Get a better understanding of what goes into filing a chapter 13 bankruptcy in Philadelphia and how the timeline will unfold. Learn more about chapter 13 bankruptcy in Philadelphia in this presentation.

1. Get a Better Understanding of What Goes Into Filing
a Chapter 13 Bankruptcy in Philadelphia
and How the Timeline Will Unfold
CHAPTER 13
BANKRUPTCY TIMELINE
IN PHILADELPHIA
DAVID M. OFFEN
PHILADELPHIA BANKRUPTCY ATTORNEY

2. Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Timeline in Philadelphia www.getfreeofbills.com
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There is a lot that goes into deciding to file Chapter 13 bankruptcy. You
have to decide if this is the best decision for taking care of your debts.
An important detail to consider
is the Chapter 13 bankruptcy
timeline. How long does the
process take in my situation?
What will you experience along
the way? What can you do to
speed things up? These are the
types of questions you will need
to answer.
The timeline associated with Chapter 13 bankruptcy can and will vary from
one state to the next. For this reason, it is essential to consult with a local
bankruptcy attorney who is familiar with the laws in your state. This way
you don’t have to guess as to what you will be faced with along the way.
Even though the timeline in one state may not be exactly the same as the
next one, here are some basic steps to become familiar with in
Pennsylvania.
1. Filing of the Chapter 13 bankruptcy petition. This is the first step
in the process. As soon as you file, the automatic bankruptcy stay goes into
effect. Any lawsuit, foreclosure action or collection action against you must
be immediately stopped. This also means that creditors will not be able to

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legally contact you to collect on debt or to keep sending you billing notices.
The filing of the Chapter 13 Bankruptcy also stops all collection activity by
tax authorities.
2. Filing of repayment plan. Within 15 days of filing Chapter 13
bankruptcy, you or your attorney must file with the Court your repayment
plan. In the plan you show which creditors you are able to pay and how
much you can afford to
pay. In many cases your
creditors such as credit
card debts, personal loans,
lines of credit, utility bills
and other debts will
receive only a very small
amount or even no
payment. In some cases
tax bills are reduced. Car payments are also sometimes reduced. You are
allowed to get up to five years to get caught up if you are in arrears on
your mortgage payments. Along with the plan are financial schedules
which are filed with the court. While the court will request this information
regardless of your situation, by working with a qualified attorney you never
have to concern yourself with whether you are eligible. They can answer
this question for you upfront before you even begin to file your case, and
your attorney can complete and file all paperwork on your behalf.

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3. Making payments. Approximately one month after filing you will begin
to make monthly payments. Even though the court may not have given
you approval just yet, when you begin to make payments at this time it
shows that you are serious about the Chapter 13 bankruptcy process and
getting your finances back in order. For many people, the Chapter 13 plan
is a dream. Many people do not realize that such a program exists to help
people.
4. Meeting of creditors.
Within 45 to 60 days after
filing, you meet with a
Chapter 13 trustee who
reviews your Petition and
plan. Creditors rarely attend
the meeting even though
they are entitled show up. It
is at this time that your
repayment plan is reviewed. Most of the time the only people attending
the meeting are you, your attorney and the Chapter 13 Trustee.
5. Proofs of claim filed by creditors. All creditors are required by law to
provide proofs of claim. In short, this shows the court how much money is
owed to the creditor. If a creditor decides that they are not going to take
part in this process and not file a proof of claim, they may not be able to

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receive any money through the repayment plan and the creditor’s claim
may be wiped out without the creditor ever receiving a payment.
6. Confirmation hearing. This is one of the steps that you should be
looking forward to, as it is when your trustee presents the court with your
proposed repayment plan. Generally speaking, this will happen
approximately one to three months after the meeting of creditors. In the
Philadelphia area, you generally do not need to attend the confirmation
hearing unless your attorney advises otherwise and tells you to show up.
PROFESSIONAL ASSISTANCE IS A MUST
At this point, you should have a better understanding of what goes into
filing a Chapter 13
bankruptcy and how the
timeline will unfold. At
the same time, there is a
good chance that you
have many questions on
your mind. This is
because the above steps
can sometimes be
confusing, but you never
know if you are going to run into any issues along the way.

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When you rely on the assistance of a bankruptcy attorney, you will always
have somebody on your side who knows the ins and outs of the Chapter 13
bankruptcy process. This person can ensure that you are taking the right
steps, making the right decisions, and doing whatever it takes to improve
your financial situation and make your life better.
Find a Philadelphia bankruptcy attorney who has helped others file for
Chapter 13 in the past. This will put your mind at ease, allowing you to be
confident in the person’s ability to help you through this difficult financial
situation.

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About the Author
David M. Offen
A native to the Philadelphia area, Mr. Offen attended Temple University College and Law
School. Mr. Offen is licensed to practice in the States of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. He is a
member of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania Bankruptcy Conference and the National
Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys.
David M. Offen has over 20 years of experience and has helped over 8,500 individuals and
families go through the Bankruptcy process. These filings have included stopping foreclosure on
a home, stopping repossession of a car or vehicle, stopping IRS tax levies and frozen bank
accounts and putting a stop to; lawsuits, credit card bills, personal loan, bills, utility shutoffs
and other types of debt.
With Mr. Offen’s help, these families have saved countless millions of dollars of debt.
David enjoys getting to know his clients and will be happy to answer any and all questions you
may have. You are treated as a person and not a number.
Remember – there is no such thing as a silly question. Don’t be afraid to ask any questions you
may have. David M. Offen has found that people looking to file Bankruptcy are not trying to
avoid their responsibilities but rather to make a difficult situation easier. David enjoys getting
people to stop worrying and making their financial lives much better and stop feeling
overwhelmed.
In some cases, Bankruptcy is not the best move and he can review your situation with you and
tell you the right move for you to make. Get a completely free evaluation of your situation. For
the past 20 years, the Law Offices of David M. Offen has been among the top filers of
bankruptcy in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
The Law Offices of David M. Offen
215-625-9600
www.getfreeofbills.com
The Curtis Center
601 Walnut Street, Suite 160 West – 1st Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19106