors and collection lawyers have a job to do and it may seem that they are heartless and will take anything they can from you. They are represented and you should be too. Call us today. The Federal Bankruptcy Court indicated that seeking the advice of a qualified attorney is strongly recommended. https://www.uscourts.gov/services-forms/bankruptcy/filing-without-attorney

Posted in Seekonk MA | Tagged Bankruptcy Attorney, Bankruptcy Law Firm, Bankruptcy Lawyer, Car Loan Payments, Common Questions About Filing Bankruptcy, Foreclosure, Tax Liens