What is the First Meeting of Creditors, and how do I prepare for the meeting?

All debtors MUST attend the First Meeting of Creditors.  Failure to attend may result in the dismissal of your case.  If you and your spouse filed a joint petition, both of you must appear.  At the meeting, the Chapter 7 trustee will ask you questions, under oath, about what you owe, what you own and your income. 

No later than seven (7) days before the Meeting of Creditors, you must send the following to the trustee:

a.  A copy of your most recent federal income tax return (or transcript of return).

b.  Copies of pay stubs received within 60 days before the date of filing of the petition.

Note: DO NOT FILE PAY STUBS OR INCOME TAX RETURNS  WITH THE COURT.  Remember, it is the sole responsibility of the debtor to delete or black out sensitive information such as children’s names, account numbers (except the last 4 digits), and dates of birth (except the year). You should only show the last 4 digits of your social security number.

Bring the following with you to the First Meeting of Creditors:

c.  Picture Identification

d.  Proof of social security number

e.  Market analysis of any real estate you own