How Long Does Bankruptcy Chapter 7 Take in Greensboro, NC?

The standard answer is that most Greensboro Chapter 7 bankruptcy cases take between 4-6 months to wrap up. Without complications or other delays, there is the potential to be done in less than four months. Most cases are discharged within six months of the filing date.

The Early Stages of a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy in Greensboro 

A Greensboro Chapter 7 starts like all other bankruptcy proceedings with the filing. Our Greater Piedmont Triad law firm has the expertise to quickly gather your information and get your case filed so you can begin enjoying protection under the automatic stay.

As long as you can provide the necessary information, our legal team is ready to put your Greensboro bankruptcy case together and get it filed quickly. As soon as the case is accepted by the clerk of the bankruptcy court in North Carolina, you are protected.

Automatic stay protection means that debt collectors and agencies are no longer allowed to contact you in North Carolina, and all debt collection actions against you must stop. This is when you are able to take a deep breath and start planning a better financial future for yourself here in Greensboro.

In every Greensboro, NC bankruptcy proceeding, a trustee is assigned to the case. The trustee is in charge of evaluating your financial standing and paying back creditors. The trustee is the person that can make decisions about your North Carolina bankruptcy case if you do not agree with the decisions, then your attorney can request a hearing.

Required Bankruptcy Hearings in Greensboro, NC

You will have to attend one court date along with your attorney from our Greensboro law firm Ivey McClellan. It's referred to as the 341 meeting or the meeting of creditors. This hearing is conducted by the North Carolina bankruptcy trustee presiding over your case. That trustee will ask you a series of general questions at that hearing. The meeting also gives your creditors an opportunity to ask questions and be heard.

In most cases, creditors do not attend that hearing, and you are quickly in and out of the meeting. The meeting is usually just a formality and is nothing to worry about. Your Greensboro bankruptcy lawyer from our office will be right there to ensure everything moves along smoothly. You can expect to spend about ten minutes with your North Carolina case's trustee.

You can expect the meeting to be scheduled between 20-40 days after you file bankruptcy in Greensboro. Keeping this hearing date is very important to your case. 

What Can You Do to Keep Your Case Moving Along?

There are a few things that you can do to help move your case along and ensure it does not run into any delays:

• Have all your financial information together and ready to hand over to the attorney during your first meeting. The sooner you hire your Greensboro, NC bankruptcy lawyer and get your paperwork filled out, the sooner you can move forward with your case.
• Be sure to keep your lawyer up to date on any changes to your financial standing. The court has to be notified if there are any changes in your income, like on the outside chance you receive an inheritance or another windfall here in Greensboro.
• Come to the 341 meeting as required. It is very hard to get these meetings re-scheduled in Greensboro, and in only extreme cases will the court agree to set it for a later date. Be sure that you come to the court prepared with identification and any documents that you are required to bring. Being unprepared or asking to continue the hearing to a later date can tack more than 30 days onto your Greensboro, NC bankruptcy case.
• As part of the bankruptcy process, you are required to take a credit counseling class. This class can be taken right online. Your lawyer from here at Ivey McClellan will give you the information that you need to take the class here in Greensboro, NC. Do it as soon as possible.
• Choose a law firm like Ivey McClellan that is experienced and knows how to keep your Greater Piedmont Triad case moving along without delays and knows what to do in case something does come up.

Finally, one of the best ways to keep your case moving is to be honest with your attorney and comply with everything that the court or the trustee requires. The more cooperative you are, the fewer problems you will experience, which of course, means the fewer delays you will have to deal with in wrapping up your Greensboro bankruptcy case.

Potential Delays You May Experience in Your Greensboro Bankruptcy Case?

Some delays in Chapter 7 bankruptcy cases are out of both your and your lawyer's hands. For example, if you have non-exempt property that the trustee has to sell to satisfy debts, that can tack on a month or longer to the expected 4-6 month time frame to get the discharge in Greensboro.

If the court or its representative (the trustee) asks for information and you do not provide it right away, that can create a delay. Once the information is provided, however, you will be right back on track. This can be a short delay of less than a week or two if you move quickly to return the information that is needed. 

If there is a court case involved with your bankruptcy, that can be a long delay. Until the court case is settled you cannot be discharged in the North Carolina bankruptcy. It is highly unusual for a creditor to fight in bankruptcy court in Greensboro, but it is not unheard of. In this situation, there is very little that you or your lawyer can do. You are both at the mercy of the court calendar and the speed at which the legal process moves.

One of the best ways to make sure that your Chapter 7 case in Greensboro, NC progresses quickly is to hire a team of lawyers that are experienced in filing bankruptcy cases like yours in North Carolina. Contact us today to make your appointment, and let's get you on track to a secure financial future.