This question has been discussed many times here..and there seems to be no hard and fast rule. Certainly, it depends on several things.
Most importantly, is what period the overpayment reflected in the refund really realtes to.
For example, say it is a refund for a year and you filed BK in Dec of that year. Basically, all of the tax you paid in was from pre-petition...had you had the correct amount withheld (or by estimated payment, hence no refund of overpayment being made), presumably (and rightfully) that additional amount would have been available to pay those creditors. Consider, you could have had more (even 100%) withheld and deposited in your account with the Government, that shouldn't mean you get to essentially just withdraw it now. (Had you put it in a bank account you wouldn't expect to).
On the other hand, if you file the BK in January, then virtually all the overpayment is due to earnings post petition...which are actually yours and not part of the bankruptcy.
Viewed this way, I think the actions make some sense.
Add in any complications, like you don't make earnings evenly through the period...and it's a question needing a reasonable solution you should propose to the trustee.
The trustee may take the refund and distribute it to creditors because a tax refund is not considered an exempted asset under bankruptcy laws.
The tax refund goes into the bankruptcy estate. If your chapter 7 filing did not exempt the refund, the money will be used to pay the trustee and to pay your debts pro rata. That is, each creditor gets an amount equal to the percentage the debt is to the total indebtedness. You are not likely to get anything back, but if all the debts are paid off 100 per cent and the trustee is not entitled to any more money, the balance will be paid to you. The trustee should have decided what s/he is going to do. If you have a lawyer, s/he should discuss it with the trustee. You can also talk to the trustee or your case manager. I doubt you will get any of the refund, but make sure to stay on top of the issue and get notices of any trustee motions regarding these funds.
60days
Yes, you do. And any tax refund may have to be given to the trustee.
If the Chapter 13 Bankruptcy is still active you probably will need to turn over this to the Chapter 13 Trustee. At the least you need to ask the Trustee about the refund amount and if it must be submitted or not.
If you still owe federal income taxes, they will. But if they don't take it, the chapter 13 trustee gets the tax refund. You should have listed any income taxes that were dischargeable (due more that 3 years prior to the filing date).
No! You must claim more dependants on your paycheck to avoid the trustee claiming your refund. 1500$ is the limit from Fed and State combined. Keep your refund below that amount combined and you will be in the clear. I find it ironic that if you owe the irs any money the trustee does not help out with that but if your refund is good then the trustee will claim it. Hope this helps!
Depends on the trustee. Some do; some don't.
Generally it depends on the type of BK when or if it has been discharged, the amount of the refund, and if it is a federal or state bankruptcy filing. As a rule at least a portion of the refund will be taken by the trustee, more likely the entire amount is subject to relinquishment.
I spoke to my lawyer about it and he said that he has never know the trustee to take the refund in this district. I would advise you to talk with your lawyer, I am sure your case wasnt his first and they should have a history with the trustee.
No they do not take your refund from my experience, but they do take the state refund. If they do take it, you can contact the trustee and ask for it back. I was told as long as the payments were being made every pay period we were okay. Hope this helps
Whether you are entitled to your tax refund will depend on what type of Chapter of bankruptcy you are filing and whether the bankruptcy exemptions can be used to protect the tax refund. If you are filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy then you can generally keep the refund if the available state bankruptcy exemptions provide protection for it. If you are in a Chapter 13 bankruptcy you are typically required to turn over the tax refunds during the life of the Chapter 13 case.