If you file a Chapter 13 bankruptcy in the Middle District of North Carolina (Greensboro, Winston-Salem and surrounding areas), you will be required to have a phone interview with the Chapter 13 Trustee’s office.

You will need to call the Trustee’s office to schedule your phone interview. Be sure to call in on the date and time it is scheduled for – if you do not call for your phone interview, the Court can dismiss your bankruptcy case!

Another important note: the Trustee’s office cannot do the phone interview with you if they have not received all of the necessary documentation from you beforehand. It is important to submit all of the documents they have requested before the interview!

The night before your phone interview, sit down with the copy of your bankruptcy petition you were given after your signing appointment. Remember: you came to our office for your signing appointment, we reviewed the petition together, and then we gave you a copy of the paperwork after the appointment was done.

During your phone interview, the staff from the Trustee’s office will be looking at the same paperwork that you have a copy of. You need to review it the night before just to refresh your memory on everything we reviewed together.

The purpose of the phone interview is to review the file and ask you any clarification questions the court may have. Remember, our office has had a lot of interaction with you – we’ve asked you a lot of questions, received a lot of paperwork from you, and spent a lot of time with you. The only information the Trustee’s office has is the petition that was filed with the Court and the paperwork you submitted to them. It is important to be patient on the phone during the interview. They are asking questions so they have accurate information about your case. If you get frustrated or impatient, it will not help your case!

Finally, be sure to keep a note pad near you during the interview. If you think of any questions during the phone interview, jot them down and call our office afterwards to talk to us about your questions.