341 Meeting - What Documents Am I Supposed to Bring w/ Me (if any)?

[Heather_NNJ]

What documents, if any, am I supposed to bring with me to the 341 meeting (I'm a Pro Se filer)? I see on Pacer that my meeting with the Trustee is scheduled for 4/14. Does the Court/Trustee notify you of what documents you should bring with you?

Thanks in advance for your help.

[Teddy]

Off of the top of my head, I remember my atty saying my drivers license and my SS card.

Those are the 2 things I know for sure.

[phoenyx]

I'm not 100% positive, but I think you should bring copies of your most recent filed tax return and corresponding W2's/paystubs for proof of your income. I also think you need to bring the title to property you own, like a house or car.

Be prepared to answer whether everything on your petition is correct, and if there's anything that you now know needs to be changed (amended.) Also be prepared to justify the value you wrote down for property to own, and whether you have sold or given anything away in the last year that was more than an ordinary and small valued gift.

You could try calling your bankruptcy court and asking them specifically what to bring, but there's certain things they classify as too close to "legal advice" so I'm not sure if they would tell you outright... Even though it's not really legal advice.

[FreshLikeADaisy]

Heather, I am pro se as well, so I thought this out carefully. I also used the Nolo Press book guidelines and what I had read here as well.

Basically, my objective was to avoid a continuance, and I had that in my mind throughout all my dealings with the trustee. My trustee contacted me by mail shortly after I filed and included a LOOOONG list of documentation he expected me to provide no later than 2 weeks prior to my 341. I did so -- it took me three whole days to get everything together and then photocopied (NEVER submit originals) -- and then I sent it priority with a cover letter detailing what was included, and what was not included and why. I also had a friend do a proof of service by mail for me, which I filed the same day. A few days later, I called the trustee's office to be sure he'd gotten it, which he had.

This way, right off the bat, I had written evidence of what I sent and when, so there would be no continuance based on my failure to provide something I had already provided. Call me paranoid, but I've been in corporate America too long to think that TPS reports don't sometimes get lost or ignored, and this was just a MASSIVE pile of paperwork he wanted, so I felt it was time well spent.

Keep in mind that my trustee contacted me in advance of the 341 to let me know his requirements. Some don't, and tell you at the 341 what they want, but in general if you're pro se they'll let you know beforehand. You can also call the trustee's office directly if you're pro se: as your attorney, you have the legal right to discuss your case with him and to be presented with a clear list of documentation requirements from him. The bankruptcy court does not set the requirements for documentation (beyond proof of SSN and photo ID) so it's a question better directed to your trustee.

Even though I had already sent all this stuff off to him three weeks prior, I brought several items with me to the 341, just in case. I brought a copy of my filing in case he wanted to ask me specifics about what I'd filed. I brought all the printouts I'd made from Ebay and NADA and Kelly Blue Book to support the values I had given my assets, in case he had a problem with a value I'd placed on an asset. I brought a photocopy (which I had made for my own sake anyway) of the package I'd already sent him. AND, of course I brought my social security card and photo ID (driver's license) which are required by law.

In the end, all I needed was the social security card and driver's license because I had already been so thorough in finding out what he wanted and getting it to him, but it sure did make me feel better to have it with me. If you're going pro se, you won't have any attorney to sit there with you and field questions, it's all on you. You may not see the need to bring all that with you, but it sure doesn't hurt.

If you search this forum for "341" or "341 questions" you'll start to get a sense of the range of experiences that people have had at a 341. Most go off without any hitch, but some get downright hairy. Not having an atty to help you means you should be as well prepared and equipped as you can going in.... even if you don't need it. Hope this helps!!!