How long does the bankruptcy process take?
After your Chapter 7 case is filed with the bankruptcy court, you will be required to attend a meeting with the Chapter 7 bankruptcy trustee assigned to your case. This occurs 5 weeks after your bankruptcy case is filed. In most cases there are no further appearances required and you will receive a discharge of your dischargeable debts in about 2½ months. From filing to discharge, your case will take about 3½ months.
In a Chapter 7, you attend the 341(a) Meeting of the Creditors approximately one month after you file your bankruptcy petition. You then receive the discharge about two months after that. In a Chapter 13, you attend the 341(a) Meeting of the Creditors approximately 45 days after your bankruptcy petition is filed. The Confirmation hearing may be between 7 and 45 days after the 341(a) Meeting of the Creditors, depending on where your petition is filed. Once your plan is confirmed, you make your payments for three years and then receive the discharge. Note: In either chapter, you will need to complete a pre-petition bankruptcy counseling session before you file bankruptcy and you must complete a debtor education course in order to receive a discharge on your bankruptcy.
The entire bankruptcy process typically takes about three months. First, your bankruptcy petition must be filed with the court. Often your petition can be filed within a few days after meeting with your attorney. In emergencies, a petition can sometimes be filed that same day. Your meeting of creditors will be held about four weeks after the filing of your petition, depending on the caseload of the court. You should expect your discharge about ten weeks after your meeting of creditors. Although the bankruptcy process takes several months, creditors are stopped from acting as soon as your petition is filed.
