What Happens at the 341 Meeting in a Tulsa Bankruptcy?

Most people who file bankruptcy never set foot in a courtroom. The one required appearance is the meeting of creditors, which everyone calls the 341 meeting after the section of the Bankruptcy Code that requires it. 11 U.S.C. § 341. It makes people nervous, but for most people it is the easiest part of the case.

It happens on Zoom

In the Northern District of Oklahoma, which covers Tulsa, 341 meetings in Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 cases have been held by Zoom video since June 2024. You can join from home or from my office. The notice the court sends after your case is filed lists the date and time and the Zoom information for your trustee. The U.S. Trustee can approve other arrangements if you cannot appear by video, and in rare cases requires an in-person meeting.

Who is there

The meeting is run by the trustee assigned to your case, not a judge. Creditors are allowed to attend and ask questions, but in a typical consumer case they seldom do. Your lawyer is with you the whole time.

What they ask

You will be placed under oath. The trustee will check your identification and then ask a set of standard questions: whether you signed and read your petition, whether everything in it is true and complete, whether you listed all your property and all your debts, and whether anything has changed since you filed. After that come any questions specific to your case, usually about a house, a car, a tax refund, or a recent large payment or transfer.

For most people it is over in a few minutes.

How to prepare

The real preparation happens before the case is filed, when the petition is put together. If the petition is accurate and complete, the meeting is a formality. If it is not, the meeting is where that comes out.

Before the meeting, the trustee has to receive a copy of your most recent federal tax return at least seven days ahead, along with anything else your trustee asks for, which is usually recent pay stubs and bank statements. We get those to the trustee.

On the day, find a quiet spot with a good connection, and answer the question you were asked. If you don't know an answer, say so. The trustee is not trying to trap you. If there are two of you, you’ll both need to answer the questions aloud and in order.

What happens after

In a Chapter 7 case, most people have no further appearances. Creditors have a deadline after the meeting to object to your discharge, and when it passes, the court enters the discharge. In a Chapter 13 case, the meeting comes before the hearing where the court considers confirming your plan.

If you are thinking about filing, or you have filed on your own and your 341 meeting is coming up, I can help. Call (918) 221-6190 or request a consultation. The first consultation is free, and you will talk with me directly, not a screener.

Related: Tulsa bankruptcy attorney; Filing Bankruptcy Without a Lawyer: What the Court Records Show; How to Stop a Wage Garnishment in Oklahoma; Can Chapter 13 Save My House or Car in Oklahoma?.

This article is general information about Oklahoma and federal bankruptcy law, not legal advice for your situation. We are a debt relief agency. We help people file for bankruptcy relief under the Bankruptcy Code.