341 Meeting Questions for Bankruptcy | What Happens and What You Need for 341 Meetings

Every debtor that files for bankruptcy must attend a meeting of creditors. The creditors’ meeting is often referred to as a “341 meeting.” About 30 days after filing, the trustee will schedule a meeting with the debtor and with the debtor’s creditors. The debtor must attend and answer questions under oath.

What Occurs at a 341 Meeting?

The purpose of the 341 meeting is for the trustee and the creditors to ask about the debtor’s assets, liabilities, and the bankruptcy papers. In most cases, the meeting is short, usually less than 15 minutes. Although creditors may attend the meeting, most are not present. If a creditor believes that fraud occurred, a creditor may choose to attend the meeting and may request the trustee to gather further information in a deposition.

What to Bring to the Meeting?

Every court has different requirements, but a debtor will typically need to bring the following documents:

Photo ID
Proof of Social Security number
Recent tax returns
Bank statements
Checkbooks
Bills
Deeds
Contracts
Licenses

If a debtor fails to bring the required documentation, the trustee will postpone the meeting.

341 Meeting Questions

In most circumstances, the trustee will only ask a few questions. The meeting will be recorded by tape or by a court reporter. Typical questions asked by the trustee include the following:

What is your name and current address?
Did you sign the petition, statements, and schedules?
Are your assets included on the schedules?
Is the information contained in the petition, statements, and schedules correct?
Have you previously filed for bankruptcy?
What is the address of your employer?
Have you provided a copy of your most recent tax return?
Have you transferred any property or given any property away within the last year?
Does anyone owe you money?
In the past year, have you made large payments over $600 to anyone?
When you filed for bankruptcy, did you have any cash on hand, U.S. Savings Bonds, stocks, Certificate of Deposit, or a safe deposit box?
Do you own a vehicle?
Have you engaged in any business?
What types of business records did you maintain?

Getting Legal Help from Bankruptcy Attorneys

Depending on a debtor’s situation, filing for bankruptcy can be complicated. A bankruptcy attorney can provide further information about the ins-and-outs of the 341 meeting.

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