How to Reopen a Bankruptcy Case -- Motion to Reopen Guide

Reopening a Closed Bankruptcy Case

A closed bankruptcy case can be reopened for several reasons:

• Missed creditor: You forgot to list a creditor who should have been included. Reopening lets you add them and potentially have the debt discharged.
• Discharge dispute: A creditor claims your debt was not discharged or is collecting on a discharged debt. Reopening allows the court to clarify or enforce the discharge.
• Lien avoidance: You need to file a motion to avoid a lien that was not addressed during the case.
• Additional assets discovered: The trustee discovers assets that were not administered during the case.

How to reopen: File a motion to reopen (usually on a local form) and pay the filing fee ($260 for most chapters). The court will grant the motion if there is a valid reason.