What to Know About Attending a Virtual Creditors’ Meetings via Zoom

Creditors’ meetings —also known as Section 341 meetings — are a necessary stage of every Chapter 7 bankruptcy case. Their purpose is to make sure the information in the debtor’s petition is accurate and to find out if there are any facts or circumstances that might justify denial of bankruptcy relief. These meetings, which debtors must attend, have traditionally been held in person at a courthouse or office building. But now, the bankruptcy courts have authorized them to be held as online conferences.

The U.S. Trustee’s Office, which supervises bankruptcy proceedings, has adopted a program allowing virtual Section 341 meetings of creditors via Zoom. In fact, online meetings are now the norm in bankruptcy cases across the country. In-person meetings are held only when there are extenuating circumstances that make it impossible for a debtor to attend via the Zoom conference protocol.

If you are a debtor filing for Chapter 7, your bankruptcy attorney will advise you about the online meeting and how to connect to it. The meeting is run by the bankruptcy trustee appointed in your case. Your attorney will also attend via Zoom. Although your creditors will be given notice of the meeting, they are unlikely to attend.

A creditors’ meeting via Zoom proceeds in the same way as an in-person meeting. However, there is a different procedure for production of documents. At least 14 days prior to the meeting, you or your attorney must send the following to the trustee appointed in the case:

• Proof of identification — A copy of a government-issued photo ID (such as a driver’s license) and evidence of your Social Security number.
• Financial Information — Pay statements showing of your income, current statements for depository and investment accounts and documentation of monthly expenses.
• Tax return — Your federal income tax return for the most recent tax year ending before the filing of the bankruptcy case. This can be submitted up to 7 days before the meeting date.

At the virtual meeting, the trustee will have you verify under oath the accuracy and completeness of the information you provided in your court filings and might ask you additional questions. If any creditors appear, they might question you about any assets and finances that might be available to repay debts. Again, this is unlikely.

If the meeting concludes without any questions left open, you are likely to receive a Chapter 7 discharge without further court proceedings. If the trustee requests additional information, your attorney can obtain and submit it and thereby avoid the need of any further meetings.

The Law Offices of Michael Jay Berger in Beverly Hills is one of Southern California’s most active bankruptcy law firms, with 12 locations in the region. Feel free to contact us online or call 310-271-6223 to schedule a free initial consultation.