How to Find Out Which Debts Were Discharged in a Bankruptcy Case
There may come a time when you need to find out which debts were discharged in your bankruptcy case and your original paperwork is not available. Some collection agencies try to illegally collect on debts included in bankruptcy, and successfully fighting these claims requires knowledge on what actually was legally forgiven during your bankruptcy case. It may also be necessary to prove to potential lenders and even former spouses what was included in bankruptcy. Fortunately, there are several convenient ways to find out the specifics of your discharged debts.
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Instructions
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Sign up for PACER, which offers electronic copies of bankruptcy discharge papers from United States courts. You can instantly access your bankruptcy case file, which will include a list of all debts included in your petition. The website (see Resources section) does require use of a credit card and charges 8 cents per page.
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Call your attorney or paralegal if you secured legal help in getting your bankruptcy discharged through the federal court system. It is possible that the legal professional still has a copy of your bankruptcy file and can offer you new copies for a nominal fee. This usually would require cash or a money order, which is a good option for those who do not hold a valid credit card as a result of their bankruptcy filing.
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Visit the courthouse where your bankruptcy case was heard and discharged by a federal judge. You can usually get copies of any bankruptcy file, including discharge papers, without needing a credit card. The court employee likely will charge a fee for copying the documents, and the price would vary depending on the courthouse policies for document research and copying.
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Visit the U.S. Bankruptcy Court Federal Record Retrieval Service website (see Resources section) and order your bankruptcy discharge papers online. This requires the use of a credit card and a $20 fee, but any of your bankruptcy documents can be e-mailed to you within a few hours of your order. You can also pay extra to have your discharge papers and any other needed bankruptcy documents mailed to your residence or business.
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Tips & Warnings
Remember that credit reports are not a thorough resource to find out which debts were discharged in a bankruptcy case, but you are entitled to a free report each year (see Resources section.)
