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When your turn is called and you get to sit with the Trustee in the front of the room. You take your place in the seat or seats opposite from him/her. Our attorney was to our right and to our left was the stenographer, transcribing every detail.

And so it begins….

After swearing to tell the truth (so help us God) he asks us to first question:

How did you end up in Bankruptcy Court? I explained our situation and that companies were not spending money in my industry anymore.

His question seemed sincere. Or at least I’d like to think it was. The next set of questions were the same questions he asked everyone else:

• Did you read the schedules before signing?
• Did you list all of your assets?
• Did you list all of your debts?
• Are the schedules accurate?
• Do you want to make any corrections to the schedules?
• Have you lived in this state for the past two years?
• Do you owe anyone domestic support?
• Are your cars insured?
• Have you destroyed your credit cards?

Then came the other questions our attorney prepared us for:

• What did you do with the money from your second mortgage?
• Do you own any vacation properties or timeshares?
• What did you do with your tax return?
• What did you do with your stimulus check?

He accepted the answer we gave about our second mortgage. All of his questions were asked as his head was faced down reviewing our folder, making notes and checking off boxes. When he asked his last question of what we did with our stimulus check and I responded that it helped us pay the attorney’s retainer, he looked up, smiled and said NOTHING FURTHER. And like that, we were bankrupt.

I was waiting for a card or someone to stamp loser across my forehead. I just got a smile from the transcriber and a notion from my attorney for us to go! We walked out of that courtroom debt free. We drove to our home that we own (well with the mortgage company) in our car. We didn’t lose any of our assets.

As we left the courthouse my wife grabbed my hand. I wish there was a camera behind us as we exited the courthouse. It would have made for a great picture. We left our debt behind and we’re starting over.

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