How long does it take to file for bankruptcy in the United States?
Jan Meriss Alfonso Assistant at Ascent Law LLC The process for filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy is fairly fast. In general, Chapter 7 debtors will be debt-free four to six months after filing. They will pay a filing fee, which does not include attorney fees, and will need to make only one court appearance. They will also have to meet a means test, which determines whether they are a good candidate for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. Chapter 7 bankruptcy trustee's job A Chapter 7 bankruptcy trustee is responsible for liquidating the debtor's non-exempt assets in order to provide as much money to unsecured creditors as possible. The chapter 7 trustee also has additional accounting and reporting requirements, such as identifying red flags in the debtor's financial situation. The trustee may also attempt to collect unpaid money or property. While the trustee is not a government employee, he or she is appointed by a bankruptcy court to oversee a person's debt relief. As an independen...