Budget sequester suspends bankruptcy case audits

Here at Shenwick & Associates, many of our clients have complex bankruptcy cases involving factors that often lead to increased scrutiny by the Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Trustees assigned to the cases, as well as by the United States Trustee Program (USTP), a component of the U.S. Department of Justice that oversees the administration of bankruptcy cases and Bankruptcy Trustees. Some of these factors include:
• High levels of income, expenses and/or assets
• Tax debts
• Business debts

As part of the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005 (BAPCPA), the USTP established procedures for independent accounting firms to audit petitions, schedules, and other information in consumer bankruptcy cases.
However, due to the federal budget sequestration that began on March 1, 2013, the USTP has indefinitely suspended its designation of cases subject to audit and notified the independent accounting firms performing the audits. At the conclusion of fiscal year 2013 (Sept. 30th), the USTP will make public information concerning the aggregate results of the debtor audits performed during fiscal year 2013.

To find out how you can minimize the chances of an audit of your bankruptcy case through pre–bankruptcy planning, please contact Jim Shenwick.