Penalty for filing fraudulent certification: fine of up to $500,000 or imprisonment for up to 5 years, or both pursuant to 18 U.S.C. §§152 and 3571.
BANKRUPTCY RULE 1007(b)(7)
As an approved personal financial management course provider, you are now allowed to file the certificate of completion of the post-petition personal financial management course for debtors directly with the court.
Deadlines associated with filing certificates of debtors' completion of this course are critically important to the debtor and your responsibilities as an approved course provider.
- In a chapter 7 or 13 case, if the statement of the debtor's completion of the course is not filed within 45 days after the first date set for the §341 meeting, amended Fed. R. Bankr. P. 5009(b) will require the clerk to notify the debtor that the case will be closed without entry of a discharge unless the statement is filed within the applicable deadline under Fed. R. Bankr. P. 1007(c).
- In a chapter 11 or 13 case, this certificate of completion must be filed no later than the last payment made by the debtor as required by the plan.
The risk to the debtor, if the provider fails to timely file the certificate, is that the debtor's case could be closed without a discharge. See Fed. R. Bankr. P. 4004(c)(1)(H).
Some courts may revoke a provider's limited filer privileges if the provider does not file a certificate in a timely manner.
- The failure to do so could result in the closing of the debtor's case without a discharge.
- In the event your limited filer privileges are revoked by a court, the court will notify the Executive Office of the U.S. Trustees or Bankruptcy Administrator of the revocation.
If you need to review what has been filed in a case, you will need to register with the PACER Service Center to obtain case information at https://pacer.uscourts.gov/register-account/non-attorney-filers-cmecf.
When you are ready to begin, contact the court at 720-904-7450 if you have any questions.