Fresh Start Law Firm
Louisiana Bankruptcy Law
Post Filing Guide
Ch. 13 Clients
Ch. 13 Imperative to Understand
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If you have a mortgage. You must make every payment in full each month. Or the creditor can lift the bankruptcy protections and foreclose on your home
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If you have a car payment you must make that payment every month or the credit can lift the bankruptcy protections can repossess the car.
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​If you want to receive your bankruptcy discharge. You must make all your bankruptcy court payments to reach the end of the case. If you do not the judge will dismiss your case.
Deficiencies or Objections
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If you receive a deficiency or an objection do not worry.
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These are perfectly normal in a bankruptcy case.
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We will cure any deficiency or objection.
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To do this, we will contact you 2.5 months after the case filing to file an amendment.
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You will sign the amendment, we will file it and get the case confirmed.
Plan Payments
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Make sure your plan payments are going out every month.
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TFS can take up to four days for the money to transfer out of your account.
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If money is not leaving your account, you are not making payments and the court will dismiss your case.
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If payment fails, TFS will suspend your account and you will need to go into TFS and reactivate your account - there is a fee to reactivate.
Monitor the Case
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Use the Ch. 13 Debtor Portal:
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Click the link and create an account: the Trustee's name is Karie L. Fahrenholz (Metairie)
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From here, you can see your payments and who is being paid in your case.
Mortgage Payment & Communication
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If you have a mortgage, make sure you make the payment every month.
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If you do not, the creditor will remove the bankruptcy protection and FORECLOSE on your home.
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If your mortgage company stops accepting online payment, you must start mailing them a check.
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You can call your bank and have a check go out automatically every month on a set day.
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After filing bankruptcy, some mortgage companies will not communicate with you.
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If they will not, complete the mortgage authorization form, call them to find out where to send it, then send it to them.
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Car Payments
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You must make your car payment every month.
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If you do not, the creditor will remove the bankruptcy protection and repossess your car.
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Some car creditors will stop accepting online payment - you need to start mailing them a check if this happens.
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To simplify this, you can call your bank and have them mail a check to go out automatically every month on a set day.
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If you can no longer afford your car, you can ask your attorney about surrendering it.
Ch. 13 Confirmation Hearing
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You will get letters about this.
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THIS IS NOT A MEETING YOU ATTEND.
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Your attorney will handle this meeting for you. It is a meeting of bankruptcy attorneys and the Bankruptcy Judge.
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So, do not worry about needing to be somewhere or on the phone.
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If we need to file an amendment prior to this meeting, we will let you know.
Ch. 7 Clients
Bank Statements
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Please email to fslawf@gmail.com the past 6 months of bank statements for every bank account listed on your bankruptcy petition.
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Please email these within a week after the petition signing.
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These documents are required for your 341 meeting.
Ch. 7 & Ch. 13 Clients
Creditors Still Calling
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If creditors are still calling after your case is filed see next steps.
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First check to see if they were in your bankruptcy petition. If they were not, you can contact us and ask that they be added.
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Second, if they are in the petition, you can tell them when they call that you have filed bankruptcy and give them your case number.
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They will leave you alone after this.
Add Creditor Post Filing
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If you filed and forgot to list a creditor or creditors, you can add them post filing of the petition.
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To do so, contact us. Send us the creditor name, address, amount you owe and account number. You may text this to 504-900-8024.
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Also, you will need to pay $34 per creditor not listed. This is what the court charges to add them post filing.
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Only debts incurred before the bankruptcy filing date ​can be added to the petition.
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Changing Mailing Address
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If during the bankruptcy your mailing address changes, see next steps.
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Please fill out the form below so you can continue to receive mail from the court and trustee.
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After completing this, tell us you have done so and we will file it with the court - thank you.
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IMPORTANT: In order to get your discharge in the mail at the conclusion of your case, you need an accurate address on file with the court.
Popular Q&A
Why can't I make my car / mortgage payment online or in my app?
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Some mortgage and car companies will stop accepting online payments after a filing.
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If you are planning on keeping that asset, start mailing them a check.
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You can call your bank and set it up where they automatically mail a check every month.
