What is the First Meeting of Creditors and how should the debtor prepare for this meeting?

All debtors MUST attend the First Meeting of Creditors.  Failure to attend may result in the dismissal the debtor's case.  If a married couple files a joint case, both debtors must appear at the meeting.  At the meeting, the Chapter 7 Trustee will ask the debtor questions, under oath, about what he or she owes and owns, and debtor's income.

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

• A copy of their most recent federal income tax return (or transcript of return).

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

Note:  DO NOT FILE PAY STUBS OR TAX RETURNS WITH THE COURT.  Remember, it is the sole responsibility of the parties in the case to redact sensitive information such as names of children, account numbers (except the last 4 digits), and dates of birth (except the year).  Only show the last 4 digits of a Social Security number. 

The debtor must bring the following with them to the First Meeting of Creditors:

• Picture Identification;

• Proof of Social Security number;

• Market analysis of any real estate they own.