Q: What would a trustee need or do with a tax refund collected on a closed chapter 7 case?
My Ch. 7 BK closed in Aug of '16. My '16 refund was filed in Feb of '17. The trustee had my federal refund sent directly to him and is still requesting my state refund be sent. If the BK is closed, why would he be able to hold those funds and what would they be used for?
A:
A tax refund for the 2016 tax year would represent an overpayment of taxes throughout that year. As such, you were "owed" that money, or at least a portion of it, as of the time of your filing, which makes it part of your bankruptcy estate. The trustee would use any such estate funds to make additional payments to creditors, and can reopen the bankruptcy for that purpose.
NOTE: Because every legal matter is different, and cannot be addressed in the generalized content of a web site, you should not rely upon the information provided herein as legal advice, nor should you construe anything herein to be an offer to represent you. Legal advice can only come from a qualified attorney after having had an opportunity to become familiar with all of the specific facts and circumstances of a particular legal matter, and to apply or research the relevant law.
Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.
The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.
Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.
