Making the decision to file for Chapter 7 is a big decision to make, and it is something you should carefully think about for months before going through with it. If you decide to use this branch of bankruptcy, it is important to find out the effects it will have on your life, the costs, and many other things, and one thing you might want to talk to your lawyer about is the time frame of a Chapter 7 case, so you can have an idea about when your case will be over.
The typical time frame
It may take you months to evaluate bankruptcy and make the decision to file for it, but from the date you file until the date the case closes, it should take only four to six months. There are times when cases will take longer than this amount of time, but an average case generally ends four months from the date in which the person filed. This may seem relatively quick, and it is, but that is because of the nature of Chapter 7 bankruptcies. If you use Chapter 13 instead, your case would take much longer than this.
The steps to get there
The four to six-month time frame is necessary for a Chapter 7 case as there are steps that must be completed before your case can end. Your case will begin when you complete the documents required for filing and file them. This is the initiation of your Chapter 7 case. Next, you will be summoned to appear in bankruptcy court for a hearing, and this will generally occur within three weeks of filing. After that, the case is in the hands of the trustee, and he or she is there to evaluate every aspect of the case and determine how to proceed with it.
How the trustee ends your case
When the trustee has fully evaluated everything and has completed all the necessary work on the case, he or she will issue a discharge on the case. You will receive notification about the discharge, but you should understand that when you receive this, your case might still be open. Your case is not actually fully complete until you receive a document in the mail from the trustee that states that your case is closed.
If you are in debt and are desperate to get out, talk to a bankruptcy lawyer to find out if using Chapter 7 could be beneficial for you.
Share2 December 2019
