Tag: trustee

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The website you need while in bankruptcy…

If you are in a Chapter 13 bankruptcy, you need to set up an account on www.ndc.org. This website pulls information from the Chapter 13 Trustee, and keeps you updated on money going in, money going out, and gives you a general idea of what is going on. It doesn’t provide legal information, because that comes from your attorney. It also doesn’t have every single thing on there, so you can’t really add up columns to figure out how much you have left to pay. Again, you will need to contact your attorney for that information. I do, however, recommend that you check in on this website at least monthly to make sure your payments are actually getting to the trustee’s office. More times than I can count, employers have really messed up, or the USPS lost a money order, and ultimately, it’s up to you to make sure money shows up. This is the best way to make sure your payments are getting where they should go. If you identify a problem, let your attorney know immediately so that you can together form a plan of attack and get you back on track. Your attorney is on your team and knows how to help.

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Making Payments to the Chapter 13 Trustee

Most people have their Chapter 13 payment deducted from their paycheck. Many people, however, are required to send their own payment to the Chapter 13 Trustee. If you are required to send your own payment in, here are a few reminders about that payment:
•If you need to mail your payment, send it to: Chapter 13 Trustee, PO Box 1313, Jackson, TN 38302.
•If you need to take your payment in person, the physical address is: 250 North Parkway, Suite 1, Jackson, TN. This is on North Parkway beside the Madison County Board of Education office, between the Hwy 45 Bypass and Hollywood Drive. They have a drop box so you can drop off your payment any time.
•Be sure to send only a money order or cashier’s check. A personal check or cash will likely get your case dismissed. Money orders are available at most post office locations, Wal-Mart, banks, and other locations.
•Be sure to put your case number on your money order or cashiers check. If you do not have your case number, put your social security number on your money order or cashiers check to make sure your case gets credit for your payment. You may not be the only person with your name, so the Trustee uses these numbers as identifiers.
•If you are sending your own payment in, your case may also be on “probation.” This means that if you don’t pay the full amount on time, your case can be dismissed with no notice. So, pay on time and pay in full.

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There’s a NEW way to check the status of your Chapter 13 case online!

You can access your Chapter 13 Bankruptcy information online via the National Data Center at www.ndc.org. The first time you visit the website, you will have to have some of your case information and register for a username and password. From that point on, you will only require your username and password.

Before you head to the website, gather the following items together. You’ll need them all to register for a username and password.
1. Your case number (7 digits. ex: 25-10675) Hint: The first two digits are the same as the year in which your case was filed. Your case number will be on paperwork received from the court.
2. Your social security number
3. Your mailing address as listed on your Petition.
4. The name of the Chapter 13 Trustee. (If you are in the Western District of Tennessee, Eastern Division at Jackson, your Trustee is Tim Ivy).
5. A username you’d like to use.
6. A password for your account.
7. An email address where you check email.

You will be able to log into your account at any time and see what money the Trustee has received, and where the Trustee has sent your money. If you find anything unusual about your case, be sure to contact your attorney as soon as possible to make sure any problems are corrected.

**Please note that this applies only to clients in the Western District of Tennessee. If you were previously accessing your case via http://www.13datacenter.com, you will need to now use http://www.ndc.org. Please call your attorney if you have any questions!!

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Some things to remember while you are in a Chapter 13 case….

Here are a few tidbits of information that I think will come in handy for you while you are in your bankruptcy case:
(disclaimer: None of this is intended to be legal advice. Reading this by itself does not make me your lawyer (ie doesn’t create an attorney-client relationship). Contact your lawyer with questions. We help people file for bankruptcy relief under the Bankruptcy Code).

1. When you go to your meeting of creditors, be SURE to bring BOTH your photo ID and your proof of your social security number. If you do not bring BOTH, your meeting will not be held and you will have to come back in about 2 weeks to do it all over again. See my article here about what forms of ID and SS proof are ok.

2. Do not buy anything on credit while you are in your case without first getting the Court’s approval. Have something you think you need to buy on credit? Give your attorney a call to go over the situation and see what you need to do.

3. If you have a claim against someone, or a lawsuit against someone, be SURE to tell your bankruptcy attorney BEFORE you spend any money you get. You need to call your attorney’s office and tell them your situation so they can tell you what needs to be done. Also, if you think you have a claim against someone, go ahead and call your bankruptcy lawyer. They can tell you if you have a claim how the bankruptcy might be affected. Your bankruptcy lawyer might also be able to handle the claim for you, too, so you can keep everything together.

4. Be sure you’ve told your bankruptcy attorney everything, and that everything you’ve told is true. After all, you did sign a paper that says it’s all true under penalty of perjury. What does that mean? In a nutshell, if you lie, you might go to federal prison or face a big fine, or both. (See my article here about telling the truth.) The moment you realize something you’ve said isn’t right, you need to contact your attorney and get it fixed.

5. If you change where you live, where you get your mail, where you get your phone calls, where you get your emails, where you get your paycheck, or from whom you receive money, you need to let your attorney know.

6. Make sure that your employer is sending in the right amount of money each paycheck. It has happened where a payment change was sent to the employer, but the employer didn’t make the change for a month (or longer), and then the client got way behind in the bankruptcy payments and the Trustee wanted to dismiss the case. Don’t be that person! Stay on top of your paycheck, and make sure that when a new income deduction order comes out that your employer promptly makes that change, too! Problems? Call your attorney ASAP so your case doesn’t get messed up.

7. Stay on top of your case. See my article here about how to check your case status online. Do you see something on there that doesn’t look right? Did you get an order that didn’t make sense? Call your attorney and make sure that things are right! If you wait until the end of your 5 year case and then mention something, it’s much harder to get fixed than if you mention it as soon as you see it!

8. Don’t compare your case to anyone else’s cases. While you both may be in a Chapter 13 case, that’s where the similarities end. Everyone’s case is just as different as every snowflake. That’s why you hired a lawyer to make sure it was done correctly! And really, I find that most of those “other people” are not telling you the whole truth about their case anyway. So, don’t listen to them and make sure you understand why your case is the way it is. Call your attorney if you don’t so that you can understand. Knowledge is power, right?!

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How can I access my Chapter 13 Bankruptcy information online?

You can access your Chapter 13 Bankruptcy information online via the National Data Center at www.13datacenter.com. The first time you visit the website, you will have to have some of your case information and register for a username and password. From that point on, you will only require your username and password.

Before you head to the website, gather the following items together. You’ll need them all to register for a username and password.
1. Your case number (7 digits. ex: 25-10675) Hint: The first two digits are the same as the year in which your case was filed. Your case number will be on paperwork received from the court.
2. Your social security number
3. Your mailing address as listed on your Petition.
4. The name of the Chapter 13 Trustee. (If you are in the Western District of Tennessee, Eastern Division at Jackson, your Trustee is Tim Ivy).
5. A username you’d like to use.
6. A password for your account.
7. An email address where you check email.

If you have issues registering or accessing your information, you can call the debtor support line at 1-866-938-3639. Their hours are monday – friday 9:00 am – 5:00 pm Pacific. They are closed on major holidays.

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What forms of ID are acceptable?

The trustees will only accept certain forms of proof of your identity.  You must provide both a photo ID and proof of your social security number.  See the lists below for acceptable forms of identification.  Ask your attorney if you have any questions.   

Acceptable forms of photo ID include:

  1. Valid state drivers license
  2. Government issued identification with a photo
  3. State picture ID (ex. “ID only card”)
  4. U.S. Passport
  5. Military ID with photo
  6. Resident Alien card with photo
  7. Student ID with photo

Acceptable forms of social security number proof:

  1. Original social security card
  2. Social Security Administration report with full number
  3. W2 form
  4. Payroll stub with full number
  5. Medical insurance card with full number
  6. IRS form 1099
  7. Voters registration card with full number