The meeting of creditors — the 341 meeting — is the appointment people lose sleep over. In practice it is usually brief, procedural, and dull.
Who is actually there
You, your attorney, and the trustee. Possibly other filers waiting their turn, since these are often scheduled in batches. Creditors are entitled to attend and, in ordinary consumer cases, almost never do.
It is not held in a courtroom and there is no judge. Many are now conducted by video.
What you will be asked
Confirmation of identity. Whether you read the paperwork before signing. Whether it is accurate and complete. Whether anything has changed since filing. Some questions about your property and income.
The trustee is checking the paperwork is honest, not evaluating whether you deserve to be there.
How to do it well
Bring the identification your attorney specifies. Usually photo ID and proof of your Social Security number. Turning up without them means coming back another day.
Answer only what is asked. Short, true answers. Nerves make people explain and justify, which invites follow-up questions about things nobody was asking about.
Say if you do not know. “I do not know, but I can find out” is a perfectly good answer. Guessing is not.
Tell your attorney beforehand if something has changed. A new job, a tax refund, an inheritance, a car sold. Surprises are the only thing that makes these meetings interesting, and you do not want an interesting one.
On the dread
Most people walk out slightly stunned that it was over so quickly. The anticipation is generally the worst part of the entire process, and it is behind you in about ten minutes.