Who will know about my bankruptcy?

Like most court records, bankruptcy filings are public. However, this does not mean that all of your personal information will be available to everyone who wants it. In most cases, your friends and family will not find out about your bankruptcy unless you tell them.

Direct notice of your bankruptcy will be sent to your creditors and co-debtors (if any). Your bankruptcy will be reported to the major credit bureaus, and will stay on your credit report for ten years, though many credit reporting agencies will remove it after seven. Companies that run credit checks will know about your bankruptcy from these reports. If you have an ex-spouse who receives child support from you, he or she will receive a letter informing them of your bankruptcy, and information about what to do if the child support does not continue.

Finally, although most employers are not told of your bankruptcy, a chapter 13 trustee may request a wage withholding order to your employer if you fall behind on your chapter 13 plan payments.