When a debtor files bankruptcy they must notify certain parties. These parties are the same in every Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 cases. All creditors receive notice of the bankruptcy filing. This includes secured lenders like mortgage lenders, auto loan creditors, and property taxing authorities. Unsecured creditors also receive notice of the bankruptcy filing. Unsecured creditors include credit cards, payday loans, student loans, and personal loans. Priority creditors are also notified of the bankruptcy filing. These creditors include the Internal Revenue Service, government agencies that collect child support, and the child support recipient.
Creditors that lease property to the debtor also get notified of the bankruptcy filing. These include automobile leases and residential leases. Co-debtors get notified of the bankruptcy filing as well. A co-debtor is someone who shares liability for a debt with the bankruptcy filer. There are also several different government agencies that receive notice of the bankruptcy filing. These may include the United States Attorney, United States Trustee, and the Internal Revenue Service. Which government agencies receive notice of a bankruptcy filing depends on the local rules in which the case is filed.
Bankruptcy cases are part of the public record. Anyone who has access to the online court records in a district can find out who filed bankruptcy and review the documents filed in the case. Most people don’t have access to these records or the knowledge of how to look up a specific person’s information. They would also have to have reason to go looking for the information about the debtor.