If you file a Chapter 7 or a Chapter 13 in Florida you are required to provide certain documents to the bankruptcy trustee prior to your 341 meeting of the creditors.

Hopefully your bankruptcy attorney informed you that you will need to provide them with certain documents because those documents will need to be sent to the trustee for review.  The failure to provide the documents to the trustee could either significantly delay your case or even have your case dismissed.

Typically the items the trustee requests include your tax returns (usually between 2 and 5 years), bank statements (6 months), and certificate of title and valuation for your vehicles.

Bankruptcy Rule 4002(b)(2) provides as follows: 

Financial Information. Every individual debtor shall bring to the meeting of creditors under section 341 and make available to the trustee the following documents or copies of them, or provide a written statement that the documentation does not exist or is not in the debtor’s possession: … statements for each of the debtor’s depository or investment accounts, including checking, savings, and money market accounts, mutual funds and brokerage accounts for the time period that includes the date of the filing of the petition….

If you don’t have the documents in your possession then you will need to provide a written verified statement that you don’t have the documents in your possession, however the trustee may still require you to order copies of these documents.

Prior to filing for bankruptcy make sure to have your documents ready to go, including the following:  bank statements (6 months) tax returns (2 years), drivers license, social security card, vehicle registration and title information.

If you are thinking of filing for bankruptcy and would like to setup a free consultation with Shmucher Law, PL please contact our firm at 954.309.5559 or 305.741.5553 to schedule an appointment in any of our office locations (Boca Raton, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Plantation, Sunrise Florida).