Massachusetts Bankruptcy Lawyer

Yes you can. But keep in mind that this has to be done as soon as possible and before receiving a discharge. When a bankruptcy petition is amended to add new creditors, regardless of what type (credit cards, car loans, personal loans) they are, the debtor’s motion to amend to add creditors should be allowed by a court order. In addition, the court should file a notice to add creditors giving the new creditors a reasonable time (usually approximately two months) after amendment to object to the debtor’s discharge. If this notice to add creditors is not filed by the court after the motion to amend is allowed, the subsequent filing of this notice by the court can extend the deadline for objections after an order of discharge.

Adding a debt to your bankruptcy petition should be allowed prior to the closing of the case, but such post-filing motions will result in additional costs. In the District of Massachusetts, each additional debt added to the petition post-filing has a $26.00 fee. This is why it is always better to get all three agency credit reports if possible, so as to ensure that the list of debts is as comprehensive as possible. Still, additional debts only known of (not incurred) after filing may be added through a motion to amend with service upon those and other creditors and the trustee. Do consult first with the attorney filing your petition in your jurisdiction, as the additional work would usually not be covered by a standard fee agreement and may result in additional attorney fees depending on the amount of additional debt declared.