Real Estate Taxes, Home Insurance bills, etc post Chpt 7

[KevFinnerty]

I am a Chpt 7 Asset Case and got my discharge about 2 weeks ago. The creditors have about another month to file their claims for the Trustee. My house has equity in it but was in foreclosure which was stopped by the bk proceedings. Although I have received no communication from the Trustee that my house is the asset which he is pursuing let's assume that is the case (I really have nothing else that could be considered non-exempt for him to go after and he did express an interest in the property at my 341 hearing).

I've been in limbo waiting to see what happens next, expecting that a motion will be filed at some point by the Trustee naming a realtor to sell the house. I am still living in the house and continuing to pay bills like HomeOwnersAssociation every month and was planning on paying that kind of thing for as long as I still can and I'm here.

But I just got a Real Estate Tax bill that is due later this year; I figure I will be out of here before it is due (but I really don't know what is going to happen/when). Also I am expecting a renewal bill for my home insurance I think later this month. Normally I would be sending these on to my mortgage company who then pay these things out of my escrow. But I am confused now since I am in foreclosure, haven't paid the bank in 9 months etc - do I still send these tax bills/home insurance etc to the mortgage company? Or what do I do with them? I don't have the funds available to pay them myself now in any case.

Appreciate any advice, thanks.

[tcreegan]

Hi Kev,

The easy one is not paying the taxes, these almost always attach to the property...whoever buys it next gets to pay the back taxes.

The insurance might be easy too...ins. policies paid out of escrow often get paid quarterly, biannually, or annually. Check w/ the insurance company to see where the policy stands, it might be paid up till June if you're lucky. If it has run out, I would ask my agent about insuring just my personal prop for now (kinda like renters insurance)

Kinda been a long and winding road for you, keep us posted on how everything turns out!

Tom in Colo

[KevFinnerty]

Thanks Tom.

I guess what you're saying is that I should just send those bills to the Mortgage company like I used to do - and not fret about it if they don't pay it (at least in the case of the tax bill)? I don't have the insurance bill yet but from what I recall my home insurance renews yearly and expires either this month or next month - I'll get the bill soon enough....

[tcreegan]

By passing the bill along you have done your duty Kev, you can sleep easy.

And who knows, they might pay the bills out of habit.....

Tom in Colo